University at Buffalo (UB)
Innovation through Gamification and Classroom Technology
David Costello, Assistant Dean and Director of IT and Facilities for the Jacobs School of Management,
with John Pfeffer, UBIT’s Technical Program Manager for Learning Spaces, in one of Jacobs' new classrooms.
Published March 8, 2016 This content is archived.
Innovative technology is essential in guiding our students to achieve academic success. UB's faculty and staff work to find new ways to improve education through creative thinking and collaboration. UBIT understands that advanced campus technology leads to enhanced learning outcomes for students.
The path to success starts inside the classrooms. UBIT supports over 30 classrooms with lecture capture capabilities through Echo360. This allows instructors to record class sessions so students can review lectures through UBlearns. UBIT is working to enhance Echo360 so instructors can record class lessons outside of the classroom. UB faculty and staff are highly motivated to use classrooms with new forms of pedagogy for superior teaching.
All 145 UBIT-supported classrooms will be upgraded to a digital level by the end of 2017. It is important that we upgrade all classrooms to ensure success can be reached by our growing student body.
In addition, UB's School of Management recently remodeled several classrooms for digital collaboration among students. Students can share content electronically amongst their group members and display their work centrally in classrooms through a connected network. UBIT aims to expand on this model in future classroom upgrades.
UBIT is also excited to partner with students and faculty on gamification with the upcoming UB Minecraft build-a-thon on April 23, 2016. The build-a-thon will combine elements of education and awareness through the creation of a virtual Minecraft campus. We are looking forward to learning how serious gaming can be used for instructional purposes at UB.
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About the Author
J. Brice Bible is the Vice President and Chief Information Officer (VPCIO) for UB. UBIT is a service division at UB that provides enterprise technology leadership and guidance.