When you return to campus for the spring term, 62 classrooms will feature targeted upgrades, including upgrades with advanced routing technology.
“The rollout is staggered, with some classrooms already updated in Summer 2024, 62 classrooms across Boston and global campuses scheduled for Winter 2024, and the remainder planned for Spring or Summer 2025.” explained Gaurav Baweja, Infrastructure Portfolio Manager for ITS Project and Service Management.
IT Service teams work closely with faculty to identify their needs and ensure classrooms are equipped with tools that support teaching and learning. Faculty feedback highlighted the need for the ability to individually customize what content is on the many displays in a classroom. Advanced routing simplifies transitions between different teaching modes, such as hybrid instruction. In response, IT Services partnered with the Networking and Infrastructure teams to implement this solution with the support of Project Manager Nancy Hernandez. Advanced routing enhances existing classroom technology, making it easier for faculty and students to customize their classroom technology experience without learning an entirely new system.
“Advanced routing allows end-users to manually control classroom AV displays, providing greater flexibility,” said Gaurav Baweja. “This feature is being deployed across all Crestron-equipped Global Learning Spaces on the Boston campus and select global campuses, including Arlington, Miami, San Jose, Seattle, and Vancouver.”
What’s advanced routing?
Advanced routing is an addition to existing global learning space systems that enables faculty to individually route inputs such as their laptop, a Teams screenshare, and online participant video, to any output/display in the room. This offers flexibility for faculty that wish to customize their technology experience and tailor the room to their teaching needs.
Continuous upgrades
“Implementation is occurring in two ways: it is included by default for newly upgraded classrooms with Crestron units, and it is being installed into existing upgraded spaces retrospectively,” Gaurav explained.
These enhancements build on the university’s existing classroom technology infrastructure, including investments in Teams rooms that power global learning spaces. This robust foundation enables IT Services to make quick changes and introduce features like advanced routing, ensuring classrooms remain adaptable to evolving teaching needs.
Upgrades to classrooms aren’t uncommon across the global campus system. Each semester, the university tackles must-have and wish list changes to classrooms. This results in classroom upgrades to Global Learning Spaces, installation of Scribe whiteboard cameras, and improvements like advanced routing.
To stay updated, visit the Classroom Dashboard. Rooms undergoing maintenance will display a yellow banner with notes about the planned work. Use the dashboard to review key classroom technologies and their availability.