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For the Love of A/V: It’s a FLEXspace Family Affair
By Lisa Stephens and Rebecca V. Frazee of FLEXspace.org, featuring interviews with FLEXspace “friends and family”
To see learning space examples featured in this column plus hundreds more, login to FLEXspace.org and visit the Gallery “FEATURED IN HIGHER ED AV MAGAZINE”
Our HEAV Editorial Board friends wisely named February’s theme, “For the Love of A/V” no doubt connected to Valentine’s Day. Given that FLEXspace is solidly rooted in the culture of A/V, we thought this may be the perfect time to reflect upon our A/V roots and the early lessons learned that continue to sustain our profession.
Here, we share stories from Lisa Stephens, FLEXspace Director and Rebecca Frazee, FLEXspace Associate Director along with her spouse James Frazee, Chief Academic Technology Officer and Associate Vice President of Learning Technologies & Environments at SDSU, and their sixteen-year-old son Zach weighs in, a high school junior – “keepin’ it real.”
SPACE IN THE SPOTLIGHT:
See this space recently contribute to FLEXspace by Antonio Deninno at SDSU, including a 3D tour of the space plus stories behind the planning, design rationale, and lessons learned.
Young love: A/V Careers in the Making
Lisa: I wonder if our colleagues were also the kids in elementary school that sat at the edge of their seats wildly waving at the teacher to get picked to set up the filmstrip or 16mm projector? I took great pride in getting the film loop JUST right in the gate to ensure no torn sprocket holes or wobbly sound.
Rebecca: Technology – buttons, gadgets, connections, systems… Yup, I earned my nickname “Techie Becky” at an early age! As far back as I can remember, I was always proud to provide tech support to my parents, my friends, and their parents, whether it was connecting the stereo system with various In/Out components or setting up the latest tech gadget unwrapped on Christmas morning. I even programmed my first computer, a Commodore Vic 20, to make a flashing “Happy Mother’s Day” greeting!
James: I volunteered to be the AV helper and teacher’s aide in 3rd Grade, responsible for taking the 16mm film projector on a rickety metal cart from classroom to classroom. Often the teacher wouldn’t know how to reel the projector or operate it. It was a way to get out of class, and I thought it was way-cool when I was eight years old! But really, it was fun to know I was able to help people and get them going. I think we’re the type of people who love helping others.
Zach: When I think back to elementary school, we always had those video projectors – either on a cart or table to project on to a screen at the front of the classroom. But some classes had a projector that displayed straight down to the screen – instead of further away in the room – and the teacher could stand in front of the screen without covering up the display! That was the craziest thing, and I thought it was super interesting.
James: Most AV folks have a reputation for being “good technology translators.” Just out of college, Rebecca was a research assistant at the Geriatric Psychiatry Research Center at UC San Diego – translating between “Bob the computer guy” and the researchers who “just wanted the darn data.” Lisa worked in commercial broadcasting – which has its own unique brand of chaotic teamwork – especially in Chicago…lots and lots of live shots!
We agreed that the most heartwarming moments are when you see technology connect people together in new and exciting ways, like Rebecca explaining to elder patients how they could use the Internet and email to connect with their grandchildren instantly instead of handwriting letters!
Lisa: After leaving my broadcast family in Chicago, I was still freelancing for NBC, CBS, and others. It’s so much fun showing up at the crack of dawn at a stadium, unpacking a huge semi-truck full of gear, and getting ready for a national broadcast. I was lucky enough to be doing this work when the Bills earned their way to multiple Superbowls. It’s like the circus coming to town! Many hands make light work, and I’d frequently hear the crew admonishing each other with, “Hey, hang on a sec, let me help you with that!” I really enjoy working in a team-based community, it never gets old.
After setting up, the “ring-out” begins. Is all the equipment “talking”? Do we have quality sound and picture? Cables well-dressed – no trip hazards? There’s always a last-minute rush when something goes wrong, just like the start of every semester! The director gives the live countdown and before you know it, the show is over, the truck is packed up, and off it roars to a game in another city.
Not every A/V pro has worked in live broadcasting – but everyone working in education can identify with deadlines, pulling together to execute a mammoth task (especially after a budget trim or two) and has experienced the gratification of an instructor’s thank you – or hearing a student describe, “Wow, that was a great class, and the teacher made good use of the technology – I learned a lot.”
James: I always say, “A before V”– everybody in my department is kind of sick of hearing it, but it’s true! Your brain can plug the visual gaps, but it’s a disaster when the public address system tanks or there’s so much interference you can’t make out what’s being said! And now, modern-day, I’m helping provide events with hundreds or thousands of people connected. We’re working at a scale now that’s more akin to broadcasting.
Nice stories – but what does that have to do with FLEXspace?
The A/V community led the creative development effort
Joe Moreau, Vice-Chancellor at the Foothill De Anza Community College District led the original task group that resulted in FLEXspace while serving as Chief Technology Officer at SUNY Oswego. “When the SUNY Provost tasked us with figuring out a way to share classroom design ideas for changing pedagogies – active learning and team-based learning in particular – the first person I turned to was Brad Snyder, representing the SUNY Education Technology Officers at the table and said, ‘Guess we’d better get to work!’”
The initial “Core Team” of advisors were members of CCUMC (Consortium of College and University Media Centers), SCUP (Society of College and University Planners), ELI (EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative), SUNY, and Cal State University Systems. A handful of us reached out to colleagues through our networks…, “Hey… check this out! – we’re building a tool for all of us to use, and we need your help!” Our friends and colleagues initially stepped up because they thought we were on to a good idea – but they stayed involved because it was a cause bigger than any one of our individual institutions or organizations.”
Joe’s approach to the provost’s charge perfectly characterizes how we work in AV – reach out to others, and figure out how to quietly support faculty who want to use technology tools to create more effective learning experiences. The leadership at SUNY’s Capital Facilities reported back to the SUNY Provost that they had hoped to have this kind of dialogue with “boots on the ground” people. The commitment shared among AV people is contagious.
AV Love Casts the Mold
We don’t know of any other effort where just shy of 100 people from different types of institutions all over the globe became singularly focused on developing a new tool like this. AV folks are used to being “behind the scenes” – but this time we were out front “casting the mold.” Thank goodness for the librarians among us supporting learning spaces, or we may have gone off the rails! FLEXspace was initially developed on a library database platform (Artstor) with help from their strategic leadership. Typically, a zoom meeting would start something like this, “There’s a really cool building full of active learning classrooms at U. Minnesota…” (Sound of keyboard tapping furiously to search on Bruininks Hall.) “If someone wants to find out how U. Minnesota approached building an entire building of active learning classrooms, how would you start? What search terms best describe it?”
The magic didn’t change when our friends at SCUP introduced the perspective of planners, designers, and architects – it only got stronger. As more and more faculty, librarians, academic technologists, and instructional designers took interest in FLEXspace, the easier it became to understand how others viewed and understood the attributes defining learning spaces, and the taxonomy began to “write itself.”
Love and Admiration leads to a Solid Marriage
FLEXspace and LSRS combined to expand research and services
This past year saw the integration of LSRS Version 3 into FLEXspace. The Learning Space Rating System offers the quantification of learning space potential, while FLEXspace offers exemplars to benchmark and explore searchable attributes from. After many years of “dating”, these two dedicated teams took the plunge, and the entire effort is now poised to continue with new, enduring maturity.
A lot of folks in higher education – whether from AV, design/planning, or instruction “know and love” Susan Whitmer and her research on learning space design and effectiveness. After a long and very successful career with Herman Miller, an inaugural sponsor of FLEXspace, Susan retired from her corporate role and immediately teamed up with FLEXspace to lead our research effort! Could the timing have been any better as we entered the COVID pandemic?
The portal immediately became a “go-to” place for campus leadership seeking support and best practices for academic continuity. Spaces designed to be “zoom ready” for HyFlex, or lecturing recording on MediaSite or other tools were in big demand. Penn State shared original research on the impact different PPE masking has on microphone pick-up. It’s safe to say that FLEXspace fully realized the SUNY Provost’s original charge to “find a better way to communicate good ideas!”
Deep roots in teamwork, fierce commitment to sharing and supporting each other, and enabling discovery is what we do together. Granted, we created a great tool together, but it’s the “love of AV” that made it happen. Especially in the Frazee family!
BIOS
JAMES FRAZEE
Chief Academic Technology Officer and Associate Vice President of Learning Technologies and Environments
San Diego State University
REBECCA V. FRAZEE, EdD
Faculty, Learning Design & Technology Program
San Diego State University
Associate Director, FLEXspace.org
James and Rebecca Frazee were introduced by Rebecca’s matchmaking mentor, Dr. Allison Rossett after they both graduated from the master’s program in Educational Technology at SDSU, then got married and had their son during their doctoral program studies at SDSU. It was James’ dissertation advisor and mentor, Dr. Bernie Dodge, who later dubbed this AV marriage a part of the new SDSU Ed Tech “captive breeding program.” Based on Zach’s use of technology and creativity at High Tech High – we’re placing early bets on how he carries on the family tradition!
Zach Frazee is a junior at The Gary and Jerri-Ann Jacobs High Tech High School in San Diego, California. He loves to surf, skateboard, ski, and design/build things out of metal, concrete, styrofoam, fiberglass, wood, pixels, and more. Check out his Instagram @zach.frazee
LISA STEPHENS, Ph.D.
Assistant Dean, Digital & Online Education
School of Engineering & Applied Sciences, The University at Buffalo
Project Director, FLEXspace.org
Lisa serves as Assistant Dean at the University at Buffalo School of Engineering and Applied Sciences leading the Office of Digital & Online Education, and also serves as Senior Strategist for Academic Innovation in the Office of the SUNY Provost. She enjoys an appointment in the UB Department of Communication as an Adjunct Associate Professor. Her SUNY portfolio includes leadership of FLEXspace.org™ and serves as the SUNY Partner Manager for Coursera.
The Flexible Learning Environments eXchange (FLEXspace.org) is an award winning community and open digital repository for higher ed that houses a growing collection of user-contributed content “by campuses for campuses,” with detailed examples of formal and informal learning spaces ranging from multimedia studios, makerspaces, computer labs, hybrid/flexible classrooms, and huddle spaces to large exhibit spaces, simulation labs and renovated lecture halls. FLEXspace was launched in 2012 as a collaboration between SUNY, the CSU Cal State University system, and Foothill-DeAnza Community College District and has since grown to include over 5000 members from 1400 campuses around the world, with PennState joining the partnership in 2019. FLEXspace won the Campus Technology Innovators Award in 2016, and the California Higher Education (CHEC) Collaborative Conference Focus on Efficiency Award in 2018.
FLEXspace users include practitioners, experts and decision makers in higher education, K-12, libraries, and museums who are focused on campus planning and facilities, learning technology, A/V systems integration, instructional design, teaching, and research. The FLEXspace portal provides a sophisticated suite of features that enables users to document and showcase their own campus learning spaces, share research, best practices and tools for planning,