Proposal to improve conditions

of classroom 313

Presented to Dr. Sims

Created by Tevaun Scallion, Brandon Gage, and Aldair Rosado

Introduction
The Technical Communication Department here at the University of North Texas is renowned for being one of
the best in the country. It is accredited every year by the number of skilled graduates it produces. With
extensive amounts of competition, it is imperative the university maintains their reputable status by raising the
bar. With the number of students in the department growing each year, the department has to be ready to
allocate students into functional classes. To do this, the department not only needs the best staff on hand but
also it needs a proficient environment for its students to flourish in. However, in our experience in room 313,
we have noticed that there is much room for improvement.

Current Situation
Many students have been vocal and raised awareness regarding
the uncomfortable conditions they have to endure in this
particular room. As you can see, the environment isnt functional
for students to learn and work in. For example, students are
forced to face in various directions in order to access work space.
Also, none of the students are facing the front of the
classroom, otherwise the location of where this picture was
taken. See figure 1
Figure 1: Room 313 in the Auditorium building with a
class in session.

A New Approach to the Classroom

Implement more workspace

Provide ample walking pathways
Modify classroom layout to increase functionality

Issues Regarding the Current Approach

Students cannot take notes in class with the PC and keyboard cluttering up their workspace. This causes
a deficiency for the students in terms of being able to work. It also causes stress because the students
have to find a way to take notes in class whether it be an uncomfortable position.
Students struggle to get to their seat because of cramped walking space. This phenomenon poses a
physical danger to the students because they could trip and hurt themselves.
Students coming in late disrupt class in various ways. First, they interrupt the lecturers teachings by
forcing the lecturer to stop talking and move aside to allow adequate space for the student to maneuver
around him. Also, the class loses concentration of the lecture because of the disruption.

Recommendations

Features

Benefits

Use the 3000 series Dell

Computer.

This all-in-one computer not only

supports all the essential programs
students need to work with, but it
also removes the huge PCs that
were required with the current
setup.
The cluttered walkways will be
more spacious if space-conserving
chairs are implemented.

This new computer setup will

allow students to work with ample
amount of table space without
downgrading the computer
capabilities that are already
offered by the current setup.
Students walking in to class wont
have to struggle to access learning
tools and the journey to an empty
chair wont be as problematic.
The lecture wont be interrupted
by a students who walk in late.

Use space-conserving chairs.

Reorganize the floor plan by:

Relocate the smart board to
the back of the room
Relocate the white board to
the back of the room
placed next to the smart
board
Implement rows of computers
facing the smart board and white
board.

Moving the smart board and white

board will move the front of the
class.

This layout will increase the

attention the students have on the
lecture by facing them toward the
front.

Students will always face the

lecturer rather than struggling to
do so.

Cost proposal
We know that the department replaces computers every four years. They could take the opportunity to replace
the current computers with the 3000 series Dell computer, which is smaller than the current computers, and
costs less. The current computers cost $469.99 each, and the 3000 series costs $329.99. If all computers were to
be replaced, the department could save $3920, which could be spent on new chairs with plenty to spare.

Figure 2: What the classroom will look like if modifications are made.

Estimated Project Schedule

We have outlined our project with a projected schedule in the Gantt chart below, see figure 3. Also, after
Communicating with Bob Congrove, Director of the lab staff for the department of Linguistics and Technical
Communication, our project will be completed by the end of the spring semester of 2015. This time window
corresponds to the cycle created by the department in which the computers and accessories are replaced and
updated in every room. Regarding the layout of the room, however, the department could make the changes
during the 2014 winter break. However, the department could replace the chairs within the semester without
disrupting a class. The department should wait until the summer break to replace the computers. This allows
time to order the computers so that they arrive at a time in which no classes are in session. By the beginning of
the following summer semester, the classroom would be redesigned.

Task
Nov-2014
Redesign
floor plan
Implementing
rows
Chairs
replaced
3000 series
set up

Dec-2014

Jan-2015

Feb-2015

Mar-2015

Apr-2015

May-2015

Figure 3 The Gantt chart illustrates the project in a way that does not disrupt classes

In Conclusion
We have nearly endured a full semester of the current conditions of classroom 313. Our suggestions are based
on the complaints of the students, and we know that they could improve the learning environment. They could
also make classroom 313 into a classroom that the university will want to show off. Do you trust the words of
the students? Will you make their college journey as accessible as possible?