Teaching in a new classroom this semester? Is it a large lecture hall? A lab? A small seminar space? No matter what your classroom design or size, I’d like to share an activity to help you think about how classroom space can directly support your teaching. I like to call it the “Blueprint Walk”. Step… Read more »
Resources
Teaching Tips: GISB West Wing Edition
We recently interviewed four instructors who taught in the west wing large classrooms of the Global and International Studies building — (GISB) rooms 1100, 1106, 1112, 1118, 1122, 1128, and 1134, on the Bloomington campus. We asked instructors to share their perspectives on, and experiences with, teaching in the building’s larger classrooms, which seat around… Read more »
Make a Participation Rainbow

When Dan Richert, Senior Lecturer of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering, asks his students to work in groups at their whiteboards, he gives each student a different color marker. Before they begin their group assignment, Dan tells students that he expects them to “make a rainbow” on the board by the time they are finished. In… Read more »
Teaching Tips: University Hall AD 1000 Edition
We recently interviewed three instructors who taught in University Hall AD 1000, located on the IUPUI campus, and asked them to share their perspectives on, and experiences with, teaching in this unique learning space. In this blog, Andy Buchenot, Tyrone Freeman, and Gina Gibau generously share their experiences engaging students in this active learning classroom…. Read more »
Teaching Tips: Student Building SB015 Edition

We recently interviewed several instructors who taught in Student Building 015, located on the IU Bloomington campus, and asked them to share their perspectives on, and experiences with, teaching in this unique learning space. In this blog, Bloomington instructors Tessa Bent, J Duncan, Shabnam Kavousian, Julie Knapp, Jill Robinson, and Susan Siena, generously share their… Read more »
Teaching Tips: IUPUI’s Lecture Hall LE104 Edition

We recently interviewed five instructors who taught in Lecture Hall LE104, located on the IUPUI campus, and asked them to give their perspectives on, and experiences with, teaching in this unique learning space. In this blog, Pat Clark, Lisa Contino, Modupe Labode, Gina Londino, and Kathy Marrs generously share their experiences with engaging students in LE104… Read more »
The Mosaic blog: looking back on 2018
Last year, we launched the Mosaic Initiative blog to share our story of research, classroom designs, and resources for teaching in Indiana University’s active learning classrooms. We’d like to take a moment and reflect on the 2018 blog entries, and highlight the many people who contribute to and shape this initiative. Instructors Over the last… Read more »
Enhancing Group Work with Collaboration Screens
Two, four, six… and sometimes even more; there are a number of collaboration screens we see being placed in classrooms around IU campuses. And classrooms with these screens have become a more common occurrence in recent years. How can these collaboration screens best be utilized? Often, I think that’s the right question asked from the… Read more »
Configure your classroom: IU-Bloomington’s Geology 4069
In this blog, we’ll explore different ways that Mosaic classroom Geology (GY) 4069 can be arranged to support a variety of active learning activities. With seating for up to 24 students (at 12 Verb tables that each seat 2 students) Geology 4069’s moveable tables and chairs offer several configuration possibilities. Today we’ll share five options… Read more »
Using Solstice to Start a Discussion

Introducing a new topic to your students can be the perfect opportunity to ask them to share what they are thinking and get a glimpse into their preconceived notions about that topic. Knowing what students know, don’t know, and misunderstand about a subject or an idea can be a helpful guide for shaping your teaching… Read more »