The Test Kitchen is a flexible and cutting-edge classroom designed to provide instructors with a dedicated space to experiment with innovative technologies and instructional strategies.
By partnering with the Engineering IT eLearning team, the Test Kitchen offers a learning experience that bridges the gap between classroom technology and instruction delivery. It’s a classroom that allows rapid exploration to inform future classroom design.
"In my years of teaching, I have never had a space where we purposefully think about the future of teaching. the "Test Kitchen" is a constantly evolving space that we are using to design, test, and pilot innovative classroom spaces and where we are finding the best way to teach both today's and tomorrow's students."
Wade Fagen-Ulmschneider, Assistant Professor, Computer Science
Features & Benefits
Experiment with Innovative Technologies The Test Kitchen provides instructors with the opportunity to explore emerging instructional technologies in a realistic environment that is not available anywhere else. With access to flexible room configurations and classroom technology, instructors can test their ideas and enhance their instructional strategies.
Traditional classroom technologies evolve slowly, if at all. The Test Kitchen is much more dynamic - it could have different configurations per class, allowing brave instructors to experiment with options and outcomes in a safe, supported environment.
Dedicated Support The Test Kitchen is coupled with dedicated consultation and partnership with Engineering IT’s eLearning team. We’re excited to explore the possibilities with you! Instructors can reserve time to use the Test Kitchen: maybe for a single class or lesson, for a series of classes or labs, or for the whole semester.
Engineering IT will work with you to select, deploy, and support the technologies and innovations you’d like to try.
Inform Learning Space Design The Test Kitchen aims to help inform learning space design and instructor strategies. By providing a dedicated classroom to support innovative technologies and instructional strategies, instructors can create a unique learning experience for their students. Things explored in the Test Kitchen may define the future of classrooms at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
1265 Digital Computer Lab
Capacity: Approximately 30
Flexible seating around 6 large tables
White boards
Powerful desktop system capable of streaming/recording
Large instructor display
Software for advanced video production for streaming and recording
Special controller to streamline switching scenes, inputs
Variety of cameras for teleconferencing or capturing room activities
65" display on a cart for monitoring or remote audience interaction
Projector and display wall
Are you ready to transform the way you teach?
Contact Engineering IT’s eLearning team at engrit-help-elearning@illinois.edu to schedule an initial consultation, request specific technologies, and become a tester in The Test Kitchen.
Join us in exploration of high-quality instructional technologies that will further enhance the exemplary teaching in the Grainger College of Engineering.