It can be a little daunting to understand the types of Centrally Allocated Teaching Spaces, or CATS, located across our Kensington campus. Our CATS not only come in a range of different sizes and layout configurations but are also referenced by a variety of names.
The Teaching Spaces Glossary is designed to help you navigate and understand the different names of our CATS and explains the key features which distinguish them from each other.
Example of a Centrally Allocated Teaching Space: Mathews Room 103
Centrally Allocated Teaching Spaces, or CATS as they are commonly referred to, are teaching spaces that are equipped with technology which facilitates integrated learning and teaching styles. There are over 220 CATS currently located across the Kensington campus which can be booked for use by both UNSW Staff and current students.
There are five main types of CATS which are available for bookings:
UNSW’s Timetabling team manage all bookings for CATS either through the term planning process or upon request. You can find out more here about how to book a CATS.
Example of a Tiered Lecture Theatre with fixed seating: Central Lecture Block Theatre 8
Example of a Tiered Lecture Theatre with moveable seating: Tyree Energy Technology Building Room LG05
Example of a Flat Floor Lecture Theatre with fixed seating: Old Main Building Room 149
Lecture theatres are teaching spaces that are designed to support formal learning and a didactic style of teaching.
There are three main types of Lecture Theatres with different room configurations:
Most Lecture Theatres (Tiered or Flat Floor) have an auditorium style seating arrangement whereby each floor tier consists of a row of seats facing the front, with each seat having an attached writing table. The floor tiers are structured on a slope so that students have a clear view of their teacher, the lectern area and projection screens regardless of where they are seated.
Lecture Theatres are commonly used for lectures, presentations, and even practical demonstrations. The technology available is located around the lectern at the front of the room.
The main physical features of Lecture Theatres are:
Example of a Flat Floor Tutorial/Seminar space with moveable tables and chairs: Colombo Room LG02
Example of a Flat Floor Tutorial/Seminar space with fixed seating: Quadrangle Room G031
Tutorial / Seminar spaces are standard teaching spaces which are designed to support informal and collaborative learning. They vary in room configuration from flat floor teaching spaces with moveable tables and chairs to flat floor teaching spaces with fixed seating.
Tutorial / Seminar spaces mostly consist of a didactic seating arrangement facing the front of the room, have whiteboards located in the room and cater for small to medium size classes.
They are commonly used for tutorials, seminars, and presentations for smaller groups. The technology available is located around the lectern at the front of the room.
The main physical features of Tutorial and Seminar Spaces are:
Example of an Active Learning Space: Bioscience Room G07
Active learning spaces have been designed for staff and students to explore the ‘flipped classroom’ experience in greater depth. The flexible nature of these spaces supports collaborative, interactive and team-based learning. There are 85 Active Learning Spaces, currently located at UNSW’s Kensington campus, that have a flexible layout with moveable furniture which enables a variety of seating configurations.
The main physical features of Active Learning Spaces are:
Active Learning Spaces can be categorised further into four different room types:
Read below to learn more about the different types of Active Learning Spaces that are available.
Example of a Collaborative (Low-Tech): Mathews Room 231
A type of Active Learning Space with a flat floor, moveable tables, and chairs, as well as whiteboards located on the walls at both the front of and around the room.
The tables and chairs are positioned throughout the room in groups and are located adjacent to the whiteboards on the walls, enabling students to engage and collaborate with their peers in groupwork activities such as presentations, problem solving etc.
The term ‘Low-Tech’ is commonly used in reference to Collaborative Active Learning Spaces because the technology available in the room is located at the lectern only, which for some rooms includes a web camera and USB microphone mounted on the lectern monitor, rather than around the room.
Example of an Interactive (High-Tech): Quadrangle Room 1043
A type of Active Learning Space with a flat floor, moveable tables and chairs which also includes additional technology such as Monitors located on the walls around the room and Push to Talk Microphones mounted on the wall underneath each Monitor.
The term ‘High-Tech’ is commonly used in reference to Interactive Active Learning Spaces because the technology available is located both at the lectern and all around the room forming ‘Pods’.
The tables and chairs are grouped around these ‘Pods’ to which a Monitor, a Push to Talk Microphone and whiteboards are co-located enabling students to participate in active class discussion or collaborate with their peers in groupwork activities.
Example of a Turn & Learn Harvard Style: Business School Room 105
A type of Active Learning Space which has tiered levels, fixed ‘horseshoe style’ tables with moveable chairs, as well as whiteboards located on the walls at both the front of and around the room.
The configuration of a Turn & Learn Harvard Style room looks like a small lecture theatre that can accommodate small-medium classes (38 -53 students). The technology available in the room is located at the lectern only.
The horseshoe shape of the tables and moveable chairs enable students to be in close proximity and interact with each other. Students can turn their chairs to face and form groups with their peers who are sitting behind, adjacent and in front of them.
The location of the whiteboards around the room enables students to engage and collaborate in groupwork activities such as presentations, problem solving etc.
Example of a Turn & Learn: Tiered Floor with Moveable Seating: Science & Engineering Building Room G05
A type of Active Learning Space which has both tiered levels & a flat floor, fixed tables with moveable chairs, as well as whiteboards located on the walls at the front of the room.
The configuration of a Turn & Learn Tiered Floor with Moveable Seating room looks like a small lecture theatre that can accommodate small-medium classes (44 -68 students). The technology available in the room is located at the lectern only.
Each tiered floor level consists of a row of fixed tables with moveable chairs that enable students to be in close proximity and interact with each other. Students can turn their chairs to face and form groups with their peers who are sitting behind, adjacent and in front of them.
The flat floor configuration at the front of the room, allows the teacher and their students to actively engage and participate in learning activities such as Fishbowl Discussion, Gallery Walk, Roleplays & Simulations.
Example of a Hybrid Teaching Space (Interactive (High-Tech) Active Learning Space): Mathews Room 101
Hybrid Teaching Spaces bring together the physical and digital learning environments so that online and face to face learning and teaching activities are combined synchronously in one class.
Hybrid teaching spaces are a type of CATS (Centrally Allocated Teaching Spaces), that are centrally supported and are equipped with technology which enables hybrid learning and teaching.
The technology in these Hybrid Teaching spaces includes video and audio capabilities that enables a two - way interaction between the teacher and their students attending the class in-person and online as well as between the in-person and online students themselves.
In addition, a selection of Hybrid Teaching Spaces feature Digital Annotation with Lectern Tracking Camera, enabling teachers to enhance student learning through the capability to annotate and interact with digital content in both physical and virtual classrooms.
Example of a Hybrid Teaching Space (Digital Annotation with Lectern Tracking Camera): Mathews Room 311
Example of a Hybrid Teaching Space (Tiered Lecture Theatre): Rex Vowels
Example of a Hybrid Teaching Space (Turn & Learn Harvard Style): Business Room 119
Hybrid Teaching Spaces can vary in size, room configuration, and are located throughout UNSW’s Kensington campus.
There are five main types of Hybrid Teaching Spaces with different room configurations:
There are a number of Centrally Allocated Teaching Spaces CATS (as well as non-CATS) which are Echo360 enabled or are commonly referred to as Lecture Capture venues or Lecture Recordings+ (LR+) venues.
Echo360 supports engaged learning and enables lectures to be recorded or livestreamed as well as other classroom engagement tools i.e., Polling.
Lecture Capture Venues vary in room configuration from Lecture Theatres, Tutorial/Seminar Spaces, Active Learning Spaces and Hybrid Teaching Spaces.
There are two main types of Lecture Capture Venues:
Lecture Capture venues (CATS and non-CATS) have Echo360 which captures the presentation and audio (only). There are a range of advantages that support engaged learning in lecture-based courses, flipped classrooms and blended learning strategies, which include:
Lecture Capture Venues with Video Feed (CATS and non-CATS) have Echo360 which captures the presentation, audio, and video. This brings a range of advantages that support engaged learning in lecture-based courses, flipped classrooms and blended learning strategies, which include:
There are three different types of video cameras that can be found in a Lecture Capture Venue with Video Feed:
| Static Camera | Fixed ceiling mounted camera with no movement options. Camera will focus on the lectern or the front area of the teaching space. |
| Tracking Camera | Fixed ceiling mounted camera with tracking functionality. The camera will focus on the movement of the academic. No other focus or movement options are available. |
| Hybrid Camera | Fixed wall or ceiling mounted camera with options available via the AMX control panel. These options include tracking, 3 camera preset options, as well as full manual control (up/down/left/right/zoom movements). |
To find out more about which CATS are Lecture Capture Venues with Video Feed, go to UNSW Lecture Recordings Venues.
