Boola Katitjin is a welcoming new space that provides Murdoch staff and students with the opportunity to work side by side, to study and socialise, to teach and learn together, supported by world-leading technology and space design.
The teaching experience at Boola Katitjin
Designed to place students at the centre of a social learning environment, Boola Katitjin provides large-format teaching spaces for active, collaborative, technology-enhanced learning and teaching, for new and revitalised pedagogies.
Understanding how to effectively use contemporary learning spaces plays a significant role in effective learning and teaching. The 'CHAT' pedagogical model was developed specifically for the learning spaces in Boola Katitjin, and enables flexible teaching practices across physical and online classrooms, and active engagement with learners. The model captures the essence of Boola Katitjin, with its collaborative learning experiences, hands-on high-tech teaching, authentic active learning activities and team teaching opportunities.
Combining the pedagogical model with the contemporary active learning spaces enables educators to use any combination of teaching techniques to make meaningful and lasting impacts on students.
Learn more about teaching at Boola Katitjin.
Learn more about Boola Katitjin Learning Technologies.
Learning and teaching spaces
Boola Katitjin’s contemporary learning spaces enable staff to experiment with innovative teaching approaches, afforded by large-class, flat-floor, technology-enhanced, and collaborative learning environments. In addition to the formal, timetabled learning spaces outlined below, spaces for studying, working and networking provide opportunities for independent study and group collaboration.
Learn more about learning and study spaces at Boola Katitjin.
Collaborative Learning spaces offer flexibility, with movable furniture that enables you to easily transition learners from independent to small or even large group learning activities.
These spaces feature multiple large whiteboards and digital displays that allow for
you and your students to mirror screens, share workings on the
whiteboards, and engage in a variety of presentation opportunities.
On Level 3, one of the Collaborative Learning spaces features design elements enabling you to experiment with collaborative learning experiences. With 60-seat capacity and furniture that can be rearranged as needed, it features additional corner display pods to support interactive breakout group work.
These breakout corners feature lounges facing a screen that students can connect to wirelessly from their own device. This enables group participants to move aside from the main seating, work together on a problem, and return to the class to share their findings.
As a timetabled space, classes requesting a Collaborative Learning space will have been allocated to this classroom. When not scheduled for a timetabled class, ad-hoc bookings can be made.
Equipped with the latest in audio-visual and virtual collaboration tools, the Technology-Enabled Learning (TEL) spaces offer opportunities to enhance learning by connecting physical and virtual participants in active engagement.
The features in these spaces also support the creation
of learning environments that bring your remote students into the
classroom to participate in learning activities and collaborate with
their in-person peers. The TEL desk spaces allow for individual and
group learning activities to be easily shared across screens, while
embedded microphones and tracking cameras facilitate ease of access for
all learners, whether they are contributing from the physical or virtual
classroom environment.
Tiered technology-enhanced learning
The Tiered technology-enabled learning spaces on Level 4 feature fixed TEL desks arranged on a gentle tier that promote sight lines across the venue, as well as ease of accessibility, to offer an enhanced learning experience. These large learning spaces feature multiple digital displays that enable you, your teaching team, and your students to mirror screens, collaborate on activities and share with one another through a variety of presentation opportunities.
The TEL desk spaces allow for small and large group learning activities to be easily shared across screens, while embedded microphones and tracking cameras facilitate ease of access for all learners, whether they are contributing from the physical or virtual classroom environment. Equipped with the latest in audio-visual and virtual collaboration tools, the Tiered Technology-Enhanced Learning support the creation of team-taught learning environments that can easily bring your remote students into the classroom to participate in learning activities and collaborate with their in-person peers.
Technology-Enhanced Active Learning Desk – Student TEL Desk
Technology at the desk allows students to connect to any device, and use Microsoft Teams to bring their remote peers into breakout groups working at the desk. Bringing students together in this way facilitates a unique learning experience, with greater engagement from remote students as they more authentically connect and collaborate with their classmates.
Enabled by technology, the learning experience is enhanced with present and online students able to collaborate in real time on learning artefacts and then share with their class, using the desk touch panel to deliver right from the Student TEL Desk.
This experience enhances the global cultural context of Murdoch. Students experience intercultural collaborate in real-time, and learn how to work in global teams by working in a global team. An extensive pilot was undertaken to develop this learning experience, with Teachers reflecting that the greater collaboration and hybridity of the class provided more opportunity to authentically bring remote students into the classroom, and demonstrated strong connections across the whole student cohort.
The way Murdoch have implemented the large-formal TEL classrooms, with this technology at the desk, their connection to Microsoft Teams, and integrations across campus technology systems, we believe to be an Australian first, and it will be experienced right here at Boola Katitjin.
The Digital Immersive Lab allows you to experiment with the future of learning experiences, by immersing students in virtual and mixed reality environments.The space supports activities where students can explore large data sets, experiment with machine learning and build artificial intelligence capabilities, thanks to high performance computers with the power for intensive data processing.
Students will immerse themselves into virtual reality environments, where they can develop deeper understanding of complex topics and practices in a real-world simulation. Disciplines with laboratory or clinical work, virtual crime scene investigations or tourism destinations are just some suited to working in this space.
Digital Immersive Lab technology
The Digital Immersive Lab is equipped with technology to support digitally intensive learning experiences, such as simulations, virtual reality, augmented reality and gaming.
The Lab features 40 high powered Alienware computers with 4K resolution Dual LCD Screens on each desk. A screen mounted on the wall enables students to view media projected from the Podium. An 18-display video wall provides the Facilitator with large-scale display options. Lockable cabinets accessible via swipe card allow for secure equipment storage.
Learning activities
This space has been designed and equipped in consultation with Murdoch Academic staff members, and can support learning activities such as:
- simulated hospital scenarios with holographic patients
- explore cell biology,
- render 3D graphics for a computer game,
- develop a VR experience,
- explore high resolution maps for spatial analysis,
- perform large data computations.
Wearable capabilities
The Microsoft Hololens 2 is a mixed reality (MR) wearable that allows the wearer to see and interact with digital elements as if they were real objects, while seeing and interacting with the real world. The Hololens 2 can be used to:
- preview at-scale engineering and construction models,
- visualise complex data with holograms,
- include mixed reality information while undertaking a surgical procedure,
- guide complex assembly and maintenance processes.
The HTC Vive Focus 3 is a virtual reality (VR) wearable that provides a full immersive digital experience by blocking out the real world and replacing it with a virtual environment. Experiences can include virtual tourism, visualizing 3D models and concepts, or undertaking a workplace simulation such as a virtual healthcare environment. The devices feature 5K resolution for a sharp viewing experience and immersive 3D spatial sound, with precision hand gestures to provide a truly immersive experience.
- 12 x Microsoft Hololens 2
- 21 HTC Vive Focus 3
Computers
Desktop: Alienware Aurora R13
- 12Gen Intel Core i9-12900KF with 30MB Cache and 3.2GHz-5.2GHz with Turbo Boost Max
- 750W Power Supply Unit with Liquid Cooling
- 128GB Dual Channel DDR5 RAM at 3600MHz
- 2TB NVMe SSD plus 2TB SATA Hard Disk
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 24GB GDDR6X
- Wireless and Bluetooth Capability
- Wired Keyboard and Mouse
Specialised Software
- Alienware Command Centre
- Epic and Steam (Games Lib)
- Unity Hub
- Vive Business Streaming
- Microsoft HoloLens
- SideQuest for Oculus Quest
- Visual Studio
The Creative Workshop Space is positioned beside the Digital Immersive Learning space and available for ad-hoc bookings, including school and industry engagement events. The Creative Workshop is a highly flexible use space designed for a variety of uses, such as pitch events, workshops, lunch and learn, events and focused work.
Intended for industry engagements, student innovation and school presentations, both facilitators and participants can bring devices and connect using wireless technology to the computer screens fitted on the collaboration booths and the group work desks.
A facilitator bench with a PC is positioned in the centre of the room, allowing flexibility for delivery. All screens have audio and AirMedia to enable Facilitators and workshop participants to display content from their own device.
For a comprehensive and visual guide to delivery modes available in the Creative Workshop, see Creative Workshop Delivery Modes.
The Computer Labs are equipped with Dell All-In-One (AIO) PCs designed for a wide variety of computing uses.
Learning activities
Some of the learning activities that would suit this space include:
- Analyse statistical data sets
- Write computer programs
- Design web media
- Work on documents, independently or collaboratively
- Access, read and annotate environmental reports
Students will be able to access Microsoft Teams, Microsoft OneDrive and other applications for collaborative written activities.
Technical specifications
Desktop: Optiplex 7400 All-In-One
- All-In-One 23.8” Monitor
- 64 Watt CPU
- Intel Core i5-12500
- 16GB DDR4 RAM
- 256GB SSD
- Integrated Graphics Card
- Internal Speaker
- Height Adjustable Stand
- Wired Keyboard and Mouse
- No Wireless Card
- No Camera or Microphone
- USB Ports
Software
In addition to Microsoft Windows 11, Microsoft Office and the Murdoch standard operating environment.
If the software you need for teaching is not listed, please submit a request to IT via Service Now.
