LINTHICUM, Md. — Oct. 20, 2009 — CBT/SMARTdesks, the leading supplier of computer classroom and conference room furniture, today introduced the company's new Collab™ learning studio pods — interactive conference tables shaped for the group dynamics of collaborative learning. To promote data sharing and unique interactions among students and the instructor, the triangular desks are equipped with CBT/SMARTdesks' exclusive flipIT® laptop safes for permanently installed laptops, a pop-up data/power port for students' personal laptops, and easy-to-access wire management. As a learning studio resource, CBT/SMARTdesks works with a school's IT department or integrator to customize the desks to meet a classroom's specific needs, such as integrating with A/V systems via a desk-mounted touchpanel controller.
Collab pods bring a number of benefits to the learning studio environment. The triangular desks promote student engagement and encourage participation through the forming of ad hoc groups. The availability of networked laptops and A/V integration gives faculty the freedom and tools to use a variety of teaching styles, and provides students with access to the Internet and online course materials needed for independent study.
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