College Library and Wendt Commons Library, debuted $2.5 million in renovations designed to centralize technological resources for students Tuesday.
The Wisconsin Collaboratory for Enhanced Learning Centers are made up of tables equipped with laptops and television monitors that allow students to display documents.
The centers also have tutors and teaching assistants available to help students, as well as software to provide immediate feedback on homework. Wendt, an engineering library, currently offers tutors and TAs for engineering courses, while College Library offers pre-calculus and calculus assistance.
“The things that we are doing focus on individualized learning. Our hope was that by bringing formal instruction into a place where students always hang out anyway that we can make a well-rounded experience for the learners,” said Suzanne Smith, WiscCEL coordinator. “It will all be right there in one place.”
The vice chancellor for administration’s office footed the cost of building the new learning centers. The Madison Initiative for Undergraduates, the College of Engineering, the College of Letters and Sciences, and the Student Information Technology Initiative funded the operating costs for the two centers.
Students studying at Wendt Tuesday gave the new center an overall positive review.
“I really enjoy it. It’s really cool the way they have different types of media,” said Jeffrey Seaton, a freshman engineering major. “I think that the sight is a useful area to go to if you want to get work done and actually discuss things.”
