What is computer room? A computer room is a place where computers are kept for use. Computers need a room well ventilated and conductive for optimum performance.
Types of Computer Room
Computer room must be designed intelligently and serve the purpose they were intended to serve. The design and layout of a computer room creates rules and defines how the room can be used. The layout of the lab depends on the equipment, the furniture, and space available.
1) Classroom computer room design: The classroom computer room design serves as the default layout in many schools and colleges. it does have two major advantages. First, it serves as a great instruction room where students learn computer topics from an instructor at the front of the room.
It allows instructions to see the faces of the students with which to read non-verbal cues as to whether students are learning the material or need more help.
Secondly, it is similar to the layout of other classroom environment emphasizing that the students are there to learn.
One disadvantage of the classroom layout is the need to disturb other students along the rows of computers as students along the rows of computers as students enter and exit the room. For computer room where students are coming and going, the classroom layout is not conducive to team work. It is difficult for students to work together, especially on collective projects and in peer-assist teaching models.
2) Four-leaf C lover computer room layout: The four-leaf clover design offers the most privacy for students and reduces to a minimum of cheating during tests or exercises. It also eliminates the need for students to disturb others when entering and exiting the room and allows instructors to go from students to address individual problems and concerns.
One disadvantage of the for-leaf clover design has to do with attention spans. When student are sitting at their own computers, instructors will not be able to see what each student is doing at his/her workstation.
Students may not be paying attention to lessons or may be surfing to inappropriate websites in labs equipped with internet access.
Four-leaf clover designs can also be more expensive if each computer sits on its own table. Some computer lab furniture is made specifically for this design offering space for four computers on one-table or desk.
3) U-shaped computer room design: The U-shape computer lab layout encourages engagement between instructors and students. Instructors can enter the U and engage with students one-on-one. This design also serves as the most conducive layout for computer maintenance a technicians do not have to disturb other to gain access to the computer. Students will not interfere with other students’ work entering, and exiting the lab.
Unfortunately, the U-shaped design offers little opportunity for instructors to monitor what students are doing and looking at their monitors. The design is not compatible with test taking and requires many assistants to monitor students. The design often takes up more space than other layouts/designs.
4) Inverted U-shape computer room layout like the U-shape layout, the inverted U-shape also offers engagement between instructors and students. In addition, the layout allows for the most convenient learning, this layout minimizes the distance instructors must walk to move from workstation to workstation and student to student.
Like the classroom layout, traffic into and out of the inverted U-shape can become constructive especially when all of the students must enter and exit at the same time.
This congestion is reduced if students are entering and exiting individually as in an open lab paradigm where students can come and go as they please.
In addition, this layout takes up the same of space as the U-shape design. If space is not a consideration, either of the U-shaped layouts is appropriate.