Pedagogy Support

The VRC offers customized instructional workshops for students in courses and consults with instructors on a variety of pedagogical considerations, including hybrid teaching and research-based assignments that utilize digital exhibitions and other tools. The VRC also collaborates with AV Services to provide basic support for classroom teaching equipment in Cochrane-Woods Art Center (CWAC) classrooms.

Customized Instructional Sessions and Workshops

The VRC offers a number of instructional sessions and workshops that can be customized to fit your student's needs. Review our list of Instructional Sessions and Workshops.

The VRC’s Joel Snyder Materials Collection (JSMC) makes art historical objects, materials, and tools—for art-making and conservation alike— available for instructor and student handling. To reserve items or discuss plans for a workshop with the VRC, please write to visualresources@uchicago.edu.

If you’re preparing to assign a presentation or a digital exhibition project to your students, the VRC offers support through reference guides and/or instruction sessions. Check out our Guide to Preparing Slides for Art History Presentations, accompanied by a slide deck illustrating some visual strategies, and our guide to Digital Exhibition Platforms, which lists options recommended and supported by the VRC, Library, and Academic Technology Solutions.

Digitization of Student Work for Course Assignments

Among other arts spaces on campus, the VRC Digitization Lab offers some equipment and software for students to digitize their work for course assignments. If you are interested in assigning students to digitize their work for an assignment in your course, please contact VRC staff at visualresources@uchicago.edu to discuss the details and to get approval before assigning the project to your students. Students may not use VRC Digitization Lab equipment and software without an appointment.

See instructions for adding custom image groups in LUNA to your course Canvas site for assignments, reading, or curated viewing.

Lending Laptops

In accordance with University practices to maintain users’ privacy and security, as of Summer 2023, the VRC no longer lends laptops to instructors or other users. Instructors experiencing computer problems or in need of computer equipment for teaching should contact their assigned local IT group. For many in Art History, that local IT group would be the Humanities Computing team, reachable via email at  humanities-computing@uchicago.edu or via phone at (773)702-6085. (The complete list of IT support units can be found at the Contact List for Local IT Support Units on Campus.)

All CWAC classrooms are equipped with AV systems that include a laser projector and screen, loudspeakers, microphones, a DVD-Blu-Ray player, and input panels to connect your device. If you have a USB-C port, you can connect your device directly to the USB-C cable. If you have a Mac with a Mini-DisplayPort, the following adapters are tethered to the cables so you can connect: Mini-DisplayPort to HDMI, USB-C to HDMI, Lightning to HDMI, and Mini-DisplayPort to VGA.

To schedule an orientation to CWAC classroom AV and/or video conferencing equipment, please write to visualresources@uchicago.edu. For equipment rental or services not listed here, please contact Audio-Visual Services (AVS).

Instructions for Connecting to the Projector

Turn the projector on at the AV rack. The source should be set to Table or Podium. (Note: If you are teaching in CWAC 157 or 153, the control panel for the AV rack has been moved to sit on top of the podium to accommodate the videoconferencing equipment and controls.) Plug in the appropriate cable and/or adapter and the projector will auto detect. This takes a moment while your computer and the system conduct a “handshake” — the screen may flicker while the connection is made, but will be stable going forward.

There are three cable connections in each classroom: 

• USB-C: connect directly to your USB-C laptop, no adapter necessary
• HDMI with Apple adapters to both Mini Display port and USB-C: connect the digital HDMI cable to your Mac with the appropriate adapter.  
• VGA with Apple adapter to Mini Display port: connect the analog VGA cable to your Mac. If using audio, remember to plug the audio cable into your headphone jack for sound to play through classroom speakers.
   

To turn the projector off, use the control panel on the AV rack.

Videoconferencing

All CWAC classrooms are equipped with videoconferencing (VC) technology that can be used in conjunction with the University’s Zoom software. 

• CWAC 152: Logitech Group
• CWAC 156: Logitech Group
• CWAC 157: Vaddio EasyIP
• CWAC 153: Vaddio EasyIP 

ATS maintains robust guides to the Logitech and Vaddio systems, including video demonstrations and written instructions.

For instructions on using the VC equipment in specific classrooms, please see the VRC's guide, Instructions for Connecting to Videoconferencing Equipment in CWAC Classrooms.

Microphones

Wearing a lav mic while you teach may help you project your voice through your mask, especially for hybrid teaching. Each classroom has a microphone that is already connected to the audio system, just turn it on and adjust the volume to your preference.

Each classroom also has a handheld microphone that students could pass, but the lav mic and handheld microphone cannot both be used at the same time. One must be turned off for the other to be used.

Assisted Listening Devices

CWAC 157 is equipped with assisted listening devices that are made available by reservation. Please email visualresources@uchicago.edu at least one week before the scheduled event to request the devices.

Color Profile

The VRC recommends the color profile sRGB IEC61966-2.1 on Mac computers.

Image sizes for classroom projection

Images should be at least 1500 pixels on the long edge. The “Medium” export option in LUNA creates images that are optimally sized for use in slide decks for projection. For images that are very wide and skinny, such as a hand scroll painting, please use the “Large” export option.

For equipment rental or services not listed here, please contact Audio-Visual Services (AVS). If you need assistance after hours or when we are not in the VRC for courses or events, AVS is available Monday – Thursday, 8am-7pm and 8am-6pm Fridays. Please contact them at 773-834-4499.