(The
following excerpts taken out of context from the larger proposal):
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text version
TELL (Total Environment
Learning Laboratory) January, 1967
A
proposal to Investigate the Effectiveness of Controlled Manipulation
of Classroom Environments in the Teaching of Junior College Subjects.
Objectives:
- To
demonstrate that learning at the adult level is substantially enhanced
by the simultaneous stimulation of several sensory receptors at the
time of presentation of specific subject matter.
- To
indicate by such demonstration further areas for exploration of the
use of these techniques.
- To
justify the construction of a total environment facility along specifications
mention herein for use in experimentation and subsequent application.
III.
The Method:
The average
classroom today is a direct replica of the classroom of 300 years ago:
four walls, semi-comfortable seating, poor lighting, a blackboard, a
teacher’s desk. It may be advanced upon its earlier prototype by virtue
of improved lighting, a demonstration table, a movie screen. But the
teacher’s control of his classroom environment is still severely limited.
While he may call upon slide images (usually in single, rote fashion),
overhead projectors, motion pictures, closed-circuit T.V. or programmed
software to collect his students’ attention away from outside noise
and other distracting influences, there is virtually no way he can be
certain that he can break the associative, mnemonic structures which
compel his students to react to familiar stimuli. He cannot by control
of sound, or smell or movement of air, or visual imagery produce an
experience so powerful that the ordinary, conditioned reflexes of some
of his students, at least, will be forced to adopt new ways to adjust
to the stimuli he introduces into the transaction. Analogical imagery,
synchronization of sense awareness, illumination, acoustical/temperature
control, and re-creation of experience directing itself to multiple
sensory channels are powers outside the functional boundaries of the
ordinary architectural configurations of the classroom.
In
Schenectady, New York, General Electric engineers have designed an architectural
space billed as a “total environment.” It involves an overhead atmospheric
preparation tank for creating real atmosphere, 3-D peripheral projection
of images, odor, sensations of movement, control of lighting effects,
stereo sound and other effects.
“SENSORAMA”, developed by Morton Hellig in 1964 is a “total environment”
a device which engulfs the viewer in a binaural sound world, complete
with odors, winds, vibrations and peripheral cinematic stereo images
which “dislocate” the sensory apparatus to such an extent as to produce
a synthetic new “reality.” Bell Telephone, Disney Productions, the
Czechoslovakian “Magica Lanterna”, and the New York World’s Fair pavilions
of Johnson’s Wax, Pan American and I.B.M. have all exhibited other devices
which, in one way or another, could be made to serve the intention of
teachers wishing to fashion absolutely creative instructional environments
designed to offset inhibiting associative mechanisms which stand between
students and learning experience.
The method for erasing
past associations involves:
- a preparation
period before the presentation of academic material which is designed
to enhance concentration, attention and associative “set”.
- the presentation
of subject matter in simpler, more affective (i.e., more “felt”) contexts
and plans;
- the reinforcement
of affective patterns by physical involvement in the lesson being
presented.
IV. Description
of the Physical Facility
1. Audience Capsule
A floor space will
be provided capable of accommodating from sixty to one hundred fifty
students in either seated, standing, or lying situations. To accomplish
this, the floor area will be provided with a series of modular sockets
to receive plug-in seats variously designed to fit TELL experiences.
It will be possible to combine seats into different numerical arrays
and into various spaced arrangements and patterns. The seats may be
entirely removed leaving an open floor area. The floor shall be covered
with a thick rug providing a comfortable surface for lying down as well
as for good acoustical absorption of sound.
The capsule should
also be capable of being hydraulically lifted, tilted, turned, or projected
toward the dome display. The capsule shall also vibrate at various
intensities, as well as the seat nodes, aiming at a decided body tactile
experience. Audio speakers will be arrayed in the floor space.
2. Projection Membranes:
A primary projection
membrane will completely wrap around the audience capsule and will be
in the form of a planetarium hemisphere 60’ in diameter. The dome membrane
will fall down below the line of sight of the audience, taking advantage
of their downsight peripheral vision, eliminating normal horizon line
orientation.
A second hemisphere
membrane will be directly behind the inner membrane to provide an intensified
spatial condition admitting multiple projections of front and rear images.
This second screen may be the principle site of multiple projection
arrays suggesting a polygonal design much like the Polyvision cupola
designed by the Swiss. This secondary hemisphere could also be the
site of specially dimensioned screen expanses taking advantage of the
new dimension 150 lens system.
3. Projection
Sites:
Both membranes will
be capable of receiving a variety of rear projections from different
motion and still equipment at sites behind both surfaces. Front projection
will largely be directed from a rear projection console booth containing
a variety of still and motion projection equipment. There will be color
spots arranged to engulf the entire inner space with an ambient atmospheric
illumination located completely around the base of the dome and from
other strategic sites.
A Spitz Planetarium
projector will be located in a sunken elevator vault at the center of
the audience capsule capable of disappearing beneath the floor. At
this same site a special projection lens and light source will allow
for programming 180’ dome projections on the scale of the University
of Nevada Atmospherium.
4. Expanded
Multi-sensory Capability:
Audio: Hi-fidelity
speakers to be arranged at sites above, below, and around the audience
capable of point source, traveling, and stereophonic sound effects.
Tactile: Vibration
of the total audience capsule and within the individual seat nodes.
Special plug-in chair design with side-loaded projection reel tactile
band located within the armrest of each seat.
Aromatic:
A ventilation blower and suction air system capable
of admitting and evacuating aromatic complexes.
Temperature-
Atmosphere and Wind Velocity: Atmospheric preparation tank for
creating real atmosphere as suggested by General Electric Engineers.
Air fans located within the floor capsule and other strategic locations
for creating wind conditions.
Stage risers
for 'live' displays: Rising
from an elevator at the floor level, a capsule will be provided for
the instructor-director fronting the audience for live narration and
direct instructor-student interaction. Several stage risers on elevators
will front the audience for dramatic presentation by live performers
in concert with activation of the TELL environment.
5. Audience Participation: Microphones
will be at each floor node site students can direct questions and responses
to the instructor.
6. Peripheral Seminar and Classroom Laboratories:
Connected
to and surrounding the TELL hemisphere, a group of small seminar rooms
and laboratories will provide an immediate exit to specialized instructional
sites:
Seminar:
Ten small rooms for informal seminar groupings.
Laboratories:
Several specialized multi-media labs with various workshop facilities
(mechanical, cine-photographic, graphic, audio, etc.) serving to meet
a wide range of expressive motivations on the part of students.
7. Overall Configuation:
The
outside architectural appearance of TELL would be hemispheric (geodesic)
with a surrounding donut enclosure housing seminar and laboratory rooms.
see
TELL Scale Model & Photographs
TELL as conceived
here was to embrace within a geodesic domed environment a hemispheric
360 degree planetarium like projection membrane with the addition of
a ring of 14 screens for planar, stereoscopic, cinematic and television
projection; surround, point to point traveling sound; climatic real
atmospheric effects; an olfactory delivery system; complete control
of light and color environments and a revolving, tilting, lifting, vibrating
hydraulic platform and floor to accommodate student audiences.
(Glenco Press,
Islands of Innovation Expanded, B. Lamarr Johnson, 1968).
Postscript:
Barely three
years under development, TELL came into some difficulty due to the wide
spread social unrest of the 60’s that was particularly intense among
Community college and University campuses in the bay area and across
the country. The most severe blow to the TELL project came when Dr.
Homitz abruptly resigned his presidency for medical reasons in 1969.
All of this was cumulative to the extent that funding proposals for
an exotic Community College project of this scale were not successful.
Also see:
TELL Origin,
TELL Images
© Roger Ferragallo