view of experimental classroom with flexible furniture
Crafting classrooms of the future

EXCL Lab

Welcome to the EXperimental CLassroom (EXCL) Lab at Arizona State University, where innovation meets imagination in educational technology and space design. We invite you to join us in this exciting journey to witness your products in action and forge the future of learning.

wide view of a classroom with collaborative group seating

What is the EXCL Lab?

The EXCL Lab is an initiative aimed at transforming teaching and learning across ASU. At its core, this project serves as a bridge between research and practical application, exploring new furnishings and technologies to enhance learning experiences. We are committed to:

  • Experimenting with innovative educational technologies and space designs.
  • Partnering with vendors, faculty, and students to gather valuable feedback.
  • Ideating future possibilities for educational spaces.

Our vision & metrics

Our goal is to create educational spaces that support diverse learning needs, empower faculty with innovative resources, and transform learning environments to inspire institutional excellence.

Success for us means:

  • Over 80% satisfaction from users of our redesigned spaces.
  • A significant increase in active learning practices, reflecting enhanced student engagement.
  • Greater adoption of new technology and flexible furnishings in classrooms.
two professionals shaking hands

Why partner with EXCL Lab?

Innovate & impact

Your technology and furniture designs can directly influence the way education evolves at ASU. The EXCL Lab is your opportunity to see your products come to life in a real-world setting.

Collaborate & grow

Joining the EXCL Lab is about entering a partnership that values feedback, fosters improvement, and measures impact. Team up with us to refine and scale your products.

Achieve & showcase

Your contributions will enhance student engagement and success rates, in addition to positioning your brand as a leader in educational innovation.

Our journey so far

Past successes

We conducted our first EXCL study in Spring 2023 with faculty and students. We redesigned seven classrooms across four campuses, focusing on how flexible furniture can support active learning strategies. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive, indicating a desire for creativity in teaching and learning.

Current endeavors

The current iteration of the EXCL Lab aims to be a space to pilot new and emerging technologies in a constrained physical environment. We are offering vendors a chance to gain direct feedback from users and understand what truly impacts faculty and student experiences.

Future projects

The insights gained from our research projects inform the design of future learning spaces across ASU, ensuring our initiatives are evidence-based and aligned with educational needs.

people working on laptops and sketching ideas on paper

Join us in shaping the future of learning

ASU's EXCL Lab invites you to be part of this exciting journey. Your technology and designs have the potential to empower instructors and engage students in ways previously unimagined. Let's work together to create an educational experience that's both effective and inspirational for everyone at ASU.

Ready to explore partnership opportunities with EXCL Lab? Contact us today to lead the education revolution.

Become a partner

Frequently Asked Questions

If you don't see your question below, contact us!  

Partners gain unique access to real-world testing environments, constructive feedback for product improvement, and the opportunity to make a tangible impact on the future of education.

Partnerships can take various forms, from donating materials for long-term study to providing temporary access to emerging technology. Each contribution is valuable and we would love to meet with you to discuss options.

Understanding the scope of our projects and the nature of our research can enhance our discussions. Familiarize yourself with our past successes and current initiatives to see where your technology, furniture, designs, or concepts could fit in.

Our research studies adhere to IRB guidelines, ensuring ethical standards are followed. We focus on active and collaborative learning, conducting user interviews, and analyzing specific product metrics to gather actionable insights.

We seek partners whose vision aligns with ours—innovators eager to impact education through technology and design. Our selections are based on the potential for mutual growth and the ability to address our core research questions.

Absolutely. Innovation knows no size. We welcome contributions from startups and individuals with unique solutions to enhance learning experiences.

Study durations are typically one semester. This allows faculty and students to become familiar with the new technology, have multiple chances to use it in different ways during classes, and provide more comprehensive feedback. We also have the time to gather feedback through whatever methods make the most sense for each product, such as usability testing, interviews, surveys, and classroom observations. More involved studies or complex products may warrant longer durations.