So, one student drove to the airport to take photos and capture video in permitted areas to provide a better overview of the Indianapolis International Airport for their classmates. A handful of students had never flown before. There was a time when 14 of the 31 seniors were in quarantine. COVID-19 drastically changed how they researched, interacted with airport employees, and worked with their teams.Įach meeting with the airport staff was virtual.
These immersive learning projects were unlike any the students have previously experienced.
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“Matt offered to work with six teams on six different projects. He indicated that the airport was trying to figure out not only how to handle the pandemic but how to deal with the post-pandemic changes in society, travel expectations, and to be better prepared for any future pandemic situations that might arise.” “All of the companies I was looking to for immersive learning projects were reluctant to take on a student project during the pandemic,” said Fred Kitchens, associate professor of Information Systems and Operations Management, and Mr.
With the Indy airport experiencing a steep drop in its normal passenger traffic at the time, airport personnel jumped at the chance to work with Ball State and its students to better prepare for the present-and the future. To provide insight into the larger complexity of the airport environment, students worked with experts in planning and development, air service, parking, retail, public affairs, IT, and public safety, as well as the Indiana federal security director from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). Each team examined a portion of the passenger experience: pre-airport, pre-security, security, post-security, arrivals, and wayfinding signage. “The Ball State project helped us to analyze society and travel trends to ensure we’re delivering the best customer service.” “We’re all experiencing the impact of COVID-19 together, and we’re tasked with planning for an unknown future,” said Matt Smith ’09, IT manager of applications for the Indianapolis Airport Authority. “It’s not theoretical this is happening in real-time.”
“It’s a fantastic opportunity to work on a current real-world life event,” Megan Gish Carrico, ‘12, director of public affairs with the Indianapolis Airport Authority, said about immersive learning opportunities. The second semester concluded with students presenting the airport authority with a strategic plan that focuses on what travel may look like through 2026. With deep dives into how to keep the public healthy and safe post-COVID-19, Ball State University Computer Information Systems students have weeded through society’s air travel expectations and uncovered what could be done to help meet them.įor their immersive learning projects, more than 30 students worked with the Indianapolis Airport Authority, owner and operator of the award-winning Indianapolis International Airport (IND), during the 2020–2021 academic year.
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