University at Buffalo's new medical school close to opening

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Just about every space inside the University at Buffalo's newly constructed medical school is built to encourage contact among students and staff.

From the glass-walled offices and conference rooms stacked around a central atrium, lounge furniture grouped in sunny spaces and lecture hall desks that morph into conference tables, UB officials say the design reflects the higher education trend toward "active learning."

Instead of trying to absorb information from lectures alone, the practice has students working together in groups to problem solve and deepen their understanding of information.