The three I have selected as key differences between new and traditional classrooms are student centered instruction, collaborative work, inquiry-based learning. In the traditional classroom the instructor instructs, whether in the form of a lecture, demonstration, film, or whatever. In the proposed classroom the students would drive the pace of instruction. The idea is to get the students engaged and interested in their topic.
Many different sources champion the cause of collaborative learning for a variety of reasons.
Since many of our classrooms have too few computers collaborative learning seems to be a natural condition. Whether used as a learning center or in the library as a research resource a computer terminal can be effeciently used as a tool to enhance collatorative learning. This is possible with one tube in a classroom or with individual tubes for each student. Finally, students who dig for their own answers are more likely to remember their results. I have had some experiences which bear out this assumption.