Is being "wired" a good thing?
Friday, May 9, 2008 at 06:29AM As part of the planning process for the new elementary school we're building, a group of teachers and administrators toured four nearby schools that opened in the past two years. I am still mulling over what I saw, but this is what jumped out at me. Wires. In otherwise, thoughtfully (if not innovatively) planned schools, I saw wires and cords...
After retrofitting hundreds of classrooms in our district (with its oldest buildings from the 1920s) for telephones, computer networks, mounted projectors, interactive white boards and voice amplification systems, I was expecting, nay yearning, to see some beautiful, clean, neat, efficient installations - where technology was transparently integrated into the physical structure of these new buildings. You know, an absence of wire molding, no power cords snaking across floors and down walls, and sufficient electrical outlets where they needed to be.
No such luck.
If the wiring looks like that shown above in my new elementary school, I will be ashamed.
Oh, there is a practical as well as aesthetic reason to be neat. Wires are intimidating. The more wires, the scarier the technology looks. The scarier the tech, the less likely it is to be used. Hide the wires to help for the sake of your technophobes.
This is first in what will probably be a series of continuing ruminations addressing the question: How do I keep my district from building a brand new 1950’s school?
What are the qualities of an elementary school building that prepares kids for the future?
Reader Comments (12)
My daughter is an interior designer and makes a really big deal about wires not showing. She would be appalled at your pictures.
The qualities of an elementary school building that prepares kids for the future are that it's safe, clean and well-maintained. Beyond that the most reliable resarch I've come across shows that the better-stocked the media center, the better the acievement (and that the students have plenty of access to it with little restriction on their check-outs). Having the school filled with enthusiastic and qualified staff is also a must.
I know, you're talking about the technology. But I think when all the elementary schools in existance right now can meet the above criteria, then I'll worry how many ELMOs and SmartBoards they have. I think it's now essential for the teachers and media centers to have computers. I am not convinced, however, that computers are essential for the students in elementary school. I'm not saying I'm against them, just that I don't see them as essential.
Ok, let the disagreement begin...
Hi Ninja,
Actually, I want it all - good media centers fully staffed AND good building-wide tech.
Trust me. The Skunk will be writing about good library design soon.
All the best,
Doug
There is something that gets lost in translation in big school projects. There are never enough electrical plugs, nor are they ever in the right place. Everyone starts out saying - we must make sure that the electrical configuration in the new building is better than the old mess we've been dealing with. And somehow - it's what always goes wrong. Then the finger-pointing starts.
"You teachers didn't give us enough direction."
"The plumbers came in after the electricians came and they had to cut the wires to install the plumbing."
"What? You wanted cable installed? You didn't tell us that before we planted the grass seed."
"Why do you need internet cable drops in the library?"
"Hey - this is where they told me to put the fax machine. I don't know anything about no electrical outlets. How are you going to use it? Not MY job to worry about THAT."
Best of luck with it all. Most of all - Keep Sane!!
Hi Jacquie,
It's for all these reasons and more that a district-level library/tech person needs to be continuously involved in building projects.
My personal goal is to NEVER have a change order!
You raise very common issues. Thanks. (I keep my sanity by making other people nuts.)
Doug
Hi, Doug -- I'm curious to know if your new buildings will have classrooms that are larger than in the past. With so much focus on collaborative work, it would be fabulous if classrooms had a bit more physical space than they did 50 years ago to permit lots of flexible groupings. More space, plus chairs that stack and tables or desks that roll into various configurations can help create learning spaces that can adapt as learning trends and best practices change. I'd also recommend lots of room for teacher storage. There is often so little room in traditional classrooms for teachers to store the myriads of STUFF, from the Kleenex families bring in on the first day of school to the digestive system model. Wouldn't it be great if classrooms could have lots of storage so those items are kept discreetly out of the way? This could be in the classroom or an extra storage space outside of the room. (Or build an extra classroom that can be used now for storage and for teaching later if the population grows.) If we could minimize the mental clutter in our students' learning spaces, would we also minimize the mental clutter? What about bathroom space? Is there money for a bathroom or two in each room? Teachers tend to feel that in-class bathrooms minimize interruptions and that hallway bathrooms encourage more chaos. At the same time, fewer bathrooms = fewer custodial hours!) What kinds of large group instruction spaces are available? Are there other "specialty" rooms where one set of equipment could be purchased and used by multiple classes? (e.g., a single room dedicated to science instead of giving each classrom a little bit of stuff)? A theatrical space for live performances or video work? A quiet space for podcasting or audio recordings? An outdoor classroom both for instruction and for those students who love to read, write, and draw during recess? A large area set aside for recycling bins in the cafeteria and/or hallways? A few extra classrooms to allow for further growth in the future (or maybe two classrooms without a wall in-between that can be used for large group instruction, kinesthetic learning, or drama activities now and converted to two classrooms in the future)? What about lobby space for parent conversations in the morning? Art walls instead of cork strips for "professional" displaying of student art? Soundproofed offices next to large gathering spots? Gosh, it's fun to think about the possibilities.
Wireless network access is so 20th century. I'm holding out for wireless electricity. :-)
Tim,
The Lutefisk Computer Labs over in Left Overshoe, MN, have been doing a booming business in cordless extension cords for years, doncha know? MIT is just playing catch up.
Have a good weekend!
Doug
In a conference call with ISTE this evening about NECC 08, I asked about sessions or areas focusing on building 21st century schools AND buildings including tech and the whole green thing. They said there were several sessions including one with Ian Jukes. Should be worth checking out. I will.
Our school looks like the one in these pictures, but mostly because it's impossible to be connected wirelessly to everything all at once. For example, I can only be connected to one network at a time -- this means I have to choose to be wired to my LAN cable (for internet) or to my Panasonic projector. I can't do both at once. And if I have want to show something where sound is involved? More wires again, as I have to connect the speakers to both the wall (electricity) *and* the computer.
Add to this the fact that we are in a developing country, where there isn't even enough electricity to go around (brown outs and blackouts are common, the school has its own generator), and you definitely have a "wired up" situation.
All this electricity has to come from somewhere... and the use of too much of it contributes to global warming, too. What's a school to do?
Hi Adrienne,
I suspect that most teachers working in buildings much more than 10-20 years old suffer from having lots of cords. My frustration lies in NEW schools that are being built that don't accommodate the need for wires.
Thanks for the comment and all the best. Keep those wires under control!
Doug
Make the wire longer - then you could combine PE with technology (jump rope)...