A compelling issue in education and school planning is how to engage "digital natives" in the learning process, especially when they are being taught by "digital immigrants." Children who are immersed in technology from the moment they
- By Nancy Myers, Sue Robertson
- 12/01/08
For most colleges and universities, signage is an ever-changing element of the campus landscape. As departments move and facilities are added, directional and informational signs must adapt. Changes to signage often occur piecemeal. New signs are typicall
Anyone who does it knows that keeping a school in running condition is not an easy task. Multiply that by the number of schools in a district, and the job is that much more difficult. Here is a look at some districts' custodial and maintenance standa
It's a dichotomy that will never disappear: universities operate in a culture of openness and decentralization while their IT departments want to keep everything as closed as possible and run a very strong network layer. Today's IT departments b
- By Julie Sturgeon
- 11/01/08
As the crisis in the financial markets has deepened, upward pressure on construction prices, in general, and commercial kitchen construction, in particular, has weakened. That will come as welcome news to colleges, universities, and culinary schools plann
- By Michael Fickes
- 11/01/08
Administrative and office space can inspire, calm and communicate a variety of qualities. However, it sometimes doesn't get the attention it deserves.
- By Michelle McGovern, Keegan Jackson, Jennifer Baldridge
- 11/01/08
Public and private school districts spend $6B each year on energy to power their facilities, according to The Consortium for Energy Efficiency figures. Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems comprise approximately 45 percent of that ene
- By Jeff Cryder, Maureen Lally
- 11/01/08
As we look forward to a new administration in the White House and the possibility of a new look at school reform and No Child Left Behind, one of the inevitable topics of discussion is bureaucracy in our public school system. Bureaucracy developed out of
- By Christine Beitenhaus
- 11/01/08
National economic problems are impacting local school districts as states cut back on aid and taxpayers resist increases. On top of the summer's spike in fuel costs, these problems are forcing school districts to make difficult spending decisions. Bu
In the past, sustainable building design may have been more expensive than following a more traditional construction route. Improvements in both materials and building systems, and a greater commitment to building green facilities, are thankfully changing
Ohio University in Athens is a special place, with beautiful facilities and friendly people. But it also has barriers that prevent easy access to a number of areas and buildings. The University is dedicated to change not only to address the letter
- By Carolyn Bailey Lewis
- 11/01/08
While taking care of their number-one resource, facility administrators must stay on top of advances in processes and procedures in order to best serve their clients. Implementing state-of-the-industry standards is sure to help you advance custodial and m
Procuring things the old way takes time and patience. Fill out forms, wait for approval, send out the purchase order, and then wait again for the item. But what if there were a more efficient way? It turns out there is, and it's very similar to the o
New LCD and plasma display systems promote athletic schedules, social events, students' work, emergency communications, and more.Systems can be set up with screens doing different jobs depending on location. Lobby screens can welcome visitors. Classr
- By Michael Fickes
- 11/01/08
The Bureau of Labor Statistics says that there will be a 22 percent increase in the number of jobs requiring postsecondary education by 2020, and we can expect a deficit of 12 million skilled workers unless access to higher education is improved. Yet coll
Four years ago, Robert Spitz started lobbying the Taos school board for surveillance cameras at the district schools. He was especially concerned about security at the high school. Not only were they trying to avert the usual mischief that high school tee
Striking a reasonable and effective balance between privacy and security is a serious challenge for institutions today. Security is identified by EDUCAUSE as the top IT concern for 2008. In fact, security has been among the top five issues on the list for
Campus officials should give careful consideration to the roles assigned to students. While hundreds of thousands of student workers perform invaluable functions at their colleges and universities every day, it is important to work towards appropriate bal
- By Michael S. Dorn
- 11/01/08
Undeliverable-as-addressed (UAA) mail has become a problem with the Postal Service. The Postal Service states, "In Fiscal Year 2004 [they] handled 9.7 billion pieces of UAA mail at a cost of $1.8B." UAA mail reduces productivity for both they po
- By Christine Beitenhaus
- 11/01/08
The Dalton School, a school with grades K-12, located on Manhattan's Upper East Side, recently completed a complete renovation of its central dining and student commons. To better serve over 1,200 student and faculty lunches, the design needed to sol
- By Peter Matthews
- 11/01/08
The ability to hear properly, especially in pre-school and elementary school classrooms, is one of the most important factors in a child's ability to process and learn new information. According to the Institute for Enhanced Classroom Learning, child
- By Christopher Lawton
- 10/01/08