The Technological Transition

Digital technology is everywhere in education, and it’s ingrained in virtually every aspect of the planning, operation and management of America’s 130,000-odd schools. It would be ridiculous to think of designing a new school construction without taking the needs of digital technologies into consideration, from networking and wireless to audiovisual equipment to physical security.

Or to think of managing staff and resources without ERP.

Or to think of daily classroom activities without taking into consideration mobility and new technology-driven teaching modalities.

We’ve also been thinking along these lines here at 1105 Media, which is School Planning & Management’s parent company. Previously, our education publications were divided into two groups — the Ed Tech Group and the Spaces4Learning Group. But we recently merged these two operations with the idea of bringing expanded technology coverage to School Planning & Management (SP&M) and our sister publication College Planning & Management (CP&M).

The new group, simply called the Education Group, now consists of SP&M, CP&M, Spaces4Learning, THE Journal, Campus Technology and STEAM Universe, with me as editorial director.

One of the unplanned parts of that move was the retirement of longtime SP&M Editor-in-Chief Jerry Enderle. As our readers are well aware, Jerry had done a fantastic job with SP&M over the years. It now falls on me, as editorial director, to keep up the work he had been doing so well for so long and to move that forward with expanded technology coverage and a new emphasis on technology in our own publications.

More on that in the coming months.

For now, I ask that you, our readers, work with me the way that you worked so long with Jerry, offering your expert input, your ideas, your writing, your support. I’ve met many of you in this sector already at trade shows, and the experience so far has been extremely positive. I look forward to meeting many more of you in the coming years. Please reach out to me at [email protected]. I hope to talk with you soon!

This article originally appeared in the School Planning & Management July/August 2019 issue of Spaces4Learning.

About the Author

David Nagel is the former editorial director of 1105 Media's Education Group and editor-in-chief of THE Journal, STEAM Universe, and Spaces4Learning. A 30-year publishing veteran, Nagel has led or contributed to dozens of technology, art, marketing, media, and business publications.

He can be reached at [email protected]. You can also connect with him on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidrnagel/ .


Featured

  • Universities Continue to Launch Multimillion-Dollar Campus Transformations

    What makes the current wave of campus development especially noteworthy is its emphasis on multi-use functionality and community integration. Institutions are no longer investing solely in academic or athletic facilities in isolation. Instead, they are creating destinations that blend recreation, health, housing, and event-driven economic activity.

  • Houston-Area High School Breaks Ground on 117,000SF Multi-Use Facility

    North Shore Senior High School, part of Galena Park ISD in Houston, Texas, recently broke ground on a new multi-use facility for student extracurriculars, according to a news release. The North Shore Multi-Use Facility will include dedicated practice and training space for the school’s athletics and fine arts programs.

  • Spaces4Learning Trends & Predictions for Educational Facilities in 2026: Part II

    As education leaders look toward 2026, the design of K–12 and higher education facilities is being reshaped by powerful, converging forces. Survey respondents point to the rapid growth of Career and Technical Education, deeper alignment with workforce and industry needs, and the accelerating influence of AI and emerging technologies.

  • blurry image capturing students navigating crowded hallways between classes

    How Human Behavior Data Is Reshaping Campus Facilities Management

    The ebb and flow of students, faculty, and administrators across a campus have a larger impact on maintenance, cleaning, and sustainability than many realize.