The Impact of the Connected Age on School Design

Did You Know?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3sUa-02PqBc

Economic Shift

“I was in Bangalore, India, the Silicon Valley of India, when I realized that the world was flat.” - Thomas Friedman

“In China today, Bill Gates is Britney Spears. In America today, Britney Spears is Britney Spears-and that is our problem.” - Thomas Friedman“Can someone overseas do it cheaper?” “Can a computer do it faster?”If the answer is yes, then it will be outsourced to Asia or Automated by computers. - Daniel Pink

“Internet Overtakes Newspaper as News Outlet”– Pew Research Center December 2008

“The fastest growing group of Internet users is 2-5 year olds”- NetDay News

Information Shift

“The unique information generated this year will exceed the amount generated in the previous 5000 years”

“ The amount of new technical information is doubling every 2 years. For students starting a 4 year technical degree this means that half of what they learn their first year will be outdated by their third year of study.”

-Karl Fisch 2008

The English Wikipedia alone has over 1.6 billion words, over 25 times as many as the next largest English-language encyclopedia, Encyclopedia Britannica

What would English Wikipedia look like if it were printed?

-Over 2,000 volumes

…. and it will increase by 15,000 words during this presentation

Human Shift

Children today are different. In fact, based on what we now know from neurosciences and psychological sciences…children today are FUNDAMENTLLY different than we are in the way they think, in the way they access, absorb, interpret, process and use information, and in the way they view, interact, and communicate in the modern world because of their experiences with digital technologies… and this holds profound implications for us both personally as parents, and professionally as educators.”

- Ian Jukes Understanding Digital Kids: Teaching and Learning in the New Digital Landscape

Facility ImplicationsIs technology affecting how our facilities

are designed? Or… Do our facility designs dictate what technology is

feasible?

Network Infrastructure

Plan for sufficient wired and wireless networks:

• Hi-capacity, canopy wireless coverage

•Minimum 6-8 Cat 6 drops per classroom

•Sufficient 24x7x365 environmental conditioning in all IT closets

•Sufficient electrical outlets and circuits

•Fiber interconnectivity between all sites and central Data Center.

Audio/VisualPlan for projection and sound in most classrooms:

•Appropriate lighting plan

•Acoustic separation between classrooms

•Sufficient ceiling elevation

•Clear path perpendicular to center of screen

•Stop investing in TVs and cable distribution systems

Learning Spaces…

…should facilitate the efficient use of prolific technology resources, not hinder it

Plan for:

• Increasing numbers of computers, often desktop computers in most classrooms for students to create content

•Accommodating centers for differentiated and small group instruction

•Storage of valuable, high risk technology devices

•Students bringing their own technology

•Paper based information resources

•Individual student activity

•Quiet, calm environment

Yesterday/Today: Library

Tomorrow: Information and Research Center

•Computer based information resources

•Group research and student collaboration

•Flexible, dynamic spaces with appropriate lighting and acoustics

“The past 25 years in technology have been the warm-up act. What we are now entering is the MAIN EVENT ,which is the era in which technology will truly transform every aspect of business, government, education and society of life.”

- Carly Fiorina

scott.monroe@leanderisd.org