A key issue in facility planning is how to plan so that future obsolescence is minimized and delayed as long as possible. Here is some advice from education practitioners:

"Technology cannot simply be an add-on to existing educational facilities. Careful evaluation and planning are a must. Coupled with examination of effective learning strategies via technology, out educational programs/facilities can move easily into the 21^st century."-Barbara Caligiuri, Coordinator of Technical Support Cupertino Union School District, CA

"Planning for the technology of today without restricting our ability to respond to the potential of technology of the future is the real challenge!"-Max O. Heim, Superintendent Gear County Unified School District 475, Junction City, KS

"An area of frustration has been the great need for flexibility in facilities to provide for the changing wiring and cabling needs necessary to handle connections for networking equipment. A great deal of time is spend wiring and re-wiring when new equipment is added or changed and when changes are made to accommodate personnel changes. Quite often there is not provision of where to put the wiring. This can lead to an environment that is unsafe and unsightly".

"Even in pre-wired situations, it is difficult to plan what wiring needs would come in the future. It might be a good idea to plan "channels" at the base of walls that would open easily to string new types of cabling when needed. Old obsolete wiring could also be removed easily or re-used for other purposes. The "channels" would have to be designed to fit well within the decor and function of the building. It should be possible to open the channel at any location to tap into the wiring system. This could accommodate wiring for phones, computer networks, cable TV, and any other technology that might require cabling. Connections should all be modular so installation could be done easily."

"It’s a good idea to link the central district computer to a teacher work area. With enough equipment available, teachers could enter attendance or grade information directly into the computer and eliminate the need for filling out scan sheets."-Paul Rische, Systems Coordinator, Cupertino Union School District, CA

The above excerpts are from ITTE’s Facility Planning Book

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