--- Forwarded Message from "Read Gilgen" <[log in to unmask]> ---

>Date: Thu, 20 Apr 2000 09:43:28 -0500
>From: "Read Gilgen" <[log in to unmask]>
>To: <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Re: #5601.8 Designing classrooms program (!)

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You make a good point, Cindy.  This is one that I've practiced for years and which I highly recommend:  always have a plan in your back pocket just in case someone comes with a bundle of money.  All too often that's how it happens, and it's always best to appear that you're ready, and in need (being ready demonstrates that).  I've had probably a couple of dozen situations over the past 20 years where that's come in very handy, at least a few times with VERY large amounts of money.

This may not be a good management practice from the taxpayer or administration point of view, but it's a good practice for lab directors.


*********************************************
Read Gilgen, Director
L&S Learning Support Services
University of Wisconsin
(608) 262-1408
[log in to unmask]

>>> [log in to unmask] 04/20/00 07:38AM >>>
--- Forwarded Message from "Jorth, Cindy" <[log in to unmask]> ---

>From: "Jorth, Cindy" <[log in to unmask]>
>To: "'Language Learning and Technology International Information Forum'"     <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: RE: #5601.7 Designing classrooms program (!)
>Date: Wed, 19 Apr 2000 08:30:10 -0700

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Sounds very familiar Tom.  We often are told that there is suddenly money
available and that we have 2 days to put in a proposal of what we would like
done.  This type of considerable lack of planning on a funding/financial
level has forced me into creating proposals that I simply have on file for
those sudden cash influxes.  However, these can never truly be complete as
any estimates from our facilities management people (they do electrical,
furniture installation and room redesign) and our telecom people (Ethernet
and other networking solutions) are only given when we have funding
established.  Additionally, estimates are "low priority".  Basically, I know
what equipment is going to cost and then shoot very high on any estimated
campus costs and put it in the proposal.  This is clearly not the preferred
way of planning, but, is an attempt to work within a very established
system.

Cindy

> -----Original Message-----
> From: LLTI-Editor [SMTP:[log in to unmask]] 
> Sent: Wednesday, April 19, 2000 5:16 AM
> To:   [log in to unmask] 
> Subject:      Re: #5601.7 Designing classrooms program (!)
> 
> --- Forwarded Message from Daniel Tom <[log in to unmask]> ---
> 
> >From: Daniel Tom <[log in to unmask]>
> >To: Language Learning and Technology International Information Forum
> <[log in to unmask]>
> >Subject: Re: #5601.5 Designing classrooms program (!)
> >In-Reply-To: <[log in to unmask]>
> >Date:  Tue, 18 Apr 2000 13:28:48 -1000
> 
> ------------------
> This discussion on the PBS teleconference has brought to mind another
> thread.  It is wonderful when you can actually plan for a renovated
> classroom, a new building or a new lab and take into consideration all the
> issues, but what do you do when you have to integrate new technology with
> existing infrastructure, sort of like "putting new wine into old wine
> skins?"  It seems that we at the University of Hawaii have not had the
> luxury of being able to plan for a new installation.  What has happened is
> that equipment is bought first because the money suddenly surfaces and you
> must spend it right away before it is taken away and then questions of
> where to install it and how to install it and what do we need in the way
> of furniture are asked only later after the equipment arrives.
> 
> We are located in a building that was built in the early 70s with
> electrical wiring that was sufficient to support the power requirements of
> an audio language lab facility.  Each lab had 48 student stations and 1
> teacher console.  Since then we have converted two of those labs into
> computer labs, one Mac and one PC, using existing wiring.  The Mac lab
> was the first to be installed and in the beginning when we started we
> managed to trip the circuit breaker at least twice and this was with
> the lower end Macs of that time.  Our staff electronics technicians were
> able to calculate how many Macs could be run simultaneously along with the
> printer without tripping the circuit breaker and we configured the lab
> accordingly.  We have successfully managed to upgrade the Macs
> periodically without tripping the breaker again.  However, we have just
> installed all new G4s and face this problem again.  We want to keep some
> of the older Macs in the lab also but don't know how many of those can be
> installed with the new G4s and still be safe electricity wise.  Sooner or
> later re-wiring will have to take place, not only for our labs, but
> probably for the entire building.  However, all of that takes money and
> the appropriate paper work, etc., and probably will not happen anytime
> soon.  Meanwhile, we must integrate the technology with no clear blueprint
> for the future.
> 
> Daniel Tom
> Language Telecommunications, Resource & Learning Center
> University of Hawaii
> E-mail:  [log in to unmask] 
> FAX:     808-956-5134
> Voice:   808-956-5118