| Term |
Definition |
 |
|
|
| Academic
Plan |
The
basis for implementing the mission of both school and department. It identifies
new initiatives, programs to support and emphasize, and prescribes enhancements
such as interdisciplinary teaching, an emphasis on hands-on experiences
and student projects, the use of computers, and the use of media.
|
|
| Academic
Program |
A
general program of studies designed to prepare students for the common activities
of a citizen, family member, and worker. A general program of studies may
include instruction in both academic and vocational areas. |
|
| Access |
A
means of approach, e.g., a road, street , walk, or corridor. |
|
| Advisory
Committee |
Educators
and other professionals who have a broad understanding of science education
today. |
|
| American
Institute of Architects (AIA) |
A professional organization, founded in 1857, whose purpose is to establish
and promote professionalism and accountability on the part of its members,
and to promote architectural design excellence. |
|
| Americans
with Disabilities Act (ADA) |
A
federal law, enacted in 1990, requiring that public accommodations be accessible
to those having physical disabilities; this law requires that existing physical
barriers be replaced or modified so there are no impediments to access by
the physically disabled. |
|
| Architect |
A
person professionally qualified and licensed to perform building design
services, and who is trained and experienced in the coordination and supervision
of all aspects of the building construction process. |
|
| Architectural
Characteristics |
The
combination of materials and detailing that distinguishes a building. |
|
| Bay
Width |
The
dimension of a structural support system between supporting columns or walls
in a building. |
|
| Bench |
A
laboratory work area at standing- or sitting-height. |
|
| Bench
Space |
The
square footage available on the bench surfaces in a lab. |
|
| Bench,
Island |
Lab
benches that are not adjacent to walls. |
|
| Bench,
Pedestal |
Lab
benches that run adjacent and perpendicular to the walls. |
|
| Bench,
Peninsula |
Lab
benches that run adjacent and perpendicular to the walls. |
|
| Bench,
Perimeter |
Lab
benches that run adjacent and parallel to the walls. |
|
| Benches,
Double-sided |
Lab
benches with access from two sides, workstations facing each other. |
|
| Benches,
Fixed and at Standing Height |
Laboratory
work areas that are built into the room design and are not moveable. |
|
| Benches,
Moveable |
Laboratory
work areas that are mobile to accommodate vaious teaching and work situations. |
|
| Bidding
Process |
The
phase of the construction process during which competitive bids or negotiated
proposals are requested as the basis for awarding a contract. |
|
| Building
Committee |
A
committee to see a particular building project through all of its phases
from compiling a list of architects to interviewing for the projected new
construction or renovation project through project completion. |
|
| Building
Service Area |
The
sum of all areas on all floors of a building used for mechanical support,
custodial supplies, janitorial closets, and for public rest rooms. |
|
| Building
Systems |
An
assembly of integrated subsystems, such as heating, ventilating, air conditioning,
plumbing, and electrical, that perform specific functions in the building. |
|
| Cable
Tray |
An
assembly to support power or data/voice cables for organized distribution.
The tray can be enclosed but generally consists of a ladder-like framework
on the bottom and sides with open top. |
|
| Campus
Plan |
In
response to institutional mission and priorities, a comprehensive physical
development plan describing and justifying the size, function, cost, location,
and sequence of development for new construction and the continuing use
and/or reuse of existing facilities, so as to achieve a functional and attractive
physical setting and an appropriate sense of place. |
|
| Case
Study |
A
detailed analysis of an individiual or group, especially as an exemplary
model of a particular phenomenon. |
|
| Chair
Desk |
Discussion
area seating where the chair is attached to a recangular desk-like writing/work
surface. |
|
| Circulation
Area |
The
sum of all areas on all floors of a building required for physical access
to some subdivision of space, whether physically bounded by partitions or
not. |
|
| City
and State Standards |
Zoning,
structural and environmental regulations, workplace safety codes, mandatory
educational standards. |
|
| Clean
Space |
A
space, void of airborne dust and dirt particles, that is typically used
in technology education for research and design. (see "Dirty Space.") |
|
| Clean
Work |
Work
performed in Clean Space. |
|
| Computers |
An
electronic device that performs such actions as high-speed calculations
and processing of information. Will computers in labs be part of the curriculum?
If so, how many students can be expected to share one computer. The computers
can be along the periphery of the lab, at stations in an area within the
lab, or adjacent to or on the lab benches. Ideally there should be multiple
ports for laptops or cabling so future ports can be provided. Don�t forget
that computers or laptops might be used in project and prep space. |
|
| Construction
Documents |
Drawings
and specifications setting forth in detail the requirements for the construction
of the project. |
|
| Context
Plan |
An
abridged but documented campus plan study that identifies the purpose, location,
priority, and sequence of projected physical improvements; their relationship
to each other and to existing physical resources; and their campus design
implications and potential. |
|
| Contractor |
One
who undertakes responsibility for the performance of construction work,
including the provisions of labor and materials, in accordance with plans
and specifications and under a contract specifying cost and schedule for
completion of the work. |
|
| Curriculum |
A
particular course of study that can be lab-based, lecture-based with a lab
component, or lecture-based with demonstration lab work. Curriculum issues
that impact the amount of space a program needs are optimum class size,
student collaborative learning, and student research or special projects. |
|
| Curriculum,
Integrated |
A
set of courses in various subjects that by design reinforce and overlap
each other when taken simultaneously. |
|
| Dirty
Space |
Space
for assembly and production, typically used in technology education. |
|
| Discussion
Area |
An
alternative is to use a separate classroom for this purpose. In many instances
this is desirable as the lab setting does not distract the students, and
sometime there is no choice as the lab space is not large enough. A disadvantage
is that the classroom might be scheduled for some other function at the
time it is required. |
|
| Discussion
Area |
Classroom,
seminar, or other seating area for lecture or discussion. Depending on the
curriculum, a discussion area is sometimes included as part of a lab. The
format can be around a seminar table or in a bank of tablet arm chairs.
The type of seating determines how much additional square footage will be
needed. Chalkboard and demonstration devices should be available in this
area. One advantage to mixing class and lab functions is that the students
can easily move back and forth from discussion to lab work. |
|
| Endowment |
Funds
or property invested by an institution as a source of income. |
|
| Experimentation |
The
process of conducting tests relating to scientific investigation or inquiry.
If students are required or encouraged to become engaged in hands-on experimentation,
adequate space must be available. This can be in various forms from generous
lab bench workspace, convenient to computers, to dedicated labs for special
projects. |
|
| Facility
Program |
A
management tool and architect's directive for new construction or major
renovations which formulates construction and project budget targets and
identifies the discrete functional elements in the project - including a
description of each space in terms of its purpose, function, size, spatial
interrelationships, special requirements, fixtures and furnishings, utility
needs, and other project-specific information. |
|
| Feasibility
Study |
Programmatic
requirement matched with institutional resources, in sufficient detail to
determine project justification and feasibility for proceeding with detailed
planning and fund-raising. |
|
| Fixed
Asset |
A
real or tangible resource, typically a building that can be evaluated in
terms of use, function, and condition to increase or improve utilization
and contain operating costs. Such an evaluation can be realized by the development
of rational building renewal, reuse, and long-term revitalization plans. |
|
| Flexibility |
The
ability to adapt or restructure physical settings, both in the long- or
short-term, in response to such factors as change in pedagogic objectives. |
|
| Fume
Hoods |
A
fume-collection device under which certain tasks or experiments are conducted
and through which air is drawn to directly remove gases and odors so they
do not permeate the general space. |
|
| General
Purpose/Discipline-specific Labs |
Some
labs are designed for specific disciplines, e.g., a chemistry lab will have
a fume hood and chemical storage, whereas a general purpose lab is designed
to accommodate a variety of disciplines. |
|
| Glass
View Panel |
A
narrow vision strip in or next to a door to prevent collision of people
entering and exiting the space, or a fixed window installed between rooms
usually to allow teacher supervision of more than one space at a time. |
|
| Greenhouse |
A
usually glass-enclosed structure used for cultivating plants that require
controlled temperature and humidity. |
|
| Grid,
Floor or Ceiling |
In
teaching spaces, a system to distribute utilities to mobile stations. |
|
| Gross
Square Footage (GSF) |
The
sum of all areas on all floors of a building included within the outside
faces of its exterior walls, including floor penetration areas, however
insignificant, for circulation and shaft areas that connect one floor to
another. |
|
| Ground
Fault Interrupter (GFI) |
A fast-acting electrical circuit breaker that also senses very small ground
fault currents such as might flow through the body of a person standing
on damp ground while touching a hot alternating-current line or wire. |
|
| Handheld
Device |
Calculators,
graphing calculators, palm PCs, etc., used in teaching |
|
| Hands-on
Experiences |
Instruction
in the classroom or laboratory that is tangible or focused on student activity,
i.e., models, physical specimens, etc. |
|
| Holding
Space for Animals |
Housing
space for animals that provides the appropriate environment for their health
and well-being. |
|
| Individual
Instruction |
One-on-one
interaction between teacher and student in a learning situation. |
|
| Interdisciplinary
Teaching |
An
interdisciplinary teaching approach can be the merging of two or more disciplines
or it can imply that two or more disciplines are taught in tandem. In either
case, there are facility implications. |
|
| International
Technology Education Association (ITEA) |
The professional organization of technology teachers, whose mission is to
promote technological literacy for all by supporting the teaching of technology
and promoting the professionalism of those engaged in this pursuit. ITEA
strengthens the profession through leadership, professional development,
membership services, publications, and classroom activities. |
|
| Lab
Space |
Space
for experimental study using specialized equipment. The number of students
in each class will determine how big the lab should be. In terms of layout
and equipment, the desire, in most cases, is to provide labs that are flexible
so that they can change as needs change. There should be enough support
space, either in or out of the lab, for the various instructional materials
that will be used in the space. This is particularly important when labs
are shared or are multidisciplinary. |
|
| Laboratory
Safety |
Ways
to eliminate or minimize the risk of harm to individuals in the laboratory
due to fire or chemical and biological hazards. |
|
| Local
Area Network (LAN) |
Computers
connected in a geographically close (same building or campus) network. |
|
| Mission
Statement |
The
process of defining a mission statement is as important as the statement
itself. The process is a way to articulate principles, desired goals, and
a pedagogical approach that an institution wishes to pursue. |
|
| National
Science Foundation (NSF) |
An
independent U.S. government agency responsible for promoting science and
engineering through programs that invest over $3.3 billion per year in almost
20,000 research and education projects in science and engineering. |
|
| National
Science Teachers' Association (NSTA) |
The largest organization in the world committed to promoting excellence
and innovation in science teaching and learning for all. NSTA's current
membership of more than 53,000 includes science teachers, science supervisors,
administrators, scientists, business and industry representatives, and others
involved in science education. |
|
| Net
Assignable Square Feet (NASF) |
Area
of floor space available for use by occupants. This is a "wall-to-wall"
measurement that includes area occupied by furniture, built-in cabinets,
etc., but excludes the "non-assignable" space such as corridors and public
rest rooms. |
|
| Net
Assignable Square Feet per Station (NASF/Station) |
Total NASF of a space (see above) divided by the number of stations. This
is a standard means of quantifying how much space each student has. |
|
| Network
Port |
A
wire connector for plugging in a jack usually located on a wall or floor,
used to connect computers to a network. |
|
| New
Construction |
Any
new building, any building addition, or any building renovation in excess
of $300,000. |
|
| New
Teaching Methods |
Hands-on,
experiential project-oriented group activities are examples of new methodology
in teaching, and have become successful curriculum components in teaching
science, math, and technology education at all levels of education. Integrating
audiovisual technology and computers into the curriculum is another current
venue, as are the use of the World Wide Web, simulation, and collaboration
across disciplines, schools, and educational levels. |
|
| Non-assignable
Space |
The
sum of all areas on all floors of a building not available for assignment
to an occupant or for specific use, but necessary for the general operation
of a building, e.g., corridors and public rest rooms. |
|
| Other
Teaching Space |
Computer
labs, lecture rooms, and classrooms are the non-lab teaching spaces usually
associated with science, math, and technology education instruction. In
addition, there is often a need for students to work independently. Some
examples of space required for this activity are student project areas where
students, either independently or in small groups, can perform experiments
and safely leave them; or open study or tutoring space, where an individual
student can work with a teacher or students can work together. |
|
| Pedagogy |
The
art, science, or profession of teaching. |
|
| Planning
Committee |
A
committee, made up of teachers and administrators, that defines the project
assumptions to reflect the school's mission and vision for the future as
well as the goals of the affected departments. |
|
| Program,
Facility |
A
written statement setting forth design objectives, constraints, and criteria
for a project, including space requirements and relationships, flexibility
and expandability, specialized equipment systems, and site requirements.
|
|
| Project
Prospectus |
A
document describing the purpose, location, proposed budget, and implementation
schedule for a major project - based on needs determined through related
studies and consultations. |
|
| Prototype
Laboratories |
A
laboratory providing the ideal venue in which prescribed activities can
occur. |
|
| Quick-connect
System |
A
quick-disconnect device is a connector to a utility that is equipped with
an automatic means for shutting off the supply when the device is disconnected. |
|
| Renovation |
Construction
projects that modify space in a manner that changes its use, that alters
its dimensions or configuration, or that substantially upgrades and refurbishes
it. Space renovations do not include repairs, routine servicing, or maintenance
except as these may be accomplished in the course of modifications and renovations.
Similarly, safety modifications and improvements to meet building and safety
codes are excluded except as they are achieved as part of other construction.
|
|
| Schematic
Design |
The
first phase of the architect's basic services during which he or she consults
with the client to ascertain the requirements of the project and prepares
schematic design studies consisting of drawings and other documents, illustrating
the scale and relationship of the project components for approval by the
client. |
|
| Site
Selection |
A
process for locating sites for new buildings, parking, or landscape features.
The process includes the identification of evaluation standards and criteria,
and the methods for applying them to different options. |
|
| Space
Allocation Assumptions |
Assumptions
developed by a school to provide guidance during the facility programming
process and to avoid arbitrary and inconsistent assignments of space. Ideally,
mission, academic plan, and curriculum guide this process. |
|
| Spanning
Beam or Truss |
A
truss is a structural element designed to carry transverse loads, composed
of a combination of members, usually in some triangular arrangement, so
as to constitute a rigid framework. |
|
| Spatial
Relationships |
The
relative position of one space or object to another. |
|
| Station |
Space
to accommodate one person. The number of stations in a room is the number
of persons who can be accomodated. |
|
| Structural
Area |
The
portion of the gross area of a building that cannot be occupied or put to
use because of the presence of structural building features. |
|
| Structural
Bay |
The
structural support system between supporting columns in a building. |
|
| Student
Project Lab |
Space
set aside for ongoing student independent projects; usually allows experiments
to remain set up undisturbed for extended time periods. |
|
| Summary
Program |
The
Summary Program states working assumptions, justifies need, defines the
concept, lists the spaces to be included, and provides the foundation for
an initial cost estimate. Certain basic information about each space is
included - the name or type of space, the size of the space in square footage,
the number of persons to be accommodated in the space (usually called �stations�),
and a description of the space use. |
|
| Support
Space |
Non-teaching
spaces, often shared, which fulfill various preparation and storage needs
not practical or appropriate in teaching spaces. These functions can also
occur in the lab, but if the lab is shared, it can only be accessed when
there is no class in session. Teacher office and workspace is another type
of support. |
|
| Table
and Chair |
Discussion
area seating where the chair is not attached to the writing/work surface.
|
|
| Tablet
Arm Chair |
Discussion
area seating where the chair is attached to an L-shaped writing/work surface.
|
|
| Teacher
Consultant Group |
A
group of secondary and post-secondary school science and tech ed faculty
members who act as consultants to assist the architects and/or facility
planners in the design process. |
|
| Trustee |
A
member of the board, which is elected or appointed to direct the funds or
policy of an institution. |
|
| Utility
Systems |
Means
by which services such as water, electricity, gas, and compressed air are
brought to spaces throughout the building. |
|
| Vision |
The
expression of a department's goals and objectives consistent with the overall
mission of the institution. |
|
| Vital
Signs Study |
A
diagnostic survey of the existing campus that observes, evaluates, and compares
the function, size, condition, and appearance of the buildings and grounds
to peer institutions and benchmark standards - an independent, objective
reckoning, useful in establishing highest priority improvements and/or determining
an appropriate focus and rationale for a campus plan, context plan, or detailed
facility planning and programming studies. |
|
| Wall
System, Movable |
Devices
that give the teacher the ability to divide or combine teaching spaces quickly
and easily with sliding, removable, or �accordion� room dividers. |
|
| Wheelchair-Accessible
|
Provision
of adequate space, sized in accordance with ADA regulations, to enable a
person in a wheelchair to maneuver to and through the building. |
|
| Wireless
Network |
Radio-based computer network system that allows data transmission through the air without physical (wire or fiber-optic) connection. |
|
| Workstation |
An individual work area created by the arrangement of furniture and/or equipment. |
|
