Maybe I should have a regular Good Stuff / Bad Stuff spot.
Today’s good stuff
Several completed Key Skills, two in particular standing out for excellent use of the tools, even my current pet favourite Bubbl.
The words “I could do the blog from my home computer couldn’t I?” issuing from a learners mouth!
Today’s not so good stuff
The ongoing battle with the recalcitrant and thirsty colour printer. As a colleague pointed out seeing their work in glorious technicolour is motivational, and the other learners who see it also comment on how good it look.
Unfortunately”happy trainees” is a rather intangible thing to put a price tag on whereas the colour toner cartridges have a very definite and LARGE price tag!
The upshot
I’d love to go over to e-portfolios and forget the grief of endless printing altogether but in spite of enthusiasm for the idea from all trainers, that seems to recede further every time we discuss it. The extra time it would take to experiment is hard to find, but maybe it’s time to return to the idea and try it out.
It’d need to be with one our our more confident learners as I feel that our less experienced learners need that concrete reassurance of seeing the physical results of their hard work.
I’m looking forward to our next verification visit to see what the ‘official’ word is on our using the blogs as projects.
The latest group are keen to get stared, but as they’re a small group I’m holding off until the next large group starts so I only have to go through the paperwork once!
2 comments ↓
Is it possible to charge a lab fee? I agree that there’s something very affirming about seeing your work large and in color and in real life. Of course, it’s at the cost not only of the toner but also the tree used to make the paper. Could the students help bear that cost, if they opt to print?
Charging for printouts is possible I suppose, but I can see it being a real bone of contention. Most of our learners are unemployed adults being funded through, and would be most indignant at being expected to pay.
Current state of play is that we’ve acquired a new colour laser printer for little more than the cost of toner for the old one! Clearly is is mildly ludicrous and far from “green” but I’ll take whatever I can get!
Leave a Comment