--- Forwarded Message from Derek Roff <[log in to unmask]> ---

>Date: Thu, 01 Jun 2006 13:16:36 -0600
>From: Derek Roff <[log in to unmask]>
>To: Language Learning and Technology International Information Forum
<[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Re: #8257 printer control software?
>In-Reply-To: <[log in to unmask]>
>References:  <[log in to unmask]>

I'd love to hear some discussion on how to approach this printing problem 
conceptually.  We haven't been able to think of a solution sufficiently 
flexible and intelligent to handle our usage patterns.

During classes, most printing happens at the end of class, when everyone is 
in a hurry to print and turn in the assignment (or take it away with them). 
Anything that would slow down the process would be a problem.   In this 
type of class, every print job is likely to be valid.  The teacher 
certainly can't put their focus on approving print queue requests, and 
would be very unhappy with the busy work of approving 100% of the requests. 


During classes that include web browsing and student printing of 
interesting materials, the biggest problem is that students hit "Print" 
intending to get the one page that they are looking at, and end up printing 
many subsequent pages of extraneous material.  Again, the teacher will not 
want to focus on maintaining the printer queue, and will not have any easy 
way to judge whether a 5 page print job request is valid, or represents 4 
wasted pages.

Our biggest problem with paper wasting is during non-class use.  How can we 
monitor the drop-in students' print jobs?  We don't know the content or the 
appropriate size of the jobs.  We could have a lab attendant approve 
anything under a certain page count, but there would be time pressure 
problems.  Most printing requests are shortly before the next class will 
start.  Students will leave, if they can't get their printout quickly. 
This leads to valid print jobs being thrown into the recycling bin, and 
places too big a burden on the staff during the rush periods.

I've wondered if we could find a way to automatically truncate every print 
job at one, or possibly two, pages.  Students who wanted to print more 
would be able to print additional print jobs, but the hassle would dissuade 
some of the abuse.  We would probably have to turn that limit off, during 
some classes.

I think we may have to give each student a printing account, with a certain 
page count per semester.  That has overhead and usability problems, too. 
What if the student is in class, and required to print and hand in an 
assignment, and has used up their page allotment?

Has anyone else come up with a system that works well for these kinds of 
printing scenarios?   We use Macs, but for me, the conceptual problem 
precedes the software implementation problem.

Derek

> I write to ask if anyone knows
> of some kind of software out there in the world that could be installed
> on each student station and the teacher control station (all running XP)
> that would allow the teacher control station to act as a queue into which
> student print requests would line up and from which permission to print
> would be granted, thereby saving reams and reams of wasted paper.

Derek Roff
Language Learning Center
Ortega Hall 129, MSC03-2100
University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001
505/277-7368, fax 505/277-3885
Internet: [log in to unmask]



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