Richard Mahaffey on sat 24 nov 01
Hello,
As someone who teaches in clay and computers I can attest that those
"to the cost counting (short
sighted) budget operator who would like to see an end to this constantly
expensive, messy, dust creating craft, so that he can have rows of
pretty computers with students doing craft, design and technique, it
looks so nice on parents day and you only have to spend the money once!"
accounting types that it is far more expensive to operate a computer lab
than a ceramics studio. At my school we are on a 4 to 5 year cycle of
replacing computers so that they will operate the software for Windows
and that the constant coat of upgrading graphics software would run my
Ceramics program in such a manner that we would have our van and more
kilns than our kiln yard can hold, not to mention one wheel for each
student (100 per quarter) after about 6 years.
Rick Mahaffey
Tacoma Community College
Tacoma, Washington, USA
Janet Kaiser on sun 25 nov 01
The one item everyone has missed out of the equation,
is BIG BUSINESS. Bill Gates was over in the UK a couple
of years ago and made a multi-million $ deal with Tony
Blair's government. It means that schools and colleges
throughout England and Wales are now bound to the
Microsoft Empire for several years to come. Of course
once this started, it will be next to impossible to
change or diversify in any way.
Scotland was cannier* (as they usually are) and left it
up to individual authorities. My cousin's partner is
responsible for all computer hardware in the whole of
Ayrshire and having chosen Mac she has found that she
only needs two technicians for the whole county. This
frees up centrally budgeted money to buy new equipment,
so even infant schools have digi / video cameras and
laptops to play with in their sand pits (her own
enthusiastic appraisal). She is constantly being
pressed to move to PCs not because they are any better,
but because children and staff cannot (let us say)
"exchange" software and use games from dubious
sources... This has been one reason for the lack of
bugs and crashes in the county system and an absolute
eye-opener to other authorities. Her neighbouring
county has 30 odd technicians to cope with a similar
number of sites and systems... Their annual budget does
not stretch to the extras... Yes, they were wooed by
Mr. Gates.
This still does not help the ceramic departments of
schools and colleges. The sanitising of our environment
is probably what the bureaucrats see as being a big
step towards a perfect world. No dirt or mess... Nice
orderly rows of young people with their heads down,
quietly clicking away. Controlled environment... no
noise, dirt or noxious fumes. No health and safety
worries. The janitorial services quick and cheap
because they only need to vacuum the floor...
A friend of ours was appalled a few years ago, when the
directive went out that ALL teachers had to wear a suit
and tie to school. As he said, "How will the kids know
who's the art teacher, if I don't wear cords?"
(Corduroy trousers are/were an art teacher's "uniform"
over here). Not to mention the impracticality and even
danger of wearing a suit and tie in a real working
environment...
It is the man-in-suit-syndrome... Once you get everyone
conforming to a particular "standard" then that is what
becomes the norm, as the dress code implies. No
messing... Literally.
*Canny is a Scottish word, meaning shrewd or thrifty.
Janet Kaiser
The Chapel of Art . Capel Celfyddyd
Home of The International Potters' Path
8 Marine Crescent . Criccieth LL52 0EA
Wales . GB . United Kingdom
Tel: (01766) 523570
E-mail: postbox@the-coa.org.uk
URL: http://www.the-coa.org.uk
Steve Mills on mon 26 nov 01
Rick,
I know that!
You know that!
But they can't see it; in my experience a lot of them are seriously
lacking imagination: all they see are pretty plastic cases and coloured
screens! they are blind to the cost of constant renewal. One of my
friends is the computer technician at a local college; they have just
upgraded to last year's spec, after fighting the financial bigwigs for
more than five years!
Having blighted accountants with the above sweeping statements, I must
redress matters by stating that our company's accountant is a man with a
very rich sense of humour and a lot of imagination. However he isn't an
employee, but works for himself (which is perhaps why he is so unusual).
:-)
Steve
Bath
UK
In message , Richard Mahaffey writes
>Hello,
>
>As someone who teaches in clay and computers I can attest that those
>"to the cost counting (short
>sighted) budget operator who would like to see an end to this constantly
>
>expensive, messy, dust creating craft, so that he can have rows of
>pretty computers with students doing craft, design and technique, it
>looks so nice on parents day and you only have to spend the money once!"
>
>accounting types that it is far more expensive to operate a computer lab
>than a ceramics studio. At my school we are on a 4 to 5 year cycle of
>replacing computers so that they will operate the software for Windows
>and that the constant coat of upgrading graphics software would run my
>Ceramics program in such a manner that we would have our van and more
>kilns than our kiln yard can hold, not to mention one wheel for each
>student (100 per quarter) after about 6 years.
>
>Rick Mahaffey
>Tacoma Community College
>Tacoma, Washington, USA
--
Steve Mills
Bath
UK
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