I've got no more patience

[baratron]

Photocopying is my Least Favourite Thing To Do In A Job Ever.

You think I'm joking? I'd rather clean toilets for a living than have to photocopy. (Seriously - as an adult helper on Brownie holidays I always volunteered to clean the bathrooms!). Unfortunately, toilet cleaning is not a big part of science teaching, while photocopying is.

It'd probably be better if I was teaching in a school with technicians or a photocopy room to help out (provided I knew what I wanted to teach a week in advance to get the order in - yeah right). As it is, quite a few of my students don't get given past exam papers from their schools, so ask me to get them. Rather than charging them £3.50 per paper for official originals, I just buy one original and photocopy 'em n times. Sadly, this necessitates dealing with photocopiers - which, as I've already mentioned, is my least favourite thing ever.

The problem with photocopiers is that it's never as simple as putting your document in, pressing "Copy" and getting a copy out. Sure, you can do that if you only need one copy of a very short document. But if you need like 18 exam papers copied for 6 students, you're looking at needing the sheet feeder and/or reduction from A3 to A4 and/or double-sided - and if at all possible, collation to be done by the photocopier itself rather than by the teacher herself. Each extra function increases the probability of the photocopier eating one or more pages (it's merely annoying if it eats new paper - but it's completely exasperating if it decides to eat an original!). And, the probability of paper jamming and/or tearing, the paper feed mechanism going kaput and spraying springs all over the shop (literally), or the drum going nuts is directly proportional to the amount of time you've been photocopying for i.e. how hot the thing is.

All this is a long-winded way of saying I need to find the lever that sets thip, crinkle, and spoit to "no", and/or find myself a photocopying slave who's willing to work for 1p per copy on top of the standard 3-7p per sheet charged by self-service newsagents & corner shops. (I can't, or rather some of my students can't, afford the 12-14p per copy charged by proper photocopying shops).

I realised I had to stop trying to photocopy today after 227 sheets, when the photocopier was starting to go through the alphabet of places where it had paper jams (it had misfeeds at A, B, C and D before I quit), my hands were shaking and pins & needly, my feet were freezing, my vision was starting to blur, I had ringing in my ears and my heart was thumping. I cannot believe that something so "simple" as photocopying could make me produce enough adrenaline and hyperventilate enough to get that ill.

AAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!!!

Oh yeah, and I've still got all the Unit 5s to do :(

Comments

[ruth-lawrence.livejournal.com]

I loathe and detest photocopying, too.

And the toner plays up with my chest.

We need Elves.

[boxofdelights]

Can a student do it?

Erm ...

[nitoda]

When I worked in a college library I became very aware that examination papers produced by the examination boards (as opposed to internal, school produced exam papers) are protected by copyright. SOME boards may permit multiple copying of papers, but most do not. They rely on sales of past exam papers to create funding for the work they do in some cases and you could land in extremely hot water if a board were to discover that you were copying their papers in order to avoid pupils having to purchase copies. I'm just saying ...

Re: Erm ...

[baratron.livejournal.com]

I have in front of me a large pile of Edexcel exam papers. They all feature the text "This publication may only be reproduced in accordance with Edexcel copyright policy". But do you think I can find out what that policy actually is? I've tried a Google search, and I've searched the Edexcel web site - including the various pdfs that make up the official information manual. Can't find a thing.

As "everyone" photocopies exam papers, I can only assume that it's allowed. My evidence is this: almost all examiners are, or were, teachers in schools. Almost all schools do enormous amounts of photocopying of exam papers. The ones with tighter budgets do a handful of copies of odd questions here and there, but rich schools and private schools photocopy a complete set of the past n years for each student to keep and write on. It's not possible that the exam boards don't know about it. I suppose it could be possible that the schools pay for a site license to allow them to do this copying, but if that's the case they don't inform the teachers about it.

Also, I believe that most of an exam board's revenue comes from the actual exam entries, which cost in the order of £10 to £100 per student per subject. Entering a cohort of 200 students for 8 GCSEs each costs the school at least £16000, assuming the fee is £10 per subject (and I think it's actually more. For example, resitting papers costs around £20 per paper, which I know because a lot of state schools pass that fee straight onto the students). Further evidence comes from the fact that many of the publications they sell for ~£3 are available for free download from their websites, and the cost of buying it from them is to simply cover their printing costs.

I believe that what the exam board is concerned about with regards to copyright is not so much the copying of the questions for use by students paying to enter their exams, than that the questions turn up elsewhere without acknowledgement. It's pretty hard to write a "good" exam question, with fair, unambiguous wording. So my general belief is that it's okay to photocopy the papers as long as you include the front page which says what paper it is, although I can't prove that because I can't find the damn policy in any of their official publications!

Anyway. Prosecuting me for photocopying 6 copies of a paper would be a bit bloody daft when a) many large secondary schools routinely photocopy 200 copies per year of the last n years' worth of papers for distribution, and b) I buy a copy of every single paper produced in my subject, as well as all the examiners' reports and mark schemes. As I wouldn't ever even think of photocopying the examiners' reports and mark schemes (at 80-odd pages each, and fairly incomprehensible to someone who doesn't teach the subject), they make their fair share of money out of me. And if they really were THAT bothered about photocopying by private individuals, they should publish their Copyright Policy somewhere private individuals could find it.

Re: Erm ...

[nitoda]

Not trying to have a go, honest! I've done some research myself this morning on their site and you're right, it isn't very clear. So I sent an email to their publications enquiry point asking for clarification, making it clear that I am not personally involved in working with exam papers. I'll let you have their response if/when they make one.
"Everyone" records stuff off the TV and music from one source to another ... doesn't mean it's legal. I do have a professional interest in copyright, so please forgive me if I come across as terribly fussy. Copyright is such a legal minefield ... :-(

[londonstatto.livejournal.com]

I work in a "proper photocopying shop" now, mostly doing other things. I can probably swing you a deal, depending what sort of quantity you need. Sadly, I've lost all your contact details (idiot!) which is why I've been out of touch for so long. Drop me an email [james dot farrar at gmail] and I'll see what I can work out for you.