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Chapter 3 |
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On the Web! Activities |
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The advantages of the printed page have not been lost in the Information Age. Finding and seeing information on a computer monitor or composing an essay in a word processor are just steps in a process that, for most people, culminates with printing out hard copy. Printers that translate digital images into the black and white and color printed page are an indispensable tool in every classroom. There are many types of printers available at every price range, each with their own unique advantages and disadvantages. For the teacher looking to equip his or her classroom with this necessary tool, selecting a printer can be a difficult decision. Factors that must be considered include hardware compatibility with the available computer; initial cost; ink jet or laser; color or black and white; cost for replacement inks or toner; print speeds; and even footprint (the amount of space the printer will take on a desk top). All of these factors must be weighed within the framework of the teacher's classroom applications.
Activity:
Imagine that you have just been given $300 to spend on a printer(s) for your classroom’s three computers. Should you buy a few cheaper ink jet printers or one more expensive laser printer to share? Which would be best for your student’s output and to support your teaching? What would be the ongoing supply cost for cartridges or tone? Go to the following popular websites or others that you find and look at the printers of interest to you. What are the specifications and cost for each. Decide how you will spend your money and justify your decision. Be ready to share your decision with your peers.
Want to know more? Check out these sites:
http://reviews-zdnet.com.com/Printers/2001-3155_16-0.html?tag=ont-peri
http://www.dp-now.com/Features/Printer_reviews/printer_reviews.html
http://www.pcmag.com/category2/0,4148,10,00.asp
http://printscan.about.com/cs/choosingaprinter/bb/questions.htm
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