As exams were drawing uncomfortably close, I found myself on my bedroom floor with papers covering up what used to be my carpet.  As I began ‘punching’ away at what seemed like an endless tide of papers, stacked piles of white, untouched papers surrounded me. I suddenly realised that these were not mere piles of paper. These rectangular mounds were actually quite a small fortune in printed paper. 

I did not feel the full burden of the cost of these papers as my Smart Card (with a blurry embarrassing photo of my sixteen-year-old self) takes care of these expenses. However not everyone is so lucky.

French Erasmus student Camille Vittet said “I don't always buy notes because of the cost, even if I think they can be very useful.” She explained “I bought one pack of notes that cost €20 and then I had to buy a CD that cost €15 as it was compulsory to complete an assignment.”

As I looked through my collection of notes, I realised certain lecturers create notes with one or two PowerPoint slides per page…these consist of around ten words in a 48 font size!

Notes are a life-saver for students and in no way would I do away with the help they provide. Yet with the addition of the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), a software system designed to support teaching and learning where lecturers can post notes and extra reading material, it perplexes me as to why lecturers still leave computer originated notes at photocopy bureaus. By utilising the VLE students are given the opportunity to choose whether or not they would like to print their notes. This would definitely enable students to save money and allow them to take a greener and more environmentally-friendly stance by saving paper.

“The University of Malta has a good webpage and eSIMS so I was surprised and a little frustrated when I saw that lecturers do not make full use of them,” Asa Ljusenius, a Swedish Erasmus student pointed out. She now makes it a point to ask photocopy bureaus to print in a double sided manner as she explained “If I do not ask them to, they simply won’t!”

Other students are obliged to adopt drastic measures in order to save money.  One student explained how she takes photos with of printed notes borrowed from her friends and uploads them onto her computer. However these alternative methods are constrained and difficult to pursue.

Most students and lecturers own a PC and for this reason the extra reading material and PowerPoint presentations can easily be exchanged via computer. According to a national survey* conducted last year, tertiary students were asked whether they engaged in internet activity over the last three months; 96% confirmed. Incidentally the University of Malta provides free computer and internet access to students through the Computing Services Centre.

13 out of the 15 students interviewed were aware about this matter before I raised the issue. After all, students and the environment surely are not benefitting from this cycle, so why support it?

BY HANNAH CAMILLERI

Basic Reporting  

*National Statistic Office: ‘ICT usage by household and individuals: 2009’