If you think outstanding teachers deserve education awards, this story is for you. When Ben Franklin said, “Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn,” he may well have been talking about Professor Dan Wilson, D.I.T., of Illinois State University. Dan is the Academic winner of the 2014 Education Awards of Excellence given to an individual who has pioneered a distinguished education service, program, project, or other accomplishment in graphic communications. Nominated for this renowned award by peers as well as students, Dan has impacted many lives. His dedicated work, both in and out of the classroom, has no doubt contributed to more students getting involved in the industry. We caught up with Dan to talk about his exciting career and how he’s paving the way for tomorrow’s graphic arts professionals. Why did you decide to become a graphic arts educator? I started out working in production running a lithographic press to help with college costs. Both of my parents were teachers, so when an opportunity came along to earn a graduate degree and teach a graphic arts class as a graduate assistantship, I jumped on it. Many people who have played a role in my development as an educator, but none more so than my early mentors, Dr. Ronald Glogovsky and Dr. Ervin A. Dennis. I worked for both of these gentleman as a graduate assistant, and they opened the door for me to move forward in my career as an educator. What has been the most fulfilling part of your job? A functioning graphic communications program is a complex thing and requires a dedicated, hard-working team. I am deeply appreciative for the many great educators that I’ve had the honor of teaming with over the years. My many current students and alumni of Illinois State University and the other colleges I have worked for—their development and successes in our great industry is what my career gratification is really all about. Tell us about the organizations you are involved in outside of the classroom. Right now I chair the accreditation committee for the Accrediting Council for Collegiate Graphic Communications (ACCGC). We accredit community college and university-level graphic communications degree programs across the nation. As accreditation chair, I am responsible for assembling the audit teams, coordinating reports, and assuring that our standards for accreditation are up to date. I’m also chair of the Great Lakes Graphics Association Education (GLGA) Task Force. Our main work focus has been getting a new scholarship program off the ground. The Illinois Graphic Communications Scholarship Program (IGCSP) is in its second year and providing funds to over a dozen print-oriented graphic communications students. You’ve written several industry...

If you think outstanding teachers deserve education awards, this story is for you. When Ben Franklin said, “Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn,” he may well have been talking about Professor Dan Wilson, D.I.T., of Illinois State University. Dan is the Academic winner of the 2014 Education Awards of Excellence given to an individual who has pioneered a distinguished education service, program, project, or other accomplishment in graphic communications. Nominated for this renowned award by peers as well as students, Dan has impacted many lives. His dedicated work, both in and out of the classroom, has no doubt contributed to more students getting involved in the industry. We caught up with Dan to talk about his exciting career and how he’s paving the way for tomorrow’s graphic arts professionals. Why did you decide to become a graphic arts educator? I started out working in production running a lithographic press to help with college costs. Both of my parents were teachers, so when an opportunity came along to earn a graduate degree and teach a graphic arts class as a graduate assistantship, I jumped on it. Many people who have played a role in my development as an educator, but none more so than my early mentors, Dr. Ronald Glogovsky and Dr. Ervin A. Dennis. I worked for both of these gentleman as a graduate assistant, and they opened the door for me to move forward in my career as an educator. What has been the most fulfilling part of your job? A functioning graphic communications program is a complex thing and requires a dedicated, hard-working team. I am deeply appreciative for the many great educators that I’ve had the honor of teaming with over the years. My many current students and alumni of Illinois State University and the other colleges I have worked for—their development and successes in our great industry is what my career gratification is really all about. Tell us about the organizations you are involved in outside of the classroom. Right now I chair the accreditation committee for the Accrediting Council for Collegiate Graphic Communications (ACCGC). We accredit community college and university-level graphic communications degree programs across the nation. As accreditation chair, I am responsible for assembling the audit teams, coordinating reports, and assuring that our standards for accreditation are up to date. I’m also chair of the Great Lakes Graphics Association Education (GLGA) Task Force. Our main work focus has been getting a new scholarship program off the ground. The Illinois Graphic Communications Scholarship Program (IGCSP) is in its second year and providing funds to over a dozen print-oriented graphic communications students. You’ve written several industry...

“Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.” Ben Franklin understood that in-depth learning happens when a student is engaged in the learning process. For managers who want to improve their competitive stance, implementing an eLearning program for their employees can not only save them substantially when compared to traditional learning methods, it creates a richer, more engaging learning environment. (Find out more about the benefits of online learning for both managers and employees here.) However, many online learning initiatives fail due to an inefficient plan or not having a plan at all. Your organization may already be using an online training platform like the Integrated Learning Center. To get the highest success—and ROI—out of your program, we recommend you first develop an online learning implementation strategy.  To help get you started, here are a few tips for launching your online training program: Identify training needs—Is your operation facing declining sales volumes or profit losses due to incorrect or late jobs? Do you have new employees without much prior knowledge of the printing industry? Pinpoint your most immediate issues and ask yourself if training will lead to a solution. Match business needs with the appropriate type of training. (ICS Learning Group) Choose the right online learning platform—Look at your online learning platform as a long-term investment for your company. Some of the criteria managers use to evaluate platforms are 1) ease of access from multiple devices (including mobile), 2) benefits of each course, and 3) how the courses meet your specific business needs. (Syberworks) Gauge your employees—Many managers find that, to get maximum results, they need to “sell” online learning to their staff. Talking to them about 1) the equipment they use, 2) the certificates they hope to attain, 3) what time of day they prefer to learn, etc., gets employees more involved and can increase the overall success rate of your program. (Brandon Hall Research) Measure performance—Keep tabs on employee improvements by developing benchmarks and evaluating training programs. Collect feedback (Syberworks) and evaluate and refine your training regularly (ICS Learning Group). Create incentives—Research shows that accountability can drive employees to stick to their online learning goals. Managers who tie eLearning to performance reviews and require certifications have found that employees are more motivated and, in turn, less likely to fall off the online training wagon. (Brandon Hall Research) Help make learning easier—Most of us learn better in an environment free of disruptions, i.e., phones ringing, emails chiming, or coworkers coming in and out. As a manager it is your choice of whether online courses are completed at the employee’s home or during work hours, but the bottom line is that they...

“Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.” Ben Franklin understood that in-depth learning happens when a student is engaged in the learning process. For managers who want to improve their competitive stance, implementing an eLearning program for their employees can not only save them substantially when compared to traditional learning methods, it creates a richer, more engaging learning environment. (Find out more about the benefits of online learning for both managers and employees here.) However, many online learning initiatives fail due to an inefficient plan or not having a plan at all. Your organization may already be using an online training platform like the Integrated Learning Center. To get the highest success—and ROI—out of your program, we recommend you first develop an online learning implementation strategy.  To help get you started, here are a few tips for launching your online training program: Identify training needs—Is your operation facing declining sales volumes or profit losses due to incorrect or late jobs? Do you have new employees without much prior knowledge of the printing industry? Pinpoint your most immediate issues and ask yourself if training will lead to a solution. Match business needs with the appropriate type of training. (ICS Learning Group) Choose the right online learning platform—Look at your online learning platform as a long-term investment for your company. Some of the criteria managers use to evaluate platforms are 1) ease of access from multiple devices (including mobile), 2) benefits of each course, and 3) how the courses meet your specific business needs. (Syberworks) Gauge your employees—Many managers find that, to get maximum results, they need to “sell” online learning to their staff. Talking to them about 1) the equipment they use, 2) the certificates they hope to attain, 3) what time of day they prefer to learn, etc., gets employees more involved and can increase the overall success rate of your program. (Brandon Hall Research) Measure performance—Keep tabs on employee improvements by developing benchmarks and evaluating training programs. Collect feedback (Syberworks) and evaluate and refine your training regularly (ICS Learning Group). Create incentives—Research shows that accountability can drive employees to stick to their online learning goals. Managers who tie eLearning to performance reviews and require certifications have found that employees are more motivated and, in turn, less likely to fall off the online training wagon. (Brandon Hall Research) Help make learning easier—Most of us learn better in an environment free of disruptions, i.e., phones ringing, emails chiming, or coworkers coming in and out. As a manager it is your choice of whether online courses are completed at the employee’s home or during work hours, but the bottom line is that they...

On an offset press, every minute of downtime equals money lost. Being proactive with proper press maintenance—from blankets to roller settings to dampening systems––is the key to efficiency and profitability in your pressroom. Greg Workman, Technical Consultant/Pressroom and Bindery Supervisor, brings 34 years of industry experience to teach—both through classroom and hands-on training—tactical techniques for proper maintenance, troubleshooting, and efficiency in Extreme Offset: Troubleshoot, Control, Optimize. Here, Greg shares10 steps to achieve successful lithographic dampening: Give a sample of your water to your dampening solution manufacturer for analysis. This sample will provide information for selecting the correct dampening solution and alcohol substitute chemistry for your dampening system and your plant’s water characteristics. Discuss your printing operation with your chemical supplier. Be specific about press models, dampening systems, inks, roller washes, blanket washes, and types of paper to make sure that they are totally compatible. Check dampening roller pressure settings and durometer readings. This should include inking and dampening form rollers. Make sure plate-to-blanket pressure is also set properly. Follow the manufacturer’s mixing instructions. If the instructions recommend mixing between 3 and 8 oz. of solution with each gallon of water, start with the minimum of 3 oz. Take a pH/conductivity reading and record the information as a starting point reference. Run this mixture of dampening solution and monitor its printability. For example, how does the plate roll up? How does the press start up after feeder trips? Does the plate run clean and open without feeding excess amounts of dampening solution? Communicate this information back to the dampening solution manufacturer. Observe the scum line.Whenin perfect ink-and-water balance, an ink scum line will form on the lead edge of the plate. It will be thin and even (visually about the width of a lead pencil line) spanning from the operator’s side to the gear side of the press. Check it often. When the line disappears, the dampening water setting is too high. When the scum line thickens, the dampening water setting is too low. Check your dampening solution regularly. Paper coating, ink bleed, and blanket and roller cleaners can contaminate dampening solution. Take temperature, pH, and conductivity readings after every three hours of press operation. Record these readings in the press logbook. Keep the solution at the mixture you have found works best. Observe the changes in pH and conductivity as the pressrun continues. When they reach a point where printing problems begin, such as plugging or scumming, the dampening solution is probably contaminated. Record your finding in the press logbook and mix a fresh batch of solution. Drain and clean your dampening system weekly. Check and service the refrigeration system on your water circulation systems regularly (after 1,000 hours...

On an offset press, every minute of downtime equals money lost. Being proactive with proper press maintenance—from blankets to roller settings to dampening systems––is the key to efficiency and profitability in your pressroom. Greg Workman, Technical Consultant/Pressroom and Bindery Supervisor, brings 34 years of industry experience to teach—both through classroom and hands-on training—tactical techniques for proper maintenance, troubleshooting, and efficiency in Extreme Offset: Troubleshoot, Control, Optimize. Here, Greg shares10 steps to achieve successful lithographic dampening: Give a sample of your water to your dampening solution manufacturer for analysis. This sample will provide information for selecting the correct dampening solution and alcohol substitute chemistry for your dampening system and your plant’s water characteristics. Discuss your printing operation with your chemical supplier. Be specific about press models, dampening systems, inks, roller washes, blanket washes, and types of paper to make sure that they are totally compatible. Check dampening roller pressure settings and durometer readings. This should include inking and dampening form rollers. Make sure plate-to-blanket pressure is also set properly. Follow the manufacturer’s mixing instructions. If the instructions recommend mixing between 3 and 8 oz. of solution with each gallon of water, start with the minimum of 3 oz. Take a pH/conductivity reading and record the information as a starting point reference. Run this mixture of dampening solution and monitor its printability. For example, how does the plate roll up? How does the press start up after feeder trips? Does the plate run clean and open without feeding excess amounts of dampening solution? Communicate this information back to the dampening solution manufacturer. Observe the scum line.Whenin perfect ink-and-water balance, an ink scum line will form on the lead edge of the plate. It will be thin and even (visually about the width of a lead pencil line) spanning from the operator’s side to the gear side of the press. Check it often. When the line disappears, the dampening water setting is too high. When the scum line thickens, the dampening water setting is too low. Check your dampening solution regularly. Paper coating, ink bleed, and blanket and roller cleaners can contaminate dampening solution. Take temperature, pH, and conductivity readings after every three hours of press operation. Record these readings in the press logbook. Keep the solution at the mixture you have found works best. Observe the changes in pH and conductivity as the pressrun continues. When they reach a point where printing problems begin, such as plugging or scumming, the dampening solution is probably contaminated. Record your finding in the press logbook and mix a fresh batch of solution. Drain and clean your dampening system weekly. Check and service the refrigeration system on your water circulation systems regularly (after 1,000 hours...