How can I turn a Prisoner into a Learner?
It hasn't happened to me for awhile, but I recall my last encounter with a classroom Prisoner! I was teaching an 8 hours Legislative Awareness course to a group of project managers and field coordinators.  The course focused on OH&S and environmental legal requirements that should be considered over the lifecycle of a project - from design to construction. 
I thought the topic was enthralling so imagine my surprise when one student was visibly unhappy to be in the room. He grunted when I asked for phones to be turned off, and I saw some eye rolling when I talked about the importance of Alberta Prime Contractor legislation. 
I decided to change tactics a bit, and started a group discussion on some prime contractor convictions. I asked him if he was surprised at the fine. "Yep, too low" was the response. 
Throughout the morning, I encouraged everyone to participate in class discussions - and gradually my prisoner became engaged, especially when he figured out that there was something in it for him! Due Diligence... Obviously one of my favorite topics.  Once this guy realized that his family may not be going on vacation to Disney, because he had to pay a fine for something he did at work, he became a Learner. 
As an instructor, it is my job to evaluate who in the classroom are the prisoners and work on changing them to learners. Usually this involves convincing them that you have something worthwhile to share, that they should know about. This will make the learning experience even better for the other students as well. 

Last week I taught a 4-day compressed course on the Fundamental of HSE auditing. I have taught this course for a number of years in different formats... 4 day compressed, 10 weeks of 3 hours, and more recently online. 
My online courses are much more difficult to teach. Emails come in at all hours of the day with questions about course material that I often think students haven't read. Students then send follow up emails if I haven't responded within a couple of hours. Online students expect the course workload to be easier and to receive higher marks - they openly express their disappointment if this doesn't happen.  
So why take an online course?
The flexibility is the main reason... On vacation? Submit and assignment from the lobby of the Mexican resort.  Working shift? 4am discussion postings are perfect. Have a new baby? Scroll through the course readings while rocking a newborn.  
But students need to be aware of the drawbacks of an online OH&S course... If you don't have field experience you may struggle with the case studies. You won't have the advantage of chatting in groups during in class workshops. Marks tend to be a bit lower in online courses as you don't have the benefit of asking clarifying questions for assignments. Online courses usually require a fair bit of reading so if English comprehension isn't your strong point, you may be better off in a classroom. 
However, if you have some field experience and are a conscientious and diligent student, online is likely for you. You can work ahead and will love the faster pace. 
I encourage my students to think a bit about how they like to learn before deciding if online or a classroom course is for them. 

What is it about the residential roofers?
Do they have special powers so they are as sure footed as a Grand Canyon mule and special body rotating sensors to ensure landing on soft fleshy parts?
I walk a lot in our neighborhood and am not afraid to ask a worker to cover up an open floor, or fix a tripping hazard. Usually workers are happy to oblige. My walking friends alway enjoy these interactions with "Safety Sheila" - it is alarming how often this happens. 
Roofers... They don't seem to appreciate my feedback. 
The other day, I witnessed 5 men working on the roof of a Tudor style home - lots of steep pitches and gables. None were wearing fall protection. As I made my way up the driveway, they stopped to look at me.  I told them that they were making me nervous working so high without fall protection. I mentioned that it was such a lovely day, they would hate to ruin it by falling and getting hurt. There was a bit of chatter amongst themselves, I could hear snippets of "what did she say" "wants us to tie off"... They then all turned around and went back to work. I then yelled up, "it's against the law you know!"  This did not impress them either. 
I took some pictures and then called in to OH&S, knowing that by the time they showed up the job would be over or they would be investigating an accident.
Something is wrong with the system. 
In 2014, two of the nine OH&S convictions involved falls of roofers. Since coming into effect in October 2013, there have been a total of 6 Administrative Penalties against workers and contractors. Of these, 4 involved contraventions of the OH&S Code for fall protection. 
Surely this is a mistake, there should be more... I received more parking tickets during this interval! Maybe Calgary Parking Authority should expand their job scope to include fall protection? 
Why hasn't OH&S issued more administrative fines? Insufficient staff to perform spot checks on residential construction sites, and industrial projects are a priority. As soon as OH&S shows up to a site, workers hasten to comply. Workers, prime contractors and roofing contractors just aren't worried about it. And they should be. Just ask the 14 year old Edmonton boy who fell off a roof and sustained life altering injuries.  
I am going out for a walk... And won't stop chatting with workers along the way.