Scrapbooking, altered books and sketchbooks

I have been really intrigued by this post by Jessica Hefland at Design Observer. American scrapbooks, and altered books would be for some UK art teachers the perfect student sketchbook at GCSE or A Level! Why haven't we seen these things as examples? Why aren't the exam board offering deals on scrapbooking supplies?

Sketchbooks from artists such as Tom Wood show a genuine investigative use. I dont think the style and look is what is important. The danger for exam sketchbooks is that the look takes over and examiner/ moderators might be convinced by the look alone.

However, it is a fine line as collage and montage can provide ways of providing accidental effects that students can use in their work. Students should be open to mistake and change and experimental work in sketchbooks can provide that impetus. As an teacher/examiner I want something visually exciting; pages filled with a pale pencil drawings do get dull after a while.