In order to progress with my research, I propose the following research methods:
- Reflective practice – where conscious effort is made to record and reflect on work that is successful and not so successful. ‘Events’ are to be recorded throughout the production of any communications design using SWOT analysis, where the aim of this is to ensure objectivity throughout my work, while also charting any external influences on my practice and capturing my own thoughts throughout my day-to-day design work. Particular attention would be paid to that work where WP groups are deemed to be ‘the audience’.
- Focus groups using learners within the widening participation framework – I propose that where contact is made to learning centres’, centre staff are tasked with organising initial focus group discussions, as they provide the ‘link’ between myself and the group participants. Once the focus groups are organised, then research discussion should take place where I am present with the learners and the learning assistants (this should encourage a more positive and perhaps more consciously ‘comfortable’ situation in which to conduct any interview by the presence of those already ‘embedded’ in the participants learning); where responses are made these are to be recorded in audio or written format.
- Interviews (with learners within the widening participation framework) – One-to-one interviews with individual group members will follow-up the focus groups and as before with the focus groups, and as part of the research inclusivity, the interviewees will be informed of their central role in the research and where responses are recorded permission for this will be requested beforehand. The questions for these interviews are still to be devised, however the principal aim will be to illicit response(s) in relation to serif and sans serif type.
- Survey – of all blog users, where ‘typographical appropriateness’ is targetted; as this is open to a diverse range, demographic will be sought along with feedback regarding any used font and word appropriateness based on a 4-point Likert scale.
- Ice-Breakers – I propose that an ice-breaker set is devised for new adult learning classes where the group is asked to comment on visual samples containing type to illicit responses related to typography and their learning. The ice-breakers will be delivered by the class tutor where respondent’s keywords are captured. This will allow group members to talk about a subject where there are no ‘wrong answers’ (good for all learners including those less confident, supporting the inclusive nature of this research), while also furnishing the research with keyword data that can be subsequently analysed. This data will also be compared to the one-to-one data for word or phrase repetition underlining any response consistencies or contradictions.
- Discourse – with decision-makers within adult education providers offering access to HE courses, Development Workers, to WP project directors; from those in similar professional positions as myself, as well as support agencies focused on WP and entering HE through Access courses. In addition to this, following my interview with Essex Havard, Regional Development Officer with the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (NIACE) Dysgu Cymru, I will use the opportunity presented to me, to use NIACE’s welsh network groups and learning festivals to introduce the ice-breaker method to a much wider audience than I am able to source using my own contacts; this will also extend the reach of this research. In addition this should encourage discourse between myself and learner groups as well as those working within the learning environment that might be responsible for locally produced literature or offer insight into how this is undertaken. My contact with NIACE should also introduce me to others working within NIACE regionally and nationally who could offer extended insight which would also be collated in the qualitative data collection.
Since attending a recent JISC RSC Wales event where by chance discussion turned to font use, I have now recognised the potential for working with the RSC Wales in terms of networking and sharing this work; the opportunity to access their own networks is also an excellent opportunity to speak with others within the sector, which could also feed into my reflective practice.
- Design observation – Responses to printed and/or screen Access Course publicity (where this is publicity used to attract those from the WP agenda into HE) will be observed seeking whether a more positive or negative underlying message of the (perceived) learning and any (perceived) learning outcome is achieved through typography, asking whether serif-type is an appropriate choice for those aspiring to higher education through a reflection of the self through typography.
Continued readng will focus on:
- What interests us?
- Why do we choose?
- Aesthetics theory
- Cognitive theory
- Language
- Semiotics
- Typography – cliches and stereotype
- Branding & Aspirational Marketing
- Cultural origin
- Engaging with socio-economic group
I feel that as with many new undertakings, confidence is likley to be key regarding the proposed interview, focus group, and observation work. As a result I have started to pilot aspects of these methods where my aim is to realise potential shortfalls before the work begins in earnest. Pilotting is therefore a method which I would add to the above.
I have pilotted a questionnaire and added this to interview forum for discussion. According to ‘guinea-pig’ interview candidates, it’s been noted that although the interviewees can be briefed on the subject matter, the questionnaire does help to focus their minds much better than an aural summation which in turn sets an easier transition between this and the interview itself.
The second pilot area is the interview. Suffice to say that I am continuing to pilot this aspect of the research due solely to my wish to attain a level of consistency between interviewees and achieve “stimulus equivalence; that is that the respondents understanding of the question or task will be the same as that of every other respondent” (Oppenheim, 1993, p.86-87). I have developed an interview strategy form, which, as with the questionnaire, is subject to supplementary work (and is not the finished article), but this has provided me with an insight into the challenges that this presents. I’ve found that to realise any level of consistency between respondents sometimes requires explanation of a theme; it is keeping this aspect under control without erring on the side of leading the respondent that I feel is causing me significant challenges. Given the critical nature of this exercise, it is essential that any method or technique is made appropriate to the situations that present.
Gender issues are also present; my level of self-consciousness rises when I interview a male; but in comparison as the interviewer I feel more at ease with female interviewees – although my ‘guinea-pig’ females are not always comfortable with me! Although this has been far from easy, my objective is to become more at ease with the process while continuing to trial and research this area.
I have also developed an Ethical Agreement Form to provide structure to the process and reassurance to the Respondents. I have researched existing codes of conduct from the Market Research Society, the Social Research Association and the European Commission. Within the agreement form there is a breakdown of terminology as well as a set of guideline principles by which the interviews are to be conducted.
My third piloted method, is the use of type examples to support and stimulate discussion both at the interview stage as well as during work with focus groups where preferred applications would be made together with any reasoning. This is an evolution of my previous method where the word “university” was depicted in different types, with these then being offered to learners where they made their choices in terms of appropriateness and preference. It could be argued that the word “university” does not necessarily constitute anything more than that: a word. In Saussure terms I was unsure that the word itself signified a consistent concept for all learners, however I’ve since felt that using this word has the potential to lead the individual with their choices; as a result the word is no longer offered as a means of initiating type preference or appropriation and in its place are full sets of type characters including the western (English) alphabet and numbers for five given fonts.
