Serif Type and the Best of All Backgrounds
If education were a brand, how would it appear in Graphis? If it had an “accent” (Peacock, 2005) how would it sound? If it were written in type and offered “real hope of future prosperity and well-being” (Blair 2003 p. 1), which typeface would it wear? Approachable? Authoritative? Educated? If education is not a product-brand, it could be argued that learning is a product of education. How then in the light of the government’s widening participation strategy should this learning be packaged? Does it have a ‘core value’, a ‘character’ or an “essential nature”? (Cotton, 1995 p. 17). How should it look? How should it make its learners feel? How should it be communicated to its ‘market’? Does its market have an expectation of it?
In January 2003, the UK government White Paper, “The Future of Higher Education”, called for “an expansion of the higher education system”, which “had not yet extended to the talented and best from all backgrounds”, by widening participation (WP). In 2006 I completed a logotype re-design for the Workers’ Educational Association (WEA), whose learner’s – those “outside any traditional education provision” (ibid I) and ‘inside’ the governments WP ‘framework’ – are ‘typical’ of those socio-groups noted as ‘all backgrounds’. The exercise introduced me to the notion of communicating any WP message using typography to support its message, effectively, successfully and appropriately. Could design contribution seek to motivate prospective WP learners into a university education and thus support government strategy? Could any preferred ‘style’ be identified in this context? If “typefaces are loaded with references” (Peacock (Visard), 2005) what ‘references’ should be called upon here?
My research currently entitled “Serif Type and the ‘Best of All Backgrounds” seeks to address those questions by embracing the targeted audience – where I interact with them directly to decipher whether there is a discernible typographical trend or preference where WP learners who aspire to be educated at a HE level are exposed to course publicity through print and online means. Methods chosen for this research, include reflective practice, focus groups, interviews, surveys, ice-breakers, discourse, and design observation.
This online Virtual Exhibition reflects the cornerstones of this research to date, where the samples showing are of my own production. Subsequent research will also draw together samples from others around the sector in order to provide a wider reflection of design activity, and how this might combine to form a wider visual language amongst Further Eduaction and Higher Education groups.
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