AONTAS SENIOR LEARNER NETWORK
AONTAS Senior Learner Network Wednesday 26th May 2010
Creating a Logo for Senior Learning Niamh O’ Reilly | Head of Membership Services AONTAS | The National Adult Learning Organisation Second Floor | 83 – 87 Main Street | Ranelagh | Dublin 6 | Ireland Ph: 01 4068220 | Fax: 01 4068227 E-mail: mail@aontas.com | Web: www.aontas.com Charity Reg: 6719 | Company Reg: 80958 0
1. Introduction The forth AONTAS Senior Learner Network meeting took place in the Davenport Hotel, during the Bealtaine Festival on Wednesday May 26th. The theme for the meeting was creating a logo for senior learning. The reason for doing this is that at the last meeting, in September, the Network discussed how to move ahead with the Senior Learner Manifesto 1. One of the proposed actions which would help address manifesto point 2: Creating and distribute information on the learning opportunities for older learners in every community – is the creation of a logo which identifies that the course is aimed at older people. Therefore this was the basis for the meeting as it moves on implementing the manifesto and is also creative, because the learners will create the logo, and therefore fits into the criteria of the Bealtaine festival.
Why create and use the logo?
It will be a collective activity and outcome of the senior learner network
This will ensure that senior learners will be able to identify courses that suit them
This will ensure that education providers will adopt good practice when providing courses for older people.
This logo will represent the senior learners’ charter as education providers that use the logo will adhere to the following criteria:
Senior Learners' Charter 1 This course enhances an older person's quality of life and responds to learners' aspirations. 2 The importance of information technology in facilitating greater independence is recognised and incorporated, where possible. 3 The learning process recognises different experiences of people, different learning styles and the different levels and types of progress. 4 This learning environment is safe and supportive, confidence is nurtured, praise and encouragement given and a group learning approach is taken. 5 The wisdom of older people is valued and drawn upon during the learning process.
1
A list of the outcomes is detailed on page 9 and 10 of meeting three report.
1
AONTAS SENIOR LEARNER NETWORK
2. Overview of the Day In order to see the progress of the Network, Niamh O’Reilly provided an overview of the work of the Network so far. The importance of linking with other organisations involved in older people was highlighted such as Active Retirement Ireland, Age and Opportunity, Age Action (U3A), Older and Bolder and the Older Women’s Network. The development of the work over the 3 senior learner network meetings was outlined (this is documented in the third report of the Senior Learner Network). Liam Kilbride gave an input about what is in a logo, what images they conjure up and their meaning and significance as a basis to inform the practical work. He provided a selection of logos and asked participants what they signify to them. Liam Kilbride and participants
Niamh gave a short input about hints and tips for creating logos. Aidan Gaffney, art tutor, gave some examples of logos and demonstrated some simple art techniques that could be used. Groups got to work on their logo, discussing the shapes, images and colours that they might use. All logos were placed on the wall and the concept for each discussed by a group
Aidan Gaffney and participants
participant and by Aidan.
Participants spent over an hour creating one logo for their group, a total of 6 logos were created.
2
Participants voted on the best bits of all of the logos; the best logo, colour and shape. Participants indicated their choice of best logo with a gold star, best colour with a blue sticker and best shape with a red sticker. The intention was to use the outcomes of the voting to identify the best logo or to act as an artist’s brief and we Participants voting
will pull together the ideas to create a logo that represents the most popular ideas.
Results from the voting is illustrated overleaf. The most popular logos were from the pink and yellow group, however it is worth noting that each group had a large number of participants. The green group also had a high rated logo overall.
The most popular colours and shapes used were from the pink, yellow and purple groups. The most popular logo in all three categories was from the pink group. The participants with the lower number of participants include the red, blue and green groups so it is possible that the most popular corresponds to the number of participants. However, we will work with the outcomes we received and propose a selection of logos to the senior learner network for consideration.
In order to create a space for recognising the talents and acitivited of senior learner network participants An Cosan gave a demonstration of a Go for Life activity to the music that Denise Paweltzyk provided on keyboard.
3
Logo
Fun of lifelong Group learning that brings new horizons.
Best Overall
Best Colour
Best Shape
4
8
3
4
6
3
6
12
10
10
9
15
13
Red Group
The activity of the brain, from the darkness as a child to light depicting the significant development through life. Broadening of horizons.
6 Blue Group It tells it as it is, simplicity and the colour as an eclipse to represent the light of learning.
Green Group
11
Learning, community , circle of support, network, learning implied by book symbol.
Yellow Group
13
The open door as a book is welcoming as is the supporting hand. The blue signifies a new start, the red the warm welcome, the yellow to reach for the stars in the cap and gown.
Purple Group
6
Owl as sympbol of being wise, with a mortar board to represent learning achievement. The simple two-tone colours and the wings to take flight from learning.
Pink Group
13
4
4. Going forward The following logos are suggested based on the outcomes of the voting, we would ask Senior Learner Network members to decide which one best represents all the ideas.
In deciding how best to represent the ideas we searched for similar logos so to ensure we have a distinctive logo. The logo for the yellow group is similar to the ‘Community Development - don't cut the grass roots’ campaign and therefore we decided against using this. The designs were very interesting but unfortunately it was too similar to another one.
Community Development - don't cut the grass roots logo
Ciara Murphy pulled together the ideas and images taking into account the logos which got the most votes and in keeping with the guideslines for creating a good logo. The following is a list of proposed logos and her rationale for their creation is as follows: Purpose The logo means that course meets the following criteria: 1. This course enhances an older person's quality of life and responds to learners' aspirations. 2. The importance of information technology in facilitating greater independence is recognised and incorporated, where possible. 3. The learning process recognises different experiences of people, different learning styles and the different levels and types of progress. 4. This learning environment is safe and supportive, confidence is nurtured, praise and encouragement given and a group learning approach is taken. 5. The wisdom of older people is valued and drawn upon during the learning process.
Colour Each logo is designed in: -
Black and White 5
-
Senior Learner Network Blue
-
Orange (winner of colour from SLN meeting)
Shape The circle was the leading shape in the designs with 4 out of the 6 designs using a circle. The shape with most votes was a circle. It also symbolises community and unity.
Overall Logo The winner of the overall logo was an owl in a circle. The basis of each logo design is an owl. Valuing and drawing upon the wisdom of older people during the learning process is a key criteria of the learning charter and the owl is associated with wisdom. For your information...in Greek mythology, the owl, and specifically the Little Owl, was often associated with the goddess Athena, a bird goddess who became associated with wisdom, the arts, and skills, and as a result, owls also became associated with wisdom. Also, some logos combine the text from the logo created by the green group.
Which one do you think is best? Keep in mind the rules about logos (simple, memorable, timeless, verstible and appropriate). Please contact Niamh O’Reilly at the AONTAS office with your recommendation: Email: noreilly@aontas.com Phone: 01 4068220 Write: 2nd Floor, 83-87 Main Street, Ranelagh, Dublin 6 Please be in contact by 9th July 2010. We looking forward to hearing from you!
When participants agree on the logo we will do the following actions:
Discuss the finalized logo and gain support for its use from other organisations e.g. Age and Opportunity, Active Retirement Ireland, Age Action, Older and Bolder etc.
Discuss the logo and gain support for its use from education providers e.g. VECs, Courses.ie guide, Learning Ireland, universities etc.
Send logo to the Minister of State for Older People
6
1
2
3
2 A,B,C
3 A,B,C
A
B
C
1 A,B,C
7
4
5
6
A
B
C
4 A,B,C
5 A,B,C
6 A,B,C
8