Page 78 - Print21 Nov-Dec 2019

Association News
News updates from the printing industry
PVCA urges print first for schools
PVCA, the Australian organisation representing Australia’s print associations, has called on the Australian federal and all state governments to promote reading on paper in schools.
This follows publication of the Stavanger Declaration in Europe earlier this year which reported that the experience of reading and understanding is different between digital and paper. The
E Read report is a meta study
of 54 experiments across 19 countries involving more than 170,000 participants over four years. Its conclusion is that “the transition from paper to digital is not neutral”.
In short, even the digital native generation does not understand the meaning of long texts when read in digital form as when printed. What concerns PVCA is that schools across Europe are promoting the use of digital technology, pushing out print. The longer term risk from this is that there will be
a generation that is not as well educated, nor as well equipped, as a pre-digital generation. There are severe long term consequences of the headlong rush into digital reading.
Andrew Macaulay
PVCA is therefore calling on schools to prioritise print over digital reading. Print on paper is vital for “cognitive achievement across all ages”. It sets out an action plan for the Australian federal government, state governments and social partners.
PVCA’s membership is drawn from print employers across Australia’s printing industry, and it is the peak body bringing together the voice of all printers in Australia. Membership is not restricted to print producers only, though the key purpose of PVCA is to represent Australia’s printing industry in the federal and state governments across Australia, and to influence policy makers.
The PVCA calls on government to recognise that digital is not always best, to promote the use of print in schools, to support further research into the impact
of reading from a screen;
to create guidelines for the implementation of digital technology; to support national implementations; and to foster greater communication between academics, schools, and those responsible for setting policy.
PVCA points out that while the difference in understanding
between reading from paper and from screen is well known in academic circles, it is not understood more widely where the transition to digital is considered to be progress. It suggests setting aside a time when only printed books are used and that governments “motivate schools to use and for students to read, paper books”.
However, it faces a tough fight. Academic publishers have been using digital to create new products as well as to replace paper versions.
PVCA is about to release a white paper on VET reform
in Australia. This will follow delivery of a formal submission to the federal government, which it has requested from PVCA. This stems from the ongoing work that PVCA has been doing at state level to defend TAFE funding, and through the IRCs, to focus federal policy.
One area of this is to improve learning outcomes pre-tertiary, and to encourage transition from secondary into vocational training. Part of this to encourage pedagogy that gets best results, and studies show that printed material is fundamental to this. 21
The Print and Visual Communication Association is urging Australian federal and state governments
to favour print over digital, to improve learning in schools.
PVCA releases key dates for 2020 print awards
Next year’s National Print Awards event will be held on July 31, with the state- based PICAs set to take place during April and May. The NPAs will presented in partnership with Media Super.
Entries into the Printing Industry Creativity Awards open on 20 January. Gold winners of the PICAs go through to the judging panel for the 37th annual National Print Awards.
With revised categories as a result of member feedback, PVCA board oversight, and international judging panel insight, the competition for gold will be strong.
Following the success of the second annual Print2Parliament, the awards programme will focus on the journey to Parliament House. Gold national winners
will have the opportunity to exhibit their work to policy makers at the third annual Print2Parliament in October 2020.
Design students (Holmesglen, RMIT) will have the opportunity to enter a new category, Design2Print! which rewards exemplary design that has gone to print. The winning piece will be auctioned for charity at the National Print Awards.
Media Super continues to support the awards programme as PVCA’s premier partner, and the association thanks it for its sponsorship.
Gold, Silver, and Bronze sponsors will be announced with the launch of the 2020 awards programme. Contact events@pvca.org.au for information about sponsorship opportunities.
The 2020 PICA Awards Dinner Dates:
Adelaide, South Australia – Fri 24 April Gold Coast, Queensland – Thu 30 April (During Visual Impact Gold Coast) Melbourne, Victoria – Fri 15 May Sydney, New South Wales – Fri 22 May Perth, Western Australia – Sat 30 May National Print Awards – Fri 31 July
Right International judges: Tricia Pink, CEO of a New Zealand marketing, direct mail, and design firm, and Major Wong, print industry veteran, with PVCA CEO Andrew Macaulay
78 Print21 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019