Printing Press Operator and Publisher: The Misconception of Graphic Design Students in Technical Universities in Ghana

Abstract

The study concerned itself with the exploration of the misconception held by Graphic Design students in Technical Universities, with particular emphasis on Takoradi Technical University (TTU) and, to some extent, by some Graphic Arts/Printing Press Practitioners in Ghana that a printing press operator (a printer) and a publisher are the same in meaning and work or can be used interchangeably to connote same. The objectives of the study were to: Identify who a printing press operator and a publisher is; Find out the differences between a printing press operator and that of a publisher, Draw the workflow chart of a printing press operator and a publisher, and Draw conclusions based on the prospects of changing the misconception narrative among Graphic Design students in Technical Universities and some Graphic Arts/Printing Press Practitioners in Ghana The study was carried out at the Department of Graphic Design Technology, Faculty of Applied Arts and Technology (FAAT), TTU, in Ghana. An expert purposive sampling technique was adopted. The research design employed was a qualitative research approach since the nature of the study required heavy reliance upon extensive observation, document reviews, verbal data from Graphic Arts/Printing Press Practitioners, course lecturers, experts well-versed in the printing press and publishing activities, and Graphic Design students that resulted in non-numerical data. Data for the study were gathered from two main sources: Primary – through interaction and observation sources, and Secondary – through literary sources Content analysis and descriptive analyses were employed to present and analyze the data. The study recommended that adequate information in relation to who a printing press operator and a publisher are and what their individual workflow and activities are should be inculcated in the Graphic Design programme being run and pursued at the Technical Universities to eradicate that deep-seated misconception held by Graphic Design students.