Philip Perry

Philip joined the Graphic Design team during spring 2000, following the completion of his degree the previous year. He is currently Level 1 Tutor for Graphic Design and teaches across all three years of the programme. Previous roles include University-wide assessment on level 2 and 3 Employability Learning Programme (ELP) submissions, teaching on the Graphic Design MA, and leadership of the Foundation Visual Communication pathway.

Philip's design interests include branding and typography. He has worked with Midlands-based design studios since he was fifteen and now practices as a freelance designer on a range of print and web-based projects. Recent assignments have included art-directing a 144 page illustrated book, "The Idea Was Good: The Story of Benjamin Britten's War Requiem" with Coventry-based We Three Collective. The work was published via Coventry Cathedral in 2012.

As Level 1 Tutor, teaching involves approaches designed to aid students in their adaptation from FE learning strategies to HE learning strategies. This includes focus on reflective practice as a key facet in the development of 'autonomous learners', and experimentation in this area generated innovations in the Graphic Design induction programme and, as an extension of this, a funded research project in the form of the publication of "A Practical approach to guiding students through the transition from FE to beyond". This was a collaborative project between the School of Art and Design and the city’s Hereward College and was funded by Coventry and Warwickshire Lifelong Learning Network. The project resulted in a 52 page book of adaptable teaching and learning resources that support students in the transitional phase between pre-HE and HE courses, promoting PDP strategies sympathetic to e-learning technologies and traditional journaling approaches.

This academic year sees the development of an ongoing relationship with Central South University in China, following a successful visits into the School of Art and Design that has resulted in mixed groups of Illustration, Illustration Graphics and Graphic Design students visiting Changsha for two-week programmes of cultural study. The work generated in the 2012 iteration time by both Chinese and UK cohorts was publicly exhibited at the two institutions.

Teaching methods are based around a mixture of theory and practice, where students are encouraged through the application of realistic and relevant research to investigate, propose and exploit potential design solutions. Seminars and workshops are therefore frequently student-led, where staff input is in the form of stimulating rather than 'managing' projects. Provoking students to 'explore and apply' promotes ownership of work and the development of a 'personal voice' within it, and this in turn results in unpredictable and inventive output. Level 1 students; being Philip’s primary focus, graduate the year well-placed to build on key skills and knowledge that enables successful work placement opportunities during the following academic year.

• P.G.Dip., Learning and Teaching, Coventry University
• Pg.Cert., Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, Coventry University
• B.A (Hons), Graphic Design, Coventry University
• GNVQ (Advanced), Art and Design, The City Technology College, Kingshurst

• Typography
• Branding

• 2010-2011, A Practical approach to guiding students through the transition from FE to beyond, CWLLN

• 2011-2012: Art Director - The Idea Was Good: The Story of Benjamin Britten's War Requiem
• 2003-2008: Artwork curator - HoBTPCT Birmingham World Aids Day exhibition

• Lecturer: BA (Hons) Graphic Design, levels 1–3
• Lecturer: BA (Hons) Illustration Graphics, level 1
• Lecturer: Foundation Diploma in Art and Design (Visual Communication pathway)