InDesigner: National Geographic Learning

For many American children, our first exposure to other cultures came in the pages of National Geographic Magazine. Brilliantly colored photographs showed us people and places we barely knew existed. The pictures and maps were exciting, even titillating, but the information behind those images was over our heads. Who are these people? How do they live? What can we learn from them? Students today can put those concepts in context through the publications of National Geographic Learning, part of Cengage Learning. NGL designs K–12 curricula for students and instructors in the areas of English as a Second Language and for English Language Learners (ESL/ELL), Reading, Science, and Social Studies. Design duties are split between two offices: Monterey, California, led by creative director Michael Farmer, and Evanston, Illinois, led by creative director Christopher Roy. The design of the print and digital media produced by National Geographic Learning is image-rich, thanks to its access to the National Geographic Society’s photography and graphics library. Content is presented in a kid-friendly format that’s age-appropriate without being condescending. “Our customer expectations usually revolve around great image and content, which we continually deliver on,” says Chris Roy.

In addition to producing books and interactive media for students, NGL is also responsible for designing instructional plans for teachers who must work within the constraints of time as well as meet national and state achievement standards.

“Effective instructional design is some of the most complex information design that is done,” says Michael Farmer. Lessons need to be designed for specific blocks of time — 60 or 90 minutes, for example. “The one resource all teachers have the least of is time. If we can successfully present instructional content with clarity and simplicity

within the timeframe a teacher has to present it, we have accomplished something significant for both the teacher and the student.” For example, each lesson in GEO, a middle-school product about world cultures and geography, is devised as a series of spreads. “Educators wanted the program to be functional and work within their course timeframe,” Roy says. “A spread-by-spread lesson approach fulfilled their need for making the program functional and user-friendly for them and their students.”

With so many directives to meet, NGL invests up to 24 months to create a program from start to finish, which includes initial title planning and design concepting, editorial work, photo research or commissioned illustration, design, and review stages. A single program, such as “Reach,” a K–5 ESL program, can contain more than 24,000 pages and consist of nearly 100 unique titles and ISBNs, including state-specific editions that meet the unique achievement standards for the state. Other projects, such as leveled student readers of 8–12 pages, can be accomplished in three to four months. Farmer’s group, which designs materials for the ESL/ELL and Reading Publishing Center, consists of one Art Director, one Senior Designer, and one Design/Production Specialist in addition to Farmer. They produce such student readers as National Geographic Explorer! (seen in the spreads that follow). These books, which teach reading to students in grades 3, 4, and 5, are part of National Geographic Reach, a K–5 ESL program. Students read these books in conjunction with other fiction and non-fiction books, in addition to set textbooks. “In the past [design] was separated between print and non-print,” Farmer says. “We had designers that worked almost exclusively on print and we outsourced non-print media design. We then added a media designer to the design staff, but have since moved beyond that. We now see all designers as media designers, capable of working on the design and development of any product category.” Roy agrees. “My own personal preference is to have design staff involved in all phases and stages of development. I like to bring the customer a cohesive product experience,” he says. Roy’s team serves the International offices of NGL/Cengage by developing and producing publications, among other activities. His group includes six members: one Art Director, three Senior Designers, one Designer, and one Design/Productions specialist. New tools in InDesign CS6, such as alternate layouts and ePub enchancements, will help expand NGL designers’ creative skills as well as help them to become adept at creating publications for multiple delivery platforms. “We have identified a need for our designers to become more familiar with Cascading Style Sheets and HTML5 so that we are designing and creating products that can be delivered to the growing range of platform devices,” Farmer says. While no iPad version of NGL titles are yet available, the team began to develop its first tablet design prototypes earlier this year in CS5 and is now transitioning that work to CS6. Whether the content is designed for a print book or a mobile-device screen, NGL designers have a special set of priorities when developing titles for the K–12 market. “When designing for younger audiences it is essential to keep in mind the ages and skill levels of the students using our materials,” Farmer says. “Is the typography, type size, and leading age appropriate for someone just learning to read? Do the visuals support the text for a student who hasn’t yet learned how to read? Is the page design clearly organized in a way that allows a student to navigate it successfully? Is the page visually engaging in an age appropriate manner? And overall, does the design of the page or screen effectively support the instructional goal and outcome for the student?” Roy adds that designing publications for the NGL audience also factors in an essential attribute of the National Geo­graphic Society as a whole: dis­covery. “We keep in mind what appeals to a younger audience, but we also try to instill the wonder of the world and bring exploration to their level.” Certainly what captivates students and instructors of all ages is the opportunity to see the stunning photography for which the 124-year-old National Geographic Society is known. NGL designers have access to NGS videos, book and magazine content in addition to research and conservation initiatives. As a result, another generation of American school kids will be introduced to other cultures through National Geographic.