The Future of Education

This paper examines the pedagogical potential of delocalised workshops as a complement to traditional higher education, focusing on a cyanotype printing workshop conducted in the village of Múceres (central region of Portugal). The study explores how engaging with rural communities and territories can enhance graphic design education and produce meaningful visual outcomes. Through the implementation of a site-specific workshop, students were introduced to the historical photographic process of cyanotype whilst documenting and interpreting the local heritage, traditions, and community life.

The research methodology combined participatory observation, visual documentation, and informal conversations with both students and residents. The workshop served as a case study to analyse how alternative learning environments outside the traditional classroom can foster deeper engagement with technical processes whilst developing students' cultural awareness and social responsibility.

The findings suggest that delocalised workshops can create valuable bridges between academic knowledge and real-world contexts, enabling students to produce more meaningful and contextually-rich graphic materials. With its distinctive blue prints and experimental nature, the cyanotype process proved particularly suitable for documenting and reinterpreting rural heritage, creating a compelling visual narrative of the village's territory and community.

This study contributes to the ongoing discussion about innovative teaching methodologies in higher education and the role of graphic design in preserving and communicating rural heritage. The results indicate that such workshops can enhance students' technical skills whilst developing their capacity to engage with communities and create culturally significant work.