February 1998 — Features
Print this article | Email this articleClick here to receive your FREE subscription to T.H.E. Journal
Does the Right Software a Great Designer Make?
"The computer revolution has put advanced photo manipulation and illustration tools, as well as voluminous collections of prefabricated clip art, into the hands of anyone with the technology know-how to operate a mouse."[1] Educators should be aware of the power of the technology and its impact on students. Therefore, classroom teachers must have an understanding of design principles when developing visuals. In today's era of affordable technology even someone who can't draw a stick figure can create a professional-looking product.
Therefore, the question becomes "D'es the right software a great designer make?" Considering instructional design principles, the answer to this question is a resounding "No." This article provides basic design principles and caveats for creating effective visuals. The term "visuals" means not only computer presentations but also overheads and handouts.
Using Visuals
When designing and developing a lesson using any medium, visuals should be used to: (1) clarify a point; (2) emphasize a point; (3) add variety; (4) change focus; (5) record main points; (6) enhance your professional image; and (7) mark the presentation as special.
Visuals can clarify a point by giving students a picture. Thus, the lesson addresses not only the auditory learner but also the visual learner. In the same manner, visuals can emphasize a point by highlighting that particular piece of information. Visuals in this respect become another means of "telling them what you are telling them."
Maintaining students' interest has always been important in the classroom. However, in this age of computer games and television watching, adding variety to a lesson may be the only way an instructor can get students interested at all. Sustaining interest is difficult when all students see or hear are words. The use of visuals can also help students to change focus. This application of visuals is particularly helpful if the material being presented is complex or difficult to follow. Further, visuals help students to record main points, again very useful when presenting complex or exacting materials.
Instructors should always be aware of their classroom image. Enhancing that professional image is an important byproduct of using well-designed visuals. It is extremely important that visuals be well designed, or the instructor's image may be hurt rather than helped. Finally, visuals mark a presentation as special. Visuals in a presentation say to students: this material is important, and the instructor cares enough about it to spend the time to develop aids to supplement the message.
A Few Caveats
Teachers should avoid visuals in developing a lesson when the visual distracts or detracts from the focus, is poor quality, is irrelevant, is only a time-filler, is outdated, d'es not suit the purpose of the lesson, or d'es not fit the audience. Visuals do not add anything positive when they distract or detract from the focus of the lesson. A visual that distracts is one that causes students to concentrate on the visual rather than the point it was meant to illustrate. Visuals that detract from the focus are ones that cloud the message rather than explain it.
