The context of an event, word, paradigm, change or other reality includes the circumstances and conditions which surround it (Wikipedia The set of circumstances or facts that surround a particular event, situation, etc. ( dictionary.com)
Your turn…let’s take a minute for you to reflect on what we have just gone over.
Now….Let’s start with some basics on how to create good programs using visuals First let’s take a look at good visuals for learning…which means good slide design Almost 85% of the your learners will have visual as their predominate learning style The most important concept with slide design is to understand that the learner takes the entire image in at once. So look at the entire page. Remember CONTENT is KING. We read from left to right, so your content should be on the left so that learners can read it naturally…………….. left-to-right, top-to-bottom
Mixing fantasy and reality…Sesame Street and Blues Clues, what are distracters …like humor….what are enhancers like repetition…Malcolm Galdwell…Blink and Tipping Point
In order to produce slides that look good and are efficient for learning …you need to get a handle on The four elements of basic design: Contrast, Repetition, Alignment and Proximity Let’s look at each one of these to learn how you will use them in our project.
What is contrast? The first element of design is contrast. Contrast is: Variety, size, color, shape, emphasis Why Contrast so important ?....Because… Contrast is what brings your eyes to a page. Cause you to notice and focus…pay attention Here is some advice on creating contrast: When using contrast If you are making it different make it very different……or keep it the same. You should create a focal point and distinguish it from the rest of the page.
You don’t need more than one major and one or two minor focal points per slide. You should always …….Keep it simple. Very simple. BB: Examples of each….different very different…. …focal point…one major and two minor focal points……..simple but effective BB: Great graphic of contrast….maybe 3 or 4 examples…big little…light dark….round square…….loud soft….bring words in one at a time….always have CONTRAST up on screen…
The second element of basic design is …….Repetition What is repetition? Repetition is: Consistency, rhythm, patterns Why is repetition important? Because……Repetition reinforces the ideas. sets the stage….. gives the presentation consistency….provides cognitive reinforcement in the mind of the learner Here is some Advice for using Repetition: When you are using repetition you should Repeat things that tie the slide together. Each slide should look like it belongs to the same module of instruction. Use unifying identifiers. (ie….logo…branding…same fonts…similar layouts.) Always remember……You do not want to make the learner think about the design of the slide. BB: Examples of each….bullet points….template….logo….placement
Alignment is the third element of good design. What is alignment? Alignment is: Symmetry, asymmetry, positions, positive and negative, white space, balance Why alignment so important? Alignment makes it easier for the learner to take it in. Now let’s look at some advise for using alignment : When you use alignment…… Choose one alignment and use it on the entire page. People read from left to right in this culture so Do NO center text. When in doubt left align! Consider the alignment of both text and graphics. Do not mix alignments unless you have a very good reason to do so. Consider both vertical and horizontal alignments. Use mirrors. Which means to occasionally flip the graphics and text to cognitively wake people up. Always remember that the slide goes into the mind of the learner as one image….clean, neat and simple alignment is best. BB: examples of each…..Show a graphic with left alignment..,…graphics and text alignment….etc…for each bullet.
The fourth (and final) element of good design is proximity. What is proximity? Proximity is: Unity, harmony, scale, balance Why is proximity important? Because……Like relates to like….cognitive links are created when things are grouped together. Here is some advice for creating proximity: You should ……. Group or cluster like items together. Group things according to their meaning or what is being communicated Try to establish relationships between items. If the items go together keep them close together. Do not make the learner guess. Always make it easy for the learner to look at and understand where things are.
Now let’s look at some other principles that will help you create a good learning visuals Always put your learners first…..it’s not only what you have to say that is important….it is what you can get them to take in and remember that drives the learning Make your content easy to understand…. You want to position your materials so that you give your learners the greatest chance to take in the information you are presenting You also want to minimize the text on screen…..This also minimizes cognitive load. Cognitive Load is a term that refers to the load on working memory during problem solving, thinking and reasoning. This includes perception, memory, and language, The term was coined by Sweller in 1988 . Cognitive load is determined by the amount of information passed to visual auditory parts of working memory. There has been a great deal of research done on learning and cognitive load...but here is the bottom line......less is more.....MINIMZE cognitive load... A very good place to start is with text that is easy to read….so
Gagne, ARCS Gagne: Gain attention Inform of Objectives Review Prerequisites Present Stimuli Provide Guidance Elicit Performance Provide Feed Back Assess Preformance Retention and Transfer One instructional design model that works well is called ARCS. The Attention, Relevance, Confidence, Satisfaction or ARCS model can help you create quality instruction. The Four parts of ARCS are: Attention…you want to raise the level of interest of the learner. Relevance….you want answer the question “What is in it for me?,,,,, for the learner….adult learners have a need to know Why. Confidence…. you want learners to gain confidence in applying what they learn Satisfaction….you want the learners to feel like they have become more competent……. and the investment of their time was worth it. Remember…..feelings are powerful… Here are some examples on why and how to follow the ARCS model…
This is worth saying again….. Minimize the text on screen! People do not read screens. Here is some advice on text size and font style You should….. Use sans shérif fonts. (Arial, Verdana, Tahoma….etc.) Use 32 to 44 point for titles. Chose a size for each level of text and bullets, and be consistent. The size of the text should not be smaller than 20 for body text. Do Not use red or green text. One in four people is color blind. They will have difficulty seeing it. View your slides at 75% as you develop Always run a spelling and grammar check.
Another very important concept in creating your Presenter program we have already mentioned but now lets talk about it In more detail…..you want to Minimize cognitive load…. How do you minimize cognitive load for you learners? One way is through a process called chunking…. There are many theories about how to group, segment, sequence and structure information for training and learning. Most of the theories today that deal with module construction are concerned with working memory. This part of your memory is the part that retains information while you work with it. Probably the most important discovery so far came from Miller in1956. Miller determined that working memory has two very important characteristics: 1. It screens information as it comes into it 2. It has a limited capacity and duration What does this mean to you when creating good graphics for learning? It’s SIMPLE If you make it to long, confusing or difficult, the learner will disregard the information. You can retain the information in working memory by repeating it, over and over. Transferring the information to long term memory can be achieved by rehearsal or by connecting it with information already there.
Without rehearsal, working memory can hold ONLY 5 to 9 items for no more than 10 to 20 seconds. Miller said working memories most important characteristic is that it is limited. One way to increase working memory is to CHUNK the information. Chunking is another name for grouping. Another way is to have mental task that can be preformed automatically or with out thinking about them. The more the learner has to think about what they are learning the smaller, more meaningful and shorter the chunks should be. What does this mean? Learners shouldn’t be thinking about lower level skills while trying to learn new ones, these should be automatic. Include in each module learning aides, visual and auditory, that support the learning. Engage the learner in high levels of interaction. Ask questions. The objective is to get the knowledge into long term memory. The storage capacity in long term memory is vast. Although it needs to be organized in different ways for different learns to be able to retrieve it. You may want to use different techniques depending on you content. BB: again maybe the Clark picture and just stuff it with information…like over stuff it….and/or have it move in and fall out
So how do you chunk…..your content? If your content is based on facts definitions, procedures and rules include: Linear ordering Images and visuals Graphic Organizers Charts Small declarative statements that can be recognized as either true or false, right away by the learner. Tables Drawings Illustrations Maps Tables If your content is based on “how to” perform activities be sure to situate it in context. “ How to do things” requires situating in realistic settings. Provide situations where the learner must adapt to changing conditions. Start simple with basic knowledge. Group the modules to allow the learner to combine steps and perform. Associate skill mastery with performance without much conscious though. Here is some good advice: Short is usually better than long. Combine and group things logically. Make sure you present the basic information first. Remember each module must: Keep the learners attention Provide a meaningful learning experience. Make learning possible. BB: We need good examples of each
Use relative graphics Use graphics that have a purpose Use high quality graphic of a similar type. Use graphics that get the point across Use graphics support the learning
Another important aspect of good nter design is screen layout: Remember content is king and in Western cultures… learners read left to right and top to bottom. But where are the power positions or focal points on the screen? How do you know where to put the really important stuff? There happens to be a principle that photographers and painter know about….it is called The Law of Thirds The Law of Thirds says The most important and powerful points on any screen are one third down and one third in from either side. The eyes moves from top left to bottom right.
Now let’s look at some other principles that will help you create a good Presenter program: Always put your learners first…..it’s not only what you have to say that is important….it is what you can get them to take in and remember that drives the learning Make your content easy to understand…. You want to position your materials so that you give your learners the greatest chance to take in the information you are presenting You also want to minimize the text on screen…..This also minimizes cognitive load. Cognitive Load is a term that refers to the load on working memory during problem solving, thinking and reasoning. This includes perception, memory, and language, The term was coined by Sweller in 1988 . Cognitive load is determined by the amount of information passed to visual auditory parts of working memeory. There has been a great deal of research done on learning and cognitive load...but here is the bottom line......less is more.....MINIMZE cognitive load... A very good place to start is with text that is easy to read….so
One of the biggest mistakes that beginners make is that they forget to: Remember the white space. So ……What is white space? White space is the area around what you have on the page. White space sets your page. White space can create emphasis, White space gives the leaner a cognitive rest. White space separates things. White space can announce and define White space does not have to be white, it is meant as “blank space”. Always remember that white space can make or break a screen…….don’t forget that white space is part of the total image. BB: 3 or 4 examples of white space
Psychology of Color (http://www.infoplease.com/spot/colors1.html)
Purple The color of royalty, purple connotes luxury, wealth, and sophistication. It is also feminine and romantic. However, because it is rare in nature, purple can appear artificial. Brown Solid, reliable brown is the color of earth and is abundant in nature. Light brown implies genuineness while dark brown is similar to wood or leather. Brown can also be sad and wistful. Men are more apt to say brown is one of their favorite colors. .
