Worked Example Screencast – Words Used to Describe Length

The worked example screencast is targeted at learners aged 7 to 8 with the following learning objectives:

– List 4 sets of words used to describe length
(Tall and Taller, Short and Shorter, Long and Longer, High and Higher)

– Compare length of objects or things using the relevant words to describe length

Duration of the screencast: 19 minutes 30 seconds

Software used: Powerpoint 2010, Camtasia Studio
Equipment used: Bamboo Tablet Pen, Wireless Headset with Microphone

 

Figure-Ground Principle

Through this week’s readings in EDTECH 506, I became more aware of the concept of visual perception, especially that of the Figure-Ground perception.

I decided to do some research on the internet and came across the following articles and videos:

Gestalt Principles Applied in Design
http://sixrevisions.com/web_design/gestalt-principles-applied-in-design/

Illusions: Figure-Ground Reversal
http://youtu.be/J_hKMrGBOy8

Optical Illusion Due to Issues in Figure-Ground
http://youtu.be/vkj3PyYbxwI

After watching the videos and reading the articles, I became more aware of the things I need to consider as a designer. And I think besides consciously thinking of how to design good figure-ground images, I would also be important to always seek others opinion in evaluating the image. Because what I may considered as an effective image for instruction may actually be causing confusion to another learner due to poor figure-ground association.

CARP – learning to balance the action elements

This week, I learn to apply the CARP action elements into my design project. The elements are (contrast, alignment, repetition, proximity).

Personally, I realised that the contrast action element easiest to apply. While alignment and proximity element may come in conflict with each other sometimes. In some images, if I attempt to align all the instructional text together, I may not be able to place in the text in close proximity to the relevant graphic element within the image.

Secondly, while I agree that repetition provides some form of consistency for the learners, I asked myself whether too many repetition may cause the learners to be “bored”. To be able to answer this question, I guess its best to survey the learners themselves. So perhaps its a good idea to do some form of evaluation of the learning materials not only during the stage of designing the graphics, but even at the end when the learners have completed the learning of the subject content.

I also began to look around on the internet for more examples of how the principles are applied and came across the following:

CARP Design Principles (slideshare)
http://www.slideshare.net/jaeger33/carp-design-principles

I also realised that CARP can be applied in design web pages
http://cis2.cuyamaca.net/jreed/212/presentations/WebDesign.pdf

I think understanding and application of CARP is a good start in designing graphics for learning, and this same set of action elements can definitely be applied in a variety of setting – including designing website for learning.

EDTECH506 Week 6 Reflections: Shake Up Those Shapes

This week has been a challenging week with assignments in my masters course and two full papers in my graduate certificate course. I was trying to group all the complex thought processes in my mind like a child sieving through a big box of different shapes and coloured lego bricks.

While things can be conceptualized in a complex manner, I really appreciate this week’s EDTECH506 reading in Chapter 10 of the textbook “Creating graphics for learning and performance: lessons in visual literacy.” (Lohr, 2008)

The beauty of this chapter is that many graphics and images for instructional purposes are “born” out of basic simple shapes. While many educators are challenged to teach different content type (concepts, facts, processes, procedures and principles) (Clark, 2007) in the simplest way possible – it can all come down to how we represent these five content types using shapes and text. Based on this, I began to appreciate the fact that graphic design for learning need not be strictly left to the job of a graphic designer, but rather – any teacher with the ability to draw basic shapes can be involved in designing graphics for learning. What an encouragement for educators!

I was keen to find out more about use of shapes in graphic design, and so I decided to conduct a google search and came across a book “Graphic design school: the principles and practices of graphic design“. On page 38, I was intrigued by not only the use of simple shapes, but how the book explains that the concept of figure-ground relationship. The “figure” referring the shapes we used in the foreground, and the “ground” refers to the space in which the shape is placed.The book explains that sometimes, if the is the figure-ground relationship is not clearly represented, the viewer might be confused which is the figure, and which is the ground. Likewise, I am made more conscious that when I place shapes in the foreground, I must ensure that the figure-ground relationship is clearly and easily perceived by my learners. Otherwise, the image will not be effective for learning.

Also managed to submit my Week 6 assignment of shape at http://edtech2.boisestate.edu/boonlaifoo/506/week6.html

Looking forward to hear my classmate feedback on this week’s assignment.

References:

Clark, R. C. (2007). Developing technical training: a structured approach for developing classroom and computer-based instructional materials. John Wiley and Sons.

Dabner, D., Calvert, S., & Casey, A. (2009). Graphic design school: the principles and practices of graphic design. John Wiley and Sons.

Lohr, L. (2008). Creating graphics for learning and performance: lessons in visual literacy. Pearson/Merrill/Prentice Hall.