Teaching Media Chapter 5
VISUAL PRINCIPLES
The roles of visuals in instruction.
Visuals definitely play is to
provide a concrete referent or ideas. Words don’t look or sound (usually) like
the thing they stand for, but visuuals are iconic –that is, they have some
reseblance to the thing they represent. Visuals can also motivate learners by
attracting their attention, holding their attention, and generating emotional
responses.
Visuals can simplify information
that is difficut to understand. Diagram can make it easy to store and retrieve
such information. Finally, visuals provide a redundant channel; that is, when
accompanying spoken or written verbal information they present that information
in a different modality, giving some learners a chance to comprehend visually
what they might miss verbally.
Visual literacy.
The term literacy once was used only
to refer to reading and writing of verbal information, the term of visual
literacy to refer to the learned ability to interprer visual messages
accurately and to create such messages.
Visual literacy can be developed through two
major approaches:
1. Input
strategies: Helping learners to decode, or “read” visuals proficiently by
practicing visual analysis skills.
2. Output
strategies: Helping learners to encode, or “write” visuals –to express
themselves and communicate with others.
·
Decoding: Interpreting Visuals
1. Developmental
Effects
Many variables effect how a learner decodes a
visual. Prior to the age of 12, children tend to interpret visuals section by
section rather as a whole. In reporting what they see in a picture, they are
likely to single out specific elements within the scene. Students who are
older, however, tend to summarize the whole scene and report a conclusion about
the meaning of the picture.
2. Cultural
Effects
Different cultural groups may perceive visual
materials in different ways.
3. Visual
Preferences
4. In
selecting visuals, teachers have to make appropriate choices between the sorts
of visuals that are preferred and those that are most effective. People do not
necessarily learn best from the kinds of pictures they prefer to look at. For
instance, research on picture preferences indicates that children in upper
elementary grades tend to prefer color to black and white and to choose
photograps over drawings; younger children tend to prefer simple illustrations,
whereas older children tend to prefer moderately complex illustration.
·
Encoding: Creating Visuals
Another
route to visual literacy is through student creation of visual presentation.
Just as writing can spur reading, producing media can be a highly effective way
of understanding media.
Most
older students have access to a camera. For example, you could encourage
students to present reports to the class by carefully selecting sets of the
camera, which can help them to develop their aesthetic talents. The video
camcorder is another convenient tool for students to practice creating and
presenting ideas and event pictorially. Or, students can scan photos or
drawings into a computer-generated presentation using software such as PowerPoint.
Goals
of Visual Design.
For
purposes of information and instruction, good visual design tries to achieve at
least four basic goals in terms of improving communication:
1.
Ensure
Legability: The goal of good visual design is to remove as many obstacles as
possible that might impede transmission of your message.
2.
Reduce
Effort: As a designer you want to convey your message in such a way that
viewers expend little effort making sense out of what they are seeing and are
free to use most of their mental effort for understanding the message itself.
3.
Increase
Active Engagement: Your message doesn’t stand a chance unless people pay
attention to it. So a major goal is to make your design as appealing as
possible –on get viewers attention and to entice them into thinking about your
message.
4.
Focus
Attention: Having enticed viewers into your display, you then face the
challenge of directing their attention to the most important parts of your
message.
Processes
of Visual Design.
1.
Elements:
Selecting and assembling the verbal/visual elements to incorporate into the
display.
-
Visual
Elements
-
Verbal
Elements
-
Letter
Style
-
Number
of Lettering Styles
-
Capitals
-
Color
of Lettering
-
Size
of Lettering
-
Spacing
Between Letters
-
Spacing
Between Lines
-
Elements
That Add Appeal
-
Surpise
-
Texture
-
Interaction
2.
Pattern:
Choosing an underlying pattern for the elements of the display.
-
Alignment
-
Shope
-
Balance
-
Style
-
Color
Scheme
-
Color
Appeal
3.
Arrangement:
Arranging the individual elements within the underlying pattern.
-
Proximity
-
Directionals
-
Figure-Ground
Contrast
-
Consistency
Visual Planning Tools.
1.
Storyboard
In
storyboard, you place on a card or piece of paper a sketch or some other simple
representation of the visual you plan to use along with the narration and
production notes that link the visuals to the narration. After developing a
series of such cards, place them in rough sequence on a flat surface or on a
storyboard holder.
2.
Types
of Lettters
The
letters are easy to use because most come with an adhesive backing; however,
they are rather expensive.
3.
Drawing,
Sketching, and Cartooning
Drawings,
sketching, and cartoons are visuals that can enhance learning.
Digital Images
1.
Digital
Cameras
2.
Scanners
3.
Photo
CDs
4.
Caution
When Editing Images
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