Basic
Design Decisions
·
Keep
it simple. More bells
and whistles do not necessarily translate into more effective
instruction.
·
Choose
media types based on learning objectives.
Select only those media types and technologies that support
the achievement of the desired learning outcomes.
Learners are usually more impressed with logical choices of
media strategies and technologies; rather than those chosen to
impress.
·
Limit
scrolling. The amount of
information on a screen should not go beyond the viewing area of a
single screen.
·
Adopt
a learner-centered multisensory approach that encourages
intellectual interaction.
·
Implement
instructional design principles that adapt to the learners’
abilities and intelligently respond to the learner’s response.
·
Cater
for different learning styles.
·
Adopt
a non-linear approach in your design philosophy.
·
Treat
your learners with respect; especially when providing feedback to
their responses. Feedback
should be informative and useful.
Feedback messages should be neither patronizing, demeaning
nor degrading.
Remember:
▪
Great
design is usually lost in the attempt to cater for too many types of
browsers; therefore,
try to limit the types of browser to the one most common to the
intended learning population.
▪
The
aesthetics of screen design as they apply to your course does have a
significant impact on the affective reactions of your students.
Screens should be professionally designed so as to include
those elements which will keep the students interested and promote
the desired learning outcomes; and avoid those which would detract
from the learning outcomes.
▪
Make
the appearance of each screen appealing and easy to use.
▪
Good
design engages the learner. It
provides guidance and support, opportunities for repeated practice,
as well as the opportunity to apply new knowledge and skills to
complete useful tasks.
Layout
Good
graphic design represents a balance between visual sensation and
easy access to information.
To achieve this balance:
·
Use
a template so that each screen has a reasonably predictable look and
feel.
·
If
you are not using the default background, select a background colour
and pattern that is pale and muted and would not distract the
learner.
·
Use
headers on each page. Header
titles must be representative of the content which follow.
·
Be
selective of your use of typography—font, colour, bold,
underscores, italics, and other attributes.
·
Use
graphics that are crucial to enhancing the understanding of your
content.
·
Reduce
downloading time by limiting their size, resolution, and the number
of colours.
Page
length
·
Long
pages also take longer to download.
·
As
much as possible, break the content down into appropriate-sized
chunks, each of which is placed on its own screen.
·
Determine
the maximum number of lines of usable space you have on a single
screen; and the maximum number of words that can hold in that area.
·
If
content on the lowest topic level does have to exceed a screen, you
would have to make a judgment as to whether to place the extra
information on a separate screen or have the learner scroll.
·
Reminder:
keep scrolling, as well as the number of times a learner has
to scroll to a minimum.
Frames
·
Avoid
using frames to open multiple Web
pages on the same screen. Instead,
use a table format to lay out your screen content.
·
Remember
the following when you are considering to display information in
tables:
▪
The
border lines can be either hidden or visible.
▪
You
can embed a graphic into a table cell.
▪
You
can change the colour of the background and the borders.
▪
You
can vary the number of rows in different columns.
▪
You
can also vary the number of columns in a row.
Special
Effects
These
eye-catching and attention-getting features include animation,
blinking or scrolling text, and sound effects. Constant moving
images have an overpowering effect on the human peripheral vision;
and could, therefore, overpower the senses, distract, and even annoy
some learners.
Use
special effects:
·
To
draw attention to critical aspects of the course material, or help
to enliven an otherwise dull presentation.
·
When
the creative use of colour, layout, typography, and simple graphics
is insufficient to focus the learner’s attention on the important
ideas being conveyed.
Orphan
Pages
Depending
on the course structure you have established, learners may access
screens at the module, lesson or topic levels.
You should therefore ensure that all pages include a link to
your point of entry screen as well as some indication of
where they fit within the structure of your course.
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