The course syllabus and the study guide are very important to the effective practice of distance education. The study guide is a structured lecture note leading distance learners through a series of concepts, theories, or topics. The study guide provides students a visual outline of learning materials, helping them to simplify notes, manage learning, and review the learning content.
Visuals are critically important to learning, as 83 percent of what is learned is learned through sight and only 11 percent of what is learned is learned through hearing (Stolovitch, 2004). The lack of face-to-face communication challenges course developers to present instructional content to distance learners effectively and efficiently. Visuals are often used to enhance online learning experience and the credibility of an online learning program because of their many benefits, such as communicating ideas more efficiently than text, gaining and holding students’ attention, putting a human face on an otherwise anonymous learning experience, and accommodating learners who need visual content.
Visuals refer to pictures, illustrations, photographs, videos, charts, and symbols that communicate messages through images rather than words. Many people confuse visuals with PowerPoint slides, even though many slides consist only of text.
Visuals can be categorized in two ways: by the types of content they represent and by their form. Content visuals include representing quantitative information, representing concrete concepts, representing abstract concepts, and directing learners’ attention.
Some general ideas for the use of visuals by content are listed as follows:
· Visuals representing quantitative information may include pie charts showing relationships of parts to the whole, bar charts comparing two items, tables comparing several items, and histograms showing performance over time.
· Visuals representing concrete concepts may include people, finished products, product plans, procedures, and relationships.
· Visuals representing abstract concepts may include travel, organizations, and control of equipment.
· Visuals directing learners’ attention may include navigational images and images that direct learners’ eyes to a particular part of the screen.
Visuals come in two general forms: photographs and illustrations. Visuals can be static or moving. Moving images of photographs often take the form of a film or video. Moving images of illustrations often take the form of animation.
To make visuals most effective in online learning, course developers should consider the following guidelines (Driscoll & Carliner, 2005).
· Pay attention to aesthetics such as simplicity and balance
· Balance visual appeal with usability
· Make the visuals more understandable by adding a few words of explanation, properly labeling visuals, placing visuals immediately after or beside the reference to them in the text
· Keep cultural differences in mind when using visuals such as hand gestures and colors
· Avoid using visuals solely for adornment
· Limit the size of visuals—including the physical space on the screen and the storage space
· Make sure you have permission to use images before publishing them