A Picture is Worth a 1000 Words - Wikipedia In last week's post I discussed the initial steps I take when creating a course. As part of a recent assessment for a new contract position I needed to create a storyboard for a course aimed at 20-something women on fixing a flat tire. I decided to take the assessment one step further to help develop my portfolio and showcase all of the different steps in the process of creating an e-learning course. For this post I will be focusing on the selection and/or creation of images for the course.
Use of Images
We have all heard the adage - "A picture is worth a 1000 words". This phrase refers to the notion that a single image or graphic can convey a complex idea quickly rather than describing it with just words. Research has proven this to be true and it has become known as the picture superiority effect which states that people more easily remember concepts that are presented as images rather than as words.
So as an instructional designer, I am always looking for ways to convey the ideas of an e-learning course through the use of graphics and images. There is one caveat to the use of images though in e-learning. If an image is used inappropriately it can cause confusion or distraction thereby taking the learner's focus away from the content. Therefore you should carefully select images that will enhance and engage the learner's attention.
Use of Images
We have all heard the adage - "A picture is worth a 1000 words". This phrase refers to the notion that a single image or graphic can convey a complex idea quickly rather than describing it with just words. Research has proven this to be true and it has become known as the picture superiority effect which states that people more easily remember concepts that are presented as images rather than as words.
So as an instructional designer, I am always looking for ways to convey the ideas of an e-learning course through the use of graphics and images. There is one caveat to the use of images though in e-learning. If an image is used inappropriately it can cause confusion or distraction thereby taking the learner's focus away from the content. Therefore you should carefully select images that will enhance and engage the learner's attention.
Selecting Images
When I begin selecting images for an e-learning course, I usually decide up front if I want to go with vector graphics or with photos. Both options have their pros and cons. Vector graphics are great for diagrams and illustrations of a process. Photos are great for engaging a learner and providing a more emotional attachment to the content. To learn more about when to use the different types of graphics, check out Connie Malamed's book "Visual Design Solutions". She provides a great table that shows the best uses for each kind of graphic. She also covers a lot of other information regarding the use of graphics that is important to e-learning design. I would highly recommend getting this book and having it in your personal library to refer to from time to time.
Once you have decided what types of graphics you would like to use, your next step is deciding if you will be able to find the graphics or if you will need to create your own. With all of the great images sites available on the web, finding graphics has gotten a lot easier. Below is just a small list of image sites that I have used:
Paid Sites
Free Sites
For the fixing a flat e-learning course I decided I wanted vector graphics since the course would be showing a process. Using photos would provide too many other distractions to the learner's attention and take away from the important concepts within the process. Unfortunately after a few hours of searching the free and paid sites, I couldn't find any vector graphics that would go well with this project. So I moved on to the next step, which is to create my own images.
When I begin selecting images for an e-learning course, I usually decide up front if I want to go with vector graphics or with photos. Both options have their pros and cons. Vector graphics are great for diagrams and illustrations of a process. Photos are great for engaging a learner and providing a more emotional attachment to the content. To learn more about when to use the different types of graphics, check out Connie Malamed's book "Visual Design Solutions". She provides a great table that shows the best uses for each kind of graphic. She also covers a lot of other information regarding the use of graphics that is important to e-learning design. I would highly recommend getting this book and having it in your personal library to refer to from time to time.
Once you have decided what types of graphics you would like to use, your next step is deciding if you will be able to find the graphics or if you will need to create your own. With all of the great images sites available on the web, finding graphics has gotten a lot easier. Below is just a small list of image sites that I have used:
Paid Sites
Free Sites
For the fixing a flat e-learning course I decided I wanted vector graphics since the course would be showing a process. Using photos would provide too many other distractions to the learner's attention and take away from the important concepts within the process. Unfortunately after a few hours of searching the free and paid sites, I couldn't find any vector graphics that would go well with this project. So I moved on to the next step, which is to create my own images.
Images I created in PowerPoint using shapes or found on Pixabay. Creating Images
In the perfect world if I had unlimited money to spend on this project (or at least a budget for graphic design), I would hire someone to create the necessary images for this course. Being that this is a simple course and there aren't that many images, hiring a graphic designer wouldn't be cost exorbitant. AND it would greatly enhance the design of the course and the learner's attention to the material.
However, most people are working on a shoestring budget and need to find alternatives to hiring a graphic designer. So I went with the option of creating the graphics myself. This is a good step to do even if you are hiring a graphic designer so that person can get an idea of the concepts you are trying to illustrate.
In this case I just used the tools I had in PowerPoint to create the necessary images. There are a ton of blog posts out there on how to do this so I won't go into detail. My favorite posts have been from Tom Kuhlmann from the Rapid Elearning Blog. Check out these posts on visual and graphic design.
For this course I was able to find and modify some of the graphics from Pixabay and then created the rest in PowerPoint using shapes. Creating graphics from scratch sounds pretty time consuming but when you know what you want to create, it sometimes can be faster than trying to search for that perfect graphic on the Internet.
So in your next e-learning project or presentation remember the importance of graphics to convey ideas. Decide what type of graphics you want to use throughout and stick with it. Mixing the different types of graphics can be distracting and make your design feel disjointed. Don't be afraid to create your own graphics if you can't find any that suit your needs. The more you practice creating your own, the better and faster you will get. Next week I will describe the process of importing my PowerPoint into Storyline.
In the perfect world if I had unlimited money to spend on this project (or at least a budget for graphic design), I would hire someone to create the necessary images for this course. Being that this is a simple course and there aren't that many images, hiring a graphic designer wouldn't be cost exorbitant. AND it would greatly enhance the design of the course and the learner's attention to the material.
However, most people are working on a shoestring budget and need to find alternatives to hiring a graphic designer. So I went with the option of creating the graphics myself. This is a good step to do even if you are hiring a graphic designer so that person can get an idea of the concepts you are trying to illustrate.
In this case I just used the tools I had in PowerPoint to create the necessary images. There are a ton of blog posts out there on how to do this so I won't go into detail. My favorite posts have been from Tom Kuhlmann from the Rapid Elearning Blog. Check out these posts on visual and graphic design.
For this course I was able to find and modify some of the graphics from Pixabay and then created the rest in PowerPoint using shapes. Creating graphics from scratch sounds pretty time consuming but when you know what you want to create, it sometimes can be faster than trying to search for that perfect graphic on the Internet.
So in your next e-learning project or presentation remember the importance of graphics to convey ideas. Decide what type of graphics you want to use throughout and stick with it. Mixing the different types of graphics can be distracting and make your design feel disjointed. Don't be afraid to create your own graphics if you can't find any that suit your needs. The more you practice creating your own, the better and faster you will get. Next week I will describe the process of importing my PowerPoint into Storyline.
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