Visual literacy practices for learning designers

Enhancing your visual literacy skills isn't just about understanding visuals; it's about using them to make your online courses more effective. Here are some practical tips for learning designers:

• Evaluate visuals for educational effectiveness: When selecting an image or video, ask yourself if it helps achieve the learning objectives. Does it make a concept clearer? Can it replace a long text explanation? Does it engage students in a way that words alone might not?

• Integrate visuals thoughtfully: Place visuals where they will have the most impact. For example, an introductory video might be best at the start of a course to engage and motivate learners, while diagrams could be interspersed within the text to illustrate key points as they arise.

• Create custom visuals when necessary: Sometimes the perfect visual doesn’t exist, and you might need to create it. Tools like Canva or Adobe Spark make it easy to create professional-quality images and graphics, even for those without a graphic design background. Also, the DX team is there to help.

• Consistency is key: Use a consistent style and quality of visuals throughout your course. This not only looks more professional but also helps create a cohesive learning experience. Consistent use of colours, fonts, and layout can help reinforce learning as students know what to expect visually.

• Seek feedback: Get feedback on your visuals from colleagues or focus groups made up of potential students. What makes sense to you might not be clear to others, and different perspectives can help you identify which visuals work best.

• Stay updated: Visual literacy and design trends evolve, so it’s important to stay informed about new tools, techniques, and best practices. This can involve attending workshops, following relevant blogs, or participating in online forums.

By applying these practices, you can more effectively use your visual literacy skills to select and create visuals that enhance learning and make your online courses more engaging and effective. In the next section, we'll look at some tools and resources that can help you improve and apply your visual literacy skills in course design.

Tools and resources for enhancing visual literacy

Improving your visual literacy and finding the right tools to create engaging course visuals can transform the learning experience you offer. Here are some tools and resources that can help course designers enhance their visual literacy and create better visual assets:

• Design software and online tools:

  • Canva: Great for creating custom graphics, presentations, and infographics with an easy-to-use interface.
  • Adobe Creative Cloud: Offers professional-grade tools like Photoshop and Illustrator for high-quality image editing and creation.
  • Piktochart: A user-friendly tool for creating infographics and visual data representations.
  • Venngage: Useful for making engaging infographics and reports with templates tailored to educational needs.

• Educational resources:

  • The Visual communication guy: A website offering tips, tutorials, and infographics on how to use visuals effectively in communication.
  • LinkedIn Learning: LinkedIn Learning, which provides courses on everything from basic graphic design to advanced video production.
  • Teaching Channel: Offers videos and articles on integrating visual literacy into teaching practices.

• Communities and forums:

  • Behance: Explore projects from other creators for inspiration and connect with professional designers.
  • Reddit’s r/graphic_design: A place to ask questions, share designs, and receive feedback from a community of graphic designers.
  • E-Learning Heroes: A community for e-learning professionals where you can find examples, downloads, and advice on course design.

• Books on visual literacy:

  • "Visual Literacy: Learn to See, See to Learn" by Lynell Burmark: An insightful book that emphasises the educational power of visuals.
  • "The Power of Visual Storytelling" by Ekaterina Walter and Jessica Gioglio: Offers advice on how to use visuals to tell compelling stories in marketing, which can be adapted for educational purposes.

By utilising these tools and resources, you can continue to develop your visual literacy skills and keep your course content fresh and engaging. Leveraging visuals effectively in your online courses not only enhances learning but also makes the educational journey more enjoyable and impactful for your students.

Conclusion

Visual literacy is more than just an ability – it's a crucial skill that enhances how we teach and how students learn in an online environment. By understanding and applying the principles of visual literacy, we can select and create visual assets that not only capture the attention but also deepen understanding and retention of course content.

Throughout this post, we've explored what visual literacy involves, the significant impact of visual assets in online learning, the criteria for selecting effective visuals, practical tips for applying visual literacy in course design, and the tools and resources available to support this process. Each element is geared towards empowering you, the course designer or educator, to harness the power of visuals to create more dynamic and effective learning experiences.

As the digital landscape continues to evolve, the role of visual literacy will only grow in importance. I encourage you to take these insights and start integrating more thoughtful and impactful visuals into your courses. Experiment with different tools, seek feedback, and keep learning about visual literacy. Your efforts will not only enhance your teaching but also enrich your students' learning journeys.

Let's make learning not just informative but visually engaging and memorable. Embrace visual literacy as a key component of your educational toolkit and watch as it transforms the online learning experience for your students.