Lionbridge Content Development

Using Graphics in eLearning Courses

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Wendy Farrell gives some concrete examples about how to improve eLearning with the use of graphics...

I guess I'm on a graphics kick the past few weeks, because I've continued to think about how to more effectively use graphics in our e-learning courses.

It seems like most of the e-learning I see make generous use of stock photos. Now, I will freely admit, I'm as guilty as the next person of putting a stock photo or random graphic on the screen, just to make it look better. But when did we become so hard-wired to recoil at the thought of a screen with only text? And when did it get so easy to stop thinking about the learning value of a graphic?

It can be really hard to come up with a truly good graphic, one that really helps someone understand, and retain information. But the payback you get from a great visual is tremendous, especially if you have a global audience, or learners with English as a second language. The right visual will not only help people understand, but can help you minimize localization costs - a double bonus!

Ways to build in more graphics without falling back on stock photos:

• Think like Smart Art -- PowerPoint® 2007 has the SmartArt® functionality which gives you visual layouts for lists, processes, cycles, hierarchies, matrices, etc. Look for similar types of content in your courses and try to think like Smart Art. Take your table of contents, objectives, or other intro/organization element into a visual and instead of using bullets, put each list item in an appropriate shape. Here's an example I created for describing the secret of Instructional Design, which I learned from Dr. Steve Yelon:



• For less tangible content, can you compare your concept to something else? Come up with an analogy? Will Thalheimer (http://www.willatworklearning.com/) gave a conference presentation a number of years ago and used a great analogy for the concept and impact of practice on learning. Will said each time you practice, it's like walking through a forest. The first time you practice, you can barely see the path. The more you practice, that path becomes a trail, then a road, then a freeway. The analogy made a great visual image in my head, and it's stuck with me for all these years.  (Will did a much better job presenting it than I just did - thanks, Will!)
  
• For teaching principles, consider creating decision aids, checklists, and if/then charts. While these may still have text, the way they organize the text lends a visual element to the content and can help learners understand. They also serve dual purpose as job aids. Here's one I created for when to use decision aids versus checklists:



• Use annotated examples to point out key details you want learners to remember. Show a picture of the concept and use callouts to emphasize key details. For example, when teaching about how to install or use a piece of equipment, show a photo of the equipment and point out the important features. If teaching the concept of a suspicious person for a security course, show a photo and call out what makes the person suspicious.

Do you have any ideas on how to improve the quality of graphics in your courses? Please share them with us here. Also, if you're looking for additional resources, Ruth Clark and Richard Mayer's book, "Graphics for Learning," has excellent information on improving the use of graphics for learning.