Course Information
- Description of This Course
- Objectives for This Course
- Prerequisites for This Course
- Materials Needed for This Course
- Student Opportunities
- Evaluation
- Instructor's Comments
- Contact Sara McNeil
The Visual Representation of Information covers a wide variety of topics related to the effective use of representing information visually in instructional media and materials. The primary purpose of this course is to enhance students' ability to conceptualize, design and develop visually-rich and appropriate materials that support and enhance active teaching and learning. Although the primary focus of this course is the effective use of graphics in interactive, computer-based instruction, the concepts can be applied to the design and development of materials for other courses, presentations, and instruction.
Design, Development, and Production Capabilities.
This course blends theoretical and research issues related to the use of graphics in instruction with production competencies. Consideration will be given to both the design and development of several different types of both static and animated graphics in instruction. Students will explore and evaluate the design and creation of visual information in a variety of technology-based learning environments.
Another purpose of this course is to enable students to get in-depth, hands-on experience with a variety of graphic and paint tools and techniques using several commercial graphics software programs. Several means of developing computer graphics will be examined, but primary attention will be focused on using Adobe Photoshop 6.0 software on both Macintosh and Windows computers.
Student Learning
Students in this course have many responsibilities. The satisfaction and enjoyment of this course depends, for a large part, on the time and effort that each student dedicates to exploring the issues, learning different techniques, and playing with the tools. There is a great deal of time involved in learning graphic application software, and most of that learning occurs outside the regularly scheduled class. Students should be prepared to spend as many as 9-12 hours each week working on the concepts and techniques discussed in class.
The general format of this course is a mixture of demonstration, discussion, and hands-on experiences, and we will all play the roles of instructor, student and facilitator. Sometimes I will be the person leading the discussion, but often it will be students. A variety of class activities are planned and each person in the class needs to take an active role in making this class interesting, energetic and fun! The atmosphere in the class should be one that is conducive to learning, but part of the responsibility for creating that atmosphere is also shared by the students. Students should primarily be explorers and take some of the risks that are involved in the process of being continually excited and enthusiastic about learning.
Some students take this course and already have many design and software skills. Those students should talk with me, and together we will set some different goals and objectives so that everyone will be learning.
The role of the instructor in this course is one of a facilitator rather that a source of all knowledge. In most technology-related courses, it is impossible to know everything. There is simply too much to know, and it is continuously changing. We are all learners, and students will have numerous opportunities to be moderators, facilitators and "knowledge sharers" (Rieber, 1997).
During this course, students will participate in readings, discussions, and hands-on explorations of the following topics:
- Appropriate visuals for instructional content and the intent of the instruction
- The role of visuals in facilitating learning
- The relationship between learning theory and visual perception
- Research on visuals in instruction and the resulting instructional design principles
- The concepts of visual design and communication in computer-based instruction;
- Paper and electronic documents such as storyboards, design documents, flow charts, etc.) which convey accurate descriptions of visuals to production units (illustrators, artists, videographers, photographers, etc.)
Students should
- Develop a personal understanding of design principles for computer-developed media
- Be able to apply design principles to situations involving the creation and evaluation of both static and animated graphics using technology
- Develop a meaningful Visual Vocabulary that extends to other environments outside of this classroom
- Be able to use creative brainstorming to develop instructional graphics to solve problems and communicate effectively
- Be able to communicate and share ideas for graphics effectively
- Have a thorough knowledge of basic and intermediate Photoshop techniques
This course is not a beginning Instructional Technology course.
Students not admitted into the Instructional Technology Program should have the permission of the instructor to enroll.
It is assumed that participants in this course will be very familiar with the fundamentals of personal computers, including:
- Computer Operating Systems including saving and transferring files, opening programs, and using the finder or file manager.
- Basic Software Applications such as Microsoft Office and other related applications.
- Basic Internet skills, including email, navigation and search capabilities, and downloading text and graphics from the World Wide Web.
If you have any questions about this course, please contact me.
Materials Needed for This Course
One Textbook is needed for this course:
Please register with Lloyd Rieber at his web site, then download a copy of Computers, Graphics, and Learning FREE
Although we will explore several graphics software programs, you MAY wish to purchase:
- a textbook to support your learning of Photoshop or Photoshop Elements
- a copy of either Adobe Photoshop (version within the last two years) or Adobe Photoshop Elements (approximately $66 from Cougar Byte)
Student Opportunities
Presentations/Demonstrations
Students are also expected to demonstrate a specific tool, technique, tip or procedure at least once during the semester. These demonstrations should last 15-20 minutes and should be accompanied by a handout and electronic file.
Projects
Students will complete five projects for this class. These projects illustrate the variety of educational information can be represented visually.
- Learning The Language of Art
illustrating the language of art with scanned photographs- Designing Effective Interfaces
designing and building a consistent and meaningful interface- The Visual Representation of Statistical Data
conveying numbers and quantitative data through graphics- Animating Educational Graphics
using animation educationally- Creating a 3 Dimensional Timeline
illustrating conceptual information and facts in perspectiveAdditional information on these projects will be available on the Web and discussed in class.
Portfolios
Students will also be required to develop a portfolio of their projects. Each project should be presented and a reflection on each project should be included.
No points will be given for portfolios that do not have a reflection.
The reflection for each project should include the following components:
- Brief description of the project: (1 paragraph)
- Date of development
- Target audience: (1 paragraph)
- Delivery method and rationale for this medium (1 paragraph)
- Highlights of what you learned from this project both in the technology tool and in the process itself (4-5 highlights with a short description)
- Description of one difficulty that you conquered (1 paragraph)
This portfolio is due on the last class meeting and may be in print or electronic format.
Do not include class materials such as handouts in your portfolio. This is not a class notebook.
This portfolio will be useful for job interviews, referencing materials used in class, and documenting your progress in the course.
Evaluation
Each project
will be evaluated by an assessment rubric.
Projects may be revised for the final portfolio if received on time.
Students will receive points on the following activities:
Participation in Class Discussion and Class Labs Demonstration Portfolio Projects
(5 projects @25 points each)
Total points for this class= 200
A: 94% or higher 188-200 A-: 91-93% 182-187 B+: 88-90% 176-181 B: 84-87% 168-175 B-: 81-83% 162-167 C: 71-80% 142-161
This course is a three-hour credit, graduate level course for Masters and Doctoral students in the Instructional Technology Program. Other students wishing to enroll should have the consent of the instructor.
This course is based upon a strong application orientation and constructivist philosophy and is project-based. There are no scheduled tests or exams; however, additional time is required outside of class to complete weekly assignments and final semester projects. This time is substantial - amounting to as much as nine to twelve hours each week outside of class.
I will do my best to keep students informed about their progress and evaluations weekly, but it is your responsibility to turn in assignments correctly and on time. Please keep up to date with due dates and project deadlines.
In completing each project, it is important that students identify their topic early and begin to plan their work appropriately. Students who wait until late in the course to begin may experience crowded labs and difficulty finding an available computer with appropriate software and may find it difficult to complete the project. CITE Lab hours are posted on the bulletin board as you enter the main hallway.
Incomplete Grades
Often, students enter a course thinking that they can take an "incomplete" if they decide they will not complete the course requirements on time. Keep in mind the University of Houston guidelines regarding an incomplete grade state:" The grade of "I" is a conditional, temporary grade given when the student is passing a course but, for reasons beyond his or her control, has not completed a relatively small part of his or her requirements." A more complete description of these guidelines can be found at the back of each semester's class schedule booklet.I will not give an "incomplete" except in extreme situations and only if you are currently passing the course. After a year, an incomplete in a course automatically becomes an "F." If you have any questions, please contact me for more information.