Designers with a strong Graphic Design background may be the advantage your company needs when working in the eLearning industry.
Graphic Design serves an adaptable method in the eLearning environment as it can be used to enhance visual appeal, while supporting learners and keeping their interest throughout their learning journey. Complex ideas can be simplified through the use of well thought-out visuals or iconography, helping learners with retention by maintaining a consistent design language.
A well-designed eLearning journey provides learners with an advantage during study. It is crucial that content resonates with your users in order for them to get the most out of their learning, however, an over-complicated or over-designed module could do the opposite.
Learner’s preferences
Recognising learning preferences can assist eLearning designers in crafting their courses. When an eLearning designer is familiar with learners’ preferences, they can tailor the course using pedagogical approaches that align with the specific audience. This approach enables the optimisation of learning outcomes by incorporating design elements and learning tools tailored to the learners’ styles and preferences. (The pedagogical approach is the theory and practice of teaching which follows the process of how instructors approach teaching and learning using a specific curriculum with a specific goal in mind.)
Here are a few ways in which Graphic Design thinking can be beneficial in the eLearning industry:
Each Learner is Unique
In eLearning, the designer should create learning activities that are customised to different types of learners to meet their needs. “It is not a one size fits all learning journey.” Depending on a course’s complexity and its types of learners, it is best to engage your learners with a variety of multisensory activities throughout the course.
Visual hierarchy
Visual hierarchy directs the learner along a path that begins with the most important element and then leads to those of lower importance. E.g., navigation buttons, headings, images, and graphs. Without hierarchy a screen can become cluttered and overwhelming making it hard for the learner to know where to look first.
Typography
Effective typography plays a crucial role in design by establishing a clear visual structure, improving the legibility of your course materials, prompting better information absorption as well as evoking emotional responses from learners. Factors like font style, colour, spacing and size have significant influence in the designs impact. It is essential to choose fonts that bring attention to the text and emphasize key ideas and concepts. Creative fonts can breathe life into subject matter and enhance the learners understanding of the course material. It is vital to ensure fonts remain easily readable and are used to avoid overwhelming learners.
Layout
Don’t think that your students will always understand what’s on the screen without help. Try to make things clearer for your learner by arranging them in a smart way. How you organize the elements on your screen affects how well the learner will learn and comprehend the course content. Learners naturally read a page from top to bottom and left to right. It is suggested to put the more important stuff near the top and on the right. Putting similar things closer together will show how they are related. Always show important information. Don’t keep it hidden inside links or pictures, so the learner has to search for it. Make sure that the layout is easy to look at so your learners can stay focused.
Good Reasoning for Assets
Although there are multiple types of assets, all design assets should have specific and carefully thought-out reasoning for being present within your eLearning slides. As discussed before, slide designs can easily become overcrowded or distracting for a learner. It is important to focus on what will help the learner understand and remember the content.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Graphic Design plays a pivotal role in the eLearning industry, offering a multitude of advantages to both learners and the course creators. Having an understanding of key principles and elements can be a valuable asset, enhancing the overall learning experience.
Graphic Design knowledge helps enhance visual appeal and let’s learners navigate content with ease while highlighting crucial information along the way. Customisation is key, remember to recognise that learners have different preferences and learning styles when creating courses.
Every design asset should have a clear purpose, helping learners understand and retain the material. In the world of eLearning, Graphic Design thinking continues to prove its worth, transforming online education into a visually engaging and comprehensible journey that maximizes learning outcomes.