Information and digital literacy in education via the digital path

Our podcast focuses on the readings for Visual Literacy II. We review the Multimedia Principle and The Redundancy Principle by Clark and Mayer, and The cognitive style of PowerPoint by Tufte. We discuss different types of graphics and how they can effectively compliment text in eLearning and we talk about when text or graphics can be unnecessary or have a negative effect on the learner. Finally we share how PowerPoint, although a commonly used platform, is often ineffective and in certain cases, harmful, to audiences.

According to LinkedIn Learning research, new graduates – defined as people six months out of college or less – disproportionately learn data visualization. While this speaks to an immediate need new graduates face, mastering this skill early will give new graduates a huge edge in the workforce.

Resources from Michelle's 89th Edweb.net webinar.

This ebook was designed with English language teachers in mind but should have some value for any teacher who is interested in developing their students’ digital literacy and critical thinking skills.
The book contains a wide range of suggested activities for both the creation and exploitation of infographics in the classroom.

Being consistent need not be boring. Here are five rules to help you create a visually consistent eLearning course that doesn’t bring on yawns.

Samantha Lile writes: "Long ago, storytellers were wise old men and women who conveyed tales of the ancients and lessons learned through the ages. Later, stories were told by authors, playwrights and directors. But thanks to technology, anyone can now become a storyteller, a reporter and a publisher.

Visual storytelling, in particular, has emerged as an important trend in web and graphic design, as well as other forms of marketing in the digital era – and for good reason. The visual cortex is the largest section of the human brain. According to a 2008 study, the average person remembers about 10 percent of what they hear when tested 72 hours later. But when visuals are added into the mix, the figure increases to 65 percent."

When asked what my first language is, I often answer, “visual.” I think in images, prefer to be taught through images, and like to express what I know through images. I find it disconcerting that as learners progress to the higher grades, there is less use of images and visuals to teach concepts.

The power of the use of vision for learning is emphasized by developmental molecular biologist, John Medina, where in his publication, Brain Rules, he states:

eLearning courses are seldom complete without images. But how do you select and incorporate the apt images in eLearning? Well, we have the best tips for you!