Thinking like a designer can transform the way people learn.
Why Design Matters
One of the touchstones of the design world is the unity of form and function. This “big picture / small picture” harmony is an equally crucial lesson for learners of all ages. Whereas art is something we look at, design is something we use everyday. It gives context to content and supports the relationship between the two. Good design of information delivers content that is engaging to the eye without becoming a distraction. It guides our attention through carefully controlled and selected visual components; it retreats to the background, enabling the purpose of the finished product to come forward.
Resources
The following resources provide educators with helpful information for creating engaging learning materials.
Designing Information
Visual Communication
Graphicacy = Visual Literacy + Visual Thinking
Graphicacy And Teaching The Art Of Seeing
Graphicacy: The Neglected Fourth "R"
Graphicacy: Deciphering the Code
Graphicacy - The Key To Visual Thinking In A Differentiated Classroom
Graphicacy: 4 Steps To Understanding An Image
Engaging With Text
Design 101 For Educators: 5 Simple Typography Tips
Beginner's Guide To Pairing Fonts
Fun With Fonts or Teaching Typefaces As Tools
Why Teachers Should Care About Typography
Why Students Should Care About Typography
Best Practices of Combining Typefaces
The Do's And Dont's Of Typography
Visual Letters: Language In Motion
Media Resources
Design steers the eye, and removes the noise.
About the Authors
Mercer Hall is a a five-time honoree as Teacher Of The Year, a co-founder of The ASIDE Blog, and an education writer. Follow @theASIDEblog.
Patricia Russac is a co-founder of The ASIDE Blog, a TED Educator, a PBS LearningMedia Digital Innovator, and a NAIS Teacher of the Future. Follow @theASIDEblog.
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Copyright 2015