Effective Communication for Digital Learning Design

Effective Communication for Digital Learning Design

Effective Communication for Digital Learning Design

 
 

3.1 Discuss the role of image in communication.

 

 

 I would like to describe in detail what is required for effective verbal

communication, written communication and non-verbal communication for Digital Learning.

 I would like also to mention how relevant verbal communication, written communication,

non-verbal communication is for the role of imagery in communication, equality of access to

 your content imagery and text, layouts for my E-Learning package when designing E-Learning

 content. I just wanted to explain what skills and factors you need to make  

 

verbal Communication, written communication and non-verbal communication effective.

  It is important in verbal communication to initiate opening

communication, reinforcement, effective listening, questioning, closed, opened questions,

 reflecting and clarifying, summarising, closing communication.

In effective Written Communication know your goals and state it clearly, language needs to be

 simple, good grammar and punctuation are important, explain in clear terms what you mean

so that reader can understand, leave out the words that do not contribute to the main

communication.

In Non-Verbal Communication you need to modify what is said in words, convey information

 about emotional state, explain the relationship between people, provide feedback, regulate the

 flow of communication. There are different types of non-verbal communication: body

movements, posture, eye contact, para language, facial expressions, psychological changes,

closeness or personal space.

Now let's have a look and analyse how images influence verbal communication, written

communication and non-verbal communication. We will look in more details how they affect it.

Verbal communication is very different from written and non-verbal communication. In Verbal

 communication you communicate face-to-face, over the telephone, you listen to the radio,

 television or other media, you talk directly to another user, exchange views and participate

verbally through speech or discuss ideas. You tend to use shorter words than in written

communication. You can also use gestures like in non-verbal communications, your hands

 and body posture. 

In Non-Verbal Communication you use body language, gestures and even

 your dress code can convey message to the user and you can use your hands and other

ways. You do not speak to people like in verbal communication.

In Written communication you communicate in written form, through letters, emails, books,

magazines, the Internet or via other media.

There is also another method of communication through visualisations like graphs, maps,

logos and other visualisations convey message to the reader.

Just to summarise I explained various types of communication. Now I would like to look at role

 of images in communication in Digital Learning Design Environment.  Images have big impact

 on communication and how it is perceived by the reader.  In verbal communication you can

 use images when you talk and communicate directly with the person. When you talk you can

 show your e-learning package to the user and show what design you created and what project

 you created.  In constructive feedback, you communicate directly with the users and obtain

 feedback from them how to improve on your E-Learning package. You show them images and

 work you did. I did that with my Health and Safety package where I was suggested to change

font and images. You can also discuss the E-learning package you created with your project

 co-ordinator and your colleague and exchange views together what needs to be done, obtain

 information you need to include in your E-Learning package and questions and answers and

 also discuss with your colleague how you will share your work, what design and images you

 will use. For example I did that in my Health and Safety E-Learning package where we

 discussed what images I should be using, what font to include, and with Nathan we agreed

that he will do information for the project and I quiz questions. We both obtained information

from project co-ordinator what questions I needed to include, designed template and discussed

 and showed what images to include and planned ahead the project.

In Non-Verbal Communication images speak for themselves. Images keep learners interested

 in the topic and enable them to learn quicker. It is boring to read the whole text without images

 and learner would quickly lose interest. When learner look at images they are more interested.

In more advanced E-learning packages you can express through images emotional state of the

 image, its meaning and also flow of non-verbal communication. Body movements, dress code

 of characters and background what surrounds them convey message to the learner. Let's look

 at my Health and Safety package where I used various animations and characters like fireman

 running, ambulance, hazardous substances and other images, which convey message about

Health and Safety regulations to the reader and communicate with the learner non-verbally.

Images also break the text and add up various learning styles. Images are also useful for

disabled learners with limitations. For example, deaf users can look at images and understand

 the topic much better and learn quicker.

Let's look at role of images in written communication. It is important to use large font so that

learner can clearly see the text. Images should be large enough for the learners to see them.

 

 I would recommend to limit the amount of text and keep language and text simple. Check your

 grammar and spelling. I would also recommend to include more images so again it keeps

learner interested. Templates are good way of using the text and images to plan your

E-Learning package. Design is also important how you will structure sentences, where you will

 put images and plan the layout. I did that in my storyboard for Health and Safety where I used

clear text to plan Health and Safety storyboard.

In Visualisations  visual aids help learners to learn quicker. Every learner has got various

learning styles. Some people learn quicker through written form some through images. I find

visualisation most effective and quickest way of learning.

I think that visual communication is the answer here to this question. In my opinion, visual

communication is about the art of listening, capturing key information, build team working

,

releasing creativity, themes, outcomes, feeling valued, achieving goals, sharing, valuing ideas,

  sharing, visualing ideas, encouraging to talk, think outside the box, themes, outcomes. In my

 Gypsy Traveller Awareness Month presentation I used various images, which aim was to raise

 cultural gypsy awareness.  I used loud speaker and rotating cultural awareness image, target

arrows, 500 and 300 number, nomadic, fact or myth, blackboard, benefits, tax, time to work,

caravan and information pictures in the background. I am using pictures in this graphic

presentation to dispel ungrounded myths relating to gypsies and travellers. I captured key

information about the gypsy culture and their history and background. I created simple fact or

myth questions so that this was interactive for learners. Before I did that presentation I

visualised my ideas by planning which image I will choose for background and I already had

visual plan in my head. In Mixing Colours project I thought outside the box and I thought which

font to use what images to put and what colours to use. I released my creativity and I achieved

positive outcome as learners learnt how to mix colours.

 My images expressed mixing colours

and I educated learners about how to mix colours. I used images to communicate the idea of

 mixing colours. My mixing colours presentation also build team working during my

 

constructive  feedback meetings as colleagues communicated and discussed what I should

 

improve like  make font bigger, changed font and made it larger and change colours and few

 

 images and I  valued colleagues ideas during constructive feedback and changed font

 

colours, added additional slide and shared ideas with them like I suggested that my colleague

 

 should add  more instructions what learners should do and I listened during constructive

 

feedback to my  colleagues ideas and paid attention to them. Throughout my presentations I

 

educated students about gypsy culture and mixing colours and Piet Mondrian primary colours.

 

 

 

 

 

3.2 Describe how to use image and text to enhance

equality of access.

Text and image is effective to enhance equality of access.  In Mixing Colours and Piet

Mondrian Primary Colours I used too small font. During my constructive feedback I made

 bigger font which was better for users to ee the text.  Images are also very important to

enhance equality of access. There can be users who have specific needs such as deafness

, blindness and I can adapt content to meet their needs. In Mixing Colours, I made image

bigger so that partially blind person can see better the project.  I think that equality of access

means that regardless of age, education, ethnicity, language, income, physical limitations, or

geographic barriers, everybody can obtain information electronically and in print. In my graphic

 presentations Gypsy Traveller Awareness Month, Mixing Colours and Piet Mondrian Primary

 Colours I used big large font, large big images so that everybody can clearly see the graphics

 clearly and easily regardless of age, background, education and health state. It is very

important to make image and text visible for learners. Previously my images were too small

and text was too small. That is why I made images, text, font bold larger so that everybody can

clearly see the graphic presentation. I received that feedback during my presentation and I

implemented it. Learners regardless of their language, disability or background can read and

see and understand these presentation in electronic format or print or slide version.

 

 

 
 

3.3 Outline the sequence of activities used in producing an

 online layout.

I wanted to show you what I have planned for an ELP. I can show you this by demonstrating an

 example of a storyboard I have completed. This is for my Gypsy & Traveller Awareness

Month, I sketched images and wrote text on storyboard template to produce an online layout.

 This was like an action plan before I created actual Gypsy & Traveller Awareness Month

graphic presentation. Before I did it,  I visually planned in my mind what images I will be using

and what text I will include so I had a good plan ahead in my mind. Later I sketched it and draw

 these images and wrote text. This was my storyboard template which I used. Finally, I created

actual graphic presentation for Gypsy & Traveller Awareness Month. These are sequence of

activities that I used before I produced an online layout Step 1 visual planning ideas Step 2

Drawing Sketch Writing in Action Plan Statement Step 3 Creating Presentation.  As you can

see simple steps help before you create a design. I always plan ahead before I create the

presentation. It is always a good idea to plan ahead before you create the plan.

 

 

 

3.4 Explain the concept of copyright in own organisational

 context and its relevance and significance for digital

learning design.

I would like to provide a detailed description of how copyright affects my role, how this makes

my job harder or easier, what happens to projects, how to use different methods. Copyright is a

 legal right that gives the publisher his rights for use and distribution of his project. If you have

 your own image or artwork you created you have copy rights for this image. If somebody else

 uses your image, then this means that they violate your copyrights policy. Consequences of

that can be serious as you may have to pay fine to the creator or they could sue you or just

send you a warning message not to use their image anymore. Most companies would just ask

 you to remove the image before taking any legal action.  If you only use images for education

 purposes you may have to attribute the author by giving them a credit. This is easily done by

just copying and pasting by giving them credit. 



How would you feel if somebody used your image without you knowing? You would not be

happy.  I would recommend to stay away from using images which are not yours. Best is to use

 free websites like pixabay or flaticon or elearningbrothers where you can use free images.

These are free copyright images and you can use them anytime. You do not have to attribute

the author.  Some images may have embedded on their photo c, which means they are

 copyright protected.  Best advice is not to use images, which are not yours. Just create your

own image or copy your image from pixabay, flaticon or elearningbrothers free images where

 you do not need copyrights.

Copyrights affects my role in various ways. As mentioned above, copyrights makes my job

much easier because I use mainly images from Pixabay for my Elearning projects like Health

 and Safety or Mixing colours. My projects are then protected because I do not violate anyone's

 copyright policy.