Ten Graphic Design Tips for eLearning

January 15, 2015

Graphic design plays a rather large role in online learning.Sure, the content will always be the most important. But your graphic design isnext in line. Today, the majority of online classes include some sort ofPowerPoint presentation, video, or PDF handout. Within each of these courseelements, you can find graphic design.

Your students and peers will definitely notice your images,fonts, and layouts. So, why not impress them? I’ve rounded up 10 tips to helpyou become more successful with your eLearning graphic design.

Usestrong, good quality images. If you use stock photo images (here are 10 free resources) within your course, always download the largest fileavailable. The bigger the image, the better the quality. You can always scalean image down, but you cannot make a small image larger without it becomingpixelated. We also recommend notdownloading images from Google. There are many copyrights out there and it’sbetter to be safe than sorry. Use stock photos or create your own.
Avoid toomuch text. It’s easy to overwhelm your students with an overload ofinformation. When creating an online presentation, stick to bulleted lists andjust a few ideas per slide. Big paragraphs of text on each PowerPoint slide area big no-no.
Be sureyour images have a purpose. Don’t use graphics just to fill your emptyspace throughout your online course. Each graphic should be valuable to thecourse content. Use meaningful images. Remember, a picture is worth a thousandwords.
Don’tforget readability. When choosing fonts, sometimes it is best keep it simple.Sure, maybe there is a super cool new font (or two) you want to use, but ifyour students can’t read it, what’s the point? Don’t compromise readability fora trendy new font.
Simplifyvisual data. If you are including charts, graphs, or any type of visualdata—try simplifying it for the students. Instead of going way too in-depth,create a brief overview that is easy and quick to understand. If you absolutelyneed to include all in-depth data,create an additional resource for the students to download.
Don’t beafraid of empty space. Sometimes lessis more. If you have included all the necessary information on a slide andare left with extra white space, consider leaving it as is. Adding more contentor more meaningless graphics will only overwhelm and possibly confuse yourstudents. Instead, move on to the next course section and appreciate a littlebit of white space.
Learn tolove contrast. Include contrasting colors, shapes, and images within youreLearning graphic design. This will help your students stay focused. For example, instead of making the wholecourse all one shade of blue, add a bit of orange to add some visual appeal.One benefit of using more than one color throughout your course is that you canhighlight the important factors easily.
Beconsistent. If you have many different course sections, handouts, orpresentations—keep them uniform. Everything within a single course should flowtogether and match a theme. All those slides within a PowerPoint presentationshould be created with the same template, colors, and fonts. Check out thesedo’s and don’ts for branding your course.
Keeptitles simple. Many times your different course sections, videos, handouts,and tests have unique titles within a single course. Be sure those titles arerelatively short and informative. When the student opens a course presentation,the very first slide should be a title slide. The student should instantly knowwhat the presentation is about and what to expect.
Have fun. If you want your students toenjoy your online course, have a little fun with it! Choosing bright colors andgraphics can lighten the mood. Avoid too much mundane text that nobody (noteven you) wants to read. If you have an intro video, maybe consider cracking ajoke to start out. There are many different ways to have fun with your courseand make it more enjoyable for youand your students.