The Importance of Visual Design and Aesthetics in the Design of Online Learning Courseware.

Reyna Zeballos, JL

The Importance of Visual Design and Aesthetics in the Design of Online Learning Courseware.

Reyna Zeballos, JL

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Publication Type:: Conference Proceeding
Citation:: 2017
Issue Date:: 2017-12-01

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Reyna Zeballos, JL https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9909-0581	en_US
dc.date	2017-11-26	en_US
dc.date.issued	2017-12-01	en_US
dc.identifier.citation	2017	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/121525
dc.description.abstract	Creating effective online learning courseware requires instructional and pedagogical approaches (Quinton, 2009), but also working knowledge in visual design and aesthetics (Hashimoto & Clayton, 2009). Research has demonstrated that aesthetics plays a significant role in shaping user responses to products and websites (Lavie & Tractinsky, 2004; Lindgaard, 2007). Users also draw on aesthetic factors to judge usability and credibility (Malamed, 2015). From the usability and accessibility perspective, visual design can be considered an essential component of the online learning experience. For example, students with colour impairment will not be able to distinguish between red and green colours (Reyna et al., 2016). In online learning, it is, therefore important for educational institutions and faculty to consider the educational function of visual content and the aesthetic judgments that are being made by students (Reyna, 2013). The rules that govern aesthetics are supported by different disciplines such as visual design (Kimball, 2013), neuroscience (LeDoux, 1989, 1992), psychology (Chang et al., 2002), and multimedia learning principles (Mayer, 2008). Including visual content and applying aesthetic standards during online course development can ultimately improve not only the visual appearance of course content but can also improve how students react to and interact with those courses (Reyna, 2013). The aim of this paper is to discuss the importance of visual design enablers for online learning such as layout design, colour theory, typography, and use of images. The link between the enablers and multimedia learning principles is examined. The implications of visual design on usability, accessibility and online learning are discussed.	en_US
dc.relation.ispartof	Australian Association for Research in Education	en_US
dc.title	The Importance of Visual Design and Aesthetics in the Design of Online Learning Courseware.	en_US
dc.type	Conference Proceeding
utslib.location.activity	Canberra, ACT.	en_US
pubs.embargo.period	Not known	en_US
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Science
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Students
utslib.copyright.status	open_access
pubs.consider-herdc	false	en_US
pubs.finish-date	2017-11-30	en_US
pubs.publication-status	Published	en_US
pubs.start-date	2017-11-26	en_US

Abstract:

Creating effective online learning courseware requires instructional and pedagogical approaches (Quinton, 2009), but also working knowledge in visual design and aesthetics (Hashimoto & Clayton, 2009). Research has demonstrated that aesthetics plays a significant role in shaping user responses to products and websites (Lavie & Tractinsky, 2004; Lindgaard, 2007). Users also draw on aesthetic factors to judge usability and credibility (Malamed, 2015). From the usability and accessibility perspective, visual design can be considered an essential component of the online learning experience. For example, students with colour impairment will not be able to distinguish between red and green colours (Reyna et al., 2016). In online learning, it is, therefore important for educational institutions and faculty to consider the educational function of visual content and the aesthetic judgments that are being made by students (Reyna, 2013). The rules that govern aesthetics are supported by different disciplines such as visual design (Kimball, 2013), neuroscience (LeDoux, 1989, 1992), psychology (Chang et al., 2002), and multimedia learning principles (Mayer, 2008). Including visual content and applying aesthetic standards during online course development can ultimately improve not only the visual appearance of course content but can also improve how students react to and interact with those courses (Reyna, 2013). The aim of this paper is to discuss the importance of visual design enablers for online learning such as layout design, colour theory, typography, and use of images. The link between the enablers and multimedia learning principles is examined. The implications of visual design on usability, accessibility and online learning are discussed.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/121525