Visuals for Interactive Videoconferences

1. Visuals for Interactive Videoconferences 1999 Institute for Distance & Distributed Learning iddl@vt.edu Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061-0445 540-231-3054

2. It’s all about legibility 1999 Institute for Distance & Distributed Learning iddl@vt.edu Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061-0445 540-231-3054

3. Factors to Consider Background Contrast Color Font Graphic Density 1999 Institute for Distance & Distributed Learning iddl@vt.edu Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061-0445 540-231-3054

4. Choosing a Background Choosing a Background Choosing a Background Choosing a Background Choosing a Background 1999 Institute for Distance & Distributed Learning iddl@vt.edu Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061-0445 540-231-3054

5. Background Text on patterned background… difficult to read 1999 Institute for Distance & Distributed Learning iddl@vt.edu Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061-0445 540-231-3054

6. Text on a solid background better 1999 Institute for Distance & Distributed Learning iddl@vt.edu Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061-0445 540-231-3054

7. Contrast • High contrast is best • Similar colors are difficult to read 1999 Institute for Distance & Distributed Learning iddl@vt.edu Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061-0445 540-231-3054

8. White on Black Black on White 1999 Institute for Distance & Distributed Learning iddl@vt.edu Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061-0445 540-231-3054

9. Gray on gray is okay 1999 Institute for Distance & Distributed Learning iddl@vt.edu Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061-0445 540-231-3054

10. Beige on Green 1999 Institute for Distance & Distributed Learning iddl@vt.edu Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061-0445 540-231-3054

11. Lighter backgrounds are okay to use 1999 Institute for Distance & Distributed Learning iddl@vt.edu Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061-0445 540-231-3054

12. Don’t get too fancy. 1999 Institute for Distance & Distributed Learning iddl@vt.edu Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061-0445 540-231-3054

13. Gradients are fine (but stay away from minimal contrast areas.) 1999 Institute for Distance & Distributed Learning iddl@vt.edu Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061-0445 540-231-3054

14. Hot colors are distracting Tend to bleed or vibrate Very bad with green! Color Choices • Toomanycolorscanbedistracting 1999 Institute for Distance & Distributed Learning iddl@vt.edu Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061-0445 540-231-3054

15. Keep it simple Limit to two or three colors Keep consistent text and background colors Color Choices 1999 Institute for Distance & Distributed Learning iddl@vt.edu Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061-0445 540-231-3054

16. Drawing Attention to Text • alignment • capitalization • color 1999 Institute for Distance & Distributed Learning iddl@vt.edu Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061-0445 540-231-3054

17. The eye naturally looks to the left and expects to find text here Centering text emphasizes it Center Titles 1999 Institute for Distance & Distributed Learning iddl@vt.edu Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061-0445 540-231-3054

18. Emphasis with Color Use one color if possible. Two colors may confuse. Threeaccent colors become an art exhibit. 1999 Institute for Distance & Distributed Learning iddl@vt.edu Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061-0445 540-231-3054

19. CAPITALIZATION THE VISUAL EQUIVALENT OF SHOUTING! HARD TO READ AND IS USED ONLY FOR EMPHASIS 1999 Institute for Distance & Distributed Learning iddl@vt.edu Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061-0445 540-231-3054

20. Use One Don’t use two emphasis methods on the same SLIDE. It becomes confusing to your students who aren’t quite sure what to watch ANYMORE. 1999 Institute for Distance & Distributed Learning iddl@vt.edu Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061-0445 540-231-3054

21. Font Size This is a 60 point font This is a 48 point font This is a 40 point font This is a 36 point font This 24 point font is too small This 18 point font is a joke 1999 Institute for Distance & Distributed Learning iddl@vt.edu Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061-0445 540-231-3054

22. Serifs Use a font without serifs (Helvetica) Serif fonts, while more stylish, are harder to read. 1999 Institute for Distance & Distributed Learning iddl@vt.edu Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061-0445 540-231-3054

23. Text Density Most students would be severely daunted by this slide. It has way too much information on it and becomes difficult to process. Keep text under twenty-five words. This slide has thirty-six words on it. 1999 Institute for Distance & Distributed Learning iddl@vt.edu Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061-0445 540-231-3054

24. Text Density bullet main points expound verbally or graphically don’t read verbatim 1999 Institute for Distance & Distributed Learning iddl@vt.edu Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061-0445 540-231-3054

25. Chart Junk 60 Tertiary zone of interference Percent Inference 50 Broad jump-eighth grade 40 30 20 10 Interstitial bonding 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 Temperature of Subcutination 1999 Institute for Distance & Distributed Learning iddl@vt.edu Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061-0445 540-231-3054

26. Watch the Margins If you aren’t careful you can easily exceed the viewable part of the screen. 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 1999 Institute for Distance & Distributed Learning iddl@vt.edu Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061-0445 540-231-3054

27. Variety Graphic diversity is interesting Switching too fast can confuse Identify the source PC Document camera VCR 1999 Institute for Distance & Distributed Learning iddl@vt.edu Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061-0445 540-231-3054