Designing Instructional Graphics for Abstract Concepts

• In Event: Instructional Technology SIG Paper Session: Instructional Design and Technology Integration

Abstract

This instructional development study investigates how expert designers select graphics to represent abstract concepts addressed in learning objectives. This study was a purposeful approach to documenting where and how such graphics may be identified given the abstract concepts. The initial research question asked how do two academically prepared and experienced instructional design graduate faculty members collaborate to select graphics to cue or illustrate abstract human performance technology concept? The effectiveness of the signs and pictures proved to be vital not only to the conveyance of the HPT course concepts, but to the very process of clear course design. The study revealed the unanticipated process of how an SME and an instructional designer collaboratively selected abstract concepts graphics.

Authors

• Kathryn Ley, University of Houston - Clear Lake

• Ruth C. Gannon-Cook, DePaul University