Graphics for the Web
Visual enhancement of learning has always been a part of the traditional classroom, and the same holds true for the e-learning environment. The web is a visual medium and it only makes sense to take advantage of this as much as reasonably possible when teaching online. However, graphics can either make or break an online learning experience, depending upon how the graphics are used. The effective use of graphics may include:
- illustrating what a particular person, place or object looks like
- illustrating a concept that is difficult to describe in words (animations can be particularly useful in this area)
- Using images (both small in number and size) to give your web pages a sense of graphic identity and uniformity
The question to keep foremost in your minds when working with images is "What educational purpose does this graphic serve?" Once you determine that the graphic(s) you want to use contributes to the learning experience, then just keep in mind that the number and size of the graphics can contribute significantly to the download time of web pages. The tutorials below are designed to help you with the essentials of creating online graphics for the Web.
PaintShop Pro (for PC users)
