Category: Assignment 1 – Blog Posts

For this module I explored the use of AI and data visualization. Both are very interesting to me as I am a computer science student and very fascinated by data visualization.

Generative AI Exploration

ChatGPT

When I first tested ChatGPT, I asked a simple question in Egyptian colloquial Arabic, using the English alphabet transliteration. It should be noted that Egyptian colloquial Arabic is a solely spoken language and is very specific to the country. Therefore, I was very interested to know if ChatGPT could follow a specific dialect. I really did not think that ChatGPT would be able to understand my question in transliterated colloquial Egyptian Arabic – but surprisingly, it did.  

(OpenAI, 2023a)

Translation:

Me: My name is Maya, what is your name?

ChatGPT: I am AI, I do not have a name. I am happy to answer any questions you may have.

Next, I asked ChatGPT to make some sample questions for the digital design (CSC355) course I am currently taking. The professor had not given us many practice questions, so I wanted to see if ChatGPT could create some to help me study.

(OpenAI, 2023b)

The generated questions were very vague. I was unable to solve the questions from the limited information it provided. Additionally, the answers were incorrect. It really did not give me any answers, only instructions on how to solve it. I found this very intriguing.

Lastly, I asked Chat GPT to add comments to some sample code I found online. As a computer science student, commenting and documenting code is very time consuming and difficult. If AI could do this, it would make my coding assignments a lot simpler.

(OpenAI, 2023c)

It did a very good job. Some of the comments were redundant and overly complicated, but overall it was very useful and I will probably use it again for this purpose in the future.

SOUNDRAW

The second AI I used was SOUNDRAW. This was a very interesting AI where different genres, moods, themes, tempo, length, and instruments can be selected to find a sound. I selected laid back, peaceful, R&B, and pop.

(SOUNDRAW, 2023)

It responded with several different options, which I listened to and enjoyed. There were no voices and it seemed as if the options given were from a previously created list. When selecting the options, it provided a list of AI generated sounds that matched my selection. I was under the impression that it created sounds from a unique combination of selections. But overall, it was fun to play around with the different sounds and selections.

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Reflection Questions

First of all, I think that the use of ChatGPT is being sensationalized.  When computers and the internet were introduced, there were citizens who were concerned about the negative impact it would have on our society. However, as we can see people didn’t become mindless drones now that computers and the internet have become commonplace. As humans when we adapt our use of new technology, there is a shift in our learning and mindsets. Our society’s way of handling AI should be monitored and carefully criticized, but also embraced for the multitude of greatness it can bring.

Have you used AI applications before? If you have, what have you used them for? What apps have you come across that are not in the Explore section that you’ve found useful?

I have used ChatGPT almost daily since it became available in November 2022. It is an amazing tool if used correctly. I use it mainly for studying as it explains concepts extremely well and helps me brainstorm for assignments. As for AI outside of the explore section, I have used PowerBI’s AI “insights” feature. In this feature, when adding components to the visualization page it summarizes the key points of the visualizations created. It is very useful, powerful and has many applications.

What guidelines do you think should be in place to guide their use in an educational institution? What factors should be considered?

I think that the university should allow students to use AI – and I have had several professors say so themselves – but this should come with strict guidelines. AI can be a wonderful collaborator on assignments for example, but it really shouldn’t do all the work. I also suspect it would not do a very good job (as discussed in the Module 5 reading). One factor to consider is that AI detectors do not work 100% of the time. It would be difficult to unequivocally tell if a student has used it or not. Additionally, people will choose to use it whether it is allowed or not. Educational institutions should allow AI for students to utilize, as it most certainly will be a part of their lives after university. We should also ensure students cite it as a source rather than copy the output word for word since it is a useful and powerful tool that students must learn to use effectively.

I had an unfortunate experience working on a group project with a team member who used ChatGPT to generate their entire part of the assignment. I first became suspicious when I noticed that the writing was bland and did not match the topic of the paper. Then we watched our group member copy and paste text into the document.  I later verified that it was indeed AI generated with the AI detector. We informed the professor, and he told us we should confront our group member and give them two options: rewrite this work or write about their experience using ChatGPT in this assignment and to add ChatGPT as an author. The student chose to rewrite their section in the end. I felt as though the professor presented us with some solid choices. I think the professor was even a little disappointed when our group member chose to rewrite their work, since reflecting on using Chat GPT as an aid for writing assignments is a unique and new, possibly emerging concept. AI is a new change in our world, and it was refreshing to see that the university is embracing its use.

What might you use AI tools for moving forward? What would you not use them for?

In the future I believe I will use AI for understanding concepts, brainstorming, and editing my work. It seems like it does a great job at doing these things and I find these tasks difficult to do on my own. I am not planning to use AI for creating practice questions, finding sources, and commenting my code. These are more complex, difficult tasks that I have found AI does not do very well yet. I have found that ChatGPT’s results are not complete, correct, or reflective of what I am thinking. But the beauty of AI is that it is always advancing and it will probably improve over time. I am interested to see how it evolves and plan to test it out monthly to monitor this.

Where do you think these tools will be in their evolution in 2-3 years’ time?

I think the expansion of AI will drastically evolve over time. It is really difficult to know exactly how AI will advance as I expect it will operate in unimaginable ways, making it difficult for us to understand the future ramifications. I do believe that AI will eventually get to the stage where it sounds precisely like humans and is able to do our jobs even better than us. There are already Instagram accounts that mimic the likeness of celebrities but are completely AI. Try searching @yoursisbillie on Instagram. It is an Instagram account of Kendall Jenner – only it is not her, it’s an AI generated likeness of her completely controlled by AI. I think that eventually AI will be accepted by humans, and it will become a normal part of our life – like computers. At one point, we will not even remember what life was like before AI.

What examples have you seen of good data visualization?

I really enjoyed the presentation by David McCandless “The beauty of data visualization” for this module’s reading. He showed some very straightforward, informational, and aesthetically pleasing data visualizations. Additionally, during the COVID-19 pandemic, there were several dashboards that showed the spread of COVID like this one by the World Health Organization . One of my favorite examples of data visualizations is Florence Nightingale. During the Crimean War, Nightingale collected and analyzed vast amounts of data on mortality rates among soldiers. Her diagram, The Nightingale Rose Diagram, was used to show the number of deaths caused by preventable diseases such as typhus, typhoid, and cholera in military hospitals. By visualizing the data in this way, she could clearly show that a majority of the deaths were due to poor sanitation. Her visualizations effectively correlated the significance of hygiene and sanitation, leading to improvements in healthcare practices and policies (DataCamp, 2023).

Have you come across any examples of data represented in a way that is false or misleading? How did you recognize that?

I did an interdisciplinary, self-directed class last semester where I created data visualization dashboards for the Vancouver Island Health Authority. Although I was the one creating the visualizations, I found that several times the graphs and measures resulted in misleading results. I did not realize how easy it was to do this beforehand. I always thought that data is data and that it cannot be manipulated. But I was very wrong. I realized this by analyzing how the visualizations change with different summarizations. If I switched between sum, average, and median, I got a variety of different graphs. It was important that I analyzed how the data was collected, how the data is formatted (percentage, whole number, etc.), and how graphs present the data. It was very easy to mislead the viewers.

Below I have my elevator pitch presentation from this class if you would like to view it. Please note that this was before this class and if I could go back in time, I would definitely implement some of Mayer’s Principles into my presentation!

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References

DataCamp. (2023). Florence Nightingale: Pioneer of Data Visualization. DataCamp. https://www.datacamp.com/blog/florence-nightingale-pioneer-of-data-visualization

OpenAI. (2023a, Nov. 5). [ChatGPT response from asking its name in Arabic]. https://chat.openai.com/

OpenAI. (2023b, Nov. 5). [ChatGPT response asking for sample questions]. https://chat.openai.com/

OpenAI. (2023c, Nov. 5). [ChatGPT response from asking it to add comments to code]. https://chat.openai.com/

SOUNDRAW. (2023, Nov. 5). [SOUNDRAW interface]. https://soundraw.io/

In this module, I learned and applied principles of learning design and active learning. I had the opportunity to explore H5P, learn about active learning, create a lesson plan, and reflect on my learning experiences.

H5P

Word Search

Structure of a Tree

Lesson Plan

Overview

This week, students will be learning about trees. They are essential for maintaining the balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, providing habitats for various species, preventing soil erosion, and providing resources crucial for human survival and well-being. Trees are part of the science curriculum and are required by the British Columbia Grade 3 curriculum. Last week students learned about plants, providing a basis as to what trees are and their importance. Next week students will learn about the environment, which trees are an important member of.

Here is a link to a video that will introduce students to the importance of trees.

Lesson Objectives

By the end of the lesson:

• Learners will be able to identify the different parts of a tree.
• Learners will be able to name the different types of trees.
• Learners will be able to identify trees in nature.
• Learners will understand the importance of trees on our planet and in our ecosystem.

Read/Watch

Students will watch this video and read “The Busy Tree” by Jennifer Ward.

Since students are young, parents will be asked to set up the video and read the book to the students. The book will be available in the classroom for parents.

Content

• The teacher will review the different parts of a tree by using a diagram and illustrations.
• The teacher will explain the two types of trees with pictures.
• The teacher will explain how trees provide oxygen and how this affects people and the planet.
• The teacher will explain how leaves, wood, and food are harvested from trees to provide humans with resources.
• The teacher will explain how animals use trees for homes and food.

Application

Students will complete both H5P learning activities (Structure of a Tree and Word Search) to test their knowledge of the topics.

Students and teachers will walk around the school grounds and identify trees as well as each type.

Students and teachers will walk around the school and identify where and how trees are being used (food, wood, etc.).

Students will go home and complete a similar activity. They will write down three examples of trees being used in and around their home.

These activities will allow students to apply their knowledge from the classroom and show their understanding of trees.

Reflection

Students discuss their findings from home the following day with 2-3 other students and they will answer the following questions in their group:

1. What was the most surprising find?
2. How do you think trees affect your life day to day?
3. What types of trees did you see around your home? Why do you think this is?

Afterwards the teacher will lead a classroom discussion on their findings.

To Do This Week

• Watch the video “Trees for Kids”
• Read the book “The Busy Tree” by Jennifer Ward
• Complete H5P activity: Word Search
• Complete H5P activity: Structure of a Tree
• Identify three ways trees are used in and around your home
• Have a discussion with a group of 3-4 students

References

Learn Bright. (2020, May 4). Trees for Kids | Learn all about trees in this fun educational video for kids [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uipjCTg_PqQ

Scaffolding content. (2023, July 27). Office of Curriculum, Assessment and Teaching Transformation – University at Buffalo. https://www.buffalo.edu/catt/develop/build/scaffolding.html

Super Simple Play with Caitie! (2019, July 22). Let’s learn about trees | Caitie’s Classroom [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vitsF-tC8xM

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Reflection Questions

Where do you see constructive alignment and backward design used in this course or another course you are taking/have taken? Is there anywhere where it seems to be missing?

I think that the majority of my university courses have all had constructive alignment and backwards design, but have also been poorly executed. All professors are required to abide by some sort of course outline and objectives which are set by the university. Professors also need to test students to assess their knowledge and ensure they can pass the class to continue their studies. I think the issue comes from the disconnect between this step (testing) and the next step (lessons). In my experience, professors do not cover exam topics enough or completely leave out important exam questions from lectures. This makes it impossible to do well in the class. I feel this is strongly the case in Calculus I and II. There seems to be a disconnect between step 2 and step 3 of backwards design and between assessment and teaching in constrictive alignment.

How have you found the balance of passive and active learning in this course for your learning? How does it compare to your experience in other courses?

I have really enjoyed the balance of passive and active learning in this course. I like that we are required to read or watch educational material and then actually apply the theories. I find that really getting my hands dirty allows me to learn and understand the subject matter better. Unfortunately, this has not been my experience in other courses. As a STEM student, I find that lectures are often simply an opportunity for professors to tell us what to learn. In class, we feel lucky when we have the opportunity to review one simple example question or theory. Outside of class, I have had to practice active learning myself by reviewing questions. There are a few classes that focus more on active learning. For example, this semester I am taking an Augmented Cognition class, and in lectures the professor uses multimedia to test our cognition and we will usually have discussions afterwards. I have found that I not only need to study less, but I look forward to attending the classes. STEM professors have a lot of content that needs to be reviewed and this needs to be taken into consideration. However, I believe that the professors who take the time to implement active learning have much better student engagement and higher student grades.

What was your experience of trying out H5P? Which of the activities do you think you would make most use of in your teaching context and what would you use them to do? Which ones do you think require the most resources to create?

I had a great experience using H5P. It was generally easy to use, and in the end, I created fun and exciting teaching activities. I created two H5P activities, the first one being a word search. I would consider this to be passive learning as students are simply looking for words. This helps students become familiar with the vocabulary and can help with memorization. I also added an activity where students can match the parts of a tree to the words. This allows students to test their knowledge and promote active learning. I did find an issue where the correct section of the tree gets highlighted when you choose a word to drag – but I could not find a fix for this!

I believe that course presentation, interactive videos, crosswords, drag the words, drag and drop, fill in the blanks, find the hotspots, find the words, and image pairing are all great choices for teaching the topic of trees to young students. The course presentation would provide a great way to present the lessons that are engaging and fun. The interactive videos would create a way to present lessons or teach students when they are home or if the lessons are self-paced. I might create a lesson using the interactive video that shows the structure of trees or how to plant them. The crossword puzzles and find the word activities create a way for students to become more familiar with and memorize new vocabulary. Drag the words and fill in the blank activities would create a lesson that tests student comprehension. I might ask students to fill in words of key points during the lesson.  The hotspot would be a great way to test students’ comprehension for visual tests. For example, I might ask students to identity which tree is coniferous. Lastly, image pairing tests students’ knowledge and it could be used to match trees and their respective cones or leaves.

On the other hand, virtual tours and AR scavenger would both require more resources and time. I have seen a presentation on AR and virtual tours, and they are very time consuming to create. Additionally, they require knowledge and experience with this technology to be fully useful. I believe that students in middle or elementary school may not fully understand the technology and therefore might not learn from it. Lastly, AR and virtual tours will require technology for each student/group of students, and this may not be possible from a financial perspective.

In the reading, Students Need to DO Something, do any of the author’s experiences with passive learning in K-12 classrooms resonate with your own? Why do you think active learning is not more prevalent in K-12? Have you tried using any of these activities in a classroom? Which one looks most appealing to you?

I believe I had a very similar experience in middle and high school. In elementary school, I remember going outside to look at plants, making bracelets to signify the steps of the water cycle, and going to Goldstream Park to learn about salmon. In middle and high school, learning becomes more abstract, and it becomes more of a challenge to teach with the active learning method. In my experience, many teachers seemed to focus more on providing students with information and then testing them on it.  Additionally, teachers didn’t always seem to have the time, energy, or the tools to facilitate active learning. When there is more information to teach, it is much easier to put the information on a PowerPoint and play it to the class. I have also tried several of the examples given in the reading. And not surprisingly, they are easy to remember. For example, I did a mini-project on Celine Dion in Grade 6 and I still remember a lot of facts about her and her career. Although I have yet to try it, graphic representation is the learning style that appeals most to me since I am a very visual learner. Therefore, I can see that creating graphics would help me learn.

Can you describe (step by step) an example of scaffolding in a learning experience that you’ve designed or experienced?

This learning experience occurred in my Grade 9 year. My teacher, Mr. Bell, did an excellent job using the scaffolding strategy.

1. Determine what students already know: At the beginning of his class, we took an exam to assess the math we learned in middle school. This allowed him to understand the class level as a whole.
2. Set a learning outcome: Mr. Bell would have looked at the Grade 9 curriculum and set learning goals based on the class’s current level and adjust the curriculum accordingly.  
3. Plan instructional supports: Mr. Bell would next have created lessons that supported students in reaching their learning outcomes. This would also include reviewing Grade 8 material where needed based on the assessment.
4. Implement lessons and monitor progress: Mr. Bell then taught the lessons. He would give us weekly quizzes to access our knowledge to ensure student progress. He would then teach us by providing numerous example questions.
5. Fade support: Mr. Bell gave us homework to complete at home, testing us until we were independently successful.
6. Continue to build on content, monitor, and provide feedback: Mr. Bell continued to quiz and test us, and provide feedback to ensure students were learning and continued on track.

References

Learn Bright. (2020, May 4). Trees for Kids | Learn all about trees in this fun educational video for kids [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uipjCTg_PqQ

Scaffolding content. (2023, July 27). Office of Curriculum, Assessment and Teaching Transformation – University at Buffalo. https://www.buffalo.edu/catt/develop/build/scaffolding.html

Super Simple Play with Caitie! (2019, July 22). Let’s learn about trees | Caitie’s Classroom [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vitsF-tC8xM

With this module I had the opportunity to explore the usage of storytelling to enhance learning. I believe it is a very innate, human experience to love storytelling. This is evident as humans gravitate towards books, movies, and family stories. Last weekend, I went to my grandparent’s apartment and heard stories about them immigrating to Canada from Egypt. Their stories stuck with me, and I hope to pass their stories on to my children to teach them about perseverance. The module reading and my grandparents’ stories really made me realize how powerful storytelling can be while teaching. It allows the learner to imagine and visualize the situation. I am looking forward to applying this in Assignment 2.

Twine

Twine is a storytelling application that allows users to create stories that are “choose your own advantage” style. First of all, I spent some time watching YouTube videos to ensure I knew how to create a story on Twine. After I felt comfortable using Twine, I started creating my story. I did not have a strict plan when creating the different story paths, but I naturally used some of my personal stories/experiences. In one section of my story there is a bear attack and my uncle recently survived one. In my story you have the chance of meeting Robert Irwin, who I enjoy following on Instagram. There is also a chance that Jacob and Edward may join the story as well.

Below are a couple screenshots and a link to my Twine story.

Here is a link to my Twine story: Maya’s Twine Story

Reflection Questions

Describe a meaningful learning experience that started with a story that you heard. What made it impactful for you? What senses did it appeal to? Did you recognize any of the storytelling techniques reviewed this week?

When I was in Grade 3, I had an older teacher who used to tell us stories of her childhood. She told the class that her family was Jewish and when the Holocaust began, her family survived by living in their neighbour’s attic. She was a baby at the time so when searches were conducted of the house, her mother kept her quiet by feeding her Tootsie Rolls. She would always hand out Tootsie Rolls as she told us these stories. I am always transformed back into Grade 3, sitting on the carpet listening to these harrowing stories whenever I see, smell, or eat a Tootsie Roll.

I did not understand the significance of the Holocaust at the time, but once I heard about it again in high school, I realized that I had heard about it before. It made me more interested, and I felt as though I had a personal connection to it. This teacher telling the classroom about her family’s story made use of Mayer’s Personalization Principle.

Overall, this story will always stay with me, and I feel privileged to have heard it.  

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In the reading this week, 7 Storytelling Techniques Used by the Most Inspiring TED Presenters, which of the presenters did you find most compelling? What technique(s) did you recognize in their talk?

The story that I found most compelling was Richard’s story about using technology to scare lions on his father’s farm. The story was short, yet powerful. Everything he said was on topic and the pacing was exceptional. He talked in a friendly and natural manner which aligned with the Mayer’s Personalization Principle. He had many visuals that complimented his story as they were relevant and enhanced the story. For example, he said that his father’s livestock was killed by lions. Then an image appeared that showed a graphic photo of cow that had been killed and eaten. It made me feel compassion and empathy towards his family and provided a personal touch. Overall, I found his TedTalk compelling, educational, and inspiring as a result of his storytelling techniques.

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What storytelling techniques have you used instinctively and which ones require more work for you? Which techniques will you focus on moving forward?

I think that I instinctively use Mayer’s Personalization Principle when storytelling. I feel as though I am a very open person who does not mind sharing personal stories. Personalization connects people and provides an appealing way to package information. I also use a conversational tone which is also part of the Personalization Principle. Additionally, I try to keep stories short to maintain people’s attention which is part of Mayer’s Segmentation Principle. The technique that requires more work for myself is to add visual components (Mayer’s Signalling Principle) as I do not often think of adding this. Additionally, I need to be more aware of ensuring that I follow the universal design for learning principles. Just because I do not need supplements does not mean other people don’t need them. Moving forward I will try to include visual components and use universal design for learning principles in my assignment 2 and future work I do.

This module I had the pleasure of reading and exploring Module 2: Design Principles for Effective and Accessible Multimedia. I really enjoyed this module as I got to learn about accessibility in design. There are so many hidden aspects of having a disability that I would have never thought about and I am glad this module has opened my eyes. I also got to learn how to create effective PowerPoints and infographics. Creativity and presentations do not come easy to me so learning guidelines to create both multimedia gave me confidence and practice in making them.

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Reflection Questions

What did you find when you ran the WAVE accessibility report on your blog post(s)? What did you expect and what was surprising? Is there anything you will do differently going forward?

When I used the WAVE accessibility report, I was pleasantly surprised. When I created my site, I regretfully had not really thought about accessibility methods. My summary report is seen below.

I had zero errors, two contrast errors, two alerts, thirteen features, nineteen structural elements, and eight ARIA. I investigated the two contract errors. These were regarding my username and “ 0 comments” font that were a colour too similar to my sites’ background colour. This is something I would have never been aware of had I not created the site, so I am glad to have been made cognisant of this.

I had also created an alert that warned me that I posted a video. Reflecting back to the module 2 lesson and readings, I should have added captions to this video and alternate texts to all my images.

I will ensure going forward that I employ more accessibility methods like this. Lastly, there was an error that a title heading had skipped a heading level. I was not aware of this issue, so I plan to investigate to see if this can be fixed.

Overall, I really enjoyed using the WAVE report as it made me think outside of the box and ensure I include aspects that provide better learning to people of all accessibility levels. I will be sure to use WAVE in my future module posts and any work I do outside of the classroom.

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Have you used Text to Speech tools before? Did you find it useful? Did you try out some of the different voices? What impact did the different voices have on your ability to absorb information?

I have never used Text to Speech tools before. I fortunately do not have any audio disabilities, so I have never needed to use tools like this before. I did find the tool useful as sometimes my eyes hurt and listening can be easier than reading. Sometimes I still have a difficult time sounding out words and this tool takes that frustration away. I did try a few sample voices including Gwyneth Paltrow, a British woman, and Snoop Dog. I really enjoyed Gwyneth’s voice as it was soothing and calm – I felt relaxed and was better able to absorb the information. I also listened to a British woman’s voice. I am not used to the British accent, so I sometimes had to rewind a few times to fully understand. Snoop Dog, on the other hand, made me laugh and it actually became a distraction. So for studying I don’t think Snoop Dog would be a good idea, but when I need a laugh it would be a great choice.

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What does inclusive design mean to you?

Inclusive design means presenting media with a careful consideration to one’s visible or invisible disabilities. There should be allowances to people with behavioral, sensory, physical, or developmental disabilities. This can include alterative text, captioning, recording presentation, videos with controls, and much more. Although it seems to be extra work for a small percentage of viewers, inclusive design can help a magnitude of people. For example, I find captioning on videos extremely helpful. They allow me to understand people speaking with an unfamiliar accent and see the spelling of words. Furthermore, recording a presentation may help someone who has chronic fatigue syndrome, but it can also help myself by viewing old lectures to review content. Inclusive design must include everyone, regardless of disability, in accessible learning and subsequently help others with their learning.

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What do you think the presentations in The World’s Worst Powerpoint Presentations have in common? Which design principles and which other principles (Mayer’s, Inclusive Design, UDL) are they missing?

The World’s Worst PowerPoint Presentations were all unpleasant and confusing to view and understand. I was not able to easily learn from any of the slides. “The Endless ‘Summary’” was just too much of a cognitive load on my brain. There was too much text and information at once, which is part of the Mayer’s segmenting principle. Additionally, the image in the background was distracting, which is a part of the redundancy principles. There was also no use of the Mayer’s signaling principle to important parts of the text. As for the universal design for learning, there was no engagement, representation, or action and expression. In my opinion, it was an overwhelming and somehow dull PowerPoint slide. The slide entitled, “A Symmetrical Rainbow of Confusion”, was equally horrible. The last slide had no signaling, whereas this slide had too much signaling. Almost every word on the slide was coloured, there were odd bullet point shapes, and an unexplained background image. There was too much information on this slide, which should be fixed with the segmenting and modularity principles. There should also be some spatial contiguity as text seemed to float on the screen without explanation. There should have also been balance and negative space on the slide to ensure the design was well done. Lastly, to ensure inclusivity, all the presentations should have included recordings with audio and captioning.

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Which design principles did you use to create your infographic in Canva? Which elements of a ‘good infographic’ were you able to incorporate? What other principles did you consider? What does the template make easier and what does it make harder when creating your infographic?

When creating my infographic, I attempted to include all design principles. I tried my best to ensure that each part of the infographic was in alignment with the other sections. I used hierarchy by having a list from one through 6 from the top to the bottom of the infographic. I included balance as I had three steps on each side. I used a blue colour palette that provided unity and pleasantness. I applied repetition by having the same format for each step of the infographic. I also used proximity by having each number beside its retrospective text.  Unfortunately, there were a few elements I was not able to include. Although I used a black font with a white shadow for the numbers, I could have used orange to contrast the blue in other areas. However, I was following a template and did not want to stray too far from it. I could have also used more negative space. I did really enjoy using a template as it looked very nice, and I knew before beginning my final product it would look professional and polished. However, my template had seven steps and my final infographic had six. Because of this, I had to reposition each number to fill the infographic properly. This caused the alignment to be changed and this was difficult for me to fix. Templates are a great tool when beginning a project but if a lot of customization is needed, it may be better to start from scratch.

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Graphic design is inherently visual – what additions or modifications could you make to ensure that learners with visual impairments have access to the same information in an infographic in an online setting?

To ensure learners with visual impairments can access information on infographics, I think the most important thing would be to have an alternate text. This way, text to speech readers are able to describe an image to the learner. In addition, the text should be extremely detailed and descriptive; it should not only describe what is on the infographic, but also describe the colour palette, images, and infographic flow. For example, my infographic below would have an alternative text that states: An image of an infographics with a light blue colour palette is presented. 6 Key Steps of Data Mining (1) Outline Business Goals: Understand and review business goals. (2) Data Cleaning: Data cleanse by deleting unnecessary features, identity outliers, and fill in missing values. (3) Data Preprocessing: Preprocess by normalizing the dataset. (4) Data Exploration and Visualization: Explore, analyze, and visualize data to gain insight and identity patterns. (5) Data Modeling and Evaluation: Training machine learning modules with the data and evaluate their performance. (6) Deployment and Maintenance: Trained models are deployed in a production environment.

References

Mayer’s 12 Principles of Multimedia Learning. (2023, June 2). Digital Learning Institute. https://www.digitallearninginstitute.com/blog/mayers-principles-multimedia-learning/

Hello!

This is my first blog! I found the instructions quite clear and helpful – thank you Mary. I have worked with WordPress for a few classes, but I am looking forward to revamping my skills and learning more about multimedia learning.

I am hoping this class teaches me how to present my work and create learning tools for my future work. I often struggle with making my work look nice and a flow to them. I hope this class allows me to develop this skill.

– Maya