With the appearance of graphic interface in the use of the Internet and the use of web in online education, numerous new elements became important and have to be considered when developing software. In user interfaces in online education the layout of the content on the screen can depend on the LMS and the possibility to parameter and personalise what is displayed on the screen . Hypermedia and multimedia possibilities of web technologies allow the lecturer/instructor and the designer to be creative in the presentation of educational and other content, from simple tables, images, animations and simulations, to video records.
Textual content in distance education can be very creatively enriched with the mentioned multimedia elements, but there is the danger that by excessive use of multimedia the basic idea of visualization – education- will be lost. It is very important that visualization does not become its own purpose , i.e. that it is not used only to achieve effects, but that visualized elements fit harmoniously into the process of education , by not drawing attention from other educational content and by helping the participants master the content easier and better.
The teacher should be aware of the limits of the LMS when they are designing the materials and presenting them online. Every LMS uses one part of the screen for its own presentation/promotion (usually within the header). The left part of the screen usually contains the menu of actions the participants can use and similar options. LMS enables the lecturer/instructor to use the center part of the screen for the content of the lessons, tests, forums etc. This part is the user desktop, and its design is the teacher’s responsibility.
Navigation should enable easy access to desired content , without having to take unnecessary steps. This can be achieved by appropriate information structure such as sequencing, hierarchy or spider’s web. In certain parts, sequential browsing of the content (pages) will be appropriate, some others will be based on selection of the elements on a certain level (hierarchy) and gradual entry into the depth of the content by making new selections. Finally, the most complex format is a complex group of links ("spider’s web") between the documents (pages) so that there is no initial or final document.
The consistency of the visual display of a page and its elements is an important factor of visualization as it provides the participant with security that they will be able to orientate in all parts of the LMS without difficulty.
Bad choice of page dimensions (e.g. too wide and requiring constant horizontal scrolling) can result in a negative impression about the displayed educational content. Practice shows that tables are the most efficient and most common way to organize a page.
It is practical to set up standards or recommendations for the design of a page , including the definition of the length of the lines, margins, the number of columns and the padding between them, the borders, background, font colour, position, spacing and alignment of pictures and multimedia elements, the selection between the fixed and the flexible display etc.
Tips & tricks: Explore the appearance and organisation of well designed learning managements systems (LMS), as well as other types of related web services. Acquire and study literature about web design or look for such information on the Internet. Prepare the visualisation in accordance with the technical, financial and other resources you have at your disposal. Investment into good software and hardware, as well as into the training of the people who will be developing the visualisations can significantly increase the quality of visualisations and speed up the process of their development. Finally, do not forget that the application of visualisation in education is always related to pedagogical objectives, but that good visualisation of the content will also ensure some promotional effects.
