Basically, what I learned from this course was CRAP. Of course, those familiar with design understand CRAP is an acronym for the elements of good design. While I was definitely familiar with contrast, repetition, and alignment (actually I’ve been using those elements but didn’t realize it), I was not familiar with proximity. Now that I understand that “if information is organized it is more likely to be read and more likely to be remembered” (Williams) I know my designs will be more eye-appealing in the future.
As a learner, I found myself searching for examples of each of the elements so that I was comfortable with each one. I still don’t feel completely at ease with all for elements, and I would sit and stare at both my poster and my pages of our group website to make sure each element was used effectively.
I know that the struggles I’ve faced in this course have taught me that I am capable of more than I ever knew! I found that using Google Docs to collaborate with 3 of my colleagues was easy and effective. I will definitely use that tool again. I find myself intrigued and a bit perplexed by Bloom’s Digital Taxonomy. According to Andrew Churches (2008), “you can not understand a concept if you do not first remember it, similarly you can not apply knowledge and concepts if you do not understand them.” I plan to study and research to find tools to use to reach all levels.
For my classroom, I will use the elements from this course, including CRAP, animation, and websites, in my classroom so that my students can connect “between the media students are accustomed to using outside the classroom and the media they predominantly use within the classroom.”
Churches, A. (2007). Bloom’s digital taxonomy. Retrieved from http://www.techlearning.com/article/8670
Multimedia applications for the classroom. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.cited.org/output_pages/pringDefault.aspx?page_id=106
Robin Williams: The Non-Designer’s Design Book, Third Edition.