Teachers are challenged to find and learn effective ways to teach in distance education at different levels. Beginning with the theoretical considerations of graphic design, the principles of effective graphic design will be discussed for different media used in distance education. The theoretical foundations of graphic design for this discussion consist of three types of instructional graphics, five instructional applications of graphics, the relationship between graphics and visual cognition, motivation, and learning.
Representational graphics share a physical resemblance with an object or concept.
For example, a water pump could be used to describe the workings of the human heart. It is crucial that the graphic is used in such a manner that the learner understand the analogy. Arbitrary graphics share no physical similarity with the items they represent, but illustrate a logical conceptual relationships using a variety of visual and spatial means. Cosmetic Graphics merely add to the polish or decoration of a package or to make a program more attractive or aesthetically pleasing. Using graphics to arouse general curiosity and interest is seen by many as a very effective way to increase motivation.