INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY 3(2+1)

Lesson 21 : Visual Aids

Layout and design of visual aids

Layout is the disposition of various elements—display, illustration, ornamentation, the white space in a pattern that is pleasant and attractive to the eye and makes reading easy and convenient, as a experience has shown.

Principles of layout

1. It should be well balanced, i.e., it is laid out in such a way that there are equal attractions on each side of the centre. This balancing can be: a) formal, and b) informal. Formal balance is when weights are placed at such distance from the centre that balance is obtained.
2. It should be rhythmic, i.e., there should be movement from part to part in a design.
3. There should be unity in all elements.
4. There should be variety in the design which relieves monotony and sameness.
5. There should be emphasis so that the eye is carried first to the most important point.
6. Subordination, i.e., the minimization of certain parts of the design.
7. Contrast—It causes thing to stand out and makes them instantly and strikingly apparent.

Colours

Colour makes our designs attractive. Light travels in waves at different rates of speed, and these waves produce in the eye the sensation which we call as color. The colour of an object is determined by the wavelengths it does not absorb.

The primary colours of pigments used in our art and printing are: red, blue and yellow. All colours may be obtained by mixing various proportions of these colours. The secondary colours like orange, green and purple are got by mixing red and yellow, yellow with blue and blue with red respectively. Black and white are not classed as colours. Black is the absence and white is the presence of all colours. They are called neutral or achromatic colours. All others colours are called chromatic.

Dimensions of colours:

These are the properties or qualities which differentiate colours. They are:

1. The hue or warmth and coolness.
2. The value of the colour and the lightness or darkness.
3. The intensity or chroma, or brightness and dullness of the colours.

Hue is the term used to indicate name of the colour such as red, blue or green. Just as soon as green turns blush it has changed its hue and is called blue-green instead of green. The quality of warmth and coolness is the most important thing to remember about hues. Cool and warm colours are alien to each other. They contrast rather than harmonize.

Value describes the light and darkness of a colour. White is the highest value and no hue can be as light as white. Black is the lowest valve, and no hue can be as dark. Intensity shows bright or dull a particular colour is.

Visual aids can broadly be divided into (1) projected , and (2) non projected aids, The projected aids are again of 2 types (a) projected-still aids like film strips, slides, opaque projected material etc. (b) projected movie pictures, which are shown through movie projectors. The non projected visuals like black board, pictures, posters, charts, flash cards, flip books, flipcharts, flannel graphs, picture strips, exhibits hoardings, etc do not require any equipment, like a projector, for their display. These aids are very easy to make, easy to carry and can be made with locally available in expensive material. The projected material requires electricity, or a power generator, which may not be available to many extension workers in interior villages in countries like India.