2011 Reynolds Grantee Annual Meeting Workshop

Looks are Everything (But Content is Still King)Tips and Techniques for Making an

Appealing Curriculum

Lindsay Oksenberg, MA and Amit Shah, MDUniversity of Texas Southwestern Medical School Dallas, TX

www.gerisage.com

Goals and Objectives

1) Describe the improved ability of a visually appealing module to transmit knowledge to learners of various learning types

2) Define the role and specific skills of a medical illustrator and explain how a medical illustrator differs from an illustrator or artist

3) Describe the steps to creating a visually appealing curriculum, including scripting and storyboarding

4) List three pitfalls of creating online/animated curricula

5) Apply this knowledge to brainstorm improvements in current curricular projects (as time allows)

How do you avoid your curriculum ending up in the

graveyard?

 

Sympathetic nerves arising from T11 to L2 spinal segments are transmitted through the hypogastric nerve to supply the bladder and proximal urethra. Their activation results in release of norepinephrine which activates a dense plexus of alpha 1 adrenergic excitatory receptors resulting in contraction of smooth muscle at the bladder base and intrinsic urethral sphincter. Also, impulses from the hypogastric nerve to the bladder body causes stimulation of beta 2 adrenergic receptors and relaxation of the detrusor. 

Play UI Animation

Appealing to different learning styles (VARK Fleming 2001)

• Visual learner

• Aural learner

• Read/Write learner

• Kinesthetic learner

(www.vark-learn.com)

 

Appealing to different learning styles 

Visual Aural Read/Write Kinesthetic

Diagrams Debates, Arguments

Books, Texts Real-Life Examples

Graphs Discussions Handouts Examples

Colors Conversations Reading Guest Lecturers

Charts Audio Tapes Written Feedback

Demonstrations

Written Texts Video + Audio Note Taking Physical Activity

Different Fonts Seminars Essays Constructing

Spatial Arrangements

Music Multiple Choice Role Play

Designs Drama Bibliographies Working Modules

Source: Fleming (2001).

How do you get from point A to B? 

 

Why don’t we produce more visually appealing curricula? 

• Lack of training

• Lack of skills

• Lack of time

• Lack of resources 

You don’t have to do it yourself! 

Consider using a medical illustrator as part of your team

What is a Medical Illustrator?

• Professional artist and graphic designer with advanced education in both the life sciences (anatomy, cell biology, neuroscience, pathology) and visual communication

• Typically collaborate with scientists, physicians, medical-legal lawyers to transform complex information into visual images that have the potential to communicate to broad audiences

Lindsay Oksenberg, MAMedical Illustrator

Ideal Process for creating an interactive educational module:

1) Discussion of concept, ideas, goals, and interactivity 2) Outline of module3) Script creation from outline (most difficult part)4) Design the interface of the module5) Storyboard6) Production of illustrations, animations, audio, interactive components7) Review and critique by faculty8) Student review and feedback 

1) Discussion of concept, ideas, goals, and interactivity

 

How will module be used?

• Will users access the module on the computer?

• Do you want it to be compatible with devices such as the IPad?

• Module should be compatible with all browsers- Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome, PC and Mac friendly

1) Discussion of concept, ideas, goals, and interactivity

 

Will there be interactive components?

• Can make module more appealing to users

• Students learn through various methods (auditory, visual, kinetic) and use of interactivity, animation, and sounds may present concepts more effectively leading to higher retention

2) Outline of module

3) Script creation from outline (if narrated)

 

• Script is very different than a PowerPoint or outline—think about what something will sound like; read it out loud; Think about what will be on the screen and what the audio will add

• Many students may prefer not to have a narrator; avoid long narrations that lull the user to sleep!

• Put time in at the beginning of the production process by creating a refined script rather than making large scale changes at the end

• Manageable length needs to be determined when creating the script

• Depending on the module, breaking down the script into several chapters may be helpful for ease of use and convenience

4) Design the interface of the module

 

• Design must be user-friendly in addition to be aesthetically pleasing

• Clear/obvious navigation tools

• Pause, forward and backwards buttons, scrub bar on videos

• Some modules have an audio on/off feature where students who prefer to read narrations can turn off the audio and read text on the screen

• Let user know how long it will takes to complete the module

5) Storyboard

 

• Important so that all involved in the project are on the same page and there are no surprises with the outcome of final product

• Must have a script to produce a worthwhile storyboard

• There are many ways to produce a storyboard: can be made using visuals along with text from the script, or the visuals can be described using words

• The medical illustrator/ media team should always show their clients examples of progress to make sure they are satisfied with quality of the work

6) Production of illustrations, animations, audio, interactive components

 

• Include instructions for the module

• Label and highlight important items

• May be helpful to include option to print out PDF document of the narration or a “take home points” sheet so the user can follow along and take notes or review at a later date to study the main points of a module

• For complex topics, a summary section may be helpful

7) Review and critique by faculty

8) Student review and feedback

 

• Modules should be reviewed throughout entire production time period

• Reviews can be done verbally in groups or individually through surveys

Group Discussion

Conclusions

• For maximal dissemination and use of your curriculum, interactivity and visual appeal are everything

• This can be daunting if you do it alone but doable with the assistance of other professionals

• Scripting and storyboarding are very different than putting together a PowerPoint or writing a book chapter

• Invest the time in these steps at the beginning of your process

• Think about what it is going to look like on the screen and how it sounds when read out loud

• Interactivity is important but must be linked to objectives and add to learning