How is Media Working for You?

The images we choose to use in course content can be as important as the words we ask learners to read or the math problems we ask them to solve. A good image can enhance understanding and make content more dynamic. A bad image can cloud your intended message and undermine your lesson. Often, we ask learners to source and cite content from credible resources. To support this effort, it is imperative that we use high quality imagery that looks professional. While a Google image search is a good place to start looking, the images you find may be of low quality, or may not quite fit your needs. Rather than saying, good enough, consider the end user. How will an image aid or impede the learner's understanding?

Things to consider:

• Images taken from a Google search are often low quality and therefore look pixelated. These are not the best images to use for your course.
• If you find an image you wish to use through a Google search, you must cite it properly. This means going to the original website where the image resides, not citing your search criteria.
• Using an image with a watermark across it is not only distracting, but also infringes on copyright. 
• Media designers specialize in finding and creating images that are suitable for your courses. Did you know that our college has an account with Thinkstock? If you need a professional image, you can search Thinkstock and then ask the TLE to purchase it for you. Come see me for more information.
• Media design is a collaborative process between SMEs and the designer. You know your course needs best, and play an important role in determining the types of images you want. Media designers know how to look for and create clear, high quality images.

The following images demonstrate the differences between finding an image through a Google search and purchasing the same image through the website that it comes from:

Example of image found through Google search. Image is pixelated, difficult to read, and has a watermark.

Example of same image purchased through Shutterstock site. This image can be scaled to a bigger size without loss of quality.

If you have any questions about media design, please feel free to send me an email: jtzanakos@bowvalleycollege.ca