Justification Paper Bruce Younger

User Assumptions

Audience The Apprentices Under Construction project is designed for the 1st year construction apprentice, who has passed basic physical and mental assessments to be accepted into the program and are able to perform safely in an active construction job site. Apprentices will be a minimum of 18 years old and possess a high school diploma or GED.
Need of graphics for the target audience to the instruction The world of construction management is very complex, from warning signs and signals to the graphical symbols on architectural and engineering drawing as well as instruction regarding the use of a specific tool or piece of machinery. Whether you are a first year apprentice or a 15-year Journeyman Carpenter there are images and symbolism everywhere. With that said the instruction is to be designed to make knowledge accessible to all. In the book The Design of Everyday Things the author states knowledge in the world is useful only if there is a natural, easily interpreted relationship between that knowledge and the information it is intended to convey (Norman, 1988). The intent of each module is to have a greater introduction image that incorporates a number of icons. Those icons will be used to represent the meaning of each section. For example the Safety section of the training has an introductory image that shows the relationship of each icon the cycle of safety, an icon represents Personal Protective Equipment, another represents Tool Safety, and the third represents Job-Site Safety as a whole. Other graphics represent when there is reading or media to examine.

Assumptions about the use of graphics for instruction

Each image I created will be used for chunking sections of learning. I wanted each part of the lesson to stand out, and at the same time create a unified look for each section. I used color to highlight each particular section of the training. I started the graphic as I was reading the chapter and initially I used color for each segment and only used drop shadow to give depth and create separation. The plan was to highlight each part of the training. Researchers have found color to be distracting and confusing (Lohr, 2008, p. 266). However, I did not want to completely eliminate color because again Lohr states Learners prefer color (Lohr, 2008, p. 266), and so do I.

Graphic Description As discussed previously each unit has a graphic that shows the over-all concept of that unit and each icon in the image has a particular focus. Introductory graphic on the Home Page title Safety and Construction Training. This image has three areas of focus, first there is the safety component, second the construction component, and third the inspection component. In each of these sections you will see an icon that represents a unit that will be discussed. This is representative of each unit and each units image. (See Figure 1)

Figure 1- Module Introductory Graphics Familiarize Learners with Icons that will be used in each unit.

Unit Sections are each headed by graphic banners that represent the focus of each unit. These banners create a uniform look for each unit. (Figure 2)

Figure 2-Unit Banners for conformity

I decided that I would only use color to show selection, and drop shadow to enhance that selection and show depth and separation from the group. I wanted to make it easy for the learner to identify each section of the training. By having the sections that where not being covered in grayscale it moves the attention to the section that is being addressed. By limiting the color but not eliminating it completely I think I have created depth and interest without having the color become a distraction. As the learner goes thought the learner manual the navigation pie if you will works by telling the learner what section they are in by the use of color, the drop shadow that I applied under each colored section provides texture by giving depth and dimension adding to the feel of selection. The drop shadow is only used to add depth to the selected piece of the navigation pie. Lohr states that When too many elements use drop shadowing, the technique loses its impact (Lohr, 2008, p. 272) When you look at my navigation pie, I wanted to show how the graphic would represent each learning section of my project. The main image is larger only to show the detail, the remaining three smaller images are simply included for reference as to how the whole concept will be applied throughout the project. Additionally in order to meet accessibility requirements I added Alternative Text as image tags to assist page scanners in providing feedback to learners who have accessibility limitations. This option is found in the Image Tag Accessibility Attributes Window (McFarland, 2012). Finally by placing multiple icons within a banner graphic I create the idea of a Graphical Organizer this organizer previews what the icon represents before it shows up later in the unit. The Graphical Organizer visually and spatially shows the main points in a lesson (Smith & Ragan, 2005).

The learning process In each unit I have incorporated a number of videos and readings that are designed to convey the basic ideas of each unit. In the text Training for Dummies, it is stated that You may show a video clip to demonstrate a skill, illustrated behavior, or to have an expert deliver content in a way that you could not (Biech, 2005). Each area actually has multiple lessons however I chose to only create a lesson plan for one of each section as there is a lot to cover if I were to create modules for each component of this project. Safety In this lesson learners will be introduced to Personal Protective Equipment or PPE. The learners will initially view a series of videos and complete readings to gain basic knowledge. The unit will wrap up with a short quiz and reflection paper. Foundations - In this lesson learners will be introduced to the basics of survey, excavation, forming, and pouring to complete the foundation. The learners will initially view a series of videos and complete readings to gain basic knowledge. The unit will wrap up with a short quiz and reflection paper. Inspections - In this lesson learners will be introduced to the basics of project management and the importance of job-site checklists and inspections. The learners will initially view a series of videos and complete readings to gain basic knowledge. The unit will wrap up with a short quiz and reflection paper.

Biech, E. (2005). Training for Dummies. Indianapolis: Wiley Publishing. Ko, S., & Rossen, S. (2010). Teaching Online a Practical Guide. New York: Routledge. Lohr, L. (2008). Creating graphics for learning and performance. Upper Saddle River: Pearson Education. McFarland, D. S. (2012). Dreamweaver CS6 - the missing manual - The book that should have been in the box. Sebastopol: O'Reilly. Norman, D. A. (1988). The Design of Everyday Things. New York: Basic Books. Smith, P. L., & Ragan, T. J. (2005). Instructional Design. Hoboken: Wiley.