ITV Support Materials

Most interactive television classrooms are equipped with a phone and an overhead display camera. Some classrooms contain peripherals such as fax machines, computers, electronic mail access and videotape playback capabilities. To determine what technologies are available in the interactive television classrooms on the campus, contact your local ITV support staff.

Materials to support your instructional strategy are important to enhance the students' classroom experience.

• Graphics and Visuals
• Video
• Computers
• Handouts

Graphics and Visuals

Whether you are developing new graphics for your class or adapting existing visuals, keep the following guidelines in mind when planning graphics for distance education.

Graphics Display

In telecommunications teaching, graphics usually are displayed on a monitor. The relative dimensions of the monitor are three units high and four units wide. Unfortunately, graphics such as slides, transparencies, and artwork developed for use in a traditional classroom usually need to be reformatted in order to fit the screen properly. While you may be able to use the original graphics, you won't be able to show them in their entirety without moving them around under the graphics camera.

A good visual aid communicates a single idea and is clear, readable, relevant, interesting, simple, and accurate.

Specific recommendations:

• Use a horizontal format for photographic slides. Otherwise, part of the image may be lost, as a slide frame is two units high and three units wide.
• For printed (hard copy) graphics, use a landscape format or the 7x9-inch center of an 8-1/2x11-inch sheet formatted horizontally. Use paper in earth tones, light blue, or gray with black lettering.
• Do not use overhead transparencies. The glare from the transparency material makes the graphic unreadable.
• Because television screens are relatively small, the space can be easily cluttered with excessive detail. Graphics should be simple and should contain less information rather than too much. (If in doubt, leave it out.) Detailed information may work better in a handout.

Word Charts

The main rule for word charts is to keep them short. By keeping it brief, you allow the chart to support but not overshadow you and your message.

• Limit word charts to one topic and few words (maximum six lines of three to six words each).
• Make letters large enough that they can be seen from 30 feet away on a 25-inch monitor. As a general rule, lettering on an 8-1/2 x 11-inch sheet of paper should be at least 3/8-inch (30 point) and preferably 1/2 inch (48 point) high.
• Use easy-to-read, sans serif type styles (e.g., Arial, Geneva or Helvetica). Avoid fancy fonts such as Old Roman or Script.
• Use no more than three styles of text: one for the title, one for the body of the copy, one for stressing the single most important term.
• Do not use all uppercase letters except for titles. It's easier to read text with only the first letter capitalized.
• Use boldface type throughout for easier reading.
• Highlight no more than 10 percent of the words using techniques such as coloring, boxing, and underlining.

Data Charts

Charts and graphs allow learners to absorb the main idea behind the numbers. Use handouts if you need to share tables of statistics or computer spreadsheet data. When planning data charts:

• Don't try to graph all data from a table in one chart. Select a subset that illustrates one point you want to make.
• Use horizontal rather than vertical labels for easier reading.
• Label bars, lines, and other data directly. Keys and legends are hard to read on a monitor.
• Keep "chart junk" such as tick marks, grids, labels, and decorations to a minimum. Emphasize the data, not the design.
• Use a dull color such as gray for tick marks, axes, and grids so these less important elements will not detract from the data.
• Divide the axis into units that are multiples of two, five, or ten for easier interpretation.
• Maintain consistent units of measurement on the axis from chart to chart. For example, don't switch from thousands to millions of dollars in a series of related charts.
• Begin the axes at zero or show a break in the axis to indicate a non-zero baseline when making comparisons.

Using Color

The main rules of using color for interactive television graphics are be consistent and conservative. Take care that color does not overwhelm the chart's message as too much color is confusing and distracting. Reserve eye-catching colors for the most important points.

• For text charts, use only two colors. The exception is the use of a third color to highlight one key term.
• Limit the number of colors to no more than five, including the colors used to display the title, axis, and drop shadow.
• Be consistent. Stick with one color scheme throughout the presentation.
• Use light earth tones, blue, or gray as background for your charts. These colors are easier on the eye than white or clear and don't steal attention from the brighter, more important information.
• Use solid colors and avoid the patterned or textured backgrounds and colors common in computer presentation graphics templates.
• If you plan to use graphics directly from a computer, customize a template that conforms to these guidelines.

Presenting Visual Aids

It is important to watch the monitor when presenting visual aids in the interactive television classroom in order to be sure that the students are seeing what you want them to see. Check that the visual is centered, focused, legible, and not blocked by your hand, arm, or head.

Presenting your lecture notes on the blackboard or marlite (dry marker) board may not be the best method over ITV because you will be writing with your back to the students and the primary camera will be focused on the board and not on you. You will have greater difficulty watching the monitor, so you may need a room operator to keep your work readable. You need to write with thick lines, and you probably can't display as much written material as you might in a traditional classroom.

Instead of using the blackboard or a marlite board, you should use the overhead display camera (e.g.,. Elmo) which allows you to face the students and watch the graphics monitor more easily. Writing on the overhead display camera can be difficult initially, but with practice, perhaps using lightly ruled paper at first, you will be able to use this format rather than using a blackboard or a marlite board.

Most of the other visual aids used in the interactive video classroom are presented in the same manner as in a traditional classroom.

Video

You can use videotapes in ITV courses just like in a traditional classroom. It is important to have the tapes cued up and ready to put in the playback machine. If you are using more that one videotape, it is useful to provide the room operator with a "run down" sheet, so he/she will know the sequence of events. It is important to check the tapes before class to ensure they are the correct tapes. Remember, some VCRs can only playback tapes recorded at the "SP" mode. Check to see if your tapes are recorded at a slower mode.

Be aware that some videotapes may be copyrighted. It is important to obtain copyright clearance for all copyrighted materials used.

Most classrooms are equipped with videotape recorders so the class may be taped. Please discuss this with both the room operator and the students in the class. You will need to provide the room operator a blank VHS tape. Keep in mind, the operator will only be recording the site you are at, not the remote site. All students at that location will need to sign a release form, consenting to be videotaped.

Computers

Computer presentations and connections are possible in most ITV classrooms with advance notification. The rules for overheads also apply to computer presentations. Keep in mind "aspect ratio" and the other recommendations made for "A Good Visual."

Computer displays must be converted into a television signal through a scan converter or by aiming a television camera toward the computer screen. It is recommended you test your computer presentation with the equipment you will be using prior to your class. Contact the ITV support staff to visit the classroom you will be using and discuss with them your equipment needs.

Handouts

Class handouts will need to be mailed ahead of time to your distant classroom(s). You should have a Teaching Assistant or a contact at each of the campuses you are instructing so that person can facilitate getting handouts to the class as well as picking up assignments from the students at that location.