Introduction:
The Value of Illustrations
"A picture is worth a thousand words."
This old proverb is so worn with use that many of us don’t stop to consider its
underlying proposition. One purpose of this paper is to demonstrate that instructional
"pictures" serve a vital function, one much greater than just substituting for an
overabundance of words. Instructional illustrations help learners understand and
remember information in ways that text and lecture simply cannot.
Instructional illustrations are a broad class. This discussion will consider charts,
graphs, diagrams, and representational images, and will even touch upon text layout
(the graphical component of a page of text).
One could
simply state
that new
model designs
and faster
computers
have
improved
numerical
weather
forecasting
over the
years, but
doesn't this
graphic make
the point
better?
Imagine all
the words that
are replaced
by the boxes
and their
relative
positions,
sizes, and
colors in this
chart. Does it
do something
words can't
do?
"Do I have to draw you a picture?"
There is sometimes a feeling that illustrations are somehow less demanding of
students and therefore remedial to the primary instruction. The processing skills
required for "reading" illustrations are often not as highly regarded as the verbal skills
needed to process the written or spoken word. Illustrations are seldom given first
consideration as the means of communication, but rather used as a last resort for
extremely difficult material or only when their need is obvious, as when teaching
concrete concepts (e.g., cloud identification). When it comes to abstract concepts or
other kinds of learning (procedures, rules, principles, etc.), we are less aware of the
value of illustrations.
Illustrations are not always less demanding on students. Illustrations can make many
kinds of information easier to understand, as will be demonstrated in Part 1, but not
necessarily for all learners. For instance, low-ability students may either have trouble
with the density of information that diagrams can provide, or may not possess the
diagram "literacy" necessary to extract the information (Winn & Holliday, 1982).
Illustrations may often require verbal commentary or explanation in order for students
to take full advantage of their benefits. Instructors should not think that providing
illustrations is giving students the easy way out. In fact, in the studies referred to
above it was found that tests of verbal aptitude, and not tests of visual aptitude, are the
best predictors for student success in using diagrams. This suggests that the same
abstract thinking skills are required for reading both text and diagrams.
Illustrations
are not
necessarily
easy. An
illustration
like the one to
the left
requires quite
a bit of study
and
accompanying
verbal
explanation.
But without
the
illustration,
the verbal
explanation
will probably
be inadequate.
"But I can’t draw a straight line!"
We’ve heard a lot about math anxiety, but we overlook an even more widespread
affliction: illustration anxiety. This affliction plagues many educators who would do
well to use illustrations more often. Professionally produced illustrations can be
intimidating to the non-artist. Their conception and creation appears to require skills
and feats of imagination beyond the rest of us. We tend to compare our own modest
efforts unfavorably with the best, and then resign ourselves to using the mode in
which we have the most facility– words. If we decide they are absolutely necessary,
we may use whatever illustrations are available from other sources, regardless of
whether they are effective or appropriate for our objectives.
The intention of Part 2 of this discussion is to help instructors and training developers
overcome "illustration anxiety" by presenting principles that will guide even the least
artistic to either create their own effective illustrations or specify an illustration design
for a professional artist to execute. The value of skilled illustrators is great, but
illustrations do not have to be professionally produced or look realistic to be effective
for instruction. Realism, in fact, can be counter-productive if detail distracts learners
from the intended message. Misdirected technical virtuosity can also be an
impediment. A simple, well-organized diagram will be more effective than a 3D
animation that is ambiguous or overly complex.
Even simple,
quickly
produced
illustrations
can be
effective
when they are
well
conceived.
This
illustration
organizes
convective
storm types
by the
defining
physical
process
leading to
their
development.
It also shows
(with the
white arrows)
that the
processes are
interrelated in
the more
complex
storm types.
The color
spectrum in
the
background
suggests that
there are no
hard-line
distinctions
between the
types.
The Cost of Illustrations
The rapid decrease in cost in multimedia hardware and the prevalence of quality
graphics development software has made the use of illustrations more convenient than
ever before. Simple-to-use software for certain kinds of commonly used graphics,
such as tables and flowcharts can help anyone create effective illustrations of these
types (if good design principles are used, of course). But unlike text, in most cases
illustrations use a symbol system that is more open-ended, so they require more
planning, design, and production effort to create a product that suits a unique
requirement.
Instructional illustrations can seem disproportionately time-consuming or costly to
produce, especially when words are so easy to speak or write down. So even when
illustrations are viewed as important to have, they may be dropped for expediency.
Their value to the learner is often underestimated.
Although illustrations may take extra time and/or money to produce, their potential
payoffs will warrant it. When money and time is allocated for developing instruction,
it is a wise investment to have a fair proportion going to the design and production of
illustrations. As Part 1 will demonstrate, the value of illustrations goes far beyond an
aesthetic one. Illustrations are often at the root of understanding and learning.