DELTA collaborated with Charles Joyner to create a Distance Education (DE) section of ADN 414: Color and Light. This course is an introduction to color theory, color awareness, and the physical and perceptual nature of color. Emphasis is placed on acquiring skills and techniques through direct applications in order to use color as an effective visual communication and design tool.
Instructional Challenges
The main challenges of this course were related to the hands-on and studio-based nature of the learning activities. Students need to learn how to mix and apply paint and regularly participate in group critique. Additionally, the course needed to:
- help students learn the skills necessary to understand color by mixing and applying color in a variety of ways on a variety of surfaces.
- allow students to submit their work (the solution involved both VoiceThread and physical submission)
- ensure that students received accurate and timely feedback from the instructor about their skills and about their compositions.
- provide students with a critique environment that allowed feedback from other students and from the instructor and allowed all students to benefit from the feedback that each individual received.
- keep students on track with the class so that feedback and critique participation are timely.
Solutions
The Moodle site for this course is structured by week and each week features consistent items that engage student’s attention, provide appropriate knowledge, test mastery of knowledge and facilitate practice of skills. The items are labeled clearly and ordered consistently. The Lessons, built with the Moodle Book tool, gather the content for the week into one place.
VoiceThread is used to give students a way to submit work for critique by both other students and the instructor. Students are able to comment on the work of other students.
Demonstration videos for paint mixing, swatch painting and swatch mounting were filmed and give students instruction on critical skills.
Links
- Public Course Information Site for Prospective Students
- DELTA Portfolio entry for ADN 414 Demonstration Videos
For more information about DELTA services, please contact LearnTech.