Abstract
This research puts forward an m-learning approach to teaching the visual principles of design and suggests significant results in comparison to conventional methods of teaching design principles in higher education. One of the visual designer’s tasks is to find connections that allow them to organize visual and spatial content and create meaning for the viewer in compositions. The Bauhaus called this a “language of vision” a concept that continues to shape design education today around the world. This language has come to be known as the visual principles of design: rhythm, balance, scale, proximity, similarity, and contrast. Capitalizing on the premises of Gestalt psychology and the brain’s capacity to create order and find patterns, designers create unity and direct attention through the skilled application of these design principles. The question that arises, “are the current methods of graphic design teaching practices for the principles of design still working in the current digital culture?” To answer this question this research developed and tested a mobile application called mDes. Algorithms translated a few of the classic Bauhaus visual principles of design, based on the principles of Gestalt, into an interactive mobile app incorporates—mobile technology heuristics of touch, real-time feedback loop, self-directed learning, and repetition. A between-subjects empirical analysis with the conventional methodology resulted in greater retention of knowledge of design principles and suggests that m-learning is an effective method for teaching visual design principles.
Presenters
Elizabeth BergerAssoc. Professor, Program Coordinator, Design, the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Texas, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
Visual Design Principles, Education and Technology, Design Pedagogy, M-learning, Interactivity
