Color Theory and Visual Design in Instruction

The use of color theory and visual design, when properly used in instructing can act as a powerful aid and enhancer in learning. When properly used, the use of color can elicit and excite learners from the get go and can induce powerful associations in learning. When looking at text alone, for example, the learner might immediately be turned off by its dullness and lack of interest, thus making it harder for that student to learn—right from the start. However, the use of visual aids, perhaps a large, and guiding picture, with the use of the correct colors, that that will elicit the desired physical, mental and emotional response wanted by the designer will enhance the way in which the learner approaches, examines, processes and ultimately understands the information presented. Visual design and color theory can most certainly detract from the learning processes, by distracting the learner (too much noise) or sending the learner the wrong priming message (pleasant and calming colors used to label something dangerous. Visual design and color theory can be used to enhance presented media in order to efficiently teach and maximize learning. However, these principals are not limited to only digital media. Visual design and color theory applies to a variety of fields in mostly the same way, which is to enhance the message to make it clearer and easier for the learner to understand! In chemistry, we label chemicals using a combination of text, picture and color to denote safer chemicals, to toxic chemicals to combustible chemicals. For example, when a chemical is combustible, not only does the text on the label imply that, but it is written in a warm color (red) and it is accompanied by a fire image, thus making it perfectly an easily clear to the observer to be careful with that item, as it may explode.