The Instructional Design Engagement and Support (IDEAS) team at UMass Amherst is hosting a discussion panel as part of its seminar series focused on emerging trends in instructional design and technology. The upcoming seminar, “The Power of Visuals: How to Enhance Learning through Effective Design?” will take place on Thursday, Feb. 26, from 2–3:30 p.m. and will stream live on YouTube. 

Panelists will discuss how overloaded or poorly designed visuals can undermine students’ learning and will share strategies you can use right away to make your materials clearer, more accessible, and more effective. 

Topics will include: 

• How does visual design influence cognitive load, attention, and comprehension?
• What distinguishes effective visual design from ineffective?
• What are simple layout and alignment techniques to present information clearly?
• How can you choose colors, fonts, and images that are both appealing and accessible?
• What are practical ways to develop and refine your visual design skills? 

The seminar will be hosted by Slava Yurchenkov, manager of Instructional Design at IDEAS, who will be joined by fellow UMass Amherst panelist Kevin McKenna, Instructional Designer for IDEAS, UMass Amherst. Guest panelists include Connie Malamed, Learning Design Consultant and Founder, Mastering Instructional Design, Tim Slade, an Award‑Winning Instructional Designer, eLearning Developer, Author and Speaker, and Taekyeom Lee, Associate Professor of Graphic Design, Indiana University Bloomington. 

The online seminar is free and open to faculty members, graduate student TAs and TOs, instructional designers and learning technology specialists. Visit the IDEAS Seminar event page to register and learn more about the panelists.