Page 312 - The Creative Training Idea Book Inspired Tips and Techniques for Engaging and Effective Learning

lucas chap 08 11/20/02 12:51 PM Page 301
Making Your Visual Message Sizzle 301
Try choosing two dark colors (e.g., dark green and dark blue) for use on text lines. For
each new point made (line of text), use an alternate color. For example, point one
would be in blue, point two in green, point three in blue, and so forth. Stay away
from red for text lines because it is difficult to read, especially from a distance or for
people who have red color blindness.
Consider using color transparency film (acetate). You can purchase in blue, green, yel-
low, and red; however, as you have seen in other chapters, red is difficult to see and
should be kept to a minimum when possible.
To add some additional color to clear transparency film over the top of your trans-
parency, some companies sell special acetate. You can also cut out shapes and fit the
color around your text to give some interesting variety. For example, you can cut a
large star shape from the center of a piece of yellow acetate and then fit the remain-
ing acetate (with the open star shape in the middle) on top of a transparency so that
the words appear to be inside the star. To do this, mount your clear transparency to
a cardboard transparency frame, then tape the color cutout over it.

Adding Art

Include graphics in the form of clip art, pictures, graphs, charts, or other images.
Use colorful borders or simple background templates to help make transparencies look
more finished and professional. If you use them, choose one format for use on all
transparencies to show consistency.
When placing a figure of a person onto a transparency, make sure that the person is fac-
ing toward the text rather than off the side of the film. This will help direct learner
attention toward the text rather than away from it.
Use the Rule of Thirds that you read about earlier to determine where to place an image
on your transparencies.

Creative Usage Alternatives

As noted previously, there are a number of ways to use the overhead projector. The fol-
lowing are additional things you can do to increase the usefulness and effectiveness of
the overhead projector.
Show one piece of information at a time. Use the revelation technique to accom-
plish this. To do this, place a piece of blank white copier paper beneath the transparency
on the viewing surface. By placing the paper under the transparency instead of on top,
the weight of the film holds the paper in place as you near the bottom. This prevents
the paper from falling off and revealing the last couple of lines prematurely. As you
are ready to discuss an item, move the paper down slightly to reveal that point only.
When ready to show additional elements of your message, move the paper down fur-
ther until you have covered all parts of the transparency.
Instead of turning the projector off after each transparency is shown and a new one
is put into place, you can cover the entire glass surface with a piece of dark paper, for