Abstract

Through technological advances there is a growing emphasis in education on communicating through a variety of representational portrayals; audiocasts, videocasts, images, web pages, blogs, animation, virtual reality, and so forth. Learners need an understanding of how to best portray their ideas. In the world of traditional language, there is a grammar and a syntax that communicates understanding and there is a curriculum to address that. Unfortunately outside the art class there is little focus on the principles of visual design and layout. Much of the affordance of the new technologies is based on communication via new media but that can be mitigated by learners inability to effectively apply principles of design. Reviewing the principles of design and layout for the new technologies will provide an argument for integrating that into learning. New skills are required for 21st century learners.