Quiz on creating a comic or infocomic

 Comics or infocomics are a good learning tool. 

Suggestion - create the comic, then copy the images to Word or PowerPoint. 

Try this quiz.

Comic Strip Design Checklist

 Comics and infocomics are easy to design. Have a look at this checklist.

1. Planning and Concept Development

✔ Identify the main idea, theme or message
✔ Create a short storyline with a beginning, middle and end
✔ Decide whether the comic will be humorous, informative or narrative
✔ Define the target audience (age, reading level, interests)
✔ Select the style: realistic, cartoon, stick figures or digital characters

 2. Characters

✔ Design characters that are visually distinct and recognisable
✔ Keep character design consistent across all panels
✔ Show clear emotions through facial expressions and body language
✔ Ensure characters support the message or storyline
✔ Limit the number of characters to avoid crowding

 3. Panel Layout and Structure

✔ Plan the number and size of panels needed
✔ Arrange panels in a clear, logical reading order (left-to-right, top-to-bottom)
✔ Ensure gutters (spaces between panels) are even and neat
✔ Keep each panel focused on a single action or moment
✔ Avoid overcrowding panels with too much text or imagery

 4. Setting and Backgrounds

✔ Use simple, uncluttered backgrounds that support the story
✔ Ensure settings remain consistent throughout
✔ Include only essential background details
✔ Avoid overly detailed scenery that draws focus away from characters
✔ Use visual cues to indicate changes in location or time

 5. Speech Bubbles, Text and Dialogue

✔ Use speech bubbles to show dialogue and thought bubbles for inner voice
✔ Place bubbles in the correct reading order
✔ Keep text short, clear and natural
✔ Ensure the font is readable and appropriately sized
✔ Limit the number of bubbles per panel to avoid clutter

 6. Visual Style and Composition

✔ Maintain a consistent art style (colour, line thickness, character proportions)
✔ Use expressive visuals such as action lines, motion cues or sound effects
✔ Use colour strategically to draw attention or show emotion
✔ Ensure good contrast between text and background
✔ Remove unnecessary decorative elements that distract

 7. Storytelling and Flow

✔ Ensure each panel meaningfully contributes to the story
✔ Use transitions effectively (moment-to-moment, action-to-action, scene-to-scene)
✔ Maintain smooth narrative flow from panel to panel
✔ Include a clear climax or point of interest
✔ End with a strong closing panel (punchline, conclusion or insight)

 8. Technical and Accessibility Considerations

✔ Ensure the comic is readable on both small and large screens
✔ Use high-resolution artwork to avoid pixelation
✔ Select accessible fonts (Arial, Verdana, Open Dyslexic, etc.)
✔ Maintain good colour contrast for readability
✔ Provide alt-text for digital versions where required

 9. Quality Assurance

✔ Check spelling, punctuation and grammar
✔ Verify consistency in characters, colours and style
✔ Confirm that layout guides the eye correctly
✔ Ensure humour or message is appropriate for the audience
✔ Seek peer or teacher feedback and revise

 10. Final Review

✔ Does the comic clearly communicate the story or message?
✔ Are the characters engaging and expressive?
✔ Is the text easy to read and well-placed?
✔ Does the comic maintain visual balance and simplicity?
✔ Can the reader understand the entire story in less than one minute?

Thanks to ChatGPT

Continuous Professional Teacher Development (CPTD) points

Teachers can get Continuous Professional Teacher Development (CPTD) points by completing courses. Have a look at this form and the courses available. You do the course and they do the paperwork. These courses are all online.

The course on 'H5P for teachers' is worth 10 points.

Here are courses available soon.

Here is a list of the 2024 courses offered online by Dos Reis and Venter Education Associates in PDF format.

Keeping text in a Word document hidden

You can ‘hide’ a note to yourself in Word. Type the text, then select it and select Hidden in the Font dialogue box. It is then not displayed on the screen.

When you select the Show/Hide icon it appears with small dotted underlining. To make the text appear when printed, go to Options, Display, Printing Options. You could use this feature during an assessment. Create a test with the answers hidden in the document. Print the test with the questions, and then print it later displaying the questions and answers.

Chat GPT and education

Chat GPT is going to change the way we teach!

Link to website: https://chat.openai.com/

A very clear file on Updating your course syllabus for ChatGPT

Have a look at the video from Mr Long -
Mr Long's video on What is Chat GPT and its impact on students and teachers

AI Content detector - you can use this https://writer.com/ai-content-detector/

Example of video made with Powtoon

This video was made a long time. Powtoon has become more interactive since then. Note how there is time to read and digest the text. It is all about the different cognitive levels which are meant to be found in a Computer Applications Technology examination.

Benefits of using videos in education

There are many benefits to using videos in education.

Links

• Why Videos are Important in Education
• 10 Reasons to Use Video for Education

Hints for working with text and images in a video

Videos can do certain things depending on how the information in a video is presented.

Font/text

• CAPS are used for headings, never body text unless you are shouting
• Make sure your text fits on the screen
• A heading is always larger than the body text
• Keep to one font throughout
• Never underline anything as it then looks like a hyperlink
• Every statement begins with a capital letter
• Do not use capital letters unexpectedly in the middle of a sentence
• Headings begin with capital letters
• Keep font size the same for the body text on each slide
• You need key words on the screen, so if the video is about videos do not use the word video on the screen - it fills the screen with a useless word.

Images

• Use images to complement text
• Images must match the content
• Statements can be elaborated with text and images
• If the image is of a face, it should face inwards or to the middle of the screen

Layout

• Numbering is useful for learning
• Balance the information on the screen – must be filled with text, images and white space
• Make sure your text fits on the screen
• Text on screen must be short and very clear, no extra wasted words

Timing

• Need time to read the screen, and then absorb the information
• The title slide must be visible for slightly longer than the other slides

Animations

• Never animate the title slide
• Never have a character or object move across the important text in an animation

Common errors

• Spelling errors are very visible on a screen
• Text and background colours must be a distinctive contrast so that the text can be seen and read
• Use of the board/label to provide elaboration is good
• Have keywords/concepts on the screen
• Do not use full stops or point in titles or headings
• Stay on the topic of your work
• Demonstrate what you are talking about
• Number your points
• Display the diversity of cultures in South Africa 
• Use text, images and animations to enhance learning

Creating animated cartoons/videos

Students have created animated cartoons on the benefit of using videos for educational purposes with Powtoon and Renderforest.

Note 

• The text in a cartoon video is short! 
• You can add sound - music or voice. 
• Images must match the content.

• If you are using the free Powtoon, when finished go to Export (top right-hand corner), and you export TO YouTube. It uploads to your YouTube channel. 
• If you are using RenderForest when finished go to Preview, and if it is alright, click on Download. Download it to your computer. Upload to YouTube when ready.

Create a video introducing yourself using Renderforest

Create a video saying who you are. This is such a nice video to have at the start of a course.

Make the video with the free version of Renderforest. Do not use anything which has Pro imprinted on it. Students have found Animation Videos the best for their needs, and Whiteboard Animation Toolkit.

Include the following in the video:

1. Your name and surname
2. Where are you originally from (e.g. home town)
3. Where do you work and what is your role there, and if you are teaching, tell us your subjects/grade as well.
4. Why did you choose to do this course
5. Something only your best friend would know

When finished go to Preview, and if it is alright, click on Download. Download it to your computer. Upload to YouTube when ready. Please make the video Unlisted. Copy the link and share it.

This was only graded in so much as creating the video, uploading it to YouTube and submitting a functioning link to a video.

Create a video introducing yourself using Powtoon

Create a video saying who you are. This is such a nice video to have at the start of a course.

Make the video with the free version of Powtoon. Do not use anything which has Pro imprinted on it

Include the following in the video:

1. Your name and surname
2. Where are you originally from (e.g. home town)
3. Where do you work and what is your role there, and if you are teaching, tell us your subjects/grade as well.
4. Why did you choose to do this course
5. Something only your best friend would know

When finished Export it and Upload the video to YouTube. Please make the video Unlisted. Copy the link and share it.

This was only graded in so much as creating the video, uploading it to YouTube and submitting a functioning link to a video.

Designing multiple choice questions

Design rules for multiple choice questions - http://theelearningcoach.com/elearning_design/rules-for-multiple-choice-questions/ - the link is old but the information is timeless

Try the quiz about Multiple Choice Questions

Creating a quiz in Google Forms

You can create self-marking quizzes in Google Forms – most useful if your school has Internet access for all learners on tablets or PCs.

Instructions

Create a self-marking quiz using Google forms

1. Go online and find out how to create such a self-marking quiz using Google forms but the videos below are very clear.
2. Make all the questions on ONE topic from a subject field.
3. Arrange the questions in the correct order, i.e. those collecting information about the student do not have a mark attached and are before the ‘questions’
4. Use at least 2 different types of questions, e.g. True/False, Multiple choice, choose from a list. Do not use ‘Other’ as the computer cannot mark an ‘Other’ question.
5. Make sure at least one question interprets a map, graph or image. Make sure the image is connected to the question. Do not give the image a label. Place the image below the question.
6. Check that the self-marking quiz works – test it yourself, then get friends to test it.
7. Quiz
1. Have a look at http://theelearningcoach.com/elearning_design/rules-for-multiple-choice-questions/
2. Check the answer options – all should be possible, but only one is correct
3. Make sure that all words are spelt correctly
4. Make sure that each question begins with a capital letter and ends with a question mark. A question usually begins with Who, When, Where or How.
5. The questions must be grammatically correct
6. The answers must have capital letters where required.
8. When you have made the quiz make it available to a few and get them to do the quiz.
9. Get the results of the quiz analysed and presented in graph format.
10. Provide an analysis of the results in chart format in real-time, i.e. my results must be displayed.
11. The quiz must look good.

Outcomes and assessment criteria

1. Questions are meaningful and are on ONE topic from a subject field
2. Questions are in the correct order, i.e. those collecting information about the student do not have a mark attached and are before the ‘questions’
3. At least 2 different types of questions are used, e.g. True/False, Multiple choice, choose from a list, etc.
4. At least one question interprets a map, graph or image
5. The self-marking quiz works
6. Answer options – Should all be possible, but only one correct (Essence of good MCQ)
7. Each question begins with a capital letter and ends with a question mark or full stop.
8. Each question is grammatically correct
9. The answers have capital letters where required
10. Provides an analysis of the results in chart format in real time, i.e. my results must be displayed

Useful links

1. Make a quiz using Google Forms - https://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Quiz-Using-Google-Forms
2. Design rules for multiple choice questions - http://theelearningcoach.com/elearning_design/rules-for-multiple-choice-questions/ - the link is old but the information is timeless
3. Try the quiz about Multiple Choice Questions

Using PowerPoint to enhance education

Alduraby, H. & Liu, J. 2014. Using the branching story approach to motivate students’ interest in reading. International Electronic Journal of Elementary Education, 6(3), 463-478. Link

Coleman, M. B. 2009. "PowerPoint" is not just for business presentations and college lectures: Using "PowerPoint" to enhance instruction for students with disabilities. TEACHING Exceptional Children Plus, 6(1), 2-13. Link

Garrett, N. 2016. How Do Academic Disciplines Use PowerPoint? Innovative Higher Education, (41)5, 365-380. Link

Jordan, L. A., Papp, R. 2014. Powerpoint®: It's not "Yes" or "No"--It's "When" and "How" Research in Higher Education Journal, 22, 2-11. Link

Kangas, B. D. 2012. Not waving but drowning: A review of Tufte’s The cognitive style of PowerPoint. International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 24(3), 421-423. Link

Smith, B. 2019. 43 Effective PowerPoint presentation tips (to improve your skills). [Online] Available at: https://business.tutsplus.com/articles/37-effective-powerpoint-presentation-tips--cms-25421. Link

Tips for making effective PowerPoint presentations. 2017. [Online] Available at: https://www.ncsl.org/legislators-staff/legislative-staff/legislative-staff-coordinating-committee/tips-for-making-effective-powerpoint-presentations.aspx. Link

Layout of information to enhance communication

Presenting information with text and images, and in various formats, is so important to enhance the message.

Please read the following carefully and then answer the questions that follow in this learning quiz. Please redo the quiz again and again until you obtain full marks.

• Reynolds, Garr Presentation tips. http://www.garrreynolds.com/preso-tips/ 
• Crash course in visual design. http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/159642/VISUAL-CRASH-COURSE-2015.pdf
• Pacini, Andrea Less is More: The Power of White Space http://echopresentations.blogspot.com/2013/09/less-is-more-use-lot-of-white-space-in.html

Quiz on Layout of information to enhance communication Please try it.

Creating a poster for a conference

How to Design an Award-Winning Scientific Conference Poster describes how to create a good conference poster. Keeping the hints in mind you can use Canva to create a poster, but it has limitations when using the free version.

There are a number of free templates available online for poster creation.

The biggest issue for displaying a poster at a conference is the size limits and your budget.

Note that printing companies normally accept pdf and jpg files for printing purposes. 

Look at Assessment criteria for posters, especially:

• Overall impression: Does my poster have a good structure?
• Blanks: Is my poster full of text passages and graphs, or is it well-balanced? Are there any blanks interrupting reading fluency?
• Relation between text and graphs: Do they complement one another as regards content and visualization?
• Text size: Is the text clearly legible or only partially?
• Structure and reading fluency: Is there a clear structure supporting reading fluency?
• Authors: Are the authors indicated on the poster? Are there any contact details?
• Content: Are the three principles «Look at me!», «Read me!», and «Ask me!» put into practice? Are the main statements of my poster clearly presented?

Plot multiple points on a map

In the URL https://mobisoftinfotech.com/tools/plot-multiple-points-on-map/ 

Add the geo points such as 

-28.6019,16.66441,red,square

-31.5249,19.36075,white,square

-31.7305,18.41992,white,square

-32.8463,18.10922,white,square

-34.6119,19.69245,white,square

-32.5568,20.69124,white,square

It will create a map.

Note how the number appears, the colour of the block and the shape. Play with and adapt this mapping tool.

Useful for showing routes, place, etc.

Animations in PowerPoint

 Animations are used to enhance the meaning of the information on a slide, use animations as a visual tool.

3 Ways to Present Your PowerPoint Maps Better

PowerPoint Animation Tutorial - Map Location

How to create a dynamic map chart

Infographics

Infographics consist of charts, images, icons, and some text that explains the topic and data in a straightforward way.

Canva is a popular app for making infographics. The video below explains how to use Canva to make an infographic based on data that has been collected from conducting an online survey.

The blog What is an Infographic? Examples, Templates & Design Tips is a good teaching source.

Intro Tutorial for Making a Canva Infographic below

How to create an infographic below

The International Computer and Information Literacy Study 2018 is a collection of infographics related to computer and information literacy achievement. The findings presented in graphic format are so understandable - one of the main findings is that young people do not develop sophisticated digital skills just by growing up using digital devices, and providing students or teachers with ICT equipment alone is not enough to improve their digital skills.

Sticky teaching Understanding what a brain can't ignore shows important information for teachers in graphic format in an infographic.

Have a look at the rubric, and on the page, at the bottom, is the rubric available in Word.