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INTE6710~Project4 Page 1
INTE6710~CreativeDesignsforInstructionalMaterials
Project4Memo:DesignLessonsLearned
RyanMcClintockApril27,2012
Overview
Throughoutthiscourse,IhavereliedheavilyonGarrReynoldsideasonvisuallydesigningpresentation
slidesandfromHeath&andHeathfortheideasofwhattopresentandhowtoweaveandpacemy
mainpresentationmessages.Heath&HeathdescribetheGapTheoryonpage84asagapinour
knowledgethatleadstocuriosity.Ireliedonthisideawhenselectingtopicsformmypresentationsand
withinmypresentationstomakethemstickwiththeaudience.Manyofmycolleagueshadexpressed
curiosityaboutusingTwitter(PechuKuchatalk),implementingmoreProject-BasedLearning(graphic
handout),andreformingourschoolsacademies(stand-alone).Theseprojects,therefore,wereborn
frommycolleaguesinherentcuriosity.
Oneimportantimplicationofgaptheoryisthatweneedto opengapsbeforeweclosethem.
(Heath&Heath,page85)
PersonalReference
Withineachofthesepresentationswerequestionsthatopenedgapsinmycolleaguesknowledgethat
addedasenseofengagementandcuriosityastheyproceedtoview,read,andadvancethroughthe
material.Iclosedthegapsbyprovidinganswersandstepsdescribingthehowtoportions,butalways
leftthemabitcuriousformore,whichiswhyallthreepresentationshavesortofgoneviralatmy
schoolandarebeingusedtodriveinstructionandschoolpolicyandprogramcreation.
IfyouveeverbeentoLondonandtraveledtheirraillines,thenMindtheGapisaprobablyfamiliar
phrase.Mysketchissimplyabridgeoveragap,whichrepresentscuriosityleadingtolearning.The
oppositesidesofthebridgerepresentpresentandfuture,thenandnow,beforeandafter;theslogan
MindtheGapissuperimposedandwovenintothematerialofthebridge.
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INTE6710~Project4 Page 2
DesignDecision
AsIwatchedmysonsplayintheirsandbox,IthoughtIcouldalsoplayinthesandboxtocreatemy
image.Ascuriosityandgaptheoryaremymainideasfortheimage,IthoughtIcouldutilizetheslogan
MindtheGapinconjunctionwithacuriouslookingimage,namelyasmallLegobridgethatplayswith
scaleandforcestheviewerstoaskthemselvesaboutthelocationoftheimage.TogethermysonsandIbuiltabridgeandsculptedthesand(well,sandandpebblesreally)intheirsandbox.Wemadethe
bridgerathercolorfulandsymmetricaltoaddemphasistotheuseoflegos.Webuiltthecenterportion
ofthebridgewithwhitebrickssothewordsMindtheGapcouldbecontrastandstandout.We
sprayedthesandandthebridgejustpriortotakingthepicturetoaddadditionaltexturetotheimage.
Weplacedthesandbridgeandgapinfrontofasectionofwoodwithaknotinittoaddanotherpossible
sourceofvisualcuriosity.Wetookseveralphotosofthebridgebeforedecidingitlookedbestwhenits
shadowwascastdownintothegap.
Oncetheimagewasimported,IchosetoaddthewordsGapTheorytoconnecttoGeorge
LoewensteinsGapTheoryofcuriosity,asdescribedbyHeath&Heath(page84)intheirchapter
regardingtheimportanceofUnexpectedtomakingideasstick.IoffsetthewordsUsecuriositytoadd
unexpectedness.toguidethereaderfromlefttorightandslightlydowntowardsthelowerrightcorner
oftheimage.Iemphasized(boldface)thewordunexpectednessasitisthemainreasonadding
curiositytoastory/presentationhelpsviewers(orlisteners)recalltheideasandobjectivesofthe
story/presentation.
Allthingscombinedresultinasimpleandvisuallypleasingimagethatconveystheimportanceof
curiosityelementstoastickystory/presentation.