2 - Contiguity Principle #1

Adobe Photoshop: Master These Fundamental Tools

Brief Definition

Contiguity is not a word that rolls right off my tongue! However, when I think of contiguous, the picture comes into focus a little better. “Things” that either touch or are side by side. And in multimedia e-learning, that level of organization is necessary to avoid either confusing or frustrating the learner. According to Clark and Mayer (2011), the first Contiguity Principle “involves the need to coordinate printed words and graphics" (p. 93).

An Artifact

The example from Adobe Photoshop’s Beginner’s help screen, Master These Fundamental Tools, is an excellent example of the effective use of Contiguity Principle #1. The tools they are featuring are clearly numbered with a small amount of text explaining how to access the tool. Then the corresponding image is displayed directly below the text. For sticklers, no, you cannot see the full image at 100% zoom, but with the amount of text and the simplicity of the instruction, the small amount of “up and down” scrolling is negligible and does not impair learning by this novice. If it is annoying, simply reducing the zoom to 75% still allows for large text and graphics - all on one page!

References

Clark, R. C., & Mayer, R. E. (2011). E-learning and the science of instruction: Proven guidelines for consumers and designers of multimedia learning. San Francisco, CA: Pfeiffer.