Teacher Viewpoints of Instructional Design Principles for Visuals in a Middle School Math Curriculum

Instructional design principles for visuals in student materials have been developed through findings based on student-level measures. However, teacher viewpoints may be a rich source of information to better understand how visuals can be optimized for student learning. This study's purpose is to examine teacher viewpoints on visuals. In a randomized, controlled field trial, teachers received mathematics curriculum with either the original visuals (control) or visuals revised based on instructional design principles (treatment). Teachers responded to survey questions regarding their viewpoints on issues related to instructional design principles applied to visuals (N = 22 treatment; N = 21 control). Both treatment and control teachers viewed aspects of certain instructional design-based principles favorably, but viewed issues related to math-irrelevant visuals differently. The following are appended: (1) Figure A1: Example of revisions based on the multimedia principle; (2) Figure A2: Example of revision based on the signaling principle (color coding); (3) Figure A3: Example of revision based on the contiguity principle (labeling); (4) Figure A4: Example of revision based on the contiguity principle (close physical proximity); (5) Figure A5: Example of revisions based on the coherence principle (removal of decorative visuals); (6) Figure A6: Example of revision based on the coherence principle (removal of a representational visual); and (7) Figure A7: Example of representational visual included in the revised curriculum to assist with vocabulary from the lesson context.