Choosing and Using Visual Media
Overview
Collaborate or consult with the production teams (media producers, graphic designers, instructional designers, and the media liaison) to ensure high quality, relevant, creative products that meet our Cultivate Learning standards in addition to our legal and contract requirements!
Video, photos, and graphics (visual media) can help our products, and the written content in them, come to life. We use media for a variety of reasons. For example, media helps us to demonstrate high quality environments, education practices, and family engagement. It can also enable the audience to see or hear directly from educators describing various elements of their practice. Seeing and identifying practices in action is a key element of the Intentional Teaching Framework.
Graphics help to convey complex content in a visual way that is easier to understand. Custom graphics and illustrations also help bring concepts to life. Typically, we create and use our own graphics or adapt external graphics to our Cultivate Learning style. Graphic designers help ensure we meet our legal and contract obligations for branding criteria.
When thinking about using media, be sure to review the Partnering for Product Development chapter. For more information about accessing the media database, review the Webdam and Media Lab chapter.
In addition to partnering for product development, follow the tips and guidance throughout the Choosing and Using Visual Media part of the guide when choosing media. Be sure to also review the Multimedia Tracking Sheet chapter when using visual media in your products. We use a multimedia tracking sheet as a collaboration and archiving tool. Work with the various production teams and the project manager to complete this document as part of content development.