Dear Educators; Iconography
Pushing the LMS - Part 3
In the first two parts of our "Pushing the LMS" series, we explored how embracing basic HTML can empower educators to enhance their Learning Management System (LMS) content, and how leveraging the Bootstrap framework can elevate design and interactivity. Now, we turn our attention to integrating another visual element powered by icons and other visual elements.
Building on these foundations, the natural progression is to include iconography elements that can visually guide learners and make your content more intuitive.
What are Icons?
Icons in the context of an LMS (Learning Management System) are small graphical elements that visually represent actions, features, or categories within the LMS interface. They serve as intuitive visual cues to help users quickly understand the purpose or functionality of different elements without relying heavily on text. Many LMS’s have built in icon libraries that we can access such as Font Awesome or icons specific to LMS systems like Canvas, or even special characters (including emojis) provide educators and designers with a library of icons that can be leveraged to enhance the educational experience for students and staff.
What Are Font Awesome Icons (Moodle)?
Font Awesome is a popular icon toolkit using Cascading Style Sheet (CSS) rules and usually works in conjunction with Bootstrap. These scalable icons that can be accessed through specific class name calls within HTML. These icons are widely used across modern websites and applications, and they can be a game-changer in making your LMS content more engaging and enhancing the visual appeal of your curriculum.
It is essential to determine whether your LMS supports Font Awesome Icons, to do this utilize the Font Awesome Icons for LMS I created by simply copying the HTML into your LMS editor. If you see icons in the newly created web page, the LMS supports the Font Awesome Icon set and you can utilize the sample code to integrate into your own eLearning course sites.
Example:
<a href="#" class="btn btn-primary">
<i class="fa fa-thumbs-up"></i> Like
</a>
Explanation:
Font Awesome uses the <i> (italic) tag with specific classes to render icons:
Can I use Icons in the Canvas LMS?
The Canvas LMS has a wide selection of icons built-in and used by the interface. With the proper html and class calls you can access the vast catalogue of icons available within this LMS.
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In the Canvas LMS editor, you can access the available icon library by copying the Canvas LMS Icons HTML code. This will help you visualize the available icons and utilize the sample code to integrate into your own eLearning course sites.
Example:
<a href="#" class="btn btn-primary">
<i class="icon-like icon-Solid"></i> Like
</a>
Explanation:
Like Font Awesome, the Canvas LMS? uses the <i> (italic) tag with specific classes to render icons:
Special Characters and Emojis
Special characters are symbols that extend beyond standard letters and numbers you see displayed on the screen. They include punctuation marks, currency signs, mathematical operators, typographic symbols, and even emojis. These characters help to provide additional meaning, clarity, or context within text. For example, symbols like the ampersand (&) are used to replace the word 'and,' while others, like the copyright mark (?), indicate ownership. In eLearning, using these special characters effectively can greatly improve the readability, context, consistency, accessibility and the overall experience of the learning process.
Emojis are considered special characters and can be useful in eLearning when used appropriately. They can add emotional context, emphasize points, and make content fun and engaging.?
<a class="btn btn-primary" href="#"> ?? Like </a>
Understanding the availability of special characters can give you access to icons that otherwise might not be available in the LMS you are using. The Brightspace LMS interface does leverage icons, however they are encoded in a way that prevents calling them within the LMS’s editor.
By embracing iconography, you are not just adding visual flair to your courses; you're enhancing the overall learning experience. Icons can make your content more intuitive, guide learners through complex material, and create an engaging environment that supports student success.
Resources:
#eLearning #StudentUserExperience #SUX #LMS #FontAwesome #Moodle #Canvas #Icons #Iconography?