Tools for Graphics Content Development
The optimal process for graphics inclusion in course content includes steps such as those below.
1. Obtain a Graphic
2. Edit the Graphic
3. Put the Graphic into Course Content
A graphic may be obtained from a repository of (freely usable) graphics such as WWW sites, publishing company materials accompanying text books, and other.
In some cases a graphic may be quickly obtained by grabbing a computer screen using a tool such as (freeware) Snagit or (commercial but inexpensive) HyperSnap; such tools allow transformation of parts of computer screens into graphics files in various formats for saving or printing.
Graphics may be created from scratch in various ways, but such creation can be time consuming.
A graphics editor such as MS-PhotoDraw or Adobe PhotoShop can be useful in changing the size, orientation, or characteristics of a graphic.
Tools such as MS-Word, MS-FrontPage, and MS-PowerPoint include possibilities for including graphics in presentations, including automated HTML conversion.
High quality graphics files can be quite large, and can require extensive download times at low Kbps rates. One should consider keeping graphics files small, or consider streaming them; streaming will be discussed later in the paper.