This brief discusses and explains how an educator can use various tools (Use Case IPO diagrams
flowcharts entity-relationship diagrams information mapping) to help visualize how a learning
environment will work. Such tools were originally developed for use by software engineers but
as the complexity of learning environments has increased with various interfaces and processing
both educators and students have developed a need to understand the design and development of
visualization tools. The primary audiences for this text are K-12 and post-secondary educators
and instructional designers who want to use tools that will allow them to develop effective
learning environments in an efficient manner. Undergraduate and graduate students in an
educational technology class can also employ these tools and techniques to develop their own
materials.
