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In academic contexts, the value of the visual design of an online course is often diminished by the use of words like "eye candy." However, the visual design of a website has been shown to impact how an individual perceives its credibility and usability ( Alsudani & Casey, 2009; Robins & Holmes, 2008; Mbipom & Harper, 2009; Tractinsky, Katz & Ikar, 2000). Further, in a matter of a few seconds, the visual design of a course impacts a learner's affective and cognitive responses to the environment (Norman, 2004; Zhang, 2009) . What do you think? Is the beauty of a learning environment an important component of improving the learning experiences of online students? Before you answer, please read the article below.

David, A. & Glore, P. (2010). The impact of design and aesthetics on usability, credibility, and learning in an online environment. Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration, 12(4), Winter 2010. University of West Georgia, Distance Education Center.

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