Infographics - week 6

I've always seen infographics and thought they were a great visual way of viewing information but creating one myself was always put it into the 'to hard' category (along with lots of the other things I have learn't in this course!) That will no longer be the case. Look out world, I now know how to make my own 'infographics'. Below is a simple one I created using easel.ly, an easy to use program that has thousands of templates I can use to create any type of infographic I chose. Infographics can also be created using everyday programs like powerpoint and excel.

An infographic is a picture that gives a visual display of data. It not only allows a great deal of data to be communicated fast, it is also much easier to view and to make connections and draw conclusion from the data that is represented. It is also a fun way to represent data to children.

Here are three ways you can use infographics in a classroom:

• As a source of information
• As a tool to teach visual literacy
• As a way for students to express their or others' data

Incorporating infographics into my classroom pedagogy is something I will definitely do. It has so many benefits. It includes both textual information, diagrams and images that can meet the needs of linguistic and visual learners. The text is often written as small amounts of information rather than long paragraphs which can be daunting for some learners. Because of the visual way it is presented it can help students who experience difficulties in literacy skills (ESL students). The visuals often display connections that may help students understand ways  things connect. It also makes learning fun. Rather than presenting a project on a piece of cardboard, students can use their imaginations to create info-graphs that incorporate everything.