This document discusses using infographics as effective teaching tools. It begins with an introduction to infographics, describing them as visual representations of information that are used to explain complex topics quickly. It then discusses the benefits of using infographics, including that they make complicated concepts easy to understand and combine words and pictures in engaging ways. The document also covers different types of infographics, tools for creating them, and ideas for how to incorporate infographics into classroom lessons to support literacy and content mastery. It emphasizes that infographics can be useful assessment tools when used creatively.

1. S
Turning Infographics Into Effective
Teaching Tools
Technology in Education
Conference
May 19 2014
Karen Megay Nespoli

2. Getting to know you
Name
Department
Why you are interested in infographics?

3.  Introduction to infographics
 Types of infographics
 Creating infographics
 Ideas for using infographics in the classroom

4. Infographics are visual representations of
Information data knowledge

5. Infographics
Used where complex information
needs to be explained quickly and
clearly such as in signs, maps,
journalism, technical writing and
education.

6. A Picture is Worth a Thousand
Words

7. S Learners are constantly bombarded by information.
A deluge of messages are conveyed through the
use of pictures, photographs, and video. Learning
how to “read” and evaluate visual media is a skill
that can be taught, just as reading is taught.
S Students must also learn to express their
understandings through visual representations.
S Writing, research, and planning, all while combining
digital and traditional text forms.
Visual Literacy

8. Why use infographics?
S Make it easy to understand complicated concepts or
how-to perform tasks
S Dynamically combine words and picture in ways that
are visually appealing
S Stand alone
S Reveal new information
S Are universally understood

9. Who will find infographics an engaging
way to learn course material?
S Fact oriented learners
S Data enthusiasts
S Creative minds

10. S
Types of Infographics

11. Statistical

12. Timeline

13. Informational

14. Process

15. Research Based

16. Summary

17. Sources of infographics
Government Organizations

18. Professional Organizations

19. Pinterest

20. What makes a good
infographic?

21. Purpose
The audience should be able to
infer the author’s purpose, draw
conclusions based on the evidence,
and summarize the gist of the
infographic

22. Style
The graphic components including
the layout, text, symbols and color
scheme should address the tone of
the author.

23. Evidence
Data and text must be cited and
appropriately integrated in the
design to support the reader’s
understanding.

24. Format
The infographic can be
represented in a static format,
designed for print, or a dynamic
medium, allowing for interactivity.

25. A Picture is Worth a Thousand
Words

26. Creating Infographics

27. Online Infographic Tools
PiktoChart (www.picktochart.com) Free tools with simple
advanced features and a variety of templates
Glogster (http://edu.glogster.com) Interactive posters
PowerPoint - Free templates to use within a
PowerPoint Presentation
http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/33499/The-
Marketer-s-Simple-Guide-to-Creating-Infographics-in-
PowerPoint-Template.aspx

28. Online Infographic Tools
Easelly (www.easel.ly) Free tool for designing
infographics from pre-designed templates. Easiest
of all of the infographic tools.
InfoGram ( www.infogr.am) Simple no cost tool for
designing information and data visualizations with
interactive content.
Visually (www.visual.ly) A professional design
marketplace with examples of infographics in all
subjects.

29. Infographics
S Can support reading comprehension and writing while
strengthening critical thinking and synthesizing skills.
S Can be useful for connecting literacy content with
science, history or math lessons.
S Can be used as a visual resume
S Can be used as creative formative or summative
assessment to showcase a student’s mastery of
knowledge.

30. Using infographics in the
classroom to:
S review the steps of a science experiment
S talk about a character’s decision in literature
S highlight important historical events
S compare ways of looking at data
S discuss the historical setting of a book
S pre-teach a new subject
S present a new idea or topic

31. Resources
Kathy Schrock’s Guide to
Everything

32. Close Reading Infographic

33. Resources
S Davis, M. & Quinn, D. (January, 2014) Visualizing text:
The New Literacy of Infographics. Reading Today.
S Kathy Schrock’s Guide to Everything
http://www.schrockguide.net/infographics-as-an-
assessment.html
S TeachThought: A Primer On Infographics in the
Classroom http://www.teachthought.com/literacy-2/a-
primer-on-infographics-in-the-classroom/
S Teaching with Infographics
http://www.slideshare.net/srichter/teaching-with-
infographics-27211531

34. Photo Credits
S Agenda icon - Creative Commons via partido-
pirata.blogspot.com
S Getting To Know You http://www.cartoonstock.com/
S Student infographic - http://www.classesandcareers.com/
S Infographic samples - Google images