Infographics use visual symbols to communicate and summarize complex information at a glance. They tell the story hidden in the data. They can compare multiple variables in a single graphic by using differences in color, size, shape, and orientation. They can be used for teaching complex concepts, engaging students in higher order thinking activities, or as part of a research report or grant application.
Thing to keep in mind when planning an infographic or student activity using infographics:
- Who is the target audience?
- What do you want the audience to learn?
- What does the audience want to learn from you?
- Decide what data should not be illustrated.
Three data elements to draw attention to are:
- trends
- outliers
- counterintuitive facts
Sites for Inspiration
- USA Today
- Mashable.com
- CoolInfoGraphics.com
- SodaHead
- Good.Is
- MakeUseOf
Interactive Visualization Examples
Visualization Design Tools
Filed under: Instructional Design, Teaching Toolbox, Techniques Tagged: Data visualization, Higher-order thinking, Infographic, Information graphics, Information visualization, Knowledge discovery, research, teaching
