Using Infographics in the Classroom

Using Infographics in the Classroom

Teachers often use visual aids as teaching and learning tools in the classroom. The integration of technology into curriculum and pedagogy has given way to use of more creative and innovative visual aids, including infographics.

Infographics are concise visual representations of information or data, designed and presented in a way to enhance comprehension.

Infographics and Multimodal Learning

Infographics promote multimodal learning in the classroom. This is important as teachers need to structure the teaching process to accommodate the different learning styles of their students. The combination of text and images in infographics caters to visual and verbal learners, and helps:

• Capture attention and interest
• Develop a deeper understanding of the material
• Enhance retention and recall of information
• Students to organize and analyze material

Applications of Infographics in the Classroom

These are 3 ideas for how to use infographics in the classroom:

Understanding Expectations:

Using infographics, teachers can clearly instruct about class rules, responsibilities, and behavioral and academic expectations of students. Infographics serve as visual reminders when displayed on class bulletin boards.

Creative Teaching:

Comparison of data, analyzing trends and patterns, and learning historical events can be enhanced through infographics. They can also be used for introducing topics and summarizing key information.

Assignments:

Assignments can be submitted in the form of infographics. Students can create infographics as an individual or group tasks. In these assignments, students/student groups are given topics to research and present. Students are encouraged to organize, analyze, and design their presentations. Engaging in this process can help to motivate and improve student participation, as well as improve their groupwork skills and cognitive skills (critical analysis, problem-solving, design and conceptualization.)

Infographics work on a principle known as the “Picture Superiority Effect,” which states that pictures and images are more easily remembered than words. This makes infographics useful and effective tools in the classroom. Teachers and students can use various online tools like Piktochart, Canva and Infogr.am to design and create infographics.

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