Process

Process Overview

Through detailed steps and activities, this section guides you through 5 activities that will help you meet the learning objectives of this webquest.

Explore and Analyze Educational Infographics
Duration (30-45 minutes)

Learn the Fundamentals of Visual Design
Duration (45-60 minutes)

Explore Designing Tools
Duration (45-60 minutes)

Creating an Infographic
Duration (60-90 minutes)

Implement within Existing Curriculum
Duration (45-60 minutes)

Step 1: Explore and Analyze Educational Infographics (30-45 minutes)

For each infographic, answer the following questions:

# What is the main concept being communicated?
# How is information organized and prioritized?
# What visual elements (colors, icons, charts) make the content engaging?
# How does the design support learning objectives?
# What could be improved about this infographic?

Visit the follow galleries with educational infographics.

# Canva Education Infographics
# Visual.ly Education Collection
# Cool Infographics: Education Category

Select three infographics.

Ensure that your selection aligns with the curriculum for your grade and subject.

Reflect.

Create a list of 5-7 design principles you observed that make an infographic effective.

Step 2: Learn the Fundamentals of Visual Design (45-60 minutes)

Peruse the following resources on the various concepts of visual design for learning: Color Theory; Typography; Visual Hierarchy; and Data Visualization.

Practical Activity:
Select a complex concept from your curriculum and sketch (on paper or digitally) how you would organize it visually, applying the principles you've learned.

Color Theory

Read: Color Theory for Teachers

Typography

Watch: Typography in Educational Design

Visual Hierarchy

Explore: Visual Hierarchy: Organizing Content to Follow Natural Eye Movement Patterns

Data Visualization

Review: Data Visualization for Education

Design Principles Checklist

Include at least one principle from each of the above categories and create a checklist of visual design principles that will guide the creation of your infographic.

Step 3: Tool Exploration (45-60 minutes)

Free versions are available for all the infographics tools listed here. Explore the features and functionality of each tool by watching a tutorial on infographics creation using that specific tool.

In the Tool Evaluation Matrix,
# Rate each tool on ease of use, template quality, customization options, and export features
# Select the tool that best fits your needs and skill level for your final project
# Document which tool you've selected and why it's the best fit for your needs.

Canva

Tutorial: Creating Educational Infographics in Canva

Piktochart

Tutorial: Getting Started with Piktochart

Venngage

Tutorial: Creating Infographics with Venngage

Adobe Express

Tutorial: Adobe Express Infographic Tutorial

Tool Evaluation Matrix

Complete the tool evaluation matrix to choose a tool that is best suited to your needs.

Step 4: Infographic Creation (60-90 minutes)

This is the step where you will apply the principles of visual learning design to create an infographic that aligns with the needs of your curriculum.

Here, you will:

1. Select a topic
2. Plan the infographic
3. Create the infographic
4. Prepare for use and share (format, license)

Selecting a Topic

Your topic should be something that:
# students find challenging to understand
# contains multiple steps or related concepts
# will greatly enable student learning via visual representation

Planning the Infographic

# What key concepts are you trying to communicate (identify 3-5)?
# What is the logical flow of information?
# What color scheme would be best suited? (Choose 2 or 3 main colors)
# What data visualization methods would best serve this infographic?

Creating the Infographic

# Use the design principles from Step 2
# Include a clear title and section headers
# Incorporate relevant icons or images
# Add succint explanations where necessary
# Include citations for any data sources

Preparing for Use

# Include the appropriate Creative Common License for your infographic
# Save your infographic
# Use the Export, Save As, or Download As feature and export your infographic in multiple formats (JPG, PDF, PNG)

Step 5: Implementation (45-60 minutes)

It is time to implement what you have created by creating a lesson plan that incorporates your infographic, or by modifying an existing lesson plan to include the use of your infographic.

Extended Activity:
Create a student resource guide (1 page) for creating impactful infographics.

Develop a Lesson Plan

# Define clear learning objectives
# Design an introduction activity using the infographic
# Create student engagement questions based on the visual content
# Create an assessment to gauge student understanding of the concept

Design a Student Infographic Creation Activity

# Develop clear instructions for students to create their own infographics
# Create a simplified design checklist appropriate for your students' age
# Plan how to provide necessary scaffolding for success
# Develop an assessment rubric for student-created infographics

Extended Learning

# How could infographics connect to other curriculum areas?
# How might students share or publish their infographics?