What is an infographic? An infographic is a big picture that summarizes a topic. It is a one-page publication that presents information in a graphic way. Simple icons, symbols, maps, and charts combine to explain the data. Text is only used as labels or to briefly describe facts. The viewer explores the content by studying each section of cartoon-like images.
Why Use an Infographic?
An infographic is a simple but powerful way to communicate.
There are many reasons to use it:
- catches
the interest of the viewer
- outlines
many facts in a compact space
- conveys
data quickly using images
- informs
without lots of written information
- engages
the viewer to think about the topic because they must explore each part
- makes
a complex issue easy to understand
I reviewed three different web apps that can be used to
create infographics.
1. Piktochart
Piktochart is free with paid optional
upgrades. It has great step-by-step tutorials. It is easy to use. You can pick
from several different formats, including a traditional infographic size, presentation
size, poster, and report. You can create your own style or select from templates.
There are a limited number of free templates.
2. easel.ly
Easel.ly is free with paid optional
upgrades. It has special pricing for teachers and students. It has a free
design sandbox you can play in without even registering for the service. It is
easy to use. When you begin on their main page, just pick one of the many
templets they offer. You can search their library by category. You can also
start from scratch. It provides a variety of tools such as backgrounds, shapes,
text, and charts.
3. infogr.am
I chose infogram to create my
example for the blog. It is free but has paid plans. The paid versions offer SQL connectors, data analytics, link
tracking, and engagement analytics. These are in dept, so if you want to go
above and beyond, this is a good one. Its ease of use is intermediate, but I
did a simple infogram and it wasn’t difficult to maneuver. It is good for
numbers and data. The artwork is limited. The free users have fewer choices. I
couldn’t download my graphic, so I am including the link for it to be viewed.
When I began looking through these three, I randomly choose
inforgram to create my infographic. After
looking a bit closer at the other choices, I would have used easel.ly. Here is
the link to my infographic:
What Forms of Books
do Americans Read?
References:
Faverio, M., Perrin, A. (2022, February 2). Three-in-ten Americans
now read e-books. Pew Research
Center. Retrieved March 6, 2022,
from https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2022/01/06/three-in-ten-americans-now-read-e-books/
Love, C. & TechnoHella. (2021, February 17). What is an infographic? TechnoKids Blog. Retrieved
March 6, 2022, from https://www.technokids.com/blog/technology-integration/what-is-an- infographic/.
I like how you started your blog entry with 'what is an infographic' and reasons for using them. Your infographic was very easy to read and information was clear. I am that % that prefers print books over digital.
ReplyDeleteGreat post! Using infographics to teach students how to evaluate data can be a fantastic approach to get them to do so. Nice infographic, clear and to the point!
ReplyDeleteThank you for the bullet points on infographics. It was easy to follow and understand. I see why students and overall most people like these. The color and images are great and makes the information easier to get. This is one tool that teachers can use to relay lessons and materials to students depending on the subject.
ReplyDelete