Riding the Infographic Highway

An infographic is a visual piece of content that presents images, facts, statistics, and other media in a concise format. It typically includes text, charts, and icons to present information in an engaging and memorable way.

The ability to design a successful infographic requires creativity and calls for an understanding of the elements of art and principles of design. Learning how to create their own infographics based on various prompts is an excellent way for students to develop strong visual communication skills that will serve them well in their future careers.

A Brief History of Infographics
I begin the lesson with a slideshow presentation on the history of infographics. From cave paintings and Egyptian hieroglyphs to London’s first subway maps, humans have always used visuals to communicate important information. In the 1970s, the field of graphic design took the lead in designing symbols for quick and simple communication.

German graphic designer and typographer Otl Aicher (1922–1991) developed a system of pictograms for the 1972 Summer Olympics. His work opened the door for designers to develop visual alphabets, including recognizable symbols for crosswalks, bicycle lanes, and pedestrian crossings.

In 1993, when the world wide web burst onto the scene, designers had the ability to use technology to generate flyers, advertisements, and other marketing tools.

Project Steps
Using free online software, creating infographics is an excellent way for students to learn how to express ideas clearly and creatively while building a strong foundation in graphic design.

Students will need laptops for this assignment. If you have a limited number of laptops, students could work in pairs. Here are the steps I followed:

Brainstorm big ideas or provide starter prompts for students to consider. Examples: Create an infographic that describes five famous places you would love to visit. Create an infographic that summarizes major civilizations you’ve studied in social studies this year. Create an infographic that tells an imaginative tale of traveling to five different places with your friends.
Show students how to use free online software. We have used Snappa, Canva, and Piktochart. Students use their school email to sign on.
Demonstrate how to manipulate free images, backgrounds, colors, and symbols using the software’s tools. Each software has its own unique features with which students can experiment. I reviewed the software students would use ahead of time to ensure that it was appropriate.
Ask students to download their final infographic and submit it to Canvas for assessment.

Immersed in Design
Designing infographics allows students to interact with fonts, colors, symbols, and composition in a fun and engaging way. They become fully involved in the design process, and I enjoy circulating the room to see their designs in progress. This project typically takes three days to complete, and students who finish early often ask if they can make another one just for fun.

Reflection
Students who struggle with drawing skills can find great success in a digital design project. Special needs students can also succeed with support from their paraprofessionals.

Statistics indicate that more than 60% of businesses have used infographics in the past, and they are thirty times more likely to be read than a written article. Knowing this, it is critical that we incorporate infographics into our art and design curriculum.