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Using Different Types of Engaging Visuals in the Classroom

Content delivery these days is not limited to textbooks and handouts. With technology comes the ability to create content easily and in a variety of ways. It also gives students the ability to become more involved in content creation, helping them develop 21st century skills for the workplace, school, and beyond.

One of the most noteworthy entries in the content field is infographics. Infographics convey information in a visual, graphical way. They make content more engaging. A growing body of research is demonstrating that presenting information visually has a significant impact. As opposed to plain text, visual content gets processed faster and it is remembered for longer periods of time. Infographics can help students learn more effectively and even make learning more enjoyable as they consume and create more engaging content.

The article “Help Students Learn Better With Different Types of Engaging Visuals” by Jeilan Devanesan has some ideas about the types of infographics teachers and students can create and use in the classroom:

1. Process infographics – help students understand the steps involved in completing tasks or activities
2. Information infographics – help students by providing background information on a topic
3. List infographics – support students with the related items they need to remember on a topic
4. Comparison infographics – highlight the similarities and differences of things for students
5. Research reports – show students how to restructure important text-based information in a visual way
6. Lesson plans – use color and graphics to bring a text-based lesson plan to life
7. Mind maps – help students understand how concepts and subjects are interconnected
8. Progress reports – help students understand their progress in a more visual way
9. Charts and graphs – help students visualize data rather than only poring over numbers
10. Posters – help students stay up-to-date with school and other events with beautiful and engaging posters

The exciting part of infographics is the ability for students to create them! As easy as it is for teachers to make them, this is a great way to integrate technology into the life of the classroom and give students practice using technology to learn and demonstrate their understanding of subjects. It open up assessment options by allowing students to show mastery in a variety of formats. Some of the more popular tech tools for creating infographics are Canva, Piktochart, and Venngage. Take time to explore one or more of these tools and consider weaving them into your instruction.

Sources:

Help Students Learn Better With Different Types of Engaging Visuals

45 Visual Content Marketing Statistics You Should Know in 2018

Tools

Canva  , Piktochart ,Venngage  , and others