My topic and finding information on it was pretty straightforward. "How do we help students navigate the overwhelming amount of information that is online while they are conducting research projects?" Because the nature of reading and researching is changing, there were many current articles and studies and surveys that addressed students from the elementary level through the university level. So I had plenty of information, statistics, and resources to continue. Plugging in all of the information required making a paper draft of what I wanted to include before I could get online. I tried using Infogram but found that there were not many template options, and users cannot change text or font without upgrading. Next I attempted Easelly - it had better template options and text layouts, but I had trouble with the site lagging and that pesky spinning rainbow of doom. It's possible that Chrome was not a compatible browser, or it could be 'user error.' Finally I tried Piktochart after seeing some drafts posted by my peers, and that seemed to work the best for me.
While the process was challenging and I had my work cut out for me as far as design, I kept running through various ways educators could implement infographics in the classroom. I'm a big proponent of 'alternate presentation tools' with my students - they come to me in grade 5 and most of them have done at least two or three slideshow presentations during their public school tenure. Infographics offer a different take on the research and could really draw in those students who are design-savvy or who want to 'write less.' Anytime students are required to present information about a topic, place, time, theme, person, current event, science lab, etc., infographics could be a viable alternative to the standard assignment. The possibilities are endless, and Kathy Schrock puts together a pretty nifty page on infographics as a creative assessment.
I'd recommend that before a teacher dives in and really tackles using infographics with students to take a look at the purpose of the infographic and what the goals are for putting one together. I found that planning is critical to the success of the final product, so educators should really put in the time to choose a clear topic, get pertinent information, draft, sketch, and experiment. The results will be rewarding for both the teacher and the students.