Journal #3: More than words can say infographics

Krauss, J. (2012). More than words can say infographics. Learning and Leading with Technology, 39(5), 10-14. Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/learn/publications/learning-and-leading/February-2012.aspx

Summary:

Jane Krauss the author of “Infographics More than Words Can Say” presents the important role which infographics play in education.  The article begins by introducing the reader to infographics.  Krauss states that infographics “represent data and ideas visually, in pictures, engaging more parts of the brain to look at a problem from more than one angle”.   In other words, infographics present data in a visual manner to the observer.  The observer of such visual representation is left to ask himself/herself “What am I seeing?” and “What does it mean?” By using infographics in the classroom teachers can teach their students that the visual presentation of data, whatever the data may represent, has an impact on the message that is conveyed.  Krauss encourages educators to show a large variety of infographics to their students to help them realize that statistics can be distorted to benefit a certain individual.  Doing this will help students sharpen their critical thinking skills.  Additionally, the article states the importance of allowing students to make their own infographics.  The construction of infographics grants students the opportunity to learn the importance of presentation of data, learn how to comprehend and work with statistical data.

Question 1:

At what grade level should infographs be presented to students?

Infographs can be understood by all students because infographs use diagrams to illustrate their point.  With this in mind, students as young as kindergarten will be able to use infographs.  However, it is important to keep in mind that the infographs should be relevant to students’ age.  For example, when working with children in first grade educators can discuss the number of people who like cookies compared to the number of people who dislike cookies to make infographs work.  Additionally, The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics encourages that students at every grade level get exposed to collecting and representing data graphically and infographs accomplish such objective.

Question 2:

Can infographs be incorporated in math lessons?

I believe that infographs can be incorporated in math lessons.  For example, math educators can use infographs to illustrate data that students collect in a given research activity. The use of infographs will allow students the opportunity to visualize their data and learn what the data really represents.