Infographics & Cat Balls (extra post)

Well. I certainly hope that you enjoy the infographic I have created (just hang on, we'll get there), since it took me forever and a day to figure out and get it done (technology + me = slow). But that is not where I am beginning my post today, no siree. I will give those of you who need structure and organization (like me)...

Today's to-do list first:

1. What, Exactly, IS an Infographic?
2. Infographics Within the Classroom
3. Some Examples
4. MY Example

1. WHAT, EXACTLY, IS AN INFOGRAPHIC?
The concept really is quite self-explanatory, but just to ensure that we are all on the same page: an infographic is basically a visual (graphic) representation of information (info) or data. They are pretty great because they allow for a large, sometime complex, idea to be communicated quickly, and visually.


2. INFOGRAPHICS WITHIN THE CLASSROOM
I think that infographics are absolutely magnificent. Especially in a society that is becoming increasingly technological - people are not reading the way they used to! I mean, I am an English major and even I find it discouraging when I pick up some informational reading and find it in large, novel-esque chunks. And let's be honest - a lot of academic and expository texts are... well... a little dry. These are a few reasons why it is important to break things down and spice them up as much as possible when we are trying to communicate important information to our audience, especially when that audience comes with a need for visual learning, a short attention span, and raging hormones (I am referring to the teenagers I hope to be teaching in the near future).

The uses of infographics are limitless, really. I can see myself using them in the form of awareness, research, or summary posters, and having my students do the same for class projects. They are great to communicate information about anything - so they are a great tool for teachers and students alike.

Even before this I4Ed class, I really liked the idea of visual communication, since I definitely connect with it over auditory communication (and I now know that most people are the same). I was actually planning to put up some comical (and maybe sliiiightly racy), yet accurate infographics from The Oatmeal up on my classroom walls (should I get that English job).


3. SOME EXAMPLES
Here are some examples of these, which would be used to communicate the proper use of irony and grammar:

Here is a link to the
FULL I-GRAPHIC ON IRONY

Here is a link to the FULL
I-GRAPHIC ON SEMICOLONS










Now, not only are infographics a way for educators to communicate with students, but they are also a way for educators to communicate to one another! I downloaded the Zite app, which John Evans recommended in class last Thursday, and have since found a whole pile of infographics about technology in the classroom, BYOD, and the flipped classroom. They certainly appear to be the educational tool of the present and future.


4. MY EXAMPLE
Okay, so. If you found this next infographic floating around on the World Wide Web, I am pretty sure you would know who it belonged to...

English Concepts: Check.
Borderline Inappropriate Humour: Check.
Cats: Check. 

I made the following infographic using Piktochart, which I found to be both aesthetically pleasing and simple to use (two absolute musts for me). I would also like to give credit to Storybird.com, where I took some of the images found in my infographic.

And now, without further ado: