Creating Infographics

Infographics are visual representations of information which is used to help decode data or explain material. Using infographics can help increase student's understanding of a subject matter and help them understand large amounts of information quickly. By helping students create their own infographics about a subject matter,  it encourages students to internalize what they have learned. 

I looked at three different graphic programs to determine which I liked the best and which would be the easiest to teach to students. 

                                                                                   

Infogram


The first program I looked at was Infogram. I liked that it was connected to Google and that it could upload data from project already in progress. Once my account was established (very easy to do), it walked me through a set of questions to determine which type of infographic I would need. It provided a graphic for me, instead of letting chose what I wanted. It does allow for the project to be modified, but some of the selections like graphics and shapes are very limited. To have better options, you would need to upgrade to the pro plan.

Easel.ly

 

The next program I looked at was Easel.ly. It also connected to Google (and Facebook) and that made logging in simple. I liked it better than Infogram due to the wider selection of free templates. It also had a better selection of graphics and charts. This program took a little work to find the images needed and did not feel as user friendly. Easel.ly had a few “objects” (clip art style pictures) that were available, but most were not available with the free plan.  I felt this program was still slightly limiting and may frustrate some users.  

Piktochart

The last program I looked at was Piktochart. I liked that I could login from my Google account. This site has infographics, posters, charts and slides. They offer their own simple tutorial to help you get started.  Piktochart has a build from scratch infographic or several nice ones to help you get started. Piktochart offers a wide selection of graphics, colors and other nice features available for free without having to upgrade to a better plan. The ease of use sold me on this program. The more I explored, the easier it was to use.

This is the infographic I made using Piktochart. It was relatively easy and I had fun trying a variety of different elements. You can make a selection of graphs and charts. I was able to add shapes, change colors and adjust sizing and fonts. I was also able to add pictures from stock photos. The site allows you to upload your own photos also. I feel with instruction, students would find this a fun way to share what they have learned. 

Facebook and Twitter-Being Social!

Facebook and Twitter

Facebook and Twitter are two of the largest social media sites in use today. There are advantages and disadvantages of both, but they can be a very positive way of communicating with others around the world.  Finding ways to share your library on social media has never been easier. Many people, both young and old, utilize both Facebook and Twitter on a daily basis. Both can provide instant news and updates about current events in “real time”.

I have been a Facebook user for many years and feel relatively confident in navigating this social media site. I use it to follow the happenings of friends, family and school news. I recently added several library “pages” to follow. I love watching what fun and exciting events are occurring in my daughter’s school. The Donald Elementary Media Center has its own page and Facebook posts are encouraged by the administration.

I looked at several other library Facebook pages (Elementary, Middle School and High School) and I saw book promotions, reminders, library centers, maker spaces, school events and many happy kids. The posts received several likes and few comments. These pages do serve a wonderful purpose to promote their library to parents and students. They build connections with the community and promote reading. Parents love to see their children at school happy and learning. I enjoyed seeing the wonderful ideas and books other librarians were utilizing. Librarians need to promote their pages to be the most effective and post frequently. High School libraries can also use Facebook to post about current happenings in the school. One of the major downsides to Facebook is the possibility that the posts won’t be seen. Facebook can be random in what posts are shown in feeds, so not everyone may see the library’s post.

Here are a few of the Libraries I looked at (and now follow on Facebook)!

Flower Mound High School Library

Claymont Elementary Library

Atascocita Middle School Library

Twitter is also a huge social media site the seems to become more popular over time. I started utilizing Twitter this summer and I enjoy the different feel of the platform, but it did take an adjustment period. By utilizing apps such as TweetDeck, it helps manage the constant influx of information on Twitter. You can create columns focusing on selected groups so you can monitor who you want to help you stay focused and not miss an important tweet. For example, I could set up columns for book publisher, another for authors, one for school news, and much more.

There are some important individuals to follow on Twitter in the world of librarians and educational technology. I investigated several of these leaders and this is what I discovered.

The first leader I looked at was Kathy Schrock (@kathyschrock). She is deep in the world of technology and her posts reflect that. She promotes the conferences she speaks at and attends. She currently maintains an active blog and also posts that link to Twitter.

My September @DiscoveryEd blog post on Kathy’s Katch is live. “Put the “make” in your makerspace”. https://t.co/sxKZPwe2hy

— Kathy Schrock (@kathyschrock) September 1, 2017

Next I looked at Linda Braun (@libraun2000) who is a former president of YALSA. Her posts focus on current events happening in the world of libraries and promoting best practices. I enjoyed reading through her posts. I also liked that her Tweets went directly to the article she was discussing.

David Warlick (@dwarlick) is still active on Twitter, but has stated that his blog is read only due to his decision to care for his parents at this time. He seems to be promoting his own personal experiences at the moment.

Gwyneth Jones, The Daring Librarian, (@GwynethJones) post frequently, reposts and promotes her library. She also frequently posts about the latest ways to use technology in the classroom. Her posts reflect some on her personal life too. Her links take you to her Scoop.it page. If you have plenty of time, it’s a fun place to look around and read several articles of interest.  

Jim Lerman (@jimlerman) is also very active on Twitter. He posts contain information on technology, brain studies, ideas for technology in the classroom and creative thinking. His post also links back to his Scoop.it page. Again, it’s a great place to find some really interesting articles, but may be annoying to some to go the extra step to go to another website.