Thing 24: Infographics

The tools that I have enjoyed using to create Infographics in the past are easel.ly, piktochart, and recently Canva.  I typically visit each one once I have gathered information and brainstormed a concept for design, to see which one has the best templates, tools and icons/ images for the task.
Although I have tried other tools, these ones have given me the best options both for creating and sharing (which is often the more difficult component).  Other tools have made it difficult to transfer the finished Infographic to other place.  It is so frustrating to me when I have put lots of time and energy into creating something and then am unable to download or freely share the finished product.  I often run into this challenge with students as well, who are asked to create something and then print or copy and paste the finished product, and the tool does not allow for this.  I highly recommend testing the "share" functionality of any Infographic tool before dedicating time to creating something meaningful.
Although I have made many infographics in the past, for purposes ranging from advocacy to professional development to teaching I would like to get into making them more interactive, adding layers to the information provided.  Towards this end the blog by Jennifer LaGarde, 27 Ways to Make This the Best Year Ever was very inspiring.  So, I decided to make my WISER infographic interactive using ThingLink.  I use this infographic both for PD with teachers, and as a teaching tool with students learning inquiry skills.  Below is the new version, which includes interactive links- videos, narrative descriptions, and Web 2.0 tools to use during the implementation of the Inquiry process.  I am excited to use this new tool, and hope that it will add layers of meaning for both students and teachers.