04.23-29+Project+Infographic

READ/VIEW
 * "7 Things You Should Know About...Infographic Creation Tools." //Educause//. Educause. 2013. Web. 19 March 2013. .
 * Hurd, Jeri. "Designing Infographics: The Handout." //Bib 2.0//. N.p., 18 Oct. 2012. Web. 21 Jan. 2013. .
 * McCandless, David. "The Beauty of Data Visualization: David McCandless on TED.com." //TED Blog//. TED Conferences, 23 Aug. 2010. Web. 22 Jan. 2013. .
 * Miller, Shannon M. "The Hobbit Infographic Project....A Great Collaborative Project from the Classroom to the Library." //Van Meter Library Voice//. N.p., 9 Dec. 2012. Web. 21 Jan. 2013. .
 * Nelson, Cathy J. "Winding Down the School Year..." //Cathy Nelsons Professional Thoughts RSS//. N.p., 20 May 2012. Web. 22 Jan. 2013. .
 * Schulten, Katherine. "Teaching With Infographics | A Student Project Model." //The Learning Network Teaching With Infographics A Student Project Model Comments//. New York Times, 27 Aug. 2010. Web. 22 Jan. 2013. .
 * Starkey, Carolyn J. "Infographics for Librarians, Educators, and Other Cool Geeks - LiveBinder." //LiveBinders//. LiveBinders, n.d. Web. 22 Jan. 2013.
 * Valenza, Joyce. "Infographics: Round 2." //NeverEndingSearch//. N.p., 16 Oct. 2012. Web. 21 Jan. 2013. .
 * Ye Olde Fortress of Awesome. "Library Infographics." //Pinterest//. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Jan. 2013. .

Here's what Jeri Hurd said in her [|12 October posting on Bib 2.0:]

//As someone severely art-challenged (as many of my students, who have laughed themselves silly over my stick figures, will tell you), I especially appreciate the opportunity these apps provide for students to think in visual terms. I, for example, find it pretty hard to think visually (and create the infographics), because I spent most of my school years avoiding art class! Now students can practice their visual literacy without needing the accompanying artistic ability. //

//I also think I'll use them to do my annual report. I know we're supposed to provide the multi-page novelette documenting our successful program, but my administrators turn white whenever they see it, and I'm not even sure they actually read it. Plus it takes me HOURS. This may be a way to convey the same information in a more concise, easy-to-grasp format. //

In a later discussion, Hurd indicated the strengths of an infographic as opposed to something like a PowerPoint presentation. [|Students had to:]


 * 1) Condense their argument or "story" down to its bare elements
 * 2) Select the very best evidence to support that argument, then
 * 3) Display that argument visually.

ASSIGNMENT Create an infographic for a monthly report for your library. We won't go as far as Hurd in trying to do an annual report -- we'll try walking before running. Here is an example how one school librarian created an infographic for her monthly report:
 * [|Boiling Springs High School LMC, January 2012]( Link corrected 25 Apr. Thanks, Elizabeth!)

Select an infographic tool and collect your data. The data can be from your own/school's library circulation or you can use the monthly report statistics from someone else. Using your own statistics would make this more meaningful but I don't want you to get bogged down in creating the statistics at the expense of creating the infographic. Here are the [|monthly report statistics from my old high school] you can use if you need a starting point.

Grading (adaptation from http://www.rcampus.com/rubricshowc.cfm?sp=yes&code=q9w7a5) Post a link to your infographic on Blackboard and comment on each other's work.
 * Content - demonstrates the breadth of activities that happen in a/your library media center during a month (10 points)
 * Layout - layout shows clear organization; creates an easy-to-follow and easy read storyline - excellent use of graphics and color (10 points)
 * Graphics/Design - eye-catching and effective use of graphics, color, and fonts. All elements work together to reinforce the data and story without being distracting. The visuals tell the story. (10 points)