Literacy has always been an important milestone for a child to reach. Learning to read and comprehend text is the educational backbone that all students need. In today's visual and textual world, students must be literate in both to navigate and contribute to society. Text on pictures has been around for centuries. Infographics are everywhere (social media, news, etc), helping to disseminate information to the masses. There is a need for students (and really, everyone) to have infographic literacy.
The infographic below is a fun way to display information about infographics.
People need to be able to read the data in an infographic. They also need to be able to discern whether the information is correct. Many infographics are used to disseminate misinformation, specifically on social media. Mainly, to ensure accuracy, readers must fact-check the information given in infographics. Reading infographics should be part of a well-developed digital citizenship curriculum. "As digital technology is now ingrained in day-to-day life, all literacies are inextricably linked—our social practices move seamlessly between online and offline spaces—so IL [information literacy] must do the same" (Burrows, 2023, p. 30).
The above infographic describes what one should do when reading and deciding to share an infographic on social media. "Rhetoric is also the critical framework through which we can analyze through which we can analyze digital media and the way it manifests in the world and appears on our screens. What does the media want us to do? How does it want us to behave or think? " Lawrence, 2022, p. 28). When reading infographics, we need to ask ourselves many things, including the ones above from our textbook. Along with questions, we must do the following before deciding to share an infographic on social media: reread the information, check for an author and publishing date, look for the references and double-check that they are legitimate, and make sure the data in the infographic matches up with the original resource. If you cannot accomplish any of these steps, you should not share the infographic.
Much like any content you find on the internet, infographics. should be analyzed for misinformation. People need to be aware of what they are sharing and should take the time to be certain of the information.
References
Burrows, E. (2023). Sharing in the echo chamber. Journal of Information Literacy, 17(1). https://doi.org/10.11645/17.1.3360.
Cash, I. (n.d.). Infographic of infographics. ivan.cash. https://www.ivan.cash/infographic-of-infographics
Nivethika. (2022, February 7). Design 101: The little known history of infographics. Kimp. https://www.kimp.io/infographics-history/#:~:text=As%20early%20as%2025%20000,in%20other%20early%20civilizations%20too.
Lawrence, D. (2022). Digital Writing: A Guide to writing for Social Media and the web. Broadview Press.
Retnaningtyas, N., Damaianti, V. S., Mulyati, Y., & Sastromiharjo, A. (2024). Students’ abilities in reading infographics text in junior high schools. International Journal of Language Education, 8(3). https://doi.org/10.26858/ijole.v8i3.66492
Your blog highlights an important and often overlooked aspect of digital literacy, infographic literacy. I especially appreciated your discussion of how infographics provide quick access to information while simultaneously increasing the risk of misinformation. This really reflects how we interact with digital spaces today, where visual content is often consumed quickly without much time spent evaluating its accuracy.
ReplyDeleteOne idea that stood out was your emphasis on fact-checking before sharing infographic content. This aligns with Lawrence’s (2022) discussion of rhetorical awareness in digital media, which encourages readers to question how visual texts influence interpretation, behavior, and belief. Applying rhetorical analysis to infographics strengthens readers’ ability to recognize bias, identify persuasive design choices, and evaluate credibility. Your post really shows that infographic literacy goes beyond just understanding the information and also includes thinking critically about it and sharing it responsibly.
Additionally, research supports your argument that infographic consumption requires careful interpretation. Burrows (2023) explains that information literacy must adapt to digital environments where visual and textual literacies are interconnected. This perspective reinforces your point that readers must develop the ability to interpret multimodal texts thoughtfully rather than relying on surface-level understanding. I really like your suggestion that infographic literacy should be part of digital citizenship because it helps students become both thoughtful consumers and creators of information.
One extension of your argument relates to the classroom implications of infographic literacy. While your post focuses primarily on evaluating existing infographics, teaching students to design their own infographics may further strengthen their critical analysis skills. Creating infographics requires students to make decisions about data selection, visual representation, and audience awareness, which promotes deeper understanding of how visual design can influence meaning. This approach to having students create infographics can be a helpful way to teach them how to spot misinformation while building stronger digital literacy skills.
Research further supports the instructional value of infographics, noting that visual representations can communicate complex information efficiently while enhancing comprehension and knowledge transfer (Traboco, 2022).
Overall, your blog offers a thoughtful look at infographic literacy and emphasizes the importance of engaging critically with visual information in digital spaces. I also appreciate how you combine research with practical strategies, which reinforces the need for educators to intentionally address infographic literacy within digital citizenship.
References
Burrows, L. (2023). Information literacy in digital environments. Journal of Digital Literacy Education, 12(1), 25–35.
Lawrence, D. (2022). Digital writing: A guide to writing for social media and the web. Broadview Press.
Traboco, L. (2022). Designing infographics: Visual representations for enhancing learning and knowledge dissemination. Journal of Educational Design and Technology.https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9274103/
Laura, I really appreciate how you described the importance of visual media like infographics in developing literacy. At least in my experience, many students are struggling to build their literacy skills. Many students require time and tools to develop their literacy skills along with their critical thinking and analysis. Combining visuals with text, such as with an infographic, is perhaps the most efficient way to scaffold material so that students can build these skills. According to Lawrence (2022), “We are visual creatures as much as we are textual creatures” (p. 176). Overall students can learn more effectively when they can analyze both visuals and text at the same time. Consistent use of these materials will help students build their literacy skills to a point where they can analyze complex texts and perform other methods of higher order thinking, such as justifying with evidence. Noonan (2023) states, “Infographics naturally strengthen higher-order thinking skills, as students must apply what they’ve learned from exploring and deconstructing existing ones”. The development of higher order thinking skills is a defining trait of a well-developed student, capable of thoughtful analysis and synthesis of ideas.
ReplyDeleteFurthermore, I appreciate that you mentioned how misinformation relates to digital media like infographics. It is very easy for genuine authors to unintentionally produce misinformation due to the designs of their media. While a beautiful aesthetic can draw in viewers, it may also distract them from the main message or warp the perceptions of those who do not carefully read the information presented. Therefore, it is just as important for us to carefully read the information presented to us as it is for us to be careful as we create media. Misinformation can be reduced through vigilance on the part of authors and careful analysis on the part of the readers.
References:
Lawrence, D. (2022). Digital Writing: A Guide to writing for Social Media and the web. Broadview Press. February 10, 2026, https://read.amazon.com/?asin=B09Z4VZ9YG&ref_=kwl_kr_iv_rec_1
Noonoo, S. (2023, January 20). Using infographics to build media literacy and higher-order thinking skills. Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/article/infographics-media-literacy-skills/