Infographics A New Tool for the Nursing Classroom

Infographics are defined as visual translation of data and short text that has been arranged in a way that tells a story or supports a position.(1) Because the majority of people, approximately 65%, are visual learners,(2) most students are attracted to visual information. Educators must be savvy in their ability to select, create, and use visuals effectively.(3) In today's classroom, there are additional factors that necessitate the use of visual media(4) : information overload, student disengagement, and use of mobile devices. (5-7) In many courses, faculty have seconds to engage students and only minutes to convey important concepts. When trying to integrate use of mobile devices to facilitate learning, faculty should appreciate that information can be more compatible when it is ''scrolled'' or ''swiped,'' which is facilitated with an infographic. Using infographics promotes movement to a more visual, mobile-friendly medium. Visual information evokes emotions and creates an experience, which can provoke action. An infographic is a tickler to spark interest, convey concise information, and lead the audience to a next step or further information seeking. Several major organizations are developing infographics as strategies for conveying large amounts of information to readers. For example, the Institute of Medicine has transcribed the Future of Nursing report to infographic format. Rather than requiring the audience to read hundreds of pages, the visual translation provides an overview of key points that can be rapidly digested while still providing the ability to follow up on the full report. Review of nursing literature yields sparse information regarding use of infographics in the nursing classroom. In 2008, Mixer et al(8) discussed the importance of visual data translation as a means of giving an overview prior to teaching complex concepts. Their work demonstrated improved learning when students were able to see the '' big picture'' first. Ryan et al(9) described the use of infographics as a means of alternate information presentation, but found that students still preferred PowerPoint. Other nurse educators have recommended greater use of social media in nursing courses, such as Pinterest(10) or Twitter,(11) but have not explicitly recommended infographics as the primary learning tool.