However, as we looked into classrooms,
searched the Web, and spoke
with classroom teachers, we learned
that most infographic assignments
resulted in what we would
label as posters. Essentially, these
products were the equivalent of
David Loertscher’s “bird reports”—
representations of loosely related
facts and numbers, sometimes
verified and paraphrased, displayed
visually. We hypothesized that the
student engagement enthusiastically
reported by teachers came primarily
from using novel technology, not
from inquiry learning. If we were to
devote time to teaching infographics,
the product must be more than
an attractive visual collage of statistics
and facts; it should demonstrate
understanding (per CCSS.ELALiteracy.
CCRA.W.7).