The Challenge
As part of my professional development, I enrolled in the University of Maryland’s Global Campus course: Instructional Design and Technology: Learning Theories taught through Edx. One of our first assignments was to design an infographic for the learning theory of constructivism. Our infographic was expected to contain information on the theory’s key dates and researchers, our opinions of the strengths and weaknesses of the theory and its implications for instructional designers.
While the course provided us with articles to read, we were expected to conduct our own research on the topic. I will admit to being overwhelmed by the sheer quantity of information available on this important learning theory. I struggled with how to condense the information down to fit within the confines of an infographic. While this infographic is more text heavy than I would have preferred, I am proud of how much information I was able to include while still producing a coherent and aesthetically pleasing design.
The Design Process.
Tool: For this project, I used the online web tool Canva. I did start my project using one of the available templates, as I appreciated the organizational concept found in its modular layout. However, I heavily modified the original template, eliminating some sections and adding others, deleting all of the original images and changing both the color scheme and the font.
Color: I selected my color scheme from one of the thousands available on Coolers. I wanted something bright and bold that would align well with the topic of education. I also chose a color scheme that while complementary, had enough variation that I could use the colors as a visual tool to organize my content.
Graphics: The vector graphics I chose came from Canva’s available elements library. I chose individual icons with a consistent style and edited them to match my color scheme and design. In several instances, I combined multiple images to build a larger element. Since space is limited in an infographic, I chose icons that supported the concepts and ideas I was trying to convey. I also used graphics to link related concepts, direct the viewer’s gaze, and create a visual flow within my design.
Knowledge: Constructivism is a robust and well-researched learning theory. Synthesizing all that available information down to fit within an infographic was a challenging process. The modular layout I chose actually helped me to divide and organize the information into key areas. The layout itself helped focus my attention on the key points I wanted and needed to cover.
