DESIGNING INFOGRAPHICS FOR STUDENTS’ DIGITAL NEEDS
“Staff had their hands full – they needed support for their remote teaching that was quick, useful, practical, and low-bandwidth”
What problems were being addressed?
- The emergency pivot to online learning
- The lack of time students had to adjust
Why did you choose to address the challenges this way?
- Frequently asked questions could be answered succinctly
- Student digital resources needed to be united and signposted
- The vibrant icons and links would appeal to students
Who was involved?
The EDTL Team at UL, based within the Centre for Transformative Learning (CTL) at UL, consisted of Project Lead, David Moloney, and student interns, Alice Hynes, Jasmine Ryan and Katie Martin.
How were the goals achieved?
In Spring 2021, a student digital resource pack Student Success in Online Learning and Assessment was being developed at University of Limerick. The goal was to aid a smooth transition to online learning and ensure students were able to easily access the wide variety of digital resources available to them.
“The UL EDTL Team understood the challenges facing students, as well as the abundance of information flooding their academic lives”
The UL EDTL Team understood the challenges facing students, as well as the abundance of information flooding their academic lives, which is why the team recognised the benefit of creating a series of infographics for students. The UL EDTL Project Lead, David Moloney, designed the Student Success with Online Assessment infographic template, before speaking to the Assistant Deans of Academic Affairs (ADAA’s), faculty Learning Technologists, Placement Coordinators, and faculty Librarians in each of UL’s faculties, to gather the information that was essential to the success of every student and their online studies.
Here are some of the infographics’ priorities:
- Answering the UL digital basics, such as printing and resetting passwords
- Informing students of the technology they needed, such as Audacity and Microsoft Word and Excel
- Highlighting the ways students can access their modules
- Providing explainer videos
- Signposting and uniting student digital resources
- Outlining the correct behaviour within an online environment
Each of the infographics shared the same layout, and quite often similar information, but they were specific to each of the students’ needs within their respective faculties. They were easy to navigate, with clear and colourful icons and links for the students to follow. They were also easy to read, as the UL EDTL Intern, Alice Hynes, proofed each of the pieces, ensuring the language was relevant and accessible.
The infographics were reviewed and commented on by faculty members too. This guaranteed that all of the appropriate information was communicated. And that the digital resource was as effective as it could be.
Interesting Insight:
The UL EDTL Team consistently referenced the EDTL Project website, simply because the information answered many of the questions UL students were asking. This saved the UL EDTL Team time, along with creating further awareness of the EDTL project.