Infographics or Graphics+Text: Which Material is Best for Robust Learning?

TL;DR

This study compares infographics and graphics+text as learning materials, finding no difference in learning outcomes but suggesting infographics may enhance long-term retention and enjoyment.

Contribution

It provides empirical evidence on the effectiveness of infographics versus graphics+text in learning, highlighting their impact on retention and enjoyment.

Findings

No correlation between learning styles and test scores.

No difference in immediate learning between formats.

Infographics linked to longer retention and higher enjoyment.

Abstract

Infographic is a type of information visualization that uses graphic design to enhance human ability to identify patterns and trends. It is popularly used to support spread of information. Yet, there are few studies that investigate how infographics affect learning and how individual factors, such as learning styles and enjoyment of the information affect infographics perception. In this sense, this paper describes a case study performed in an online platform where 27 undergraduate students were randomly assigned to view infographics (n=14) and graphics+text (n=13) as learning materials about the same content. They also responded to questionnaires of enjoyment and learning styles. Our findings indicate that there is no correlation between learning styles and post-test scores. Furthermore, we did not find any difference regarding learning between students using graphics or infographics. Nevertheless, for learners using infographics, we found a significant and positive correlation between correct answers and the positive self-assessment of enjoyment/ pleasure. We also identified that students who used infographics keep their acquired information longer than students who only used graphics+text, indicating that infographics can better support robust learning.