Teaching Translation of Research through an Infographic: An Experiential Learning Assignment

Abstract

The National Council on Family Relations identified translation of research and dissemination of family science knowledge as critical skills for students and new professionals. To build these skills in future professionals, the authors developed an infographic assignment to teach students how to research and communicate a current family science topic to a non-academic audience of their choice. The assignment is a semester-long project grounded in experiential, constructivist learning theories. The authors provide students with step-by-step instructions for choosing a topic, writing a thesis statement, conducting background research, choosing how to highlight family research, creating an infographic using free software, and presenting their outcomes to fellow students. The authors include instructions for conducting and implementing the assignment, a sample grading rubric, and an example of student work. Anecdotal and experiential evidence supports the effectiveness of this assignment, although a systematic study is warranted to confirm instructor observations.