The power of infographics in online education

In an era of information overload, capturing and keeping student attention is one of the greatest challenges in online education. Research shows that visuals aren’t just a nice-to-have; they’re a fundamentally more effective way to communicate. The infographic below breaks down why infographics work, backed by data on how people process and retain information, and what that means for how you design your course content.

What we learned from the infographic:

• People today receive five times more information than they did in 1986, making it harder than ever to hold student attention. Visual content helps cut through the noise.
• Students retain 65% of information when it’s paired with an image, compared to just 10% when heard through audio alone.
• When instructions include illustrations alongside text, people complete tasks 323% more effectively than with text alone.
• The brain processes visual symbols in fractions of a second, and eye-tracking research shows people spend more time engaging with information-rich images than with text on the same page.
• Well-crafted infographics can become evergreen content which helps them stay useful across multiple course terms and continuing to engage students even after a course ends.
• Thanks to generative AI, creating professional-quality infographics no longer requires design experience, making visual storytelling accessible to any instructor.

Next time you’re highlighting key information in your course, consider if an infographic could boost engagement and retention of information. Just be sure to always check accessibility and alt text, where needed.