Introduction: Why are cycle diagrams indispensable in the educational field?

In modern educational settings, it is not the "quantity of knowledge" but the "quality of understanding" that is sought. Among them,Cycle diagram is attracting attention as the most powerful tool for visualizing "a series of processes" and "circular relationships". For example, it is being used in various learning units such as the "water cycle" in natural science, the "economic cycle" in social studies, and the "PDCA cycle" in learning techniques.

According to research,visual information is processed in the brain 60,000 times faster than text and the proportion of it being fixed in memory also increases by about 40%. However, many educators and students struggle to create cycle diagrams for reasons such as "not being able to use professional design software", "taking too much time", and "not being able to organize it beautifully".

PicDoc,is an AI-driven infographic creation tool. Thanks to features specialized for educational needs, even without design skills within 10 minutes it is possible to create high-quality cycle diagrams. In this article, we will introduce in detail the importance of cycle diagrams in educational settings, common creation mistakes, and effective creation methods using PicDoc.

Three major application scenarios of cycle diagrams in educational settings

Cycle diagrams are ideal for visualizing "repetition", "continuity", and "causal relationships". They are particularly effective in the following scenarios in educational settings.

1. "Understanding processes" in natural science: Visualizing the water cycle and carbon cycle

When teaching "the water cycle" in a junior high school science class, the flow of "evaporation → condensation → precipitation → infiltration" tends to be perceived abstractly with just a textual explanation. On the other hand,a cycle diagram that represents each stage with the direction of arrows and icons it has been confirmed through experiments that the students' comprehension level is improved by approximately 65%.

Points of Utilization of PicDoc:

When you enter keywords such as "the water cycle, junior high school science", the AI generates simple text that matches the learning level. After generation, by selecting the "cycle diagram", icons such as the sun (evaporation), clouds (condensation), and rain (precipitation) are automatically arranged. Furthermore, by adjusting the item order from the "outline" tab and differentiating each stage with different shades of blue in color scheme, visual comprehension can be promoted.

2. "Method Fixation" of Learning Techniques: PDCA Cycle and Repetitive Learning Cycle

In higher education and vocational training, the PDCA cycle of "plan → do → check → act" is frequently used. However, with just a textual explanation, the relationships between each stage tend to become ambiguous.By means of a cycle diagramVisualize the cycle of "returning to the plan again from improvement"by doing so, the learner's method fixation rate is improved by approximately 40%.

Points of utilization of PicDoc:

After entering "PDCA Cycle Learning Plan", select the "Cycle Diagram" from multiple generated charts. By color-coding each phase (Plan: Blue, Do: Green, Check: Yellow, Act: Orange) with the "Color Scheme" function, it promotes memory consolidation. After creation, it can be exported to PDF and incorporated into teaching materials.

3. "Procedure Organization" for problem-solving: Scientific Thinking Process - Critical Thinking Cycle

When the theme is "Solving Regional Issues" in the integrated learning of primary schools, students can acquire systematic thinking by visualizing the cycle of "Problem Discovery → Data Collection → Analysis → Solution Formulation → Execution → Evaluation → Rediscovery". According to a certain survey,In classes that used cycle diagrams, the test scores for problem-solving ability were reported to be 25% higher on average.This has been reported.

Points of Utilizing PicDoc：

When you upload an existing worksheet (Word/PDF), the AI automatically extracts the "problem-solving steps" and generates multiple chart candidates. Select the "cycle diagram" from among them and share the entire document via the "sharing link", allowing students to share materials with each other.

The Five Biggest Mistakes in Creating Cycle Diagrams for Education and the Solutions with PicDoc

Although cycle diagrams look simple, there are several points to keep in mind to maximize their educational effectiveness. The following are common mistakes and solutions using PicDoc.

Mistake 1: The direction of the arrow is ambiguous, making it impossible to understand the flow of the cycle.

The core of the cycle diagram is the "continuity of the flow". If the arrows bend too much or the directions are reversed, students will be confused about "where it starts and where it ends". In a junior high school class questionnaire,it was reported that when a cycle diagram with unclear arrow directions was used, the average understanding time of students doubled.

PicDoc's solution:

When you select the "cycle diagram",the optimal arrow direction will be automatically set. For example, in the "learning cycle", clockwise arrows can represent "gradual progress".

Mistake 2: The core points are buried by "too much information"

For educational cycle diagrams, "simplicity" is crucial. If you add too much detailed explanatory text to each stage, students' attention will be distracted and the main message will not be conveyed. According to research on visual perception,it is ideal to limit it to within 7 items in one cycle diagram(The Visual Information Processing Society, 2021).

PicDoc's solution:

AI automatically extractsthe core information from the input text summarize the description of each stage within 15 characters.

Mistake 3: Lack of color consistency results in no visual unity.

Colors have a great impact on memory. However, if a random color scheme like "red → blue → green → yellow" is used in an educational cycle diagram, students won't perceive the "relevance". Experts in educational design recommend using analogous colors (e.g., blue family) or complementary colors (e.g., blue and orange)in cycle diagrams.

PicDoc's solution

It comes with the "Educational Color Theme". For example, in the natural science theme, blue-based color schemes are automatically applied, and each stage is distinguished by shades. Moreover, with the "Color Scheme" function, it is possible to use consistent colors in teaching materials of the same series.

Mistake 4: Causing misunderstandings due to "inappropriate use of icons"

Icons serve to complement the text, but using icons with unclear meanings can have the opposite effect. For example, if you use a "flame icon" instead of a "cloud icon" to represent "evaporation", it may give students the wrong perception. In a certain survey,it was found that in a cycle diagram where inappropriate icons were used, the misunderstanding rate among students reached 35%.(The Society for Educational Media, 2023).

PicDoc's solution：

AI automatically places appropriate icons according to the text content, and they can be changed even after generation. For example, for the term "experiment", icons of flasks and test tubes are proposed, which are optimized for use in educational settings.

Mistake 5: Unable to handle sudden pre-class changes due to 'difficult to modify'

Teachers often need to frequently modify the content of cycle diagrams to adjust teaching materials. However, diagrams created by hand or with complex software take time to modify, which can hinder urgent lesson preparations.

PicDoc's solution：

With the'real-time editing function', changes to text and icons are immediately reflected. You can easily rearrange the order of items by dragging and dropping in the 'Outline' tab. Moreover, cycle diagrams created in the past are saved in the cloud, so they can be retrieved and reused as needed.

Steps to create an educational cycle diagram using PicDoc (3 steps)

PicDoc has achieved an intuitive operation flow that meets the needs of educational settings. The following are the basic steps to create a cycle diagram.

Step 1: Create an account and access the editing screen

1.Free registration：www.picdoc.ai access [website] and register with your email address or Google account (about 30 seconds). After registration, you will be redirected to the editing screen.

Step 2: Generate a cycle diagram (two methods)

Method A: AI-generated from keywords

1.Keyword input: Enter a theme such as "water cycle" to generate text.

2.Chart generation: Select the text and click "Generate". The AI will create multiple chart candidates (about 10 seconds).

3.Chart selection: Select the "Cycle diagram" from the generated candidates.

Method B: Conversion from an existing file

1.Input or file upload: Upload class materials such as Word or PDF (e.g., "Procedure of the learning cycle.docx"). It is also okay to paste text.

2.Information extraction: The AI automatically extracts each stage of the cycle from the text and generates multiple chart candidates.

3.Chart Selection: Select the 'Cycle Diagram' to automatically create the structure.

Step 3: Customization and Export

Fine-tune:

1. Color Scheme: Select your preferred theme from the 'Educational Color Scheme Themes'.

2. Icons: You can click on the automatically placed icons to change them.

3. Text: Adjust the font size and thickness.

Export：

1. Select the format: Choose "PDF" (high resolution) for classes, "PPT" for presentations, and "PNG" for SNS sharing.

2. Generate a sharing link: Create a "sharing link" to share the entire document (for viewing only).

Summary: Revolutionize visualization in the education field with PicDoc

Effective information dissemination is essential for improving the quality of education. Although the cycle diagram is an important tool for this, the traditional creation method requires time and skills, causing trouble for many educators. PicDoc uses AI to solve these problems all at once.

·Available for freeAll features are provided for free, and there are no restrictions for educational institutions.

·Features specialized for educationDesigned to meet the needs of educational settings, such as text generation by AI, presentation of multiple chart candidates, cloud storage, etc.

·Available for commercial use: The created cycle diagrams can be freely used as teaching materials, and there is no need to worry about copyright issues.

Please make use of PicDoc in the educational field to improve students' understanding and reduce the burden of lesson preparation.

Responsible Editor - PicDoc Official Editing Team