Google has opened up its Public Data Explorer which allows the user to generate visual displays of public data. It is great tool for merging of data analysis, visual literacy and infographics.  Google links to public data sets that you can use but you can also create your own data sets – though you need some skill and understanding of  Data Publishing Language. Using the data bases Google already links to I had fun playing with the different way the data can be shown.  This can lead to a good discussion on how the visualization of data can effect how one interprets the data.  Same numbers but different look gives the data a different feel.

Great place for a student of statistics, economics, and the social sciences to explore.