This week, I explored Canva, a tech tool I hadn’t used before. While I’ve seen Canva mentioned often, this was my first time diving in. Canva is a free design platform that allows you to create a wide range of visual content like posters, presentations, and most likely much more. After failing to maneuver around another app, I switched to Canva, which was surprisingly user-friendly, even for beginners.
Getting Started with Canva
Canva is easy to navigate and offers intuitive tools. You can insert photos from your camera roll, and once added, simply triple-click an image to crop it to fit your canvas. The “layers” feature lets you organize images and text, allowing you to bring elements forward or send them backward depending on the design.
Adding animations is as simple as selecting an image or text and tapping the “animate” tab, which offers smooth motion effects that can enhance presentations or digital posters. You can copy or delete images with a single tap, apply filters for creative effects, and even adjust images manually using the DIY filter settings to fine-tune brightness, contrast, and saturation.
Design elements like stickers are found under the “Elements” tab, and Canva offers hundreds to choose from. Adding text is easy, allowing you to customize font, size, spacing, colour, and transparency. Canva even allows you to stylize your text boxes with borders using the “Style” tab and round the edges using “Corners.”
Tips for a Smoother Experience
Some helpful tricks I picked up while using Canva:
- Use the “Apply Colours to Page” option to automatically set a background colour that complements your images.
- The undo button is a lifesaver when experimenting with layout and effects.
- Copy your image before applying a filter so you can compare versions.
- Use the “Flip” tab to change the orientation of an image.
- The “Nudge” tool helps precisely align elements when exact placement matters.
Using Canva in the Classroom
Canva is more than a design tool; it has strong educational potential. Here’s how it fits on the SAMR model:
Substitution: Students can use Canva instead of hand-drawing posters or using simpler tools like Google Slides.
Augmentation: Canva enhances this process with advanced design tools, similar to Google Slides but more focused on visuals. This is where I would assign Canva.
Modification: Students can collaborate on shared projects.
Redefinition: Canva enables students to create animations.
Final Thoughts
Overall, Canva is a versatile and user-friendly design platform with strong potential in creative academic environments. Its wide range of features makes it perfect for classroom use, especially when encouraging students to visually communicate their ideas. I look forward to integrating Canva into future lessons and student projects!
The following is an example of what creating with Canva looked like for me as a beginner: