Looking for a tool to promote your new club? Are your students bored of Google Slides? Try out Canva for Education. This online web design tool is filled with templates and various designs users can easily modify to meet their design goals.
Suggested Audience: Grades 2-12, Teachers, Office Staff
Goal: empower educators AND students to design and publish more visually appealing designs
(posters, presentations, flyers, social media, etc.)
The WHY behind Canva
Students and teachers have become very familiar with using Google apps to create slides, handouts, presentations, assessments, and many other tools for the classroom. However, using Canva can empower users to explore their creative side and include intentional design features to meet the needs of their audience. This tool is super helpful when looking to produce high quality posters, infographics, and detailed visuals.
This video is a great overview of the history and evolution of Canva for Education. I highly recommend taking the 4 minutes to watch this video by @Richard Colosi.
After watching the intro video, you hopefully have a better understanding of how and why so many choose Canva. But don't just take it from me, here are a few testimonies from Canva-lovers around our school.
"I would say Canva is our go-to resource for any type of design. Whether we want to create, or want our students to create, a presentation, poster, flyer, brochure, or anything else, Canva has the templates and tools." - Language arts teacher
"...always Canva. It's like the best thing to use whenever I need to create a presentation. There are just so many templates and customizable options. One of the cool things that came out of online learning." - 8th Grader
"I'm not super creative so the templates really save the day. I really like how I can upload an image to the design and then Canva auto populates those colors from the image and add them to my color palette for the design. That's awesome." - Math teacher
Beginner
Use and modify templates for your class
CLASS LOGO: create a simple class logo to include on assignments, assessments, banners in your LMS, etc.
GROUP WORK: use one of these templates for your students to collaborate, give feedback, list responsibilities, time manage, or simply to keep note of conversations!
COMMUNITY/CLASSROOM NEWSLETTERS: go digital and share these attention-grabbing newsletters with your students and their guardians.
Intermediate
Create a template for students and assign through Schoology
FOR TEACHER: How to Create Canva Assignments in Schoology (1:24) this video walks you through exactly how to create a template (or use one you found in the Canva library of templates) and add this template to Schoology for your students to create a copy of and submit.
FOR STUDENTS: Complete Canva Assignment (1:54) this quick tutorial teaches students, and models for teachers, how to submit final designs on Schoology using the template provided by the teacher
Resource: Canva for Teachers
Advanced
Enhance and integrate Canva designs
Video: 20 CANVA TIPS AND TRICKS check out the timestamps (right) to skip around to a feature you want to learn more about!
Resource: Canva for Students this resource includes a variety of tools for students when it comes to designing their own presentations, posters, recording themselves, and so many other cool features Canva offers.
Canva apps: Draw app, QR code app, YouTube app
Design a class site
Design whiteboard activities
Think you know all things Canva? Check out this video to learn 10 more useful tips to improve your designs and share with your students!
No matter how you use Canva for Education, there are plenty of templates and there is plenty of space for creative freedom. I challenge you to step up your assignments, worksheets, collaboration space, and classroom posters by using Canva for Education.
UPCOMING! Tess' Tuesday Tech Tip: TBD
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