Canva

DesignGraphic DesignVisualsConstructionism

Canva is an online design tool that offers users the opportunity to create professional-looking posters, slideshows, images, event flyers, resumes, cards, certificates, infographics, and other media. The tool allows students to design visuals to showcase their knowledge in unique ways. With 75 million users and over 3.5 billion designs created, Canva is a very popular digital tool for Internet users. The tool was created by Melania Perkins, Cameron Adams, and Cliff Obrecht in an effort to teach the basics to the students who struggled to learn graphic design. Canva is accessible in eight different languages.

This collaborative tool allows students to share their work and request feedback from their classmates. Students can use Canva to construct and show knowledge. They can also capture photos or videos of their class work, homework, assignments, and school activities, post those in their own account, or a class account, and have discussions about the posts. Teachers can use Canva to design visually appealing infographics, posters, and images to complement text-heavy learning experiences.

Canva homepage: what will you design today?
Screenshot of Canva Homepage

Tool Snapshot

PriceFree. Educators can sign up for Canva for Education, which gives Pro benefits and Google Classroom integration. Pro: $9.95/mo
LearningConstructionism
Ease of Use★★★★✩
Privacy★★✩✩✩
Accessibility★★✩✩✩
Class SizeUnlimited
ISTE*SCreative Communicator, Global Collaborator
COPPA/
FERPA
Yes, certified by iKeepSafe

Canva Review & Evaluation

The video transcript

Canva & the SAMR Model

Dr. Ruben Puentedura’s SAMR model offers a lens for examining how technology is adopted in a classroom. As you strive to incorporate online tools into your classroom, we encourage you to use this model as an analytic tool.

Here is an example of how Canva might fit within the SAMR model:

Original assignment: Learning about air pollution

Far too often, technology is used as a direct substitute for other low-tech tools (e.g., pencil and paper). While substitution has some benefits (e.g., students develop their technology skills and knowledge), we encourage you to think about how you might use Canva to modify or redefine learning.

Learning Activities

Biology

In Canva, have your students use infographic templates and create infographics about animals.

Science

Encourage students to design climate change posters to raise public awareness about an important environmental issue.

screenshot of a climate change infographic
“Canva” [Screenshot]. Retrieved from https://www.canva.com/design/DACEfGl9TdY/fnGlFsPP8PIpUcnunAs8FA/edit

History

Have students use the “Infographic timeline” template to visually map a specific time in history.

An example of timeline infographic
American History Timeline made in Canva

Creative Arts

Have students open Canva Photo Editor and upload and edit any photo that they want. This way teacher assists students in unearthing students unique creativity. See an example of it below.

Screenshot of the photo editor tool in Canva
“Canva” [Screenshot]. Retrieved from https://designschool.canva.com/tutorials/ 

Resources

How to Use Canva

  1. Go to Canva
  2. Click “Sign Up” and register for an account
  3. Return to Canva and login
  4. Choose any graphic of your interest
    • Click on Blog Graphic
    • Choose a Canva layout among one million images or click “upload” on the bottom left to edit any image you want
    • Change the color, background, or add icons, text, images, lines, and shapes over the components on the left side
    • Click “Share” on the top right to share your blog graphic either with others to view or edit your design or on social media OR click “Download” on the top right to download your design.

Signing up for Canva

Image Sources

Canva articles (n.d.). Retrieved from https://support.canva.com/

Canva. (2016, May 17). Canva is now available in eight languages [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0f4Ff0lz35I&feature=youtu.be 

Canva youtube channel. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/user/canvadesign

Canva. (2012, July 16). Canva teaching materials. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://designschool.canva.com/teaching-materials/ 

Canva. (2012, July 16). Canva tutorials. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://designschool.canva.com/tutorials/ 

Canva. (2012, July 16). Canva articles. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://support.canva.com/ 

Canva. (2012, July 16). Design school. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://designschool.canva.com/ 

Canva. (2012, July 16). Design resources. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://designschool.canva.com/design-resources/ 

Canva. (2012, July 16). Design courses. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://designschool.canva.com/design-courses/ 

Canva. (2012, July 16). Canva for work resources. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://about.canva.com/canva-for-work-resources/ 

History of the cape colony before 1806..picture. (n.d.). In Wikipedia. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Cape_Colony_before_1806..picture 

Timeline infographic (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.canva.com/design/DACFHSzLX7Y/pqVHGT5afMfnQcUvrCpMNg/edit&sa=D&ust=1481143809070000&usg=AFQjCNGvee9c8RI1nf_UIJdHPF-Kvc_oqg

United states declaration of independence..other. (n.d). In Wikipedia. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Declaration_of_Independence 

US history timeline. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.canva.com/design/DACEfGl9TdY/fnGlFsPP8PIpUcnunAs8FA/edit 

Research

Hadi, M. S., Izzah, L., & Paulia, Q. (2021). Teaching writing through Canva applicationJournal of Languages and Language Teaching9(2), 228-235.

Yundayani, A., Susilawati, S., & Chairunnisa, C. (2019). INVESTIGATING THE EFFECT OF CANVA ON STUDENTS’WRITING SKILLSEnglish Review: Journal of English Education7(2), 169-176.

Author

This page was created by Emrah Pektas. 

This content is provided to you freely by EdTech Books.

Access it online or download it at https://edtechbooks.org/onlinetools/canva.