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 13.1 million users and over 95 million 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, 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.

Tool Snapshot

Price	Free. Educators can sign up for Canva for Education, which gives Pro benefits and Google Classroom integration. Pro: $9.95/mo
Learning	Constructionism
Ease of Use	★★★★✩
Privacy	★★✩✩✩
Accessibility	★★★✩✩
Cost	★★★✩✩
Class Size	Free version (10 team members); Monthly or annual version (50 team members)
ISTE*S	Creative Communicator, Global Collaborator
COPPA/ FERPA	Yes, certified by iKeepSafe

Video: Signing up for Canva

The video transcript

Video: 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

• Substitution: Each student creates a poster about air pollution (rather than draw it on paper).
• Augmentation: Students share their air pollution posters with each other and provide feedback online through the Canva team feature.
• Modification: Each student works with a classmate to collaborate on the creation of a team poster about air pollution.
• Redefinition: Student teams share their posters with the public via social media, solicit feedback, and invite people to collaborate on their poster.

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.

History

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

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.

Resources

• Canva YouTube channel
• Canva teaching materials by Canva
• Canva tutorials by Canva
• Canva articles by Canva
• Design School by Canva (articles, tutorials, and awesome tips)
• Design Resources by Canva ( Have more design resources or tools online)
• Design courses by Canva (Canva offers online design courses with your interest)
• Canva for Work 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 to 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 color, background or add icons, text, images, lines, 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.

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.canva.com/design/DACFHSzLX7Y/pqVHGT5afMfnQcUvrCpMNg/edit

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

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