Powerpoint is a wonderful presentation software and a tool that many teachers and students are familiar with. While Powerpoint is a powerful tool, it is often overused in the education field. If our students are to become dynamic leaders and workers, we need to equip them with a pleather of ways to give presentations and/or express learning/feedback. Using the same tried but true tools of yesteryear( i.e powerpoint) just isn’t good enough anymore.
Today’s tech snack can be found at the following url: https://www.canva.com/
What is it?
Canva is a Web 2.0 tool that allows the user to create infographics, presentations, invitations, letters and publications using a simple click and drag interface. It is available on any Internet enabled device and is also available as an Ipad app.
So how does it work?
To begin using Canva, you have to registrar for a free account which does require creating a username/password. If you have a gmail account, you may login in using that information. If you teach younger students, you could create a class account that students could log into as canva does allow for multiple logins at the same time.
Once you have created your account, you then select the type of design project you want to create form a list of premade templates. After you have chosen the particular template you want, you can edit your publication. You can add text, images and backgrounds using the click and drag interface.
Okay, so why use canva instead of powerpoint or another similar multimedia tool? Well, as is the case with any tech tool, you have to consider the scope, context and the target audience. The simplicity of the drag and drop interface certainly gives it an appealing feel since it can be used by even novice computer users. The simplicity, however, can also be a turn off if you want something that is more complex and gives you more options.
The fact that it can be used on any Internet enabled device and offers a variety of creation projects
(posters, inforgraphics, letters, etc) also serves a powerful advantage over other products. Using this tool, you could create a classroom presentation and you can share the presentation either using a LCD projector or simply sharing the URL with your students. This tool can also be used by your students for class projects. See below for some other creative ways that this tool can be used: