What is Canva? Canva is a website that allows the user to create an almost endless amount of designs. From book covers to photo collages to social media headers to business cards to posters, creativity is at your fingertips. I, personally, created a poster using Canva. All that I had to do to make a poster was sign up for a free account. I, then, worked with my virtual co-op teacher to come up with an idea for the poster. After our idea was decided on, I searched through the templates to find one that worked best for what we had in mind. All it took was a little creativity and adding in the information, and then the poster was complete. The website is fun, colorful, and easy to use.
This website fits well under the Danielson Framework of "Managing Classroom Procedures." This specific component is all about managing materials, instructional and non-instructional times, and transition times. In my digital portfolio, I mentioned that one way to initiate transitional times is to use a song to switch from one activity to the next. Canva can be used to create a fun poster that has the words of the song on it. While the students are still learning the song, the teacher can hold up the poster so that the class to read the words. Canva can also be used to create cards that label different areas of the classroom, such as the reading nook or group work area or materials. Referring to my digital portfolio, having specific areas around the room allows students to know exactly what activities will be taking place in each area. This helps the students to know what is happening next, so that transitions can work smoothly. Also, having materials clearly labelled allows for more instructional time to occur. Canva adds a pop of color to the classroom while also helping classroom procedures to move smoothly.
I enjoyed working in Canva and creating a poster. I liked being able to showcase my creative abilities in a useful manner for a classroom. The website was very simple and straightforward, so for someone like me who is not very tech-savvy, I was able to understand Canva rather quickly. Canva, also, encourages the ISTE Teacher Standard of "Designer." It allows teachers to create and design new products for the classroom. This is empowering teachers to take charge of their classroom and make products that are not always provided for them. I will definitely be using this product in my future classroom. I can use it to make flyers for upcoming events in the classroom. I can, also, easily create a poster that has my class rules listed on it. I could design "good job" cards for my students. As part of a behavior program, I can hand out these cards when students go out of their way to be helpful and behave. There are endless amounts of designs on Canva that can be implemented in the classroom.
Below is the poster that I created for my co-op's classroom.
This website fits well under the Danielson Framework of "Managing Classroom Procedures." This specific component is all about managing materials, instructional and non-instructional times, and transition times. In my digital portfolio, I mentioned that one way to initiate transitional times is to use a song to switch from one activity to the next. Canva can be used to create a fun poster that has the words of the song on it. While the students are still learning the song, the teacher can hold up the poster so that the class to read the words. Canva can also be used to create cards that label different areas of the classroom, such as the reading nook or group work area or materials. Referring to my digital portfolio, having specific areas around the room allows students to know exactly what activities will be taking place in each area. This helps the students to know what is happening next, so that transitions can work smoothly. Also, having materials clearly labelled allows for more instructional time to occur. Canva adds a pop of color to the classroom while also helping classroom procedures to move smoothly.
I enjoyed working in Canva and creating a poster. I liked being able to showcase my creative abilities in a useful manner for a classroom. The website was very simple and straightforward, so for someone like me who is not very tech-savvy, I was able to understand Canva rather quickly. Canva, also, encourages the ISTE Teacher Standard of "Designer." It allows teachers to create and design new products for the classroom. This is empowering teachers to take charge of their classroom and make products that are not always provided for them. I will definitely be using this product in my future classroom. I can use it to make flyers for upcoming events in the classroom. I can, also, easily create a poster that has my class rules listed on it. I could design "good job" cards for my students. As part of a behavior program, I can hand out these cards when students go out of their way to be helpful and behave. There are endless amounts of designs on Canva that can be implemented in the classroom.
Below is the poster that I created for my co-op's classroom.
Citations:
Listen to your friends – Poster (US) by Emily Brown. (2017). Canva.com. Retrieved 2 October 2017, from https://www.canva.com/design/DACipONWgDU/dy-SbC3mt3hnQexzBIa4nQ/edit
ISTE | Standards For Educators . (2017). Iste.org. Retrieved 2 October 2017, from http://www.iste.org/standards/for-educators
(2017). Static.pdesas.org. Retrieved 2 October 2017, from http://static.pdesas.org/content/documents/danielson_rubric_32.pdf
Listen to your friends – Poster (US) by Emily Brown. (2017). Canva.com. Retrieved 2 October 2017, from https://www.canva.com/design/DACipONWgDU/dy-SbC3mt3hnQexzBIa4nQ/edit
ISTE | Standards For Educators . (2017). Iste.org. Retrieved 2 October 2017, from http://www.iste.org/standards/for-educators
(2017). Static.pdesas.org. Retrieved 2 October 2017, from http://static.pdesas.org/content/documents/danielson_rubric_32.pdf