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We sometimes get hung up on templates provided by Google and PowerPoint. We all know that seeing the same slide template can get boring. Yes, these programs are great for presenting content, but we have to get out of our rut! We’re showing you a few ways to break out of the boring to add some spice to your content delivery. First, all the design work is done for you when you use the tools listed below–all you have to do is provide the content! Often, we try to pack too much information onto a slide or write too many words on a line, but these tools help us create presentations with design in mind. It is important to note that most of the tools listed below are free, but you need to pay for some options.
Canva
Slides Go
Slides Mania
Slides Carnival
We want to focus on one of our favorite tools – Canva. Create anything with Canva, an easy-to-use graphic design site. Canva allows you to present live to your students, and they can use the chat function. We especially love the other designs available in Canva, such as:
Infographics
Posters
Social media posts
Videos
Brainstorm templates
Collaborative whiteboards
Canva is a fun site for students to show what they know. Instead of writing a one-page reflection paper, students can create an infographic. You can use one of the infographic templates and adjust it to reflect your specific topic.
Canva also offers a section of templates geared explicitly towards educators. Their Education section offers worksheets, lesson plans, schedules, certificates, classroom decor kits, Zoom backgrounds, LMS themes, programs, worksheets, etc. You can search by popular themes–like lesson plans or worksheets designed for university students or templates focused on specific holidays or events–or you can search by style of template.
One of our favorite features is that Canva and Wizer combined their superpowers, allowing you to create designed worksheets in Canva and make them interactive using Wizer–saving you teacher time! You can also use Canva Edu to assign your class projects they can use Canva to complete, or you can host a live session with students. With Canva Live, you can present the presentation slides via screen share, and students can participate in a chat feature alongside the presentation.
Also, to their many templates, Canva hosts courses, tutorials, and a blog where you can give your design skills a jumpstart for free. Check out their YouTube channel or Instagram to get those creative ideas flowing! Next time you search through templates in PowerPoint or Google, consider trying Canva instead!
For more info on Canva’s resources for educators, check out this presentation.