The advent of Canva, a web-based creative design platform now encompassing video editing capabilities, has revolutionised the way individuals and professionals approach digital content creation. As a visual designer and educator, I've embraced Canva for its ability to streamline video production and unlock creative potential in students of all ages. It represents a new wave in creative technology, fostering the idea that 'every student is a digital designer'. This approach not only enhances digital literacy but also aligns with assessment criteria in a visually compelling way. In this article, I'll highlight key tools and areas where Canva has been particularly impactful.
Enhancing Creative Expression with Canva
Canva’s Video Editor tool is a user-friendly platform that enhances the imaginative possibilities of students and ensures they produce meaningful and engaging projects through the use of design principles such as:
Imagery
Animation
Typography
Colour (palettes)
Composition (layout and spacing assisted brilliantly by the use of smart guides)
Audio (including the recent update of introducing popular music)
Introducing this easy-to-use and compelling package to my class, my students have demonstrated a greater willingness to explore their imagination by employing their problem-solving skills to visually articulate their concepts into well-defined productions. It is a tool that is not only familiar to them but also allows them to apply their theory easily and effectively.
Fostering Collaboration and Teamwork
The collaboration features within the editor promote the ability for students to co-create and work together to produce their video productions by utilising comments (feedback), sharing (easy access and security restrictions), and real-time updates that dramatically speed up the process and promote a real-world and inclusive experience of working on creative projects as part of a team. Such important aspects support the ability to transfer the relevant digital skills developed for industry and reinforce employability opportunities supported by the design of professional portfolios and artefacts that highlight the creative capability of the individual.
Leveraging Artificial Intelligence for Enhanced Creativity
Through image manipulation, students benefit from enhancing their projects to suit their artistic needs by utilising key features such as colour grading (colour filters) options to produce a unique ‘look and feel’ to their videos, establishing a mood for the audience to emotionally connect with.
Options that the students can also benefit from using are Background Remover, Magic Eraser, Magic Grab, which use the power of AI to heighten the quality level and make some of the most tedious and painstakingly awkward processes simple, easy, and fun to use. Partner that with the Canva Assistant AI (quick actions, translation, suggestions,
etc.), and you’ve got almost endless possibilities for storytelling.
One of the most favoured AI tools amongst my students has been the ‘Magic Studio: Grab Text’ feature, where they can ensure textual continuity throughout their designs by obtaining the text from logos/images to be used as body text, headings, and titles. This provides a uniform approach to the overall design so that typographical principles can be applied throughout the video with contextual meaning, especially when using a call to action.
Embracing Audio Editing & transitions for Deeper Exploration
Another aspect of Canva’s Video Editor that has been embraced by the students is the opportunity to amend audio tracks by trimming for narrative establishment and manipulation and adding songs to add another layer of emotional depth to the work.
By muting the ambient sounds recorded through the camera, the use of added songs can be introduced to add more context to the narrative on screen.
To finish it off, the ability to add a variety of animations (transitions) between video
segments has offered a whole new dimension for the students to bolster their creativity, whether it's a single use of a ‘pan’ or the option to apply a transition to all videos, or use of Magic Animate to apply perfectly suited animations and transitions to the entire video. The students have discovered a wealth of tools to advance their creative skills for now and the future.
Flexibility with Exportation and Working in Other Applications
Canva Video Editor also offers the user a wide range of sharing features to import /export from/to other industry-standard applications and save out as multiple file formats e.g., SVG, MP4, PNG, etc., so that the project can be continued in other industry-standard applications for students to continue their creative skills. This enables students to blend their media with different software to achieve the outcomes they have in mind.
Canva Video Editor has proven to be an invaluable tool for empowering my students to explore their creative potential, develop essential digital literacy skills, and enhance their employability prospects. The platform's user-friendly interface, comprehensive design features, and integration of AI technologies make it an ideal tool for learners of all levels, fostering a stimulating and engaging learning experience. As Canva continues to evolve and introduce new features, my students will continue to discover new ways to express their creativity and enhance their digital skillset, preparing them for success in today's dynamic digital landscape.
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