The use of graphics is very important when learning a new skill. Graphics provide learners with a visual to strengthen their understanding of an idea that words can’t necessarily always provide on their own. With that, however, it is important to use graphics with the appropriate amount of information. A graphic that is too busy can be overwhelming for the learner, and a graphic with not enough information can leave the learner with lingering questions.

This week in Technology 336, we further discussed the importance of graphics and discovered what kinds of software are available to us throughout our teaching careers. We learned about many different platforms and discussed the difference between pixel-based software and vector graphic software. A software that uses both pixel and vector graphics is Canva!! Canva is a free tool that can be used for creating a wide variety of content, from social media graphics and presentations all the way to creating professional documents and websites. As an educator, Canva could also be a useful tool for creating fun and interactive worksheets, exit slips and lesson plans. Although free, Canva does have more features if you pay for a subscription. Lucky for us, educators get Canva for free with proof from your pay stub!!

In class, we were given a design challenge to create a graphic that could be shared on our blogs!! Below is an example of an Introduction slide I created for myself. I chose a free template and added my own photos, widgets and text.

(click the screenshot to go directly to my intro slides)

In class, we also talked about word clouds! Word cloud takes text and creates a fun and interactive graphic. I chose to create a word cloud using a few words that describe me! I found the site to be fairly easy to navigate. All you have to do is start by adding the words of your choice, and then AI does the rest! You can customize your graphics shape, colour, and font. After I was done, I tried to download my word cloud, but it wouldn’t allow me to without joining a paid subscription. For the purpose of my blog, I opted out of the payment plan, and took a screenshot of my work. With that, as a future educator, I would be inclined to subscribe as I think these graphics are a fun way to learn about something new. Word clouds are a great option for students and educators to describe something through an interactive shape that represents what they’re talking about.

In the future, I plan on using both Word Cloud and Canva in my everyday routine. The use of graphics is very near and dear to my heart, as I am a visual learner. I look forward to becoming a creative and inclusive teacher who uses graphics to help my students enhance their learning in all subjects!