Canva: Designing Engaging and Effective Instruction
A structured, self-paced professional learning experience designed to help educators harness the power of Canva to create engaging lessons, streamline classroom workflows, and inspire student creativity and digital literacy.
- Built for All Educators Tools for every classroom
- 6 Hours Self-paced, relevant training
- 6 Courses Canva solutions for your challenges
- Certificate Included Up to 6 CE credits
- Learn Anywhere Access courses on any device
- 6 courses, 6 hours, self-paced
- Taught by Lauren Boucher
- Certificate included, up to 6 CE credits
- Access courses on any device
- 1,000+ more courses included
Creativity Meets Meaningful Learning
Today's students need opportunities to communicate ideas, solve problems, and demonstrate their understanding in creative ways. Canva provides educators with an easy-to-use platform that supports visual learning, student engagement, collaboration, and digital literacy development. When students create rather than simply consume content, they deepen their understanding and build essential future-ready skills.
This pathway shows educators how to move beyond basic presentations and leverage Canva as a powerful instructional tool that supports creativity, communication, and authentic learning across all content areas.
Description
Designing high-quality classroom materials does not have to be time-consuming or complicated. This learning path helps educators use Canva as an efficient, creative tool for designing lessons, visuals, presentations, and student activities that enhance instruction and engagement. Participants will explore essential design features, templates, and time-saving workflows while learning how to leverage AI-powered tools such as Magic Design, image generation, and writing assistance to streamline planning and create polished instructional resources with confidence.
As the learning path progresses, educators will discover advanced Canva features that support creativity, communication, and student-centered learning, including multimedia design, audio tools, and podcasting opportunities that amplify student voice and encourage authentic learning experiences. Participants will gain practical strategies for creating visually engaging content, increasing instructional efficiency, and integrating creative technology tools into a variety of learning environments.
This learning path is ideal for K-12 classroom teachers, instructional coaches, technology integration specialists, media specialists, and curriculum designers looking to enhance lesson design, increase student engagement, and strengthen digital learning experiences. Participants will build a toolkit of ready-to-use design strategies, AI-supported workflows, and classroom applications that can be implemented immediately to save time, boost creativity, and elevate instructional impact.
Courses in this Pathway
-
1
Canva Crash Course: Design Like a Pro (Even If You’re Not)
Read more info
Do you want to create stunning classroom materials without spending hours figuring out complicated design tools? Are you new to Canva and wondering where to begin? Research shows that visually engaging materials boost student attention, comprehension, and retention. Canva is a powerful, user-friendly tool that helps educators design professional-quality resources in minutes—no graphic design degree required. Join technology integration specialist Lauren Boucher for this interactive crash course in Canva. You’ll receive a guided tour of the platform’s basic functions, including creating innovative designs, navigating templates, customizing layouts, and using essential features to streamline your workflow. Learn how to locate design elements, incorporate your school’s brand or classroom themes, and save and share your creations effortlessly. Leave this session ready to transform your lessons, newsletters, presentations, and student activities with confidence and creativity. Lauren’s expertise in educational technology will equip you with everything you need to design like a pro—even if you’re just getting started.
This is workshop one of six for the series titled “Canva in the Classroom: Design, Create, and Engage Students.”
Key Takeaways
- Understand the basic functions and navigation tools within Canva’s dashboard.
- Implement strategies to create, customize, and save templates for immediate classroom use.
- Promote student engagement by designing visually appealing instructional materials.
- Incorporate Canva’s essential features to streamline lesson planning and resource creation.
Presented by Lauren Boucher
Lauren Boucher is a Regional Consultant for Digital Teaching and Learning with the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. She holds a master's degree in elementary education and boasts a rich teaching background, including third-grade instruction and gifted education at both elementary and middle school levels. Her expertise also extends to serving as an Instructional Technology Specialist for Pitt County Schools, and she shares her insights through both in-person and online presentations at conferences across the nation.
-
2
Create, Assign, Repeat: Canva as Your Digital Classroom
Read more info
How can Canva transform your digital classroom workflow? Are you using Canva EDU to its fullest potential to create, assign, and manage student work with ease? Many teachers know Canva for its beautiful designs, but did you know it also offers powerful classroom management features? Canva EDU allows teachers to create assignments, share them directly with students, provide feedback, and track projects—all in one intuitive space. Join educational technology specialist Lauren Boucher to discover how Canva isn’t just for teachers, but a FREE creative tool for students, too. Learn how to assign projects seamlessly, leave meaningful feedback, and manage student submissions efficiently. Explore thousands of ready-to-go templates that save you time while engaging students in creative, standards-based learning activities. Lauren’s expertise in technology integration will equip you to streamline your digital workflow and empower students with tools that build creativity, confidence, and digital literacy.
This is workshop two of six for the series titled “Canva in the Classroom: Design, Create, and Engage Students.”
Key Takeaways
- Understand the core features of Canva EDU for creating and managing digital classroom assignments.
- Implement Canva templates to design engaging, student-friendly activities quickly.
- Promote student creativity and collaboration through Canva’s interactive project tools.
- Incorporate effective feedback strategies within Canva to support student growth and mastery.
Presented by Lauren Boucher
Lauren Boucher is a Regional Consultant for Digital Teaching and Learning with the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. She holds a master's degree in elementary education and boasts a rich teaching background, including third-grade instruction and gifted education at both elementary and middle school levels. Her expertise also extends to serving as an Instructional Technology Specialist for Pitt County Schools, and she shares her insights through both in-person and online presentations at conferences across the nation.
-
3
Magic Mode: Canva’s AI Tools for Educators and Students
Read more info
How can Canva’s AI tools transform your lesson planning and student projects? Are you ready to unlock the full potential of AI to save time and boost creativity in your classroom? Canva is more than just a design platform – its new AI features bring powerful writing assistance, instant image generation, and smart design tools directly to educators and students. These tools can streamline your workflow, enhance instructional materials, and empower students to express their learning in innovative ways. Join technology integration specialist Lauren Boucher as she guides you through Canva’s Magic Mode, showcasing AI tools that simplify planning, spark creativity, and help students work smarter, not harder. Learn how to generate images, write captions, create content ideas, and design stunning visuals in seconds. Lauren’s expertise will provide you with practical strategies to integrate AI into daily instruction, making your teaching more efficient and your students’ learning more engaging.
This is workshop three of six for the series titled “Canva in the Classroom: Design, Create, and Engage Students.”
Key Takeaways
- Understand the capabilities of Canva’s AI tools for writing, design, and image generation.
- Implement AI features to streamline lesson planning and resource creation.
- Promote student creativity by teaching them to use AI tools responsibly and effectively.
- Incorporate Canva’s Magic Mode features into student projects to enhance engagement and learning outcomes.
Presented by Lauren Boucher
Lauren Boucher is a Regional Consultant for Digital Teaching and Learning with the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. She holds a master's degree in elementary education and boasts a rich teaching background, including third-grade instruction and gifted education at both elementary and middle school levels. Her expertise also extends to serving as an Instructional Technology Specialist for Pitt County Schools, and she shares her insights through both in-person and online presentations at conferences across the nation.
-
4
Lights, Camera, Canva! Video Creation Made Easy
Read more info
How can you transform static lessons into dynamic videos that captivate students? Are you ready to empower your learners to showcase their knowledge through video storytelling? Video is a powerful instructional tool that increases student engagement, comprehension, and retention. With Canva, creating high-quality educational videos is easier than ever, even if you don’t have professional editing skills. Canva’s video features allow teachers and students to produce polished videos that enhance learning experiences and make content come alive. Join technology integration specialist Lauren Boucher to explore how to create cinematic instructional videos using Canva. Learn to turn slides into videos, record voice overs, add animations and music, and guide students in using video for projects and presentations. Lauren’s expertise will give you the confidence and skills to seamlessly integrate video creation into your classroom, making lessons interactive and empowering students to share their learning creatively.
This is workshop four of six for the series titled “Canva in the Classroom: Design, Create, and Engage Students.”
Key Takeaways
- Understand Canva’s video creation features to design high-quality educational videos.
- Implement strategies to convert slides into engaging instructional videos with voice overs and animations.
- Promote student video storytelling as a means of demonstrating understanding and creativity.
- Incorporate practical tips to plan, produce, and polish videos without needing advanced editing software.
Presented by Lauren Boucher
Lauren Boucher is a Regional Consultant for Digital Teaching and Learning with the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. She holds a master's degree in elementary education and boasts a rich teaching background, including third-grade instruction and gifted education at both elementary and middle school levels. Her expertise also extends to serving as an Instructional Technology Specialist for Pitt County Schools, and she shares her insights through both in-person and online presentations at conferences across the nation.
-
5
Mic Drop: Podcasting in the Classroom with Canva
Read more info
How can podcasting amplify student voice and deepen their learning? Are you looking for an easy way to bring podcasting into your classroom without complicated tech tools? Podcasting is a powerful instructional strategy that builds communication skills, critical thinking, and creativity. With Canva’s new audio tools and templates, creating educational podcasts has never been easier. Students can plan, script, record, and publish podcasts to share their ideas with authentic audiences, all within Canva’s intuitive platform. Join technology integration specialist Lauren Boucher as she guides you through using Canva to create engaging classroom podcasts. Learn how to design podcast projects from start to finish, support students in writing scripts, and teach them to record and edit confidently. Lauren’s expertise will give you the confidence and skills to integrate podcasting into your lessons, empowering students to share their voices, reflect deeply, and connect learning across content areas.
This is workshop five of six for the series titled “Canva in the Classroom: Design, Create, and Engage Students.”
Key Takeaways
- Understand the educational benefits of podcasting for student engagement and voice.
- Implement Canva’s audio recording tools to create high-quality classroom podcasts.
- Promote student ownership by guiding them through scripting, recording, and publishing podcasts.
- Incorporate practical podcasting projects to enhance literacy, content mastery, and creative expression.
Presented by Lauren Boucher
Lauren Boucher is a Regional Consultant for Digital Teaching and Learning with the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. She holds a master's degree in elementary education and boasts a rich teaching background, including third-grade instruction and gifted education at both elementary and middle school levels. Her expertise also extends to serving as an Instructional Technology Specialist for Pitt County Schools, and she shares her insights through both in-person and online presentations at conferences across the nation.
-
6
Canva Like a Champ: Tips, Tricks & Time-Savers
Read more info
How can you unlock Canva’s full potential to save time and create stunning designs? Are you ready to move beyond the basics and design like a true Canva pro? Canva isn’t just an easy-to-use design tool; it’s a powerhouse of features designed to simplify your workflow and maximize creativity. Many educators only scratch the surface of what Canva can do, missing out on hidden gems that make designing faster, easier, and more impactful. Join technology integration specialist Lauren Boucher as she reveals Canva’s best-kept secrets. You’ll learn clever shortcuts, creative hacks, and lesser-known features to level up your designs in record time. From advanced editing tools to time-saving templates, this session will transform the way you use Canva in your classroom and beyond. Lauren’s expertise will give you the confidence to navigate Canva like a champ, creating beautiful, professional-quality visuals that engage students and enhance learning.
This is workshop six of six for the series titled “Canva in the Classroom: Design, Create, and Engage Students.”
Key Takeaways
- Identify Canva’s hidden tools and features to create designs efficiently.
- Implement advanced editing techniques to enhance the quality of your visuals.
- Utilize shortcuts and time-saving hacks to streamline your design workflow.
- Integrate Canva’s creative features into lesson materials, presentations, and student projects.
Presented by Lauren Boucher
Lauren Boucher is a Regional Consultant for Digital Teaching and Learning with the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. She holds a master's degree in elementary education and boasts a rich teaching background, including third-grade instruction and gifted education at both elementary and middle school levels. Her expertise also extends to serving as an Instructional Technology Specialist for Pitt County Schools, and she shares her insights through both in-person and online presentations at conferences across the nation.
Lauren Boucher
Lauren Boucher has 18+ years in public education, teaching 3rd grade, gifted K-8, and working as a Digital Teaching and Learning Coach. Now a Southeast Regional Consultant for the NC Department of Public Instruction, she shares innovative ed tech practices nationwide.
Specializes In: Artificial Intelligence
“The differentiation and UDL training helped me better support all learners from day one. The examples were easy to apply, and I appreciated how technology was integrated in ways that actually improve instruction. It made me feel more prepared to meet every student’s needs.”
"These courses are bringing a whole new world to the secondary classroom. Exciting time to be an educator!" - Janie M.
“Our new teachers need structured support that builds confidence and translates into immediate classroom impact. This pathway covers the essentials — planning, assessment, classroom management, and collaboration — in a way that helps early-career educators start strong and stay strong.”
Built for District Success
As districts continue to prioritize digital literacy, creativity, student engagement, and future-ready skills, Canva provides educators with an accessible platform that supports instructional innovation and student-centered learning.
Talk to an expertInspire Creativity. Engage Learners. Transform Instruction.
Canva is more than a design tool. It's a platform for creativity, communication, collaboration, and student voice. This pathway provides educators with practical strategies to create engaging learning experiences that empower students to think, create, and share with purpose.
Get started free