A free and simple resource that you can use to complete these types of assignments is Canva (Click to access the website). You will be required to create an account to use this browser-based service that will give you access from any computer with Internet access.
There is an option for a paid account, but this is not a requirement to complete or download work in Canva. A non-paid account will simply have limited access to certain features in Canva.
Think of a time you were at a clinic or dentist's office. Maybe your eyes were drawn to something on the wall or table in the waiting area that gave you new awareness about a specific topic -- flossing, a new medication, improving sleep. The purpose of these items is to provide details to people in a direct way using short, simple explanations and engaging pictures. Because you will only be in the office for a short time (hopefully...), it is incredibly important that you are able to take details away from the materials quickly. The creators of these materials included just the primary facts about the topic and edited out less relevant items from the final product. This is a key consideration to keep in mind for similar projects you will complete for your courses.
Infographic
An infographic is a great way to deliver information using a combination of images and carefully selected text. The images may be photographs, illustrations, charts and graphs, or shapes that help to guide the viewer's attention. Infographics should have a clear direction within their presentation, moving the eyes in a select motion from top to bottom and left to right. Depending on the subject being detailed, it may be a good idea to use numbers to assist with this.Test Canva Infographic
Statistics Canada Infographic Samples
This video produced by The Learning Portal gives a helpful overview of the information and intention that an infographic should provide:
You may also find this LinkedIn Learning course helpful -- Design Your First Infographic (22min). All registered BVC students can access LinkedIn Learning by signing in with their mybvc.ca credentials (username+password).
Poster
A poster can be thought of as a method of promoting an idea, event, or product to the public. Posters rely heavily on attractive fonts, images, and colours to grab a person's attention. Think about what you might see at a bus stop or display in your favourite store at the mall. There is very limited use of text - often just a few words - and very bold photographs or illustrations. Posters are often displayed for a short period of time and can be a form of advertising, perhaps for a product, service, or social cause related to politics or charitable organizations. Posters will have fewer images and much less writing than an infographic or brochure.
Sample Music Event Concert Poster
Brochure
A brochure is a source of information that is used to promote a product or service offering. Also known as a pamphlet, this can take the form of a folded sheet of paper that separates subtopics based on their location on the page. The nature of the fold that is used can serve a different purpose - Gate Fold, Trifold, and Z-Fold - which helps to organize the information in a very specific manner. You may have received a brochure to provide information about a new kind of medication or to provide information about a tourist attraction you could visit. Pictures and images are used extensively in brochures where longer paragraphs and bulleted lists are common. Brochures are used to encourage people or customers to specific interests or products, so the language used is persuasive and highly positive. Imagine that the sample here would be folded twice on the page so a person would need to 'open' the information when reading.
Sample Workshop Brochure
Canva can be a little intimidating when you first log-in to your account, but don't worry! There are a number of videos available for you to watch that explain the different functions of the program. It is recommended that you search through the available Templates in Canva rather than starting a new project from scratch to save some time and effort in completing your project.
The YouTube videos below have been selected for their usefulness in helping to detail where to look and how to search in Canva. It might also be helpful to visit the Canva Design School to see the full collection of resources that are available - Click Here.
- Getting Started with Canva
- Introduction to Infographics Tutorial
- Finding the Right Template
- Using a Canva Template to Start Your Project
- Search and Edit Elements
- Add Style and Text
- How to Change Your Text Font
- Upload and Edit Your Own Photos and Videos
- Edit Photos
You will need to save your design to your computer in order to upload the file to the D2L Dropbox. The recommended file type to use is a Standard PDF.
If you have any additional questions about using Canva, you can book an in-person, phone, or MS Teams appointment with the Learner Technology Advisor here. For any questions related to the writing included in your assignments, consider booking an in-person or MS Teams appointment with a Writing Specialist here.
