Enhancing Pedagogical Strategies: The Integration of Canva in the Teaching-Learning Process for Undergraduate Pharmacy Students

Abstract

This research article explores the integration of Canva, a versatile graphic design platform, in the teaching-learning process for undergraduate pharmacy students. Ample esteemed schools, educational institutions, Universities have started integration of Canva in teaching learning process. The motive integrating Canva in education by these institute may be to enhance teachers' and students’ attention and learning, proficiency in Canva Platform etc. Recognizing the evolving landscape of education and the need for innovative approaches to engage students, this study investigates the impact of Canva on enhancing communication, visual literacy, and collaborative skills among pharmacy undergraduates. Through a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods, we assessed the effectiveness of Canva in promoting active learning and fostering a dynamic educational environment. Findings of present investigation suggest the need of Canva integration in education. This integration may positively impact the teaching-learning process for undergraduate pharmacy students. The study provides insights into potential benefits of incorporating graphic design tools in pharmaceutical education

Keywords

Introduction

A

B

Figure 1: A, Infographics elaborating liquid crystal concept, B, elaborating classification of complexes. Both infographics were designed using open access Canva software

Collaborative Projects

Students were assigned group projects using Canva, encouraging collaboration and teamwork. This approach aimed to foster communication skills and the ability to work effectively in groups.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Quantitative Findings:

Demographic Overview:

The survey gathered responses from a diverse sample of 60 undergraduate pharmacy students of 1 division. A mere, 1.8% participants reported a familiarity with Canva, signifying unawareness of the graphic design tool among the pharmacy student population.

Enhanced Understanding of Course Content: About 96.4% of participants agreed that the integration of Canva in lectures significantly enhanced their understanding of the course content. This suggests that Canva's visual elements positively contributed to knowledge retention and comprehension.

Increased Engagement: About 96.4 % reported a "Much higher" level of engagement during Canva-enhanced lectures compared to traditional lectures. This indicates that the visual appeal and interactive nature of Canva contributed to heightened student engagement.

Canva in Assignments: A substantial 96 % of participants found Canva to be "Very effective" in facilitating group collaboration for assignments. This underscores the platform's potential to enhance teamwork and collaborative learning. About 96% expressed being "Very motivated" to actively participate in group assignments with the use of Canva, highlighting its positive impact on student motivation.

Overall Satisfaction and Recommendation: A significant majority 96.7 % of participants reported being "Very satisfied" with the integration of Canva in their pharmacy education. This indicates a positive overall experience with Canva. 94 % of participants would "Definitely recommend" the continued use of Canva, suggesting a high level of endorsement for its incorporation in the pharmacy curriculum.

Discussion of quantitative survey:

The quantitative findings reveal a positive correlation between the integration of Canva and enhanced student engagement and motivation within the pharmacy education context. The familiarity with Canva among participants was found to be negligible. this may be owing to the receptivity of the students to the traditional teaching methodologies.¹¹ This finding suggests that there is a need to introduce technology-based learning tools. The substantial agreement on the effectiveness of Canva in both lectures and assignments emphasizes its versatility in catering to different aspects of the learning process. The visual and interactive elements of Canva appear to address the needs of pharmacy students, potentially improving content comprehension and collaboration skills.^12,13

The overall high satisfaction and strong recommendation for the continued use of Canva align with the literature on the benefits of incorporating visual aids in education.¹⁴ These findings underscore the potential of Canva to serve as a valuable pedagogical tool in pharmacy education, offering a dynamic and engaging learning experience for students. literature evidence from wide prototyping process also indicates that technology can effectively assist instructors, administrators, students, and community partners in a variety of contexts.¹⁵ Further qualitative insights will complement these quantitative findings, providing a comprehensive understanding of the impact of Canva on the teaching-learning process for undergraduate pharmacy students. Quantitative data revealed a positive correlation between the use of Canva and increased student engagement, motivation, and satisfaction. Survey done in present investigation indicated a preference for Canva-enabled lectures over traditional methods.

Qualitative Insights:

Qualitative analysis of interview responses highlighted the perceived benefits of Canva in enhancing visual literacy, fostering creativity, and promoting teamwork. Students expressed enthusiasm for the platform's user-friendly interface. Qualitative insights from participant interviews provide a nuanced understanding of the impact of Canva on student engagement and motivation in pharmacy education. During interviewing participants expressed diverse backgrounds in pharmacy education, highlighting least familiarity with graphic design tools, particularly Canva. Students answered their familiarity towards Microsoft PowerPoint.

Canva in Lectures: Participants shared specific instances where Canva contributed to a deeper understanding of course content. Visual aids and interactive elements were mentioned as key factors. This may be because of the effectiveness of these elements in facilitation of understanding a particular concept in the syllabus.¹⁶ Participants consistently described Canva-enhanced lectures as engaging, attributing this to visually appealing materials and the platform's interactive features. The interest of the students in Canva integrated education was found to be significant because of its characteristics to keep learner engaging in learning environment in the class. moreover, its capability to keep improving the enhanced participation in learning activities.^17-20

Canva in Assignments:

Facilitation of Collaboration: Participants provided insights into Canva's positive role in facilitating collaboration within group assignments. The platform was seen as promoting teamwork and easing communication among group members. team work may also find to encouraged with aid of Canva owing to education usage from online to offline class post pandemic.²¹ Some participants reported initial challenges, such as unfamiliarity with Canva. However, these challenges were generally addressed through training and support, emphasizing the importance of adequate preparation.

Motivation and Engagement: Participants consistently noted that Canva positively influenced their motivation to actively participate in lectures and assignments. The interactive nature of Canva was particularly highlighted as a significant contributor to increased engagement.

Suggestions and Improvement:

Participants offered constructive suggestions for improving Canva integration, including additional training sessions and more customizable templates. This feedback reflects a willingness to embrace technology with the expectation of continuous improvement. The majority of participants expressed a desire for the continued use and improvement of Canva in pharmacy education, underscoring its perceived value in the learning process.

Implications and Future Directions:

Educational literature advocates that using visuals in teaching results in a larger degree of learning.^22-24 Visual literacy offers ability to interpret, comprehend, and communicate through visual means. It involves understanding and making meaning from images, symbols, charts, graphs, and other visual elements. Visual literacy goes beyond mere observation, as it requires individuals to analyse, evaluate, and use visual information effectively.^25,26 Principle of learning through Visual literacy are also applicable for the students learning in pharma academics. Canva offers wide and flexible platform to all the teachers in pharma academia to create a visual learning tool (images/charts/concept maps etc) with adequate aesthetics. Aesthetics in visual tools of education may significantly contribute fetching the attention of learner.²⁷ Group activities, learning. Canva, an online, opensource design webtool that teachers can use to prepare learning materials through templates poster, video, infographic, and even presentation media.²⁸ In present investigation, Canva was explored to prepare teaching learning tool from visual literacy category. Topics from the syllabus were taught to class. Students were asked individually and in group as well to explore their own study material using canva.  The findings of this research suggest that the integration of Canva positively impacts the teaching-learning process for undergraduate pharmacy students. The study provides insights into the potential benefits of incorporating graphic design tools in pharmaceutical education.

Discussion for Qualitative Insights:

The qualitative findings complement the quantitative results, providing rich insights into the student experience with Canva. The positive influence on motivation and engagement aligns with previous literature emphasizing the importance of visual aids and interactive tools in enhancing student participation. The reported challenges related to Canva's initial unfamiliarity emphasize the need for comprehensive training and support mechanisms during the implementation of such tools. This aligns with best practices in educational technology integration, highlighting the importance of addressing potential barriers to ensure a smooth transition. The constructive feedback and suggestions for improvement indicate an adaptive mindset among participants, willing to embrace technology while offering insights for refinement. This collaborative approach between educators and students can contribute to the continuous enhancement of Canva's effectiveness in pharmacy education.

CONCLUSION

This research contributes to the growing body of literature on innovative teaching strategies in pharmacy education. The positive outcomes observed in the integration of Canva suggest its potential as a valuable tool for educators seeking to enhance student engagement, visual literacy, and collaborative skills in the undergraduate pharmacy curriculum. Future research may explore the long-term effects of Canva integration and its applicability across diverse educational settings.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:

We would like to thank, Samarth Educational Trust, Hon. Arvind Gavali, Hon. Nishant Gavali for providing platform required to complete the research. We thank Dr. V. Y. Lokhande, Principal, AGCOP, Satara for constant support and motivation.

Funding: Non-funded.

Declaration of Conflicting Interests: The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

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