Introduction: Your Classroom Has Gone Digital—Even If You Haven’t
Your students don’t just experience your teaching in the classroom anymore. They see it in your slides, assignments, parent messages, videos, newsletters, and even your Zoom background. Every digital touchpoint tells a story about who you are as an educator.
That’s why Design Your Virtual Classroom with Canva, led by Michelle Flores and offered through SchoolDay Academy (powered by Coursera), is more than a design course—it’s your branding and efficiency toolkit.
In this two-hour Guided Project, you’ll create a custom virtual classroom design and a professional Zoom or Meet background that reflect your teaching style, subject, and school community. You’ll also learn how to reuse these same visuals across your LMS, classroom videos, newsletters, and announcements, so everything—from lessons to parent updates—looks cohesive, engaging, and unmistakably you.
Whether you teach in person, hybrid, or fully online, this project helps you create visual consistency that builds trust, saves prep time, and makes every communication—digital or live—look intentional and polished.
Because your classroom isn’t just a room anymore. It’s every place your students, families, and colleagues see your work—and Canva helps you make that space shine.
Why This Course Matters (for every teacher)
Even if you’ve never taught a virtual class, you already have a virtual classroom. It lives in your LMS pages, slides, newsletters, videos, and parent communications—and those visuals shape how students focus, engage, and connect.
This Guided Project helps you make them work for you—beautifully, intentionally, and efficiently. You’ll learn how to:
- Minimize distractions with a clean, branded Zoom or Meet background that centers attention on instruction.
- Boost consistency across your LMS, slides, and videos so students always know where to look and what to do.
- Increase engagement with welcoming visuals, clear cues, and a classroom “look” that feels cared for.
- Save prep time with a reusable design kit—update once, use everywhere (units, parent updates, sub plans).
- Strengthen classroom community through inclusive imagery, color, and tone that reflect your students and school.
It’s practical, universal PD: one creative build that improves every lesson, meeting, and message you deliver—online or off.
What You’ll Learn
In a clear, hands-on flow, you’ll:
- Set up and navigate Canva efficiently.
- Design a Zoom or Meet background (lighting, contrast, readable space, school colors).
- Customize a virtual classroom layout (headers, icons, call-to-action spots, norm reminders).
- Apply design principles (hierarchy, spacing, color/contrast for accessibility).
- Save, organize, and share your assets for quick reuse across platforms.
Level Note: Intermediate. Familiarity with Canva basics is recommended.
Course Details
- Time to Complete: ~2 hours (self-paced, hands-on)
- Format: Guided Project (desktop only; no downloads required)
- Certificate: Shareable upon completion
- Language: English
- Level: Intermediate
- Instructor: Michelle Flores • Coursera Project Network
- Regional Note: Best experience for learners in North America
Real-World Impact for Teachers
By the end, you’ll have a ready-to-use virtual background and a personalized classroom layout you can drop into:
- Live lessons (Zoom/Meet), flipped videos, and quick explainers.
- LMS banners, unit hubs, and weekly overviews.
- Parent nights, staff meetings, and student showcases.
- Sub plans and emergency remote days—clear, consistent, calming.
And when you’re ready to keep building your creative toolkit, explore more short SDA projects that pair perfectly with this one: Professional Presentations: Canva AI Magic Studio, How to Integrate Apps on Canva, Create Engaging Presentations with Mentimeter, Build a Professional Resume using Canva, and Design Infographics with Prezi.
Why SchoolDay Academy Recommends This Course
At SchoolDay Academy, great PD should pay you back—in time saved, clarity gained, and engagement improved. Design Your Virtual Classroom with Canva stands out because it:
- Elevates instructional presence and reduces on-screen clutter.
- Creates a reusable visual system you can apply across tools and timelines.
- Strengthens accessibility and equity through thoughtful, inclusive design.
- Awards a shareable certificate to mark your growth.
- Is included in the SchoolDay Academy annual subscription—$149 per user per year, with district pricing as low as $100 for scalable PD.
Conclusion
If you’re ready to make every online touchpoint look intentional—and feel inviting—this Guided Project is your next high-impact move.
Start learning “Design Your Virtual Classroom with Canva” today on SchoolDay Academy (powered by Coursera) and give your students a digital space that’s clear, consistent, and uniquely yours.