Best Practices When Using Canva to Build eLearning Assets
- LMSPortals
- Sep 3
- 6 min read
Visual elements have become essential in today’s digital learning environment. Learners scan content quickly, and well-designed graphics, videos, and interactive features can capture attention and improve retention.
This article walks you through every step of using Canva to create engaging eLearning assets—from setting up your workspace to exporting for your LMS. You’ll find practical tips, real-world examples, and advanced hacks to speed up your workflow.
Why Canva Is Ideal for eLearning Design
Intuitive Drag-and-Drop Interface
Canva’s editor is instantly accessible. You don’t need a background in graphic design—simply select, drag, and drop elements onto your canvas to build professional-looking visuals.
Rich Education-Focused Templates
Thousands of templates cater specifically to presentations, infographics, worksheets, and more. These ready-made layouts save time and ensure consistency across your materials.
Real-Time Collaboration
Cloud-based folders let teams co-create in real time. You can assign view-only or editor permissions, add comments on specific elements, and track version history to prevent confusion.
Freemium Flexibility
The free tier offers ample templates, icons, and basic export options. Upgrading to Pro adds brand kits, premium assets, and Magic Resize—features that pay for themselves when scaling content creation.
Getting Started: Canva Basics
Signing Up and Accessing Canva
Create an account using your email, Google, or Microsoft credentials. No credit card is required for the free plan.
Exploring the Dashboard
Your dashboard shows recent designs, folders, and the “Create a design” button. Organize projects into custom folders for easy retrieval.
Understanding the Editor Interface
The left sidebar contains tabs for Templates, Elements, Text, Photos, and Uploads. The top toolbar handles alignment, transparency, linking, and export functions.
Setting Up Your Brand Kit
Uploading Logos and Colors
Even on the free plan, you can upload a logo and set three brand colors. Click “Brand Kit” in the sidebar to add these assets.
Defining Brand Fonts
Pro users can upload custom fonts or select from Canva’s font library to maintain textual consistency.
Consistency Across Assets
Apply logos, colors, and fonts in one click by selecting them from your Brand Kit within the editor.
Designing Engaging Visuals
Selecting the Right Template
Browse education categories under Templates. Look for layouts with balanced whitespace, clear headings, and relevant imagery.
Using Grids and Frames
Place images into structured grids or frames under the Elements tab. This ensures alignment and uniform sizing.
Balancing Text and Imagery
Limit font choices to two per asset and use icons or illustrations sparingly to reinforce key points without clutter.
Creating Interactive Elements
Adding Clickable Links
Select any text or object, click the link icon, and paste a URL. This transforms static PDFs into interactive resources that link to videos, quizzes, or external readings.
Incorporating Animations
Click “Animate” on elements or entire slides to add fade, slide, or drift effects. Animations guide learner focus and add polish to your modules.
Enhancing Engagement with Movement
Use subtle GIFs or motion graphics—available via Canva Apps like Giphy—to break up text-heavy slides and re-engage visual learners.
Building Slide-Based Modules
Structuring Your Slide Deck
Start with the Presentation design type. Use title slides, section headers, and conclusion slides to organize content flow.
Using Presenter Notes
Add speaker notes beneath slides. Learners can download these notes separately or access them if you embed your presentation online.
Exporting Options for Slides
Download as PDF for static use, MP4 for video lessons, or present directly in full-screen mode from Canva’s interface.
Designing Infographics and Worksheets
Visualizing Data with Charts
Insert a chart under the Elements tab, then click “Edit data” to paste your figures. Choose from bar, pie, line, or donut charts to match your information.
Crafting Fillable Worksheets
Design worksheet layouts using shapes, lines, and checkbox elements. Export as PDF and add form fields in a PDF editor to create interactive assignments.
Incorporating Multimedia
Adding Audio Narration
Record voiceovers externally, then upload the MP3 or WAV file under Uploads. Place the audio icon on relevant slides for synchronized playback.
Embedding Video Clips
Drag video files into your design or use Canva’s stock video library. Download the final product as an MP4 to combine visuals and narration seamlessly.
Collaborating with Teams
Sharing and Permissions
Invite teammates via email to view or edit your designs. Organize files into shared folders for project-based collaboration.
Using Comments and Feedback
Highlight any element, add a comment, and tag colleagues with “@username.” Resolve or reply to comments to keep feedback threads clear.
Tracking Version History
Access the “File” menu to view or restore previous versions. This safeguards against unwanted changes and accidental deletions.
Best Practices for eLearning Accessibility
Adding Alt Text and Descriptions
Select each image, click “Alt text,” and provide a concise description. Screen readers rely on this information for visually impaired learners.
Ensuring Color Contrast
Use Canva’s contrast checker (under the three-dot menu in the color picker) to confirm text is readable against backgrounds.
Captioning Videos
Include closed captions or upload a transcript file when exporting MP4s. This supports hearing-impaired learners and reinforces comprehension for all.
Exporting and Publishing Your Assets
Choosing the Right Format
Select formats that align with your delivery method—PDF for printables, PNG for image cards, MP4 for video lessons, and interactive PDF for clickable modules.
Export Settings Overview
Asset Type | Format | Use Case |
Slide Deck | Static modules | |
Slide Deck | MP4 | Animated lessons with voiceovers |
Infographic | PNG/JPEG | Visual handouts |
Interactive PDF | Clickable links and form fields | |
Image Cards | PNG | Microlearning flashcards |
Integrating with Learning Management Systems
Upload Guidelines for PDFs and Videos
Most LMS platforms accept PDF and MP4 uploads directly. Check file size limits and compress if necessary using Canva’s compression slider.
Embedding Presentations in LMS
If your LMS supports HTML5, use the “Share → Embed” option to copy iFrame code and paste it into your course page.
Advanced Tips and Hacks
Keyboard Shortcuts
T: Insert text box
R: Draw rectangle
L: Draw line
Cmd/Ctrl + D: Duplicate element
Shift + Arrow: Nudge element by larger increments
Magic Resize Feature
Convert any design to multiple dimensions (Instagram posts, slide decks, posters) with one click in the Pro plan.
Utilizing Canva Apps
Access free stock photos via Pexels, animated stickers via Giphy, or data visualizations via Datawrapper—all without leaving the Canva editor.
Real-World Examples and Case Studies
Corporate Training Transformation
A company turned dense policy manuals into infographic micro-lessons, reducing onboarding time by 30%.
Academic Self-Guided Modules
University instructors create self-paced video modules in under an hour using Canva’s slide-to-video workflow.
Nonprofit Interactive Reports
Nonprofits publish annual reports as interactive PDFs, embedding hyperlinks to funding details and video testimonials.
Measuring Effectiveness of Canva Assets
Tracking Engagement Metrics
Embed unique URLs in hyperlinks and monitor click-through rates via Google Analytics or your LMS’s built-in reports.
Using Analytics Tools
For videos published on platforms like YouTube or Vimeo, review watch time, drop-off points, and audience retention stats to identify content that needs refinement.
Scaling and Reuse
Building a Template Library
Save master templates for slide decks, infographics, and worksheets in a dedicated folder.
Shared Team Templates
Lock down brand elements in templates while allowing content fields to remain editable for team members, ensuring consistency at scale.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
Slow Uploads and Connectivity
Check your internet speed or reduce file sizes before uploading. Clearing your browser cache can also improve performance.
Alignment and Snap Tools
Enable “Snap” under the View menu to guide precise placement of elements.
Font Rendering Problems
If fonts appear incorrectly after export, switch to web-safe fonts or verify that custom fonts are embedded properly in the Brand Kit.
Future Trends in eLearning Design
AI-Powered Design Assistance
Expect Canva to roll out AI-driven layout suggestions, auto-generated alt text, and smart formatting that adapts to your content.
Augmented Reality Previews
Soon you may preview how printed materials appear in real-world settings using AR, enhancing design validation before publishing.
Key Takeaways
Canva simplifies the creation of engaging eLearning assets through intuitive design tools, robust collaboration features, and flexible export options.
Next Steps
Experiment with your first template today. Build a brand kit, explore interactive elements, and apply these best practices to elevate your instructional materials.
About LMS Portals
At LMS Portals, we provide our clients and partners with a mobile-responsive, SaaS-based, multi-tenant learning management system that allows you to launch a dedicated training environment (a portal) for each of your unique audiences.
The system includes built-in, SCORM-compliant rapid course development software that provides a drag and drop engine to enable most anyone to build engaging courses quickly and easily.
We also offer a complete library of ready-made courses, covering most every aspect of corporate training and employee development.
If you choose to, you can create Learning Paths to deliver courses in a logical progression and add structure to your training program. The system also supports Virtual Instructor-Led Training (VILT) and provides tools for social learning.
Together, these features make LMS Portals the ideal SaaS-based eLearning platform for our clients and our Reseller partners.
Contact us today to get started or visit our Partner Program pages
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