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By Guido de Benedetto & Lucas Gullino
Introduction
Introduction
Have you ever thought about combining photo-editing with AI image generation in one program for your educational needs? Then, this tool was designed specifically for you. Pixlr is a photo-editing software that is both the most powerful and the most user-friendly in the market, having an intuitive user interface and an array of tools and effects for picture editing (PR Underground, 2023).
Although it is mostly browser-based, Pixlr offers both a desktop app and phone apps for Android and apple devices (Helyer, 2025), which can be ideal for classroom use since students can access the app from their phones, and even use it offline if they lack an internet connection.
Furthermore, Pixlr offers many varied features such as a “powerful AI text-to-image generator that allows users to create unique images based on a prompt such as a description or keywords” (PR Underground, 2023). Besides generating images, Pixlr is equipped with “The AI Infill feature, which allows users to use machine learning content to transform any part of their images” (PR Underground 2023), which can edit any picture based on a prompt.
Additionally, if Pixlr is used with an internet connection, you can access a library of self-generated and community-generated images, and “you can use previously generated images in new designs or reuse the prompt yourself” (Helyer, 2025). The importance of this feature lies, not only in the fact that it saves and stores your own images and prompts, but it also allows for usage of images shared by other people.
Benefits
Benefits
The generation of images in real-time finds diverse uses in ELT. Peachey (2025) states that “integrating AI tools gives opportunities for creating interesting and innovative styles of lessons” (p. 23), as well as providing a time efficient tool for teachers in need of content-specific resources. With respect to students’ use of AI image generation, Edmett et al. (2023) argue that “LGC [learner-generated content-based] as the creation and use of digital technology enables learners to build a ‘learner-generated context’ and learn within it” (p. 19). What is more, as image generation requires careful prompting, students may find motivation in the correlation between their command of the language and desired visual output, which Eliott (2023) considers a safe and powerful setting for practice and feedback.
Drawbacks
Drawbacks
Although creativity and instant content generation are valuable features in ELT lessons, AI image generation is not without its downsides. Peachey (2025) points out that “what AI produces can be very general in nature at times and not always relevant to [the] context” (Peachey, 2025, p. 19). Moreover, while image generation may work without problems for simpler tasks, more complex tasks that require accuracy may be affected by the unreliable nature of image generation, limiting its scope of application to simple activities. It has been posited that AI can “generate misinformation” while data “may have errors, be outdated” (Walden University, n. d.). Furthermore, teachers must be careful not to center their lessons around image generation tools, as they may affect human interaction and foster overdependence on technology in detriment of individual ability and creativity (Eliott, 2023).
Tutorial
Tutorial
Here is a tutorial on how to use the Pixlr app
pixlr tutorial.mp4Sample uses for teachers
Sample uses for teachers
Image-generation is a handy tool when visual aids are required. Teachers can easily generate images to accompany reading and listening activities, even turning these into immersive audiovisual experiences. Besides, flashcards, handouts and other printed materials can also be enriched with ease, or simply embellished.
For example, the teacher could create images about actions like fall, jump, run, swim, etc. and print them with their corresponding word pairs and use them in class as a matching activity.
As another example: in a role-playing activity in which students are supposed to act the role of a doctor and a patient, the teacher could bring generated pictures of symptoms like “headache”, “nausea”, “vomit”, etc. as visual cues to help students go on with the roleplay.
Sample activity for students
Sample activity for students
Not only is image-generation useful for teachers, but also students may find this app interesting for their productions.
For example, after reading a story, the students can form small groups to create a prompt that recreates the actions of one of the characters. Alternatively, the students may create their own character, working first on the appearance, and then on how the character alters the story. Once the prompts have been drafted, the images are generated, collected and incorporated into a guessing game where the other groups must correctly match the images with their prompts.
References
References
Edmett, A., Ichaporia, N., Crompton, H., & Crichton, R. (2023). Artificial intelligence and English language teaching: Preparing for the future. British Council. https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/sites/teacheng/files/2024-08/AI_and_ELT_Jul_2024.pdf
Eliott, L. (2023, November 22-25). Advantages and Disadvantages of AI in the EFL Classroom [Conference presentation]. The Asian Conference on Education 2023, Tokyo, Japan. https://papers.iafor.org/wp-content/uploads/papers/ace2023/ACE2023_73896.pdf
Helyer, R. (2025). Photoshop vs. Pixlr for Editing Photos: How Do They Compare. MakeUseOf. https://www.makeuseof.com/photoshop-vs-pixlr-photo-editing/
Peachey, N. (2025). Chapter 3: The power of AI in lesson planning, in Transforming teacher education with AI: Lessons from a global Community of Practice. British Council. https://doi.org/10.57884/17VG-VQ63
PR Underground (2023). Pixlr Suite 2023 Unveiled: The Most Advanced A.I. Driven Online Image Editing Platform. PR Underground. https://www.prunderground.com/pixlr-suite-2023-unveiled-the-most-advanced-a-i-driven-online-image-editing-platform/00289993/
Walden University. (n. d.). 5 Pros and Cons of AI in the Education Sector. https://www.waldenu.edu/programs/education/resource/five-pros-and-cons-of-ai-in-the-education-sector
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