Let Students Choose How to Demonstrate with Canva: A UDL Approach

published by Mike Neumire on 12/8/2025

When students are given multiple options for sharing what they know, they’re more likely to produce meaningful work that reflects their strengths, interests, and identities as learners. This is a core tenet of the Universal Design for Learning framework. Unless specified in the learning goal, there's a lot of research-based benefit in letting students choose the medium that works best for them to get their ideas across. If you have a future Youtuber in your class, they're much more likely to engage if they can make a video vs. write an essay or design a poster. Canva makes this kind of flexibility achievable in any classroom, offering an array of tools that allow students to express understanding in varied, creative ways. As a bonus, they only have to learn one platform, but gain so many options for expression. Here are five powerful formats students can use to show their thinking.

1. Visual Explanations with Infographics and Posters

Infographics and posters offer students a clean, visually compelling way to summarize key ideas, compare concepts, or explain processes. Text can be paired with icons, charts, timelines, or diagrams, helping students distill complex information into an organized visual story. This format supports learners who think spatially or prefer non-linear organization. Students can make this process even faster, or get design ideas by searching for a template. 

2. Multimedia Presentations with Slides

Slide decks remain one of the most versatile ways for students to communicate ideas. Canva’s presentation tools allow learners to embed images, audio clips, videos, and even short animations. Students can narrate slides to explain reasoning or walk through steps in solving a problem, strengthening communication skills while showcasing content knowledge. Students can make this process even faster, or get design ideas by searching for a template.

3. Video Creation for Demonstrations and Reflections

The built-in video editor gives students a streamlined path to producing book trailers, lab demonstrations, historical reenactments, tutorials, or reflective journals. With drag-and-drop editing and a large media library, even beginners can craft polished, intentional products. Video expression is especially helpful for students who communicate more confidently through spoken language or storytelling. Students can make this process even faster, or get design ideas by searching for a template (noticing a pattern here?). 

4. Interactive Designs with Whiteboards and Drag-and-Drop Elements

Canva’s whiteboards let students create interactive diagrams, concept maps, timelines, and flowcharts. Because elements are easily moved, resized, or annotated, students can revise in real time as their understanding evolves. This format supports students who learn by manipulating ideas and experimenting visually.

Also, templates. Faster. Inspiring. 

5. Canva Code for Simple Games, Widgets, and Interactive Models

A newer and exciting pathway is Canva Code, which lets students prompt AI to generate simple interactive elements—mini-games, quizzes, simulations, counters, spinners, animations, and other small widgets. Students can customize the logic, user inputs, and visual style, then embed the tool into presentations, whiteboards, or websites. This transforms students from content consumers into creators of interactive learning artifacts. If you challenge a student to think about what they've learned and distill it into some form of interactive widget, they have to really think about what is essential to know and how it can be represented. 

Need students to work quickly? Template! Need ideas? Look at templates!