Canvastera

The use of Canvastera can boost student engagement, since such a multimedia tool appeals to different learning styles. According to Gilakjani (2012), " Multimedia provides a complex multi-sensory experience in exploring our world through the presentation of information through text, graphics, images, audio and video, and there is evidence to suggest that a mixture of words and pictures increases the likelihood that people can integrate a large amount of information." Following this idea, visual learners could profit from pictures and graphs in the posters. Also, auditory students can engage with embedded audios as well as kinesthetic learners, who can actively design and arrange content.  This multisensory approach may support students' needs and create a more inclusive learning environment. 

For Gilakjani (2012), multimedia tools "increase memorability, as rich media materials lead to better encoding and easier retrieval." This seems to relate to Canvastera, as it integrates multimedia elements, which could aid students in processing and storing information more effectively in the long-term memory.  This is particularly beneficial to learners, since they are exposed to the target language in multiple formats, which can help students grasp meaning more effectively. Moreover, varied multimedia features can reinforce vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation, which makes the internalization of language structures more effective.

Canvastera could contribute to cognitive overload, which "represents the load that performing a particular task imposes on the learner’s cognitive system and is determined by the interaction of environment, learner, and task characteristics" (Königschulte, 2015). The abundant number of interactive elements may overwhelm students' working memory capacity. This can lead to a reduction of attention and hinder information processing, which can affect student overall academic performance. Therefore,  careful selection of elements in Canvastera posters is key to prevent cognitive overload so that students engage with the material effectively. 

The creation of Canvastera posters can be time-consuming, since the platform does not provide ready-made templates so users have to start from a white poster each time.  For Youngblood (1992), "a considerable amount of time is needed in the beginning of the development stage of multimedia projects to orient team members to their job tasks." This quote may highlight a common challenge in multimedia projects: the significant amount of time invested.  This can relate to the time-consuming nature of using Canvastera, where the absence of templates can make the creation process slower and more demanding.