Behind the Scenes: Giving Directions with AI & Canva

Hello again!! My group and I are excited to share the behind the scenes story of our latest project: "Interactive Directions: Navigating a New Town."

Our main objective was to make writing directions practical and engaging. To get started, we didn't want students just reading a boring list of street names; we wanted them to visualize the path. We brainstormed and decided to use Google Gemini as our dual purpose tool: first as an artist, and then as a teacher.

To make this happen, we designed a dynamic lesson. We selected Gemini to generate unique town maps for each student. But here is the secret sauce: we created a precise "Image Generation Prompt" that ordered Gemini to include specific details like a "Red Dot" for the start point and numbered buildings for destinations. This ensured that while every map was unique, the task remained consistent for everyone.

generated by Gemini

For the materials, we used Canva to create our colorful digital worksheet. A quick tip for you: while Canva is fantastic for layout, we had to make sure the "Prompt Boxes" were detailed and clear so students could easily copy-paste them without errors. Always remember to design your handouts to be user-friendly!

Finally, we structured everything into a solid ASSURE lesson plan to ensure the writing goals were met. AI has incredibly high potential to turn standard writing drills into creative adventures. Take a look at our material, and I hope you feel inspired to do the same for your students!

Check here to access the assets: The Teaching Material and ASSURE Lesson Plan.

Here check my group members blogs: Naz Emanetoğlu, İrem Beyazit, and Muhammed Aslan.

#EdTech #AIinEducation #DigitalStorytelling #MaterialDesign #VisualLearning #LessonPlanning#ELT #FlippedClassroom #EnglishTeaching #VocabularyTeaching #LanguageLearning #Pedagogy #Education