Learning and Leadership › Women’s Academy › Digital Literacy › Basic Graphic Design (Canva) › Course Materials
Learn the principles of design and use Canva, a free and simple tool, to create attractive posters, social media posts, invitation cards and presentations, with no need for expensive software.
Course page in the learning system
Course details
| Level | Beginner |
| Estimated duration | 10 hours of study and practice |
| Prerequisite | Familiarity with using a computer or phone |
| Language of instruction | Farsi-e-Dari (with key English terms) |
| Cost | Free |
| Assessment | A test after each section and a final exam; pass mark 70%; certificate after Academy approval |
After this course you will be able to
- Explain and apply the four basic design principles (contrast, alignment, repetition, proximity)
- Choose suitable colours and fonts for a message and place Farsi-e-Dari text correctly in a design
- Create a poster, an Instagram post and a presentation with Canva
- Define a simple visual identity (colours, font, logo) for a project
- Respect image copyright and use free sources
Course outline
- Contrast, alignment, repetition and proximity
- Visual hierarchy
- White space
- Simple colour theory
- Combining fonts
- Right-to-left Farsi-e-Dari text in a design
- Creating an account and the workspace
- Templates and elements
- PNG and PDF export
- Social media post
- Event poster
- Slide presentation
- Colour palette
- Simple logo
- Small brand kit
- Free-to-use photos
- Crediting sources
- Respecting people’s privacy in images
Week-by-week learning path
With about 30 to 45 minutes of study and practice a day, you will finish this course in 7 weeks:
| Week | Topic | Weekly output |
|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Design principles | Lessons, practical exercise and short section test |
| Week 2 | Colour and fonts | Lessons, practical exercise and short section test |
| Week 3 | Working with Canva | Lessons, practical exercise and short section test |
| Week 4 | Practical projects | Lessons, practical exercise and short section test |
| Week 5 | Visual identity | Lessons, practical exercise and short section test |
| Week 6 | Copyright and ethics | Lessons, practical exercise and short section test |
| Week 7 | Final project and final exam | Completed project and a score of 70% or more |
Final project
A ‘visual kit’ for an event or educational initiative: a colour palette and fonts, a simple logo, a printed A4 poster, a square Instagram post and an introductory slide, all with the same visual identity.
Project assessment criteria:
- Use of the four design principles
- Readability of the Farsi-e-Dari text and hierarchy
- Consistent colours and fonts across all pieces
- Respect for image copyright
Key course terms
Contrast
Alignment
Visual hierarchy
Color palette
Typeface / Font
White space
Brand kit
Resolution
Assessment and certificate
- After each section: a short test (70% recommended before continuing)
- Practical exercises in each lesson are for learning; send your questions via Questions the link provided.
- End of course: final exam (pass mark 70%) and submission of the final project
- Digital certificate after review and approval by the Academy: Request a certificate
Teaching approach
Each lesson includes learning objectives, explanations with real examples and images, key terms in Farsi-e-Dari and English, common mistakes, a practical exercise, a self-test and a summary. In every lesson you can put your questions to the teacher using the Questions button. The courses are impartial, free and open to all young people.
Get ready now
- Create a free Canva account with your email
- Save three posters or posts that you find attractive and write down why
- Review the lesson ‘The six parts of a professional email’; order in writing is the basis of order in design
Free and reliable resources
These resources were selected by the Academy team. Most are in English; Chrome’s Translate feature can help if needed. Large files (books, exercise files, videos) will be placed in the Academy’s official Google Drive folder when the course opens and linked from this page.
- Canva Design School, free design training with Canva
- Grow with Google, free digital and work skills training from Google
- GCFGlobal, free illustrated tutorials on work, computer and life skills
Help and questions
Questions about this course: [email protected] · All courses: Online Learning Centre · Active course: Computer and Internet Basics
Women’s Academy, Afghanistan Youth Parliament · Free and open to all young people