Creating an outcome, be it a physical object, a digital creation or a solution proposal, is an essential component of creativity (Paston et al., 2021). Enhancing students’ creativity skills undoubtedly requires not only a problem prompt but also an outlet for students to realise and propose their solutions (Paston et al., 2021). This post introduces one such creative learning outlet: a simple design program known as Adobe Express.
What is Adobe Express?
Adobe Express is a web-based media design application created within the Adobe Creative Cloud suite, an industry-level platform for graphic design and media production. This program has similar functionalities to Canva, allowing users at lower design skill ceilings to create eye-catching art works, dynamic images or videos by sampling graphic elements included in the platform.
Adobe Express User Interface (CC BY 2.0 Emilia Nguyen)
Canva User Interface (CC BY 2.0 Emilia Nguyen)
However, Adobe Express goes beyond being a design tool for beginners through its synchronisation with more advanced programs from the Adobe Creative Cloud suite. A student more familiar with design can create and import their own products from other Creative Cloud applications into Adobe Express for a more personalised finished product.
Design Customization in Canva
Includes merely editing and attaching samples onto one’s product. Personal design applications in Canva are few with limited functions
(CC BY 2.0 Emilia Nguyen)
Design Customisation in Adobe Express
Library syncing across Adobe programs allows for swift inclusion of advanced personal designs made in other Creative Cloud softwares into Adobe Express products
(CC BY 2.0 Emilia Nguyen)
Why Adobe Express for Creative Learning?
Creativity is generally encouraged by tasks whose approaches are flexible (Sternberg et al., 2022). Tasks assigned within Adobe Express provide students with various options on how to approach their submissions by enabling creation of various media products using existing design samples or one’s original design samples.
Adobe Express’s various functionalities also help teachers improve their students’ selective attention capability, which in turn supports students’ creativity. With the limitless possibilities for design observed in Adobe Express, students must take caution in selecting the tools and softwares to be used for completing their tasks in the assigned time frame. This offers students practice in selective attention across their classroom activities. Optimized selective attention “inhibits irrelevant information and facilitates relevant information to boost the production of original and useful ideas” (Kharkhurin, 2011, as cited in Zhou, 2018), leading to better creative thinking (Takeuchi et al., 2013, as cited in Zhou, 2018).
Teaching Precautions for Adobe Express
As working in Adobe Express requires selective attention, students with lower attention capability may be easily distracted and overwhelmed by the myriad of design options available. Teachers should offer students precautions on what functions of Adobe Express to use based on their capabilities before starting an activity using this program.
References
Paston, T. J., Kaufman, J. C., Cropley, A. J., & Marrone, R. (2021). What is creativity in education? A qualitative study of international curricula. Journal of Advanced Academics, 32(2), 207–230. https://doi-org.simsrad.net.ocs.mq.edu.au/10.1177/1932202X20978356
Sternberg, R. J., Glăveanu, V., & Kaufman, J. C. (2022). In quest of creativity: Three paths toward an elusive grail. Creativity Research Journal. https://doi.org/10.1080/10400419.2022.2107299
Zhou, K. (2018). What cognitive neuroscience tells us about creativity education: A literature review. Global Education Review, 5(1), 20-34.
Hello, Thi.
What a surprise to read your blog. By reading your blog, I have a better understanding of the emerging technology of Adobe Express. And the blog vividly explains the pros and cons of Adobe Express through video presentations and quoting articles. And the layout of your blog page is very attractive, which makes people want to read it after reading it. If you can see some of the experience of teachers about Adobe Express, I believe it can better help stimulate the potential of children.
siyi huang（20/08/23）
Hi Thi,
I found your blog post so informative, especially with the function of Abode and why educators would use this technology within the classroom. The video alongside the text describing what was happening gave a concise but comprehensive review of how educators could use this application within classrooms. It also sparked some ideas within my own practice as to how I could use this technology, such as creating informative posters and book covers to name a few. The aesthetic of your blog was also very appealing to me and the whole blog flowed naturally making it really engaging to read.
Awesome Blog,
Shah Garcia 9/3/2023
Hi Thi,
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Hello Thi,
Your blog was very informative and I am pleased to say I have a better understanding of Adobe express. I also enjoyed the layout of your blog as it was visually pleasing. I also appreciate the positives and negatives outlined about Adobe express.
Whilst this was a great read I would have liked to see some sort of direct example of Adobe Express being used in a specific subject area linked with a curriculum outcome. I feel like that would make this blog a lot more informative to inspiring teachers.
Nonetheless, your blog was a great read and I have gathered a lot of information from it.
Jana Khaled (08/08/2023)
Author of the blog post here. Please give me all your honest feedbacks :3