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Creatively Using Digital Technologies
Creativity is often seen as a special trait of a privileged category of people. That’s…questionable. Indeed, there are some inherited traits related to creativity, but, beyond that, it can, and has to be cultivated in order to reach its full potential.
Creativity is a habit. If you encourage and cultivate it on a consistent basis, it will flourish. Creativity can be learned.
# 1 Knowledge
Research shows that “knowledge is of substantial importance to trigger a creative outcome”.
Why?
Let’s take a practical example. You’re an artist and you intend to promote your work online (in order to sell or just to make yourself/your work known). Why do you want to promote it online?
Because you know that online marketing tools do exist. If you wouldn’t have heard about them, you’d never have thought of promoting your business online. Knowledge is crucial.
If you want to be able to creatively use digital tools, than you have to be up-to-date. You have to get informed. Of course, nobody knows everything – get an overview of a few tools and study more in-depth those you consider relevant to your purpose.
# 2 Perspective Shift –Proactivity
This field of digital tools is extremely dynamic. Things are changing very fast. You need to be open to novelty and not only embrace change, but search for it yourself.
Avoid ‘getting used’ to some software or another and refusing to use new ones – this is not only killing your creativity, but may also lead to outdated looking results.
The cure?
#3 Skills Development
Yes, you do need them in order to be creative. Creativity it’s not just something abstract.
The ability to think of new things – that may or may not exist – IMAGINATION
The ability to make new things – CREATIVITY
This means that it’s not enough only to know that some tools or others do exist. You need to be able to actually use them.
But the news are good! Nowadays, a lot of very intuitive and user-friendly tools are available, for which you need very little previous knowledge or technical skills.
How to put it into practice:
# 4 Inspiration
# 5 Your Role into the Process
Graphic Design (also known as communication design) is the activity and art of using visual and text content in order to communicate ideas, making use of specific principles and tools. Leaflets, posters, infographics, advertisements are all examples of graphic design. Here are the main principles and elements to be taken into consideration:
Design Principles: Balance, Contrast, Repetition, Alignment, Proximity, Space
Design Elements: Line, Shape, Direction, Value, Color, Texture, Size
CLICK HERE FOR AN OVERVIEW OF DESIGN ELEMENTS AND PRINCIPLES
This section of the course will require your active involvement. We highly recommend not only reading and watching the resources but also repeating the activities yourself.
HERE ARE THE MAIN INTRODUCTORY STEPS
•Log In or Sign Up to Your Google Account (Here’s how to create a Google Account – video). See also: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIEWR95aaoI
Simple – do not use too many details, it should look as good no matter if it’s printed in a large or small size, and easy to remember. Do some research and observe the logos of the most successful companies – most of all respect those conditions.
Versatile – should look good in any context, choose colours that work well on most backgrounds.
Targeted – do not forget your audience;
Memorable – does it create a lasting impression?
Online: LogoMaker Offline: Jeta Free Logo Maker (you can download it here)
Dos and Don’ts
publishing your website/privacy settings How to - VIDEO
You can use any word cloud generator you like best. The video above is an exemplification on WordClouds.com (free). The usual steps to create a word cloud (shape made of words, size of each word emphasizing importance):
Make a simple plan, starting from which you are already familiar with, e.g.:
It is highly important if you operate with personal data of your customers
Fixing key concepts...
Unit 1: Key Facts to Help You Boost Your Creative Use of ICT Tools
So What About Creativity?
Creativity is often seen as a special trait of a privileged category of people. That’s…questionable. Indeed, there are some inherited traits related to creativity, but, beyond that, it can, and has to be cultivated in order to reach its full potential.
Creativity is a habit. If you encourage and cultivate it on a consistent basis, it will flourish. Creativity can be learned.
The Facts
# 1 Knowledge
Research shows that “knowledge is of substantial importance to trigger a creative outcome”.
Why?
Let’s take a practical example. You’re an artist and you intend to promote your work online (in order to sell or just to make yourself/your work known). Why do you want to promote it online?
Because you know that online marketing tools do exist. If you wouldn’t have heard about them, you’d never have thought of promoting your business online. Knowledge is crucial.
If you want to be able to creatively use digital tools, than you have to be up-to-date. You have to get informed. Of course, nobody knows everything – get an overview of a few tools and study more in-depth those you consider relevant to your purpose.
# 2 Perspective Shift –Proactivity
This field of digital tools is extremely dynamic. Things are changing very fast. You need to be open to novelty and not only embrace change, but search for it yourself.
Avoid ‘getting used’ to some software or another and refusing to use new ones – this is not only killing your creativity, but may also lead to outdated looking results.
The cure?
#3 Skills Development
Yes, you do need them in order to be creative. Creativity it’s not just something abstract.
The ability to think of new things – that may or may not exist – IMAGINATION
The ability to make new things – CREATIVITY
This means that it’s not enough only to know that some tools or others do exist. You need to be able to actually use them.
But the news are good! Nowadays, a lot of very intuitive and user-friendly tools are available, for which you need very little previous knowledge or technical skills.
How to put it into practice:
# 4 Inspiration
# 5 Your Role into the Process
Unit 2: Basic Tools to Create a Website and Other Materials
Graphic Design Basics
Graphic Design (also known as communication design) is the activity and art of using visual and text content in order to communicate ideas, making use of specific principles and tools. Leaflets, posters, infographics, advertisements are all examples of graphic design. Here are the main principles and elements to be taken into consideration:
Design Principles: Balance, Contrast, Repetition, Alignment, Proximity, Space
Design Elements: Line, Shape, Direction, Value, Color, Texture, Size
CLICK HERE FOR AN OVERVIEW OF DESIGN ELEMENTS AND PRINCIPLES
Introduction to Google Tools
This section of the course will require your active involvement. We highly recommend not only reading and watching the resources but also repeating the activities yourself.
HERE ARE THE MAIN INTRODUCTORY STEPS
•Log In or Sign Up to Your Google Account (Here’s how to create a Google Account – video). See also: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIEWR95aaoI
Basic Tools to Create Logos
Simple – do not use too many details, it should look as good no matter if it’s printed in a large or small size, and easy to remember. Do some research and observe the logos of the most successful companies – most of all respect those conditions.
Versatile – should look good in any context, choose colours that work well on most backgrounds.
Targeted – do not forget your audience;
Memorable – does it create a lasting impression?
Online: LogoMaker Offline: Jeta Free Logo Maker (you can download it here)
Creating a basic website using Google Sites
Dos and Don’ts
Steps to Creating a Basic Website with New Google Sites
publishing your website/privacy settings How to - VIDEO
Other useful stuff
You can use any word cloud generator you like best. The video above is an exemplification on WordClouds.com (free). The usual steps to create a word cloud (shape made of words, size of each word emphasizing importance):
Unit 3: Online Marketing Insights
What is it about? Overview and main tools
How to get started? Quick tips.
Make a simple plan, starting from which you are already familiar with, e.g.:
It is highly important if you operate with personal data of your customers