Penned By Communications Officer, Asmi Dolia
On Saturday 19th September, Sharana conducted a one-day workshop on Basic Visual Communication for approximately 75 college students from different disciplines. The workshop was organised through Sharana’s Digital and Language Lab, with the aim of introducing students to the fundamentals of visual communication and giving them an opportunity to explore digital tools through practical activities. As digital content becomes increasingly common in education and the workplace, understanding how to communicate through images, designs and videos can be a valuable skill for students to develop.
The session was conducted by Mr. R. Bharathidasan, Assistant Professor, Department of Computer Science, Takshashila University. From 9:30 AM to 5:00 PM, the students moved between discussions, demonstrations and practical exercises, gradually putting the concepts introduced during the session into use.
The morning began with an introduction to the basics of visual communication, followed by a practical session using Photopea, an online graphic design and image-editing platform. Students were guided through the tools and then worked on creating banners and invitations of their own.
In the afternoon, the focus shifted to video creation using Canva. The students were introduced to its basic features and explored different ways of putting together digital content. The hands-on format of the workshop allowed them to try the tools as they leant, ask questions and experiment with their own ideas.
The students participated actively throughout the day, showing particular interest during the practical sessions. For Sharana, workshops like this are an extension of the learning that takes place through the Digital and Language Lab, where students are introduced not only to basic computer use but also to digital tools that they can explore further as their needs and interests grow. By learning to create designs and videos, students can develop practical skills that are relevant to their academic work and may also be useful in future employment. Introducing them to these tools is part of Sharana’s ongoing effort to ensure that young people are better prepared for a world in which digital skills are increasingly important.
The Digital and Language Lab, supported by Straive, has been an important part of Sharana’s work with young people since its establishment. The programme began with computer literacy and functional English and has continued to develop in response to the changing ways in which technology is used in education, work and everyday life. Workshops such as this one allow the programme to introduce students to areas oof digital learning beyond the basics.
The continued support of Straive makes it possible for Sharana to keep developing the Digital and Language Lab and to bring in new areas of learning as technology evolves. This partnership gives the programme the space to move from basic digital literacy towards more varied and practical forms of digital learning.
The workshop concluded with the distribution of Participation Certificates to all the students. After a day spent working with images, design and video, the students left with a first experience of visual communication as a practical digital skill, one that they can continue to explore beyond the workshop.
