When I first introduced Adobe Express into my English 101P classroom, I wasn’t trying to revolutionize my curriculum. I was responding to a departmental learning outcome: "Students will use technology to enhance communication with readers." But what began as a practical solution quickly evolved into a powerful tool for student engagement, creativity, and confidence.
I’ve taught English 101P for nearly a decade. It’s a four-credit version of first-year composition designed for students who need additional support—often those with lower test scores or conditional admission to Marshall. These students come in with a wide range of experiences and skill levels. My goal is to help them build confidence in their writing and communication abilities, one assignment at a time.
Why I Introduced Digital Storytelling
The assignment I use Adobe Express for is something I now call the "Onboarding Guide." Students write a detailed, audience-specific guide to help someone new join a workplace or organization they know well—a local Target, a fast-food restaurant, the campus marching band. It’s not just about writing clearly; it’s about writing with purpose, for a real audience.
We start with a traditional essay. Students draft in Word, I provide feedback, and they revise. Then comes the shift: they take that revised essay and bring it to life in Adobe Express. They add headings, images, hyperlinks, and visual elements that enhance their message. Suddenly, their writing isn’t just a school assignment—it’s a polished, public-facing piece of communication.
My goal is to help them build confidence in their writing and communication abilities, one assignment at a time.
Scaffolding Creativity and Building Confidence
This process is intentional. I don’t throw students into multimedia creation on day one. We build toward it. First, a personal narrative. Then, the onboarding guide. Later, a “radical revision” project where students reimagine one of their essays in a completely new genre—like a children’s book on banned literature or a digital scrapbook chronicling a lifelong passion.
Each step builds on the last. Students learn to write, revise, and then reframe their ideas for different audiences and formats. Adobe Express fits seamlessly into that progression. It’s intuitive, flexible, and accessible. Many of my students used creative tools in high school, so Express feels familiar but more robust.
Each step builds on the last. Students learn to write, revise, and then reframe their ideas for different audiences and formats.
What I’ve Seen in My Classroom
The results have been encouraging. Students engage more deeply with their writing when they know it will be seen. They think critically about design choices, tone, and audience. They take pride in their work. And they surprise me—often. I’ve seen onboarding guides that rival professional training materials, and radical revisions that show real creative risk-taking.
I always ask students who earn top marks if I can use their work as models for other students in future semesters. They’re always honored, and that tells me something important: these projects matter to them.
Students engage more deeply with their writing when they know it will be seen. They think critically about design choices, tone, and audience. They take pride in their work. And they surprise me—often.
Assessment and Reflection
Assessment is layered. I grade the essay first, focusing on structure, clarity, and mechanics. Then, when students complete the multimedia version, I assess how well they translated their ideas into a visual format. I look at text enhancements, image use, and overall design. The rubric reflects both written and visual communication skills.
This approach has also changed how I structure the course. I now alternate between researched and non-researched assignments to ensure students receive feedback before moving on. It’s a small shift that has made a big difference in student learning.
Advice for Other Educators
If you’re thinking about bringing tools like Adobe Express into your classroom, my advice is simple: start with what you already do well. Don’t reinvent your course overnight. Find one assignment where a visual or multimodal approach could enhance learning. Scaffold the experience. Give students time to build confidence.
And remember—this isn’t about flashy tech. It’s about helping students find their voice, connect with real audiences, and see themselves as capable communicators in a digital world.
Find one assignment where a visual or multimodal approach could enhance learning. Scaffold the experience. Give students time to build confidence.
At the end of the day, I want my students to leave my class not just as better writers, but as more thoughtful, confident creators. Adobe Express has helped make that possible.
See how you can bring creativity into your class with Adobe Express Learning Kits
Adobe Express Learning Kits are free, ready‑to‑use resources designed to help faculty embed creativity, storytelling, and digital literacy into coursework. Get started quickly and introduce Adobe Express in any discipline—whether you teach media, communications, business, or the sciences.
Each Learning Kit includes:
- Customizable LMS modules
- Sample assignment prompts
- Rubrics
- Product tutorials
- Ready-to-use templates
- And much more!
About Dr. Robert Ellison
Robert Ellison has been a member of the English faculty since 2009. His entire family has some kind of connection with Marshall: his wife, Dr. Lori Ellison, teaches in the counseling department; both of his children are Marshall grads as well. The courses Dr. Ellison teaches most often include ENG 101P, Beginning Composition Plus and ENG 499, Senior Capstone. His research specialty is sermon studies, with a particular interest in Appalachian preaching. His current projects include co-editing (with Keith A. Francis) Preaching and the Sermon in the Twentieth Century. An Introduction to Sermon Studies (forthcoming from De Gruyter Brill) and overseeing The Library of Appalachian Preaching: A Digital Repository of Sermons.