Why Teach Animation?
There are many reasons to teach animation in 21st century education. Animation is both a motivational strategy that leads to higher levels of engagement and deeper learning and an instructional strategy that facilitates knowledge transfer. What is also very exciting about animation is that it is capable of enhancing attention and promoting self-regulation in students and adult learners. Psychologist Richard Wiseman suggests that learning is more memorable with animation because it elevates mood and evokes positive emotions, which increases that access to learning and makes the communication of ideas more effective. (RSA Animate, 2015).
What does the research say about animation?
A meta-analysis conducted by Höffler & Leutner, (2007) found an overall positive effect when comparing the use of animation over static pictures. Research by Schnotz & Rasch (2005) connects animation to cognitive processing suggesting that animations can provide additional information that cannot be displayed in pictures by helping learners build mental models making cognitive processing easier. Cognitive effort may be reduced with animation through the use of perceptual processes without overburdening cognition (Zhang & Norman, 1994). Animation with narration can enhance learning further and increases the effectiveness of acquiring new information (Mayer, 2001). Conceptual learning using animation was examined by Chan and Black (2005) who point out that learners need to construct a conceptual understanding of a concept or idea that will promote comprehension and learning. Animation aids the learner in constructing knowledge by reducing cognitive load and creating conceptual models for acquiring new information and academic content.
How does animation promote motivation?
Animation is not just visually engaging but able to enhance motivation. How is this possible? Engagement can be explained through motivation theory. When students are intrinsically motivated they become goal oriented and able to sustain goal-oriented behavior, which results in positive and productive learning outcomes and products. Providing the autonomy to make decisions about what and how one learns can also increase motivation.
Animation enhances self determination. Self Determination Theory (SDT) explains that social and emotional well being are founded on the need for competence, relatedness and autonomy (Ryan & Deci, 2000). Animation promotes the desire to manage and control one’s own actions, to generate and sustain motivation and to experience autonomy. Autonomy helps to enhance feelings of competence and contributes to the happiness and success of the individual. All of these conditions can be observed in students who are engaged in animation resulting in greater academic competence learning.
So, why teach animation?
Visual media provides an engaging pathway for students to explore and understand academic content. It requires students to use many of the 21st century skills that will be needed for future career and college readiness. It is through active exploration, autonomous learning, creativity, communication and problem solving that students are able to acquire the technical skills and thinking strategies needed for career and college success. Animation is a 21st century tool that makes learning accessible and exciting for all types of students. Teachers who use animation in their classrooms are able to increase intrinsic motivation and autonomy and help students regulate their attention and increase access to new learning. When students have the opportunity to demonstrate what they know and understand through the use of animation, they become more actualized autonomous learners.
References
Chan, Margaret, and John Black. “When can animation improve learning? Some implications on human computer interaction and learning.” World Conference on Educational Multimedia, Hypermedia and Telecommunications. Vol. 2005. №1. 2005.
Höffler, T. N., & Leutner, D. (2007). Instructional animation versus static pictures: A meta-analysis. Learning and instruction, 17(6), 722–738.
Mayer, R. E. (2001). Multimedia Learning. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
The RSA Animate Revolution, (2015). Andrew Park and Richard Wiseman in conversation. Retrieved from https://www.thersa.org/discover/videos/event-videos/2012/12/the-rsa-animate-revolution/
Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2000). Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being. American psychologist, 55(1), 68.
Schnotz, W., & Rasch, T. (2005). Enabling, facilitating, and inhibiting effects of animations in multimedia learning: Why reduction of cognitive load can have negative results on learning. Educational Technology Research and Development, 53(3), 47–58.
Zhang, J. J., & Norman, D. A. (1994). Representations in distributed cognitive tasks. Cognitive Science, 18(1), 87–122.
