Animation and Video in the Classroom
Animation and video can enhance project-based learning. In this course, we will focus on how students can use these tools to create IMPs, rather than how teachers can create animation or video for instruction.
As with all IMPs, students should have a clear understanding of the goals, objectives, and essential questions of the project before they start working on their animation or video. With many of the online tools, students are able to watch and evaluate their work immediately after creating it. This may allow you to dive right into the tools with your students with just a mind map or audio script rather than a full storyboard being necessary for every project. When creating and editing are fast and easy, as they are with the tools used in this module, you may find it a better use of instructional time to focus on experimentation and revision than detailed planning.
Animation and video don't have to be long to be effective; often a 30 to 45 second clip is all it takes to get your message across. Think about your audience and how you'll share your animation or video with them. Sites like YouTube make it very easy to publish animation and video IMPs with a global audience online.
How can animation and video be used?
- Focusing student thinking
- Using student background knowledge to connect with new information
- Demonstrating and refining new skills or behaviors
- "Public Service Announcements"
- Explaining different cultures
- Records of local history
- Integrating content with real world issues
- Speeding up or compressing time (e.g., growing plants for science; you can show weeks of growth in a few minutes)
- Visual records of science projects
- Showing relationships between concepts
- Tutorials: Showing processes and steps on how to do things
- Virtual field trips
- "Trailers" for upcoming units
This module will only scratch the surface of what's possible with animation and video. Our practice here will be limited to two online animation tools that don't require any special equipment and offer free accounts. If your classroom has access to a digital video camera or other equipment, you have other options available that are beyond the scope of this course.