Learning Through Animation.
In the workshop:
This week we looked at creating animations of our own. Animation is a filmmaking technique where illusion of motion is created frame-by-frame. For this input we first looked at creating an animation using sand, a lightbox and a camera. A person wrote their name in the sand letter by letter and a picture was taken by the camera. Once this was finished the pictures were put together and created an animation of this name being written.
Following from this we split into our own groups to create an animation of our own using resources in the room. My group choose to create or own animation using a chalkboard and depicting the growth of a flower. One person drew while the other took pictures of what was being drawn to create the animation with.
As a group we struggled to find an app or programme to turn our pictures into an animation so this is the best that we could do.
In education:
Most learners will have an idea of animation and what it is through Disney and Pixar. Most will have seem some sort of animated film or scene but many will not know what goes into animation and the varying other form that it can take. Using animation in learning and teaching is beneficial as it will engage those who are visual learners who are motivated by sight and sought. The arts already allow the imagination to explore new possibilities (Eisner, 2002) but animation is an art that it is often not explored in class as teachers may not know how to do so. However, the education benefits of learning animation are hard to ignore. Animation education can help:
- develop visual literacy skills
- discriminate and interpret action and images
- develop critical observation skills
- develop literacy skills (including writing, storyboarding, editing)
- encourage critical thinking (for example, which looks better? What happens next? How do we…?)
- encourage collaboration and co-operation
- build problem-solving skills
The collaborative nature of animation allows for the utilisation of pupils varying skills. “You will find that where some children can draw well, others will be good at operating equipment or playing instruments; or performing voices or acting as artistic directors.” (Film Education, n.d). Thus, all children of all abilities can get involved and can benefit from using animation in education.
References
Eisner, E. W. (2002) The Arts and the Creation of Mind. London: Yale University Press.
Film Education. (no date) Primary Animation.[Online] Available: http://www.filmeducation.org/resources/primary/teaching_with_film/primary_animation/film_education_resources_on_animated_films/ [Accessed: 3 February 2017].
