Being digitally literate goes way beyond reading and understanding words online but understanding that pictures – or in this case animation – are a valid and useful form of understanding the world around us (Education Scotland, 2015). To paraphrase the old phrase that a picture is worth a thousand words, surely many pictures together could tell a continuum of stories. With animation it allows learning to become more tactile – especially if we try to emulate cult classics from the nineties and early two-thousands like Pingu and Wallace and Gromit – using Plasticine or paper cut outs opting to try keep learning away from a device screen until it’s necessary. Then using technology as a way to elevate what is created beyond what could be done without it (Beauchamp, 2012). This, one would hope, would develop a generation of learners that want to use a multitude of ways to create and solely rely on technology to be a better learner.

I have come to find that I am trying to take a step back from my own devices and think “Is there another way to accomplish this?” mostly because I am slowly realising that although technology is easily accessible to me it may not be as accessible to those I will teach and those I may work with – be it due to personal vulnerabilities like poverty or lack of knowledge and confidence using technology (Education Scotland, 2017).

This week we were introduced to tools to create stop motion animation. To clarify unlike when we were making film in our last session it is not a still image with text or music over it then a completely different image after that but a sequence of still images that when put together create to illusion of movement (Jarvis, 2015). Below please find my first attempt at making my own animation.

If we follow the link we can see, although rudimentary, this gives any audience a feeling of motion. This animation was simply an introduction and allowed me to come to my own conclusions about how I may go about creating a bigger project that we are to do next week. Firstly, I am unlikely going to use the figures provided as there are cumbersome and are difficult to kept steady to allow seamless transition from one shot to another. Secondly, I am likely going to take overhead shots rather than face on shots – this should allow steadier camera action and keeps any background more consistent. Lastly, more for when I am in the classroom environment, I would want to make sure that jobs can be divided so that everyone can feel included and valued within a lesson that would ask them to create an animation.

At the end of this session we were to get into groups so that we could create an animation that does one of the following:

• • recreates a historical event
  • represents a geographical process eg glaciation, volcanic eruption
  • recreates a real-life scenario eg going to the dentist, shopping
  • explains a mathematical principle.

I chose to work with two of the people I worked with last week, mostly because we worked very well last week and created something that was spectacular – in my opinion. Also, because we’re not afraid of saying something if it is not working and work together to come up with creative solutions to problems we face – like last week with our filming issue. Next week we shall see if we are able to create an engaging animation that fits one of the rubrics asked and learn more about animation as an education tool in the process.

For part two of this series, please click here.

References

Beauchamp, G. (2012) ICT in the Primary School: From Pedagogy to Practice. Pearson.

Burden, K., Hopkins, P., Male, T., Martin, S. and Trala, C. (2012) iPad Scotland Evaluation. [Online] Available: http://moodle1819.uws.ac.uk/pluginfile.php/39914/mod_resource/content/2/Scotland-iPad-Evaluation.pdf [Accessed: 14 February 2019].

Jarvis, M. (2015) Brilliant Ideas for Using ICT in the Classroom: A Very practical Guide for Teachers and Lecturers. Routledge.

Scottish Government (2015) Literature Review on the Impact of Digital
Technology on Learning and Teaching. [Online] Available: http://moodle1819.uws.ac.uk/pluginfile.php/39887/mod_resource/content/1/Digital%20Literacy%20Impact%20Review%20.pdf [Accessed 20 February 2019].

Scottish Government (2017) Enhancing Learning And Teaching Through The Use Of Digital Technology: A Digital Learning And Teaching Strategy For Scotland. Scottish Government [Online] Available at: https://www2.gov.scot/Resource/0050/00505855.pdf