Use of animation in e-learning

Photo by Sarath P Raj on Unsplash

Animation is extensively used in the field of media & entertainment. But now with the remarkable progress of easily accessible animation software, the world is gearing up for new reforms in the field of education. And the youth is catching up on it too. Their adaptation to changing techniques of e-learning is fast, especially when it comes to self-learning beyond the prescribed curriculum. There has been a paradigm shift from conventional static content to a more fluid and dynamic visual demonstration of learning methodology. It’s engaging, entertaining and eye-catching. E-learning isn’t just about animated PowerPoint slide shows anymore, it has evolved from being that to whiteboard animations and much more. 

One of the key elements of increased use of animation in e-learning is that people seem to grasp and retain complex information through visualizations. Learners pay attention and thus absorb the information well which is why animations aren’t just being used for the educational sector. Training videos for recruits are proving helpful to the corporate sector as well. Animations can be very well leveraged for creating immersive scenarios, particularly important in the medical field to showcase medical procedures and research.

So what’s in it for the animators? The answer is job opportunities. As an animator, it should excite you to know that prospects of working in the educational sector are skyrocketing. It’s not just movies and cartoons anymore. The competition among e-learning startups is gaining traction as the youth are rapidly adapting to the changing landscape of India’s education and technology mix.

Here are some tips to improvise the use of animation in e-learning. 

Pair animation with audio: 

A piece of narration or speech proves helpful when there’s isn’t an instructor available to walk the learner through the information. Even putting up simple background music can engage the user for longer periods. 

Interactive: 

This is one of the key aspects where animation may seem to fall short. The touch of personal attention one gets in physical classes is unmatched. Learners’ inputs must be asked, their views should be taken and they should be actively engaged. It helps for knowledge retention of tedious concepts. Thus the online platforms with more interactive courses have a higher preference. 

Flexibility: 

Users should have the power to pause, rewind or fast forward content. Adding control options to animated videos ensures that users are comfortable in grasping concepts at their own pace. The more customized your content is, the better is the optimization for your audience. 

Focused: 

Too many animations can hamper a good learning experience. Make sure to avoid adding irrelevant information and focus on one topic at a time to be more effective. 

Age-appropriate animations:

Make sure the animations are suitable for the age group that would be consuming the content. Younger children engage more with highly dynamic and colourful animations while older students prefer more eye-pleasing animations that communicate the relevant information more effectively. 

Having said all that remember that it is still the teacher who teaches and the learner who learns. Animation is just a helping hand. So ensure that your animations aid the trainers and not hamper their process. With students of all age groups exploring online learning, there are ample job opportunities for skilled animators who are creative and skilled. 

If a career in animation interests you, then you can check the animation courses at Arena Animation.