THE IMPORTANCE OF ANIMATION AS A VISUAL METHOD IN LEARNING AT

ELEMENTARY LEVEL

Sushma N Jogan Prof. Hoovinbhavi B L

Senior Research Fellow Chairperson & Dean
Dept of P G studies & research in Education Dept of P G studies & research in Education
Gulbarga University Gulbarga University
Kalaburagi-585106 Kalaburagi-585106
Karnataka, India Karnataka, India
Email: snjogan.jogan@gmail.com Email: hoovinbhavibl@gmail.com
Mob: 9591715030/9986110262 Mob: 9480576959

Abstract:
Aims: The main aim of the study is to identify 1) the vitality of technology in teaching and learning
process. 2) To evaluate the difference between traditional method and animation method of
teaching. 3) To understand the effectiveness of animated lessons in teaching.
Methodology: the present study is experimental in nature. Researchers have developed animated
lessons as a teaching-learning material for trainee teachers. Samples were selected from different
colleges of Diploma in education of Kalaburagi city of which 120 student teachers were included.
Hypotheses were tested for significance at 0.05 level. Collected data were analyzed by usingt test.
Findings: The results found significant difference between conventional and animation method of
teaching.
Relevance/originality: A number of advances have taken place in educational technology; however,
this may help early childhood educators to rethink the potential of using technology in their
classrooms. Thus, to reach the education standards, the teacher educators has to decide how best to
use technology in the classroom, to reach the targeted goal.

Keywords: Visual method, Animation, teaching-learning material, Elementary and multimedia

Introduction:

Animation offers a medium of storytelling and visual entertainment which can bring pleasure and
information to people of all ages everywhere in the world- Walt Disney

Nowadays visually teachings and awareness can be grasped more easily and quickly by
everyone. Thats why animation can be said as the real savior. It certainly provides a life to the
product and maintains students interest in learning better (Katrin Soika, 2010). However, the
effectiveness of using animation and other tools in classroom teaching and learning will always
depend on the type of learning experience that the teacher designs for a class. Knowing the
students context and interests will help to provide a suitable learning environment where a
particular instructional and learning tool like animation can be used and eventually meet the
learning objectives set for a class. Animation refers to a simulated motion picture depicting
movement of drawn (or simulated) objects (Mayer & Moreno, 2002).

Young people are fascinated by animation and they enjoy the opportunity to create their
own (FluxTime Studio, 2010). Moreover, the animation module brochure of VIA University
College, claims that children in particular, are said to learn best and most when they enjoy what
they are doing.

Need and importance of the study:

No doubt, technology is used to deepen childrens engagement in meaningful and effective

learning. It is emerging as a powerful tool in language learning. In fact animation is a brilliant and
innovative way to encourage children to communicate stories, ideas and concepts in a more creative
way. The main reason behind this study is that a classroom has students with varied power of
understanding, so in such situation using animation may positively proves to be an effective tool. It
also helps to promote more interaction between teacher and students with more participation. These
visuals are definitely more attractive than those descriptions in a few lines of a textbook. Thus,
animation is assumed to be beneficial to learning because it conveys additional information that is
crucial to the process of constructing a satisfactory mental model of the subject matter (Tversky
2002).

Some researchers emphasize that animation is an effective design tool for capturing viewer
interest and attention. Students always would like to find the easiest way to understand the concepts
of the textbook. Thus researchers felt the need to study the importance of animation as a visual
method in learning.

Review of related literature:

1. Romero Hall (2016 p.360-373) assessed that animated agents in simulation based training
affect the performance outcomes and perceptions of the individuals interacting in real time
with the training application. The results of this investigation indicated that both
 experienced and novice participants focused more visual attention time on the body of the
animated agent than the other defined areas of interest in the simulated environment.
2. According to Yildrim and Rana (2014 p. 47-60): teaching english to young learners
through animated stories bears many prospects for an effective and meaningful language
instruction as animated stories can help to contextualize the new language providing audio
visual input along with the story narration. The findings of the study reveals that animated
stories offer teachers opportunities to present and recycle vocabulary, grammar and
functions of the target language.
3. Miller, Scott and James (2011 p. 1-13) found that students perceive that animated slides
are substantially more effective, the animation of illustrations may provide a greater impact
on learning than simply the animation of text. Thus the study concludes that the inclusion of
basic animation techniques in power point presentations provides an additional learning aid
in inhibits learning.
4. Dalacosta and Palyvos (2009 p. 741-748) reports that the use of animated cartoons in a
multimedia application meant to evaluate their effectiveness in supporting teaching and
learning in science. The researchers have developed a cartoon style multimedia application
whereas animated. The results provide evidence that the use of animated cartoons
significantly increases the young students knowledge and understanding of specific science
concepts, which are normally difficult to comprehend and often cause misconceptions to
them.

Operational terms defined:

1. Visual method: the use of artistic mediums to produce and represent knowledge.
2. Animation: the technique of photographing successive drawings or positions of puppets or
models to create an illusion of movement when the film is shown as a sequence.
3. Teaching-learning material: broadly, the term refers to a spectrum of educational materials
that teachers use in the classroom to support specific learning.
4. Elementary level: is defined as a period of formal education following pre-school but
before high school, students learn basic skills.
5. Multimedia: the use of variety of artistic or communicative media.

Objectives:

1. To identify the vitality of technology in teaching and learning process.

2. To evaluate the difference between traditional method and animation method of teaching.
3. To understand the effectiveness of animated lessons in teaching.
4. To find out the importance of multimedia in teaching and learning process.
Hypotheses:

1. There is a significant difference between pre test and post test scores of experimental group.
2. There is a significant difference between male and female trainee teachers in teaching
through animation as a visual method.
3. There is a significant difference between mean scores of experimental and control group.

Methodology:

For the present study, experimental study was employed.

Sample of the study:

The sample of the study consisted of 120 trainee teachers of Kalaburagi city. The sample includes
both male and female trainee teachers.

Tools:

For the present study we have used standardized animated material in learning.

Analysis:

Test of significance has used to compare the difference between male and female.

Table 1:

There is a significant difference between pre test and post test scores of experimental group.
N Mean SD t df Sig. 70 61.97 64.03

value (2- 60
tailed) 50
Pre 60 61.97 4.510 6.964 59 0.000* 40
Mean
test 30
SD
Post 20
test 60 64.03 4.206 10 4.51 4.21
0
Pretest Post test

Note: * significance at 0.05 level

The paired sample t test table 1 shows that the pre test scores of PU students where N=60, mean
value 62.18, standard deviation 4.335 less than post test scores, where N=60, mean value 74.18,
standard deviation 4.417 and the calculated t value 16.932 and obtained significant value 0.000 is
 significant at 0.05 level. Hence the stated research hypothesis is accepted. Thus can be restated as,
there is a significant difference between pre test and post test scores of experimental group.
Table 2:

There is a significant difference between mean scores of male and female of experimental group.
80 75.37
N Mean SD t df Sig.(2- 69.7
value tailed) 60
Female 30 75.37 3.275 7.256 29 0.000*
40
Mean SD
Male 30 69.70 3.725 20
3.28 3.73
0
Girls Boys

Note: * significance at 0.05 level

The paired sample t test table 2 shows that post test scores of female where N=30, mean value
75.37, standard deviation 4.447 is more than the pre test scores, where N=30, mean value 64.03,
standard deviation 4.206 and the calculated t value 14.157 and obtained significant value is 0.000
is significant at 0.05 level. Hence the stated null hypotheses can be rejected and research hypothesis
is accepted. Thus can be stated as, there is a significant difference between mean scores of male and
female of experimental group.
Table 3:

There is a significant difference between mean scores of experimental and control group.
Groups N Mean SD t df Sig.(2-
value tailed)
Experim 60 74.18 4.447 14.157 59 0.000*
ental
60 64.03 4.206
Control

80 74.18
64.03
60
40
Mean SD
20
4.45 4.21
0
Experimental Control
Note: * significance at 0.05 level
The paired sample t test table 3 shows that post test scores of experimental group where N=60,
mean value 74.18, standard deviation 4.447 is more than the control group, where N=60, mean
value 64.03, standard deviation 4.206 and the calculated t value 14.157 and obtained significant
value 0.000 is significant at 0.05 level. Hence the stated null hypotheses can be rejected and
research hypothesis is accepted. Thus can be stated as, there is a significant difference between
mean scores of experimental and control group.
Conclusion:

It is to conclude that this study has confirmed that teachers should use animated media during
teaching and learning process. Through using animation in the daily classroom activities may help
students to increase learning in more ease. To understand visualized tools are easier than to read
information from the textbook. We can suggest that animation has great potential to improve human
learning- especially when the goal is to promote deeper understanding. It has also been suggested
that insufficient processing of pictorial information may have a negative effect on learning from
animated graphics, a phenomenon described by Lowe. R (2004). We must try to understand and
verify why animations enhance learning retention. Thus, researchers made an attempt to identify the
importance of animation as a visual method in learning. Therefore, it is the foremost duty of the
teachers and educationists to think over developing visual methods in order to achieve targeted
goals at elementary level.

References:

1. FluxTime Studio. (2010). Animation for kids Create animation online with FluxTime
Studio. Retrieved September 21, 2010, from http://www.fluxtime.com/
2. Katrin Soika (2010). The importance of animation as a visual method in learning chemistry.
Concept maps: making learning meaningful. Proceedings of fourth international conference
on concept mapping 1-9, January
3. Lowe R. (2004). Interrogation of a dynamic visualization during learning. Learning and
Instructions 257274, December
4. Mayer, R. E. & Moreno, R. (2002). Animation as an Aid to Multimedia Learning,
Educational Psychology Review 87-99, March
5. Rieber, L. P. (1991). Animation, incidental learning and continuing motivation. Journal of
Educational Psychology 318-328, September
6. VIA University College (module brochure). (2010). Animation as a learning tool Retrieved
September 21, 2010, from http://www.viauc.com/exchange/tools/Pages/tools.aspx
7. Tversky B., Morrison J. B. (2002). Animation: can it facilitate? International Journal of
Human-Computer Studies 247262, October