Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Flash Animation - Making E-learning Fun and Entertaining



The education system always seeks ways to further the dissemination of knowledge among the younger generation. With the advent of the internet a technology enhanced teaching was developed to teach the new generation of students. The birth of e-learning revolutionized the education system. This online education system makes use of different strategies to teach online students.

Thus more and more e learning development tools were created to provide more enjoying and interactive ways of teaching. One of these development or authoring tools is Flash Animation. It is an authoring environment, an animation sequencer and vector-based drawing program. This program allows creative artists and online authors to provide creative content and modules through the use of animation.


Create Quick and Easy Flash Animations!


Some online learning systems use video game types of test that student will find informative but at the same time entertaining as well. Videogames was criticized back when it became popular in the 80's, many people back then believed that video games ruins students' study habit. Well, this is true however back then people do not see its benefits.

Ataris, Family Computer, Gameboys were seen as distraction for kids and students back then. But a test regarding kids playing showed that these "kiddie" games improve positive skills. It promotes hand-eye coordination which is necessary for adult skills like machine operating and driving. Some games also increase the reasoning skills and critical thinking of the players of the game.


How Can Flash Animations Be Used?


Today gaming is not seen only as distraction but it is now being recognized as a useful platform. It was proven that people tend to learn more if the method is fun and entertaining like video games. Flash animation is used to create interactive digital educational materials like video game type of quizzes and other interactive test. This tool also can provide animated lectures and demonstration videos that online students will find entertaining but educational too.

Flash animation allows authors and developers to create interactive multimedia files or simply called movies. These files incorporate graphics and sounds and to some degree, allow the user determine the course of action. This is what interactivity is all about. Instead of providing a monotonous multiple choice question tests where online student simply mark their answer, authors can now create a drag and drop type of test much similar to a video game. This will make the test more.


Upsurging Flash Animations


Flash Animation is an authoring tool which can also create animation sequences or simulate movement on screen. This online learning tool is used in creating instructional or demonstration animation video clips. The clips can also be used as video material for online lectures for the students.

Business solution companies and software development companies are continuously creating better e-learning development tools that can assist developers and authors to provide more interactive content. Flash animation makes learning informative, interactive and engaging as well.
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Sunday, June 20, 2010

Flash Animation - Making E-Learning Easier

I attended an animation seminar recently and it was quite a fun and informative event. Various animators and animation enthusiasts have attended the prestigious event. Luckily I was part of the guest list, the animation seminar started from where animation originated, from the ancient times to the first time Gertie, the dinosaur, was able to move on its own. Later modern animation was discussed.

Flash animation is one of the elearning tools used in creating learning content. It is now being used as a platform in producing animated series. From what I have observed, more and more people are acknowledging this new medium for animation. Knowing this, I asked myself, "Would an animated learning content be a better education course?"

Dora the explorer became a cartoon sensation with the younger generation. From toddlers to kids aged 7, every kid knows the Spanish speaking girl. The cartoon is basically about the adventures of Dora and her boot wearing monkey friend. They solve different problems in every episode.

The treatment of the cartoon is similar to an interactive flash game. Dora will ask a question then a cursor similar to a personal computer's mouse cursor will guide the viewers in choosing the right answer. The show is very educational and since it involves the audience in the problem solving parts, it makes the show interactive and engaging.

My 5 year old kid really likes to fiddle with my computer so I bought preschool game software. The game has animated clips and an animated character that guides him throughout the game. He loves it so much because he really loves cartoons and when I am doing paper work, I let him play with it. The result was quite impressive.

There was a time when I have to show him how to solve a certain puzzle and when he encountered a similar puzzle like the one I'd solved, he solved it on his own effortlessly.
Nowadays people are seeing animation as more than just shows for children. Filmmakers now use animation as a medium in their movies. In the virtual classroom, animation is a great tool for teaching elearners through the use of flash animation.

Real life situations can be animated for students to study. For example, in medical and health education courses, the human anatomy is animated and even though it is a simulated version of the real thing, the details of it are very accurate. It is like seeing the real thing as well. Online medical students can watch how medicine works on certain ailments through an animated clip which shows how the medicine is applied.

Ordinary and boring quizzes can be spiced up by converting it into a more animated and interactive game rather than presenting it in a simple question and answer form.
By using animation in producing learning content, students become more interested in learning because they are learning their lessons but at the same time they are entertained as well.

Elearning tools like flash animation makes online learning content and education modules become easier to understand and user friendly. A computer graduate and loves to travel. Reading current news in the internet is one of his past times. Taking pictures of the things around him fully satisfies him. He loves to play badminton and his favorite pets are cats and walk with them in the park with some dogs.
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