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When people think of the words "high tech", they often describe 3D and animation technologies.

try itGo to the Simple Machine Blog. Watch the animations produced through a collaboration between fourth graders and tenth graders. Also read the comments to see the interaction between the collaborators.

Software Tools

 

3D Graphics

Animation

Stand-Alone Software

Web-based Software

If you're creating Flash projects, you can upload and share them using SwfUp.

GIF Animation

GIF animation is an easy and effective, yet somewhat dated way to create simple animations. A GIF animation is simply a series of still photos that create a slideshow, show steps in a process, or provides the illusion of movement. For example you could show a series of covers from Harry Potter books. There are hundreds of tools for making these animations. A few are listed below.

In many cases, you'll combine software to create the desired effects. For example, check out Annette Griessman's Easy Animation tutorial that uses an open source drawing program called Inkscape with the inexpensive Corel Animation Shop.

Screencast

A screencast is a recording of the computer screen often used for creating tutorials in most cases you can add audio narration.

Multimedia and Slide Shows

You're probably familiar with tools such as PowerPoint for creating slides shows, however there are some great online tools to help you create slide shows too. You can use these to create slide shows, then embed them in your website.

Web-based Tools

Features of High Tech 3D Graphics & Animation

Animation tools have evolved over the past decade. Most of today's animated movies and television programs were created using computer-based animations.

Objects. Most animation software packages provide tools for creating objects. These objects can then be reused in many different ways. For example, the basic 3D rectangle can be used to make houses, desks, and trains. The basic circle becomes a baseball cap, tire, or bouncing ball.

Movement. Like objects, tools for creating movement can be applied in many ways. For example, the same technique might be used to produce the waves of a corn field, flag, or water. There are many different kinds of animation.

Read Animation from AIM Your Projects with Flash for more information about the types animation. If you want to learn more about animation, take a 1.5 hour graduate course called Flash from IUPUI-SLIS.

High Tech 3D Graphics & Animation in Learning

From showing how a submarine works to retelling a fairy tale, there are many applications of 3D graphics and animation in learning. The key is finding applications that require movement for understanding. For example, if you're teaching someone how to use a piece of computer software, animation can be used to take a learner through each screen of the program. Animation is a good choice for tutorials because the learner can see how the menus work and how the cursor moves around the screen.

Think about concepts that are difficult to learn such as science topics. Animation can be used to show now a seesaw or pendulum works. Consider projects that can't be done with video such as demonstrating how the layers of earth move during an earthquake or the movement of cancer cells in the body.

check means readGo to Animoto in Education and explore some case studies for examples.

Digital 3D Graphics & Animation in Learning

Animation is an exciting way to promotion learning in libraries.

check means readWatch Space Animation at the Needham Public Library from YouTube.

check means readRead Engaging in Real-World Projects by GLEF Staff at Edutopia. It shows how a 3-D animation project can be used in authentic performance assessment.

Explore some example VoiceThread projects:

Learners, Multiple Intelligences, and Digital 3D Graphics/Animation

Use of digital 3D and animation software match well with many of Howard Gardner's intelligences including logical/mathematics, visual/spatial, bodily/kinesthetic and musical/rhythimic.

Using GoAnimate, young people can create interesting animated slide shows on a wide range of topics using still and motion images, cartoons and photographs, speech bubbles, music, and movement. Check out The Bozeman Trail and Billy and Bobbi Learning Something New.

Think about ways to use tools such as Glogster for book reviews. Watch Glog Book Review: The Clouds Above and Weird School Series.

Learn More

 

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