Using Animation to engage students in Narrative

Craig SnuddenRel.Sydney Region ICT Consultantcraig.snudden@det.nsw.edu.au

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NAPLAN Criteria• The assessments made against the criteria provide a comprehensive picture of each

student's skills. Specific criteria will give information about students’ abilities to:• understand the sense of audience and the engagement of a reader as they write • understand and use text features of a narrative • organise texts in a meaningful way using a variety of sentence structures,

appropriate sequencing and text connectives to control the text • use typical grammar features of writing • use a range of language choices including literary devices such as similes, metaphors

and personification • create and craft ideas and themes in a narrative • develop and portray characters • develop and maintain a setting and sense of atmosphere appropriate for their narrative • spell and punctuate • For all the NAPLAN CRITERIA

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So why animation? It seems so hard

• Highly engaging• Highly motivating• Using technology as a tool• Integrating technology into your existing

program.• Empowers students, decision making skills• Group work• Meets all the NAPLAN writing criteria

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So what’s more engaging? This..

Or this?

What will it look like in your classroom or school?

Pedagogies (http://www.teachanimation.org/pedagogies.html)

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Sydney Region Public Schools http://bubbl.us/

It is not something extra to teach – it is a toolThis the literacy/writing session Yes, teachers become set in the way they teach literacy.Filming is the final step (groups may work during other

lessons)Works best in small groups. How many animation

stations in each classroom. 1?Kinder – maybe a buddy system??Create a group of student ‘experts’ to share K-6

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Collaboration:• Tips for Effective Collaboration:• Alternate between assigning students to groups and

allowing student to select group members themselves.

Allow students to choose what their roles in the group are. Possible roles include:

• Director• Writer• Character developer• Producer• Prop and Set designer• Cameraperson.

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• Keep group sizes small for effective management.

Set ground rules for being in a group.

• Allow in-class time for group meetings and planning, and make yourself accessible to groups.

• Explain that disagreement within group discussions can be beneficial as a tool to foster creativity.

Have groups share final projects with the entire class and invite critique.

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Multi-level teaching• Multi-level teaching an effective strategy for:• Creating the opportunity for a dynamic, engaging and

active learning.

• Encouraging all participants to develop skills not only with the medium but also in communication and interaction.

Promoting collaboration and dialogue.

Underscoring the fact that everyone involved can be both teacher and learner.

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Peer Tutoring• Animation offers an opportunity for student-to-student learning to take

place and hence shows students that they can learn from peers.

Provides a chance for students to get to know and work with each other.

• Offers an opportunity for demonstrations, expansion and elaboration on student understanding.

Provides positive benefits to students’ cognitive and social skills (both tutors and tutees) and can create benefits for the teachers as well.

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Analysing Animations – Critical thinking

• What is the main idea or concept communicated by this animation? • What techniques does the animator utilize to communicate this idea? • How did the choice of film technique impact your perception of the

theme? • Which part of this animation is the most interesting to you? Why? • If you were creating an animation on this same theme, what

techniques or images might you incorporate? • Can you think of any other examples of animation that address this

same concept, either from this perspective or from another? • Give an example of an animator or animation that uses the same

medium or technique that you just viewed.

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Storyboarding

• The animations must be carefully planned • Use NAPLAN writing criteria in their planning• Students will rush to start filming• Demonstrate good and bad animations.

www.teachertube.com Youtube, www.brickfilms.com

• Small groups of 3 or 4• Kinder? – A buddy system works well • A huge list of storyboarding resources

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NAPLAN CRITERIA SHEET

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The Grammar of Television and Film

SAM Animationhttp://www.samanimation.com/ TutorialsFree download on PC and Mac You will need a webcam and microphone http://podcastlane.wordpress.com/2008/04/14/podcasting-get-a-good-mic/ (stu’s podcast on podcasting)

OR ‘I Can Animate’ Extremely user friendly, Mac users can upload into iMovie.Unfortunately about $80 depending on exchange rate. http://www.kudlian.net/store/buyproduct/icadownload.html

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Clay animator free download

Boinx from 49.

Other Animation websites you can use

Monkey Jam - free download

Animate Clay

Helium Frog Flux time studio – free

Creating a setBackdrops can be simple. Dolls houses, garages, posters work well. Students will need time to film, they may take up to 1000 pictures.At least one session, half day? Full day?Those “chaos days” work wellStudents will need time to edit

Finished products can be put on dvd sent homeUpload to a video hosting website?

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And if it seems too hard!

Learn with the students, be a facilitator.

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Cineliteracy

Digital StorytellingAnother tool for use in the classroom to achieve outcomes writing.

In General, combining the art of telling stories with any of a variety of available multimedia tools, including graphics, audio, video, animation and web publishing.

Can be on any text type.

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Why use digital stories• An effective learning tool for students• Research skills• Writing skills• Listening skills• Speaking skills• Organisational skills• Technology skills• Presentation skills• Interview skills• Interpersonal skills

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Free and easy to use websites

• http://storybird.com/• Fix8 fun webcam website Narrative example• http://tinyurl.com/makeastory• http://www.elastoplaststories.co.uk/#/create/• http://www.mixbook.com

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Questions?

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For education websites you can look at http://sts.sydneyr.det.nsw.edu.au/The Sydney Region Website – SR School Technology Forums (register)

2009 top 100 tools for learning

Follow me on Twitter @c_snuddenSee all my educational bookmarks on www.delicious.com c_snudden