Animating Science EducationDr Jocelyn Wishart, Graduate School of EducationTeacher Educator

This presentation is about how making stop motion animations as a way of teaching science processes like waves, diffusion, life cycles, evaporation, transfer of momentum, bonding, enzyme action etc. supports learning

Here are some examples https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QI7o73mZObo

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8 April 2023IntroductionIt is now relatively quick and easy to create a short stop-motion animation in a science teaching session using a digital or mobile phone camera, Plasticine or card, laptops and freely downloadable software (iMotion, Windows Moviemaker).

Teachers and lecturers in different countries are seizing on the learning opportunities offered by having students animate a science process yet there has been little research into how and why this engaging activity supports learning.

Today I am reporting results from two projects:• observing the impact of teaching though

animation with school students of different ages

• working with initial teacher trainees (both primary and secondary) to explore exactly how creating animations can be used to teach about and reinforce understanding of science processes.

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8 April 2023What do we already know?Using models is common in teaching science concepts, Harrison and Treagust (2000) even wrote up a typology of the many kinds found. However, animation is much more than a single model as it comprises a dynamic, visual and kinaesthetic multi-stage modelling process.

Indeed Hoban and Nielsen (2013) consider all the different stages in creating an animation to be important to learning. They speculate that each stage explores the same concept but in different ways with meaning building from one representation to the next to promote learning.

Also making animations is certainly engaging, as Hoban, Loughran and Neilsen (2011) observed in both graduate student teachers and their primary school pupils.

However Ainsworth (2008) notes that animations themselves can detract from, as well as, engender learning which reinforces Sutherland et al (2004)’s point that the role played by the teacher in creating a culture for learning when employing technology based activities is critical.

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8 April 2023Research questionsAbout learning:• Which activities within the process of creating stop motion animations and which properties of the resulting animations promote effective learning?

And about teaching:• How can learning activities involving stop-motion animations be effectively deployed in teaching science at different levels?

• What issues in using digital and mobile phone cameras in schools and universities do teachers need to engage with and what information do they need?

Study One 5

8 April 2023Participants

Participants were recruited through contacting teachers known to be interested in research opportunities and eventually comprised students from four of their classes • grade 4 (25 students)• grade 8 (26 students)• grade 11 (25 students)• grade 12 (9 students)

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8 April 2023Methods Used

Each teacher chose to manage the lesson or sequence of lessons on animation slightly differently however, in every case it was presented to the pupils as a way of consolidating their learning on the current science topics.

Each lesson was followed by a questionnaire survey that asked students to rate the different experiences during creating animations on a seven point scale (where 1 represented not at all and 7 represented very, very much) once for enjoyment and once for support with understanding the science.

The participating teachers were then interviewed using deliberately more open questions that addressed the necessary preparation, the teachers’ perceptions of learning that took place and any concerns they had about teaching in this way.

Study One

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8 April 2023What happenedGrade Four pupils spent the morning making animations to show how filters and sieves work. They started by storyboarding their animations and then worked in groups of 3 and 4 to create them using Powerpoint with one image per slide. Finally, the teacher showed the class their work on the data projector.

The Grade Eight teacher took a much more open approach, the class had been asked to prepare ideas for creating an animation on the respiratory and/or circulatory systems. Students, working in pairs, then chose from Powerpoint, Serif Draw Plus and Pivot. All animations were completed, this time in 60 minutes, and emailed to the teacher. They were not shown to the class.

There was much more time available to the Grade 11 teacher who devoted six lessons to students creating animated stories with narrations showing their understanding of a Physics topic of their choice. Student worked in groups using Plasticine, digital cameras and Moviemaker. With more time models made by this class were much more detailed and several incorporated human characters and were well received at the playback session.

Study One

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8 April 2023What happenedThe Grade 12 teacher worked within a single 100 minute double lesson with a smaller class using Flip video cameras (1 camera to 3 students) to make animations to demonstrate the biological structures and physical processes that enabled transport of proteins, sugars and fluids across animal cell membranes. Again they were expected to research and write a short commentary to accompany their video. Ten minutes before the end of the lesson the animations were shown to the whole class via a data projector and used for both discussion of biological functions and pointing out misconceptions.

Study One

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8 April 2023Findings

Learning activity Median Enjoyment Score (max 7) N

Seeing other's animations 7 59Making, modelling and/or drawing 6 56Talking during the task 6 52Seeing finished animation 6 59Adding sound fx or music 6 18Taking photos 5.5 51Adding titles 5.5 40Storyboarding 5 39Discussing other's animations 5 29Ordering images 5 32Adding a commentary 4.5 8Researching the topic 4 12

Study One

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8 April 2023Findings Learning Activity Median Helps

Understanding Score (max 7)

N

Talking during task 6 50Discussing other's animations 6 26Making, modelling and/or drawing 5.5 54Seeing other's animations 5.5 54Storyboarding 5 38Taking photos 5 48Ordering images 5 30Adding titles 5 39Seeing finished animation 5 55Researching the topic 5 12Adding sound fx or music 4 18Adding a commentary 4 8

Study One

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8 April 2023What did the teachers say?

The teachers were concerned primarily with the students’ capability to use the animation tools: cameras, laptops and software and the necessary preparation.

Though all four teachers noted how making animations led to opportunities for questioning whether for assessing students’ science knowledge and understanding or for evaluating their progress.

Other strategies noted by the teachers included consolidation through multiple opportunities for learning. One teacher noted the activities matched VAK learning styles. When asked whether ALL the learning activities were important to learning three of the four agreed however, the fourth teacher prioritised the making of the models.

Study One

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8 April 2023What happenedMaking animations as a means of teaching and learning was introduced in three universities in a 3 hour teaching session during which student teachers practiced making animations themselves. In one university this was a voluntary session, in the other two it was scheduled as part of their teacher education programme.

Students were then asked to report back on any opportunities they had in their subsequent school placements to teach themselves by getting pupils to make animations.

Data were collected at opportunity throughout these activities using mixed methods under a pragmatic approach.

Study Two

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8 April 2023Participants

Secondary science teacher trainees from two universities • for video during making at university: Two groups of 3 • for interview following placement: 6• in survey following placement:2

Primary teacher trainees from a third university• for video during making: Two groups, a pair & a four• in survey following placement: 11

Study Two

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8 April 2023Methods Used

Qualitative data to give a rich picture of the student teachers’ learning was captured through both video recording and post-placement interview.

It was also planned that quantitative data would captured through survey of the student teachers’ pupils however, only one student achieved this.

Though a number of them completed a survey themselves.

Ethical considerations included ensuring participation was fully informed, voluntary and remaining mindful of the need to prioritise trainee’s work for their ITE programme

Study Two

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8 April 2023FindingsFrom the PGCE student survey (n=13) (they were asked to give up to 5 words to describe the activity)

Study Two

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8 April 2023FindingsFrom thematic analysis of ITE student video recordings using nVivo

4 students, 25 minutes

Discussion unclear, 8 minutes

Study Two

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8 April 2023FindingsFrom thematic analysis of ITE student video recordings using nVivo

2 students, 20 minutes

3 students, 53 minutes

Study Two

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8 April 2023FindingsDetail from thematic analysis of ITE student video recordings using nVivo

Thinking as a teacher (n=11)

Enhancing pupil understanding 6Preparing to teach through animation 4Assessing pupil understanding 3Making animations seen to motivate pupils 2Issues with time needed for making animations 2Storyboarding would help pupils plan 1Considering need for scaffolds according to class ability 1Debating curriculum level of animation 1Accessibility of learning through animation 1Any process can be animated 1Highlighting possible misconceptions 1

Study Two

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8 April 2023FindingsBenefits of making animations reported by ITE students in post-project interview (n=6)

FreqAids pupils' understanding 9Enables teachers to 'see' what pupils know 6Animation is fun, engaging, enjoyable 6Aids learning to teach by helping us think about how to explain or show concepts to others 4Relevant to all age groups 4Enables pupil creativity 2Enables science thinking 2Enables teachers to challenge & interest pupils in science 2Models how scientists work 1Enables multiple learning styles 1Aids active learning 1

Study Two

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8 April 2023FindingsIssues with making animations reported by more than one ITE student in post-project interview or survey (n=19)

FreqAmount of necessary preparation 10Resources (availability and knowing how to use them) 10Available time 8Finding a curriculum subject opportunity 4Watch the number of photos being taken 3Watch out for camera shake - tripods? 2Clear timings 2Managing other PGCE work 2Lack of confidence 2Children's ability (lack of) 2

N.B. 4 students reported no issues, recommending “Just go for it”

Study Two

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8 April 2023Conclusions

Making animations in learning science is enjoyed by nearly all. It aids understanding and memory in a number of ways:

• Visual and tangible representation of abstract science concepts• Provision of opportunities to learn in different modes (or styles)• Reinforcement through multiple stages in their production including

storyboarding, making, viewing and especially discussing• Enabling teachers to 'see' what pupils know and understand

It was particularly useful for ITE students as it enabled them to focus on thinking about how to explain or show concepts to others i.e. their future pupils.

As an ITE tutor I found it particularly useful in enabling me to explain science concepts with the primary ITE students who had less specialist subject knowledge than the secondary students.

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8 April 2023Recommendations

Recommendations from participants focused mainly on preparation including • trial making one yourself• organisation of teaching groups• checking means of image capture and transfer to the software• fix the maximum number of images to be used in the light of time available

My advice from the teaching sessions• don’t let plasticine get too cold• avoid carpets• don’t insist on storyboarding first

And finally, as several students said , “Just go for it”

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8 April 2023Teaching resources

Guidance for ITE students and teachers in teaching science through creating animations will be made available before Christmas at http://www.bristol.ac.uk/education/research/sites/animating-science/.

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8 April 2023Where next?

This is an interactive session:

What would you like to know more about?

Other suggestions welcome…

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8 April 2023BibliographyAinsworth, S. (2008). How do animations influence learning? In D. Robinson & G. Schraw (Eds.), Current Perspectives on Cognition, Learning, and Instruction: Recent Innovations in Educational Technology that Facilitate Student Learning. pp 37-67. Information Age Publishing.

Harrison, A. G., & Treagust, D. F. (2000). A typology of school science models. International Journal of Science Education, 22(9), 1011–1026

Hoban, G., Loughran, J. and Nielsen, W. (2011). Slowmation: Preservice elementary teachers representing science knowledge through creating multimodal digital animations. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 48, 985–1009. Hoban, G and Nielsen, W. (2013). Learning Science through Creating a ‘Slowmation’: A case study of preservice primary teachers, International Journal of Science Education, 35 (1), 119-146

Sutherland, R., Armstrong, V., Barnes, S., Brawn, R., Breeze, N., Gall, M., Matthewman, S., Olivero, F. Taylor, A., Triggs, P., Wishart, J. and John P. (2004). Transforming teaching and learning: embedding ICT into everyday classroom practices, Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 20, 413-425