Learn How Animation Can Help Create A Positive eLearning Environment
In this day and age where everything is leaning toward a digital platform, education is far from being an exception, as learners are increasingly opting for eLearning. And since it’s very unlikely that you can change people’s minds, you, our dear readers, can adapt to it and aim to foster a positive eLearning environment for learners everywhere.
What Is A Positive Learning Environment?
We can go on and on about the epitome of an effective learning environment, but regarding the plethora of distinct learning methods nowadays, it’s really hard to pinpoint one that fits the bill. That said, as we zoom in on eLearning specifically, things do get a bit simpler.
So the question we should be asking is: What is a positive eLearning environment?
We all know very well the drawbacks of ditching a physical classroom and moving to a digital one: lack of communication, supervision, concentration, and so on. It’s not just about creating a fun atmosphere, it also requires effective interaction between learners and instructors. In that sense, a positive learning environment should be:
- A safe place that students feel comfortable
Humans naturally take in information more easily when they are at ease. Stress not only hinders our learning but actually goes so far as to make us forget what we’ve learned before. - An active, engaging atmosphere
A safe environment is the first step, a necessity. The next step is to foster a fun, creative “vibe” where students are encouraged to participate actively in the lecture. But beware, you have to find that sweet spot between fun and serious. Too much of either can result in distraction. - Where an instructor and students can communicate freely and effectively
Open communication is the key to every interaction ever. Talking over a computer screen is very annoying, and you have to pay extra attention to make your students feel heard.
How Can Animation Help Create A Positive Learning Environment?
Animation Is A Splendid Explainer
Think about it, a lecturer isn’t so different from a comedian. Both are doing their best trying to tell a story while holding back the urge to yell at that noisy guy in the back. But comedians have one advantage, they have an arsenal of funny jokes and anecdotes, while a lecturer has to stick to the lesson, which most of the time is boring.
Animation is undoubtedly an incredible visual stimulant, it helps you visualize even the most complex information, like drugs’ MOA. A video that harmonically combines visuals, audio, and storytelling is the ultimate weapon.
Animation Can Spike Learners’ Interest
Animation is without a doubt more fun than a 100-page long, black-and-white textbook that’s filled with jargon.
Animation Helps With Distraction
If you’re worried that animations will distract your students, don't. The fun elements used are meant to engage learners, not distract. Take a look at this video, and you’ll see how an animated training video can effectively entertain students without them losing sight of the important lesson.
Animation Saves Time
A one-minute video is worth 1.8 million words. Animation can compress animation like a hydraulic compressor. It can accelerate the learning process exponentially. The human brain is predominantly visual, so much so that images are processed approximately 60,000 times faster than text. Trust the statistics!
Animation Can Significantly Boost Motivation
When your learners are aware of how interesting and informative your course is, they’ll be willing to learn more. Animation, as a new education method, not only provides students with academic knowledge but also other essential skills such as self-learning, critical thinking, etc.
Now that we’ve covered the basics, let’s move on to how you can create a positive eLearning environment.
6 Tips On How To Create A Positive eLearning Environment With Animation
A positive eLearning environment should be safe, engaging, and open. The tricky part is how to create such an environment with animation. Animation is without a doubt a very powerful weapon to someone working in the education field, but it also depends on the one who wields it. So without further ado, here’s a short manual of the basics of how to use animation properly to aid your course.
1. Welcome Your Learners With An Introduction Video
Many educators seem to underestimate the power of the introduction. A good intro video not only explains the basic objectives of the course but also shows the lecturer’s personality. This works wonders compared to a few simple bullet points and a boring hello. Moreover, a warm welcoming video creates a friendly and positive atmosphere as well, making your students feel comfortable and ready for learning.
2. Keep The Animations Short
Remember, you’re not in a business or medical environment, so your best bet is that your audience’s attention rate will decrease slowly until you surpass that 10-minute mark. And let’s not ignore the fact that you’ll be wasting a lot of time making a long animation. So for every lesson, aim for a short, compact 5-minute video.
3. Engage Your Audience With Activities
In case your video cannot be shortened, give them intermissions or activities to loosen their minds and refresh their focus. Let the narrator interrupt the video and lead them into some fun activities, preferably something they can do without leaving their seats, you don’t want to cause too much chaos.
An example is creating an immersive experience by having the narrator telling the audience to close their eyes and imagine or think about the topic of the video. This changes the setting and therefore, spikes their attention.
4. Don’t Forget To Include A Transcript
This move will surely be appreciated by a lot of viewers. Not everyone is a native English speaker, so they will have a hard time catching up with the pace of the animation. And don’t forget those with hearing disabilities; this will prove how much you care.
5. Leave Out The Jargon
“If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.” – Einstein
If you’re not talking to your colleagues—those who you discuss with every day—stay away from technical terms. You’re trying to create an inclusive environment, so it’s best not to drive people away with complex terms. What good does it do if you’re only adding more complicated stuff? So when you write the script for the narrator, try to keep the language at a middle school reading level.
6. Provide Additional Learning Materials
As much as we believe in the power of animation, you should not rely totally on it. Students should be encouraged to research more on the topic themselves. And you can help them by providing reading materials on the side. Learners are subsequently more active in their education and this will push the learning process considerably.
Conclusion
eLearning has already presented a whole new education platform; paired with animations, it can give students full control of what, when, where, and how they get to study. As an online instructor, you should equip yourself with the right skills to aid learners in their pursuit of knowledge. Now that you have animation on your side too, we sincerely hope you can apply it in your future courses and help create a positive eLearning environment for everyone!
