Using Animation to engage students in Narrative

1. Using Animation to engage students in Narrative Craig Snudden Rel.Sydney Region ICT Consultant craig.snudden@det.nsw.edu.au Sydney Region Public Schools

2. 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 Sydney Region Public Schools

3. 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 Sydney Region Public Schools

4. So what’s more engaging? This..

5. Or this?

6. What will it look like in your classroom or school? Pedagogies (http://www.teachanimation.org/pedagogies.html) Sydney Region Public Schools

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

8. It is not something extra to teach – it is a tool This 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 Sydney Region Public Schools

9. 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. Sydney Region Public Schools

10. 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. Sydney Region Public Schools

11. 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. Sydney Region Public Schools

12. 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. Sydney Region Public Schools

13. 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. Sydney Region Public Schools

16. 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 Sydney Region Public Schools

17. NAPLAN CRITERIA SHEET Sydney Region Public Schools

18. The Grammar of Television and Film SAM Animation http://www.samanimation.com/ Tutorials Free 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 Sydney Region Public Schools

19. Other Animation websites you can use Animate Clay Clay animator free download Monkey Jam - free download Boinx from 49.

20. Helium Frog Flux time studio – free

22. Creating a set Backdrops 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 well Students will need time to edit Finished products can be put on dvd sent home Upload to a video hosting website? Sydney Region Public Schools

23. Cineliteracy And if it seems too hard! Learn with the students, be a facilitator. Sydney Region Public Schools

24. Digital Storytelling Another 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. Sydney Region Public Schools

25. 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 Sydney Region Public Schools

26. 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 Sydney Region Public Schools

27. Questions? 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_snudden See all my educational bookmarks on www.delicious.com c_snudden Sydney Region Public Schools