Introduction to ZU3D - Basic Stop Motion animation

 Zu3D is software which helps you to create stop motion animations.
It is easy to use if you have enough patience!

As we've seen, stop-motion is an animation technique to make an object look like its moving on its own. The object is moved slightly in each frame and should come together in one sequence in the end.

Below is my first go at a stop motion animation:

Camera-less Animation

Animation:
the technique of photographing successive drawings or positions of puppets or models to create an illusion of movement when the film is shown as a sequence.

Illusion is the key word.

This week we explored the world of animation without using a camera.
There are five different types of 'camera-less' animation that we explored.

The one which I decided to look at was the thaumatrope.
 A thaumatrope is a disc with strings attached either side and a picture on each face. The idea is when the strings are pulled the disc will move fast enough to blend the two pictures on either side.

It was made by John Ayrton Paris in 1825 and the name actually means 'turning marvel' or 'wonder turner'. 

The thaumatrope was the first of many optical toys. 

This is the one we decided to do.

If the disc is spun fast enough it should make the 'illusion' that jack is holding his pumpkin.

It was really quite simple to make. 

Here is a short clip showing how easy it is to make:

Did it work? 
Not very well! Thicker card will be used next time and the slits cut were not long enough preventing the disc from spinning fast enough.

Animation For Learning

How can animation be used for learning?
Here are a few ideas we thought of as a group:

 Today practitioners must find it hard to create a learning environment that incorporates creativity and collaborative learning whilst using much of today's new technology. 

 Why is Animation being used as a learning tool?

• It can help learners to understand more complex ideas more easily.

• They can be used when wanting to show learners something that may not be seen as easily in the real world. For example, atoms and gas particles in science. 

• Some believe animation is a good learning tool because it is "motivating".

(Ainsworth, 2008)



Mayer, R (2002) explains in his article "Animation as a aid to Multimedia Learning", how animation can be used to promote the understanding of scientific and mathematical explanations. It concludes that animation does promote learning and understanding of a topic when it stimulates the mind and is consistent with "cognitive theory". 
 Ainsworth, S (2008) also explains the importance of cognitive theory when introducing animation into learning. This article explains how there are another five levels of explanations to think of when understanding learning with animation as well as cognitive, they are:

 expressive,  motor and perceptual, affective and motivational, strategic, meta-cognitive and rhetorical.

What was interesting about the article by Ainsworth (2008) is that it explained how animation can be used to improve social situations. It gives different examples of using today's technology and software to improve a learners social development and interactions. The use of the 'Kidpad' is mentioned. Children use this to work together and create a animation story which they then share with the class. This is just one example of how collaborative work and creativity can work together. 

I also looked at an article by Barak M (2011) who explored the idea of using animations to explain complicated ideas in science lessons in Primary Education. Findings proved that the use of animations in science lessons by teachers instead of textbook or still pictures promoted thinking skills in students. It also enhanced 'scientific curiosity'. This is probably because animation makes things that can be harder to understand more real and therefore makes concepts easier to accept.

Reference:
Lowe
Ainsworth
Mayer
Barak

 

What is a Learning Environment?

" A learning environment is anywhere that stimulates the mind; this can be indoors or outdoors".

 "A setting where an individual, group or class can learn".

"An interactive space, tangible or none tangible, where skills are developed through multiple sensory experience".


                                                                                                    - Year 3 Forum



A learning environment can be anything or anywhere. It is not always about a physical space. It can be the internet, over the phone or from a book.
In my own opinion, If the learning environment is a physical space there should be a balance.
 "The environment has to contain the right balance, for example: if the environment is too busy, the child may be more concerned with whats going on. At the same time, if the environment is too restrictive, they will be left bored and lacking the enthusiasm to learn!





All children learn in different ways (Prichard 2009). It has been argued that the environment in which children learn should try and incorporate a number of different tools to accomidate each child's preferred 'learning style'.

Children today learn very differently from how I did when I was in KS1. The Foundation Phase focusses on a holistic approach. Children learn through doing, indoors and outdoors, using a number of different tools. I was almost shocked when first on placement to see children as young as 3 could confidentially use an iPad. Many teachers have also commented how their students seem to be more on task using IT equipment than they would a text book (Prichard 2009). The equipment used in classrooms today arguably helps pupils develop as 'creative thinkers. It teaches them more how to create knowledge and less on how to consume it. IT technology used in classrooms today gives students more freedom in what they learn. Students are researching and learning things for themselves rather than looking in a textbook for the answer or copying the person next to them. They are becoming more autonomous.

 

Children learn better in an environment that they are comfortable in and have knowledge of (Smith 2005). For most children today that means an environment that is interactive and multi-sensory. An environment that stimulates their minds and makes them think. 

BETT is an annual event that continues to research how to make our educational learning environments even more stimulating. 

BETT stands for: the British Educational Training and Technology Show and it take place annually in the United Kingdom. It aims to showcase the use of information technology in education.
The IT showcased aims to enrich the learning environments in which we work. 

Reference

Prichard. (2005). Learning Styles . London: Routelege.

Smith. (2004). How Learning Environments effect the learner . London: University of Cambridge.

 

Animation: What is it?

Animation:
the technique of photographing successive drawings or positions of puppets or models to create an illusion of movement when the film is shown as a sequence. - Oxford Dictionary 


There are many different types of animation. Today's most common are 2D, 3D and Stop Motion animation.
The last animation I watched was:

The Simpsons - Created by Matt Groening
This is a 2D animation.

Stop Motion Animation

 Stop Motion Animation " is an animation technique to make a physically manipulated object appear to move on its own. The object is moved in small increments between individually photographed frames, creating the illusion of movement when the series of frames is played as a continuous sequence".

The advantages of Stop Motion animation is having the ability to make something real that may not be possible in the real world, for example a talking, walking skeleton called Jack from 'Halloween town', trying to celebrate Christmas when he gets transported to "Christmas town".

The movie "The Nightmare before Christmas", made by Tim Burton, took 109, 440 frames to be made and used  227 puppets.

Advantages:

• Many people add stop motion animation to advertisements to help make sure the audience will watch the advertisement all the way through.

• The plot of stop motion animations is important to make sure that these animations capture the imagination of viewers so that they watch the whole animation.

•  Stop Motion animations are unique.

 Disadvantages: 

• Has Stop Motion had its day? It seems to be replaced more and more with CGI.
•  The time it takes to make the animation. 

Is it expensive?
Stop Motion is not expensive if it is a small project, for example some clay and good lighting doesn't cost much. However a project as big as "Chicken Run" or "The Nightmare before Christmas" can cost a lot more...
The Nightmare before Christmas cost 18 million to make!!!


One of the best stop motion animations I have seen, is also the smallest stop motion animation, "Dot".

It just shows how unique stop motion animation is, and how it can capture a viewers imagination.