When I think about “animation”, several things come to mind. I think about cartoons, about silly and overused PowerPoint tactics, about complex programming, and about the reanimation of dead bodies on creepy movies.
Ok. So, that last one was a bit much. But still, you get the point. “Animation” can be a lot of things.
In my current class, when I saw a unit about animation on the syllabus, I freaked out a little. I thought I was going to have to code something, or worse. I don’t know what could be worse, but I do know that I felt out of my comfort zone.
Animation means that we bring something to life.
For our lessons, sure, a “fade in” option on PowerPoint can spice up your 45 minute lecture… but that does not truly bring it to life. We live in a world full of animation through constant use of video media on our phones, our computers, our TVs, and our advertisements. And, for the most part, these animations are successful: they bring their content to life.
I cannot make a Doceri or YouTube clip to illustrate every point I want to make with my students. And I shouldn’t. We are blessed today with so many different tools that we can use to engage our students.
For this assignment, I decided to explore how I could make something short and high-impact. I chose a tool that I tried to work with one time, and gave up on, PowToon. I was ready to give it another try!
I wanted this video to bring to life a conversation I’ve had a thousand times. Everyone wants to know what I’ll “be” after I finish this degree. I’m not sure if my career path will change, but I do know a few things I’ll still be when it’s over: a mom, a wife, a learner, and a teacher.
I see a lot of possible uses for this type of animation, especially in a world of social media that connects us to our students. I personally use a professional Twitter account, Remind, Google Voice, Google Classroom, and many other means of staying in (appropriate) contact with my students. Sharing a simple video link could hook the students for the next unit, review an important concept, or remind them about something important coming up. It might even bring something to life.
