As part of an engineering drawing and Computer-Aided Design (CAD) course for approximately 400 first year engineering students, I produced a series of explanatory videos using the Adobe suite, allowing for the visualisation of difficult concepts like tolerancing, and making the explanation of dry regulations more engaging. These included animations using an avatar with Character Animator, allowing live and recorded video and audio to be auto-synced with the avatar’s movements. When combined with embedded video quizzes in Kaltura and linked to assignment submissions in Blackboard, these videos increased engagement with the material without adding extra assessment. The feedback from students was overwhelmingly positive, and student submissions were of a much higher quality than previous years. In the session students will also reflect on their experience.
Although I am just starting out with animation, through this session I hope to open up a conversation about its value in teaching, particularly in light of the move towards flipped or blended learning, and the need for universities to invest in training and support for academics in this area.