A screenshot shows the Crisis in the Air challenge, which puts the student in the position of a co-pilot who needs to assess jet streams, water vapor imagery and computer models while trying to make a decision about an emergency landing. (Credit: Image courtesy of University of Wisconsin-Madison)
Findings from a new study on the use of interactive animations in the college science classroom showed, interactive games supplemented learning helps retain a much better understanding of a scientific concept than those who don't.
Researchers Steve Ackerman, a University of Wisconsin-Madison professor of atmospheric and oceanic sciences and UW-Madison graduate student Tim Wagner conducted the study using an introductory meteorology course to 400 students as a crucible for testing the efficacy of short animations that can show such concepts as tracking hurricanes and ice bergs, heat transfer, and how rain or snow form in the atmosphere and other weather elements.
The animations are small computer programs called applets can be virtually interactive to adjust to real-world variables that may come into play as students learn.
In an assessment test, the students who used the animations showed better mastery of concepts included on the test.
"The students who used the applets performed much better on those questions," said Wagner.
The new findings by Wagner and Ackerman are essential to encourage educational institutions to integrate interactive teaching materials in the science classroom and how teachers and students alike can benefit from such method of teaching.
Click here to read more about Interactive Animations, Interactive Games Supplemented Learning.
This article is about animations. It states that it will help for students. Very informative article for students. Thank you so much.
Learning things seeing animation is great fun.It makes whole process of learning entertaining,joyful.When i was kids these things weren’t available.Today’s generations are so lucky.I do get jealous sometime.I wish i become kid once again.
Yes, really intractive animations makes easy to learn new things.
Very interesting article. A fun way to teach and learn
Very genuine, because I myself am one of the optical lighting rather than visually reading a book or listening to an audio or realistic lecture in a classroom at any given moment. The effect computers cause is irreversible, so visual effects simulating a PC, may it be educational will grab attention. because the bodies internal senses are triggered positively only by visual aid due to rewards it brings in pleasure and satisfaction. In other words in the contemporary computer age like myself..I first didn’t like video games and visual interaction, I used to play outside, but after awhile I was baffled at how this new visual tech could respond like I did..1 thing led to another and I couldn’t get away from a computer no matter what, it rewarded me by answering things I couldn’t obtain physically. My body is now manipulated to being satisfied by the visual tendencies a computer brings; synonymous to how a mother answers their child’s questions according to the way they want IT.