Animations

Storytelling through animation can be hugely powerful, sparking students' imaginations in ways that print or static content simply can’t.

Moving images create dynamic learning, breaking down tricky topics and cementing knowledge without overburdening students' cognitive load.

Adding animation to learning programmes can be a quick and valuable win, especially in digital environments where distractions are abundant and attention spans challenged.

Here’s how our custom-created animations have helped bring storytelling back into the classroom.

Foreign Language Animation

Animating conversations, scripting and design for language learners

The background

Gill Education, one of Ireland’s leading educational publishers, asked us to design a series of animations that showed French and German being used in everyday life.

The assets had to sit alongside their newly launched modern foreign language programmes, and appeal to students between 12 to 15 years old and working at various levels.

The challenges

Creating distinct designs – each language programme needed a unique set of animations. Each one had to be easily identifiable so it was immediately clear which was which.
Audiovisual syncing – we needed to make sure audio and visual elements married up perfectly so that meaning was obvious from the context of each animation.
Ensuring representation – our animated characters had to reflect the age and diversity of learners, enabling them to directly relate to scenarios.

The solution

We scripted several dialogues based on existing audio recordings prepared for the accompanying textbooks.

Our animations reflected everyday scenarios and were centred around age-appropriate characters. This emphasised practical language skills that learners could engage with and see themselves using.

Working closely with the textbook authors also meant we could craft our animations to suit various learning styles, and tweak content to appeal across the target age range.

Mathematics Animation

Easy as 1, 2, 3 – supporting maths fluency in and out of the classroom

The background

Gill Education wanted assets for 12 to 15 year olds that provided step by step solutions to maths questions in readiness for exams. We also had to make sure learners could visualise how to use these maths skills in everyday life outside the classroom.

The challenges

Addressing technical limitations – we needed to show students how to solve problems accurately, which meant applying mathematically correct formats and notations within the animation.
Ensuring digestible design – animations had to include bite-sized sections that could be quickly revisited by students comparing their workings out to the examples given.
Creating design focused logic – we had to make sure each animation clearly showed each logical step (complete with workings) while also maintaining design-led visuals.

The solution

We partnered with subject matter experts, using their know-how to develop a series of step-by-step animations based on examples in the accompanying textbooks.

Our scripted dialogues broke down each maths problem in a clear sequence so students could visualise each part of the equation, while also seeing the problem as a whole.

To support a diverse range of ability and learning styles, we added a side menu for each asset so learners could quickly remind themselves of each step.

Irish Language Animation

Learning through song, creating easy to follow read-along animations for young learners

The background

We were tasked with creating read-along animations to sit alongside poems and songs that would engage younger children aged 4 to 12 years old learning Irish.

The challenges

Integrating diverse functionality – animations had to give teachers a choice of teaching options for flexibility in the classroom.
Ensuring child-friendly design – animations had to be fun and engaging for young children, and also complement the existing language resources being used.
Syncing words and sounds – audio and visual elements had to be perfectly synchronised, allowing learners to make the link between written and spoken words and help build vocabularies.

The solution

We created child-friendly animations to sit alongside songs and poems used within the language programme. We built in a choice of functionality which let teachers pick from read-along, audio-only, and read-only options.

We made sure animations were lively and engaging, complementing the steady rhythms of the songs and poems used, and encouraging consistent vocabulary building for the target age range.

ABOUT DESIGN R O W S

Learning never stops.

That’s why at DESIGN R O W S, we create and develop bespoke eLearning tools for everyone, from 3 to 103.

Our focus is simple – to design engaging content that learners actually remember. All our eLearning assets are designed entirely in-house, which means we can provide accessible and inclusive material that your organisation can scale and adapt to meet changing needs. We can also develop multilingual content with translations from English to a variety of languages including Irish, French and German.

Because we tailor our eLearning content, we’ve helped a whole host of people retain the knowledge they need to work well and learn well. But if we had to choose, our areas of expertise include education (particularly within the Irish education sector), health and safety, logistics, and technology.

DESIGN R O W S founder Shannagh Rowland, has been crafting eLearning content for global audiences for nearly a decade. Formerly the principal instructional designer at Ireland’s leading educational publisher, Gill Education, Shannagh is also a graduate of New York University and Trinity College Dublin.