Learning from Animations in Science Education

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-viii

   PDF

2. Introduction

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 1-1

      PDF

   2. A Multidisciplinary Perspective on Animation Design and Use in Science Education

      • Len Unsworth

      Pages 3-22Open Access

3. Educational Semiotics and the Representation of Knowledge in Science Animation

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 23-23

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   2. A Functional Perspective on the Semiotic Features of Science Animation

      • Yufei He

      Pages 25-54

   3. Infusing Pro-Environmental Values in Science Education: A Multimodal Analysis of Ecology Animations for Children

      • Mandy Hoi Man Yu, Dezheng (William ) Feng, Len Unsworth

      Pages 55-74

   4. Multimodal Affordances of Immersive Virtual Reality for Visualising and Learning Molecular Interactions

      • Kok-Sing Tang, Mihye Won, Mauro Mocerino, David F. Treagust, Roy Tasker

      Pages 75-100

4. Learning From Viewing Science Animations

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 101-101

      PDF

   2. Using Animated Simulations to Support Young Students’ Science Learning

      • Garry Falloon

      Pages 103-130

   3. Promoting Scientific Understanding through Animated Multimodal Texts

      • Maximiliano Montenegro, Alejandra Meneses, Soledad Véliz, José Pablo Escobar, Marion Garolera, María Paz Ramírez

      Pages 131-158

   4. Using Animation in the Representation Construction Approach in Senior High School Chemistry

      • Zeynep Yaseen

      Pages 159-190

5. Learning Through Creating Science Animations

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 191-191

      PDF

   2. Slowmation and Blended Media: Engaging Students in a Learning System when Creating Student-Generated Animations

      • Garry Hoban

      Pages 193-208

   3. Animation Construction as Cross-Modal Translation in Senior Biology

      • Peta J. White, Russell Tytler, Wendy Nielsen

      Pages 209-228

   4. Creating a Digital Explanation in Preservice Teacher Education: Scientific Knowledge Represented in a Digital Artefact

      • Wendy Nielsen, Annette Turney, Helen Georgiou, Pauline Jones

      Pages 229-248

6. Using Animation in Assessing Students’ Science Learning

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 249-249

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   2. Animation in Online School Science Assessment: The Validation of Assessment for Learning and Individual Development Program

      • Jennifer English

      Pages 251-277

   3. Exploring Students’ Scientific Competency Performance on PISA Paper-Based Assessment and Computer-Based Assessment

      • Ya-Chun Chen, Zuway-R Hong, Huann-shyang Lin

      Pages 279-300

   4. Towards more Valid Assessment of Learning from Animations

      • Richard Lowe, Jean-Michel Boucheix

      Pages 301-322

This book examines educational semiotics and the representation of knowledge in school science. It discusses the strategic integration of animation in science education. It explores how learning through the creation of science animations takes place, as well as how animation can be used in assessing student’s science learning.

Science education animations are ubiquitous in a variety of different online sites, including perhaps the most popularly accessed YouTube site, and are also routinely included as digital augmentations to science textbooks. They are popular with students and teachers and are a prominent feature of contemporary science teaching. The proliferation of various kinds of science animations and the ready accessibility of sophisticated resources for creating them have emphasized the importance of research into various areas: the nature of the semiotic construction of knowledge in the animation design, the development of critical interpretation of available animations, the strategic selection and use of animations to optimize student learning, student creation of science animations, and using animation in assessing student science learning. This book brings together new developments in these research agendas to further multidisciplinary perspectives on research to enhance the design and pedagogic use of animation in school science education. 

Chapter 1 is available open access under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License via link.springer.com.

• animations in school science
• semiotic features of science animation
• visual representation of science diagrams
• ecology animations for children
• Multimodal Affordances of Virtual Reality
• Educational Semiotics and the Representation of Knowledge
• Integration of Animation in Science Education
• animated simulations to support young students’ learning
• Understanding through Animated Multimodal Texts
• Learning through Creating Science Animations
• Engaging Students with Science
• Student-Generated Animations
• Using Animation in Assessing Students’ Science Learning
• students’ scientific competency performance on PISA

   

• North Sydney Campus, Australian Catholic University, North Sydney, Australia

  Len Unsworth

Len Unsworth is Professor in English and Literacies Education in the Institute for Learning Sciences and Teacher Education (ILSTE), at the Australian Catholic University in Sydney, Australia. Len’s current research interests include systemic functional semiotic perspectives on multimodal and digital literacies in English and in curriculum area teaching and learning in primary and secondary schools. He is the lead researcher on an Australian Research Council funded project on Multiliteracies for Addressing Disadvantage in Senior High School Scienceand has published in the International Journal of Science Education and in Research in Science Education with an extensive record of publication in leading journals in literacy and education as well book chapters and a number of books, including recently: Functional Grammatics: Reconceptualising Knowledge about Language and Image for School English with Mary Macken-Horarik, Kristina Love and Carmel Sandiford (Routledge, 2017); English Teaching and New Literacies Pedagogy: Interpreting and authoring digital multimedia narratives with Angela Thomas (Peter Lang Publishing 2014); and Reading Visual Narratives (Equinox, 2013) with Clare Painter and Jim Martin.

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