Actions speak louder than words: Using animation to bring your learning to life

Animation is truly adaptable and allows you to explain concepts to your learners in ways that may not be possible with text, images, or live-action video. Animation allows you to take a concept, that might be considered complicated, or perhaps dull, and give them a new lease of life. The possibilities with animation are endless, so here are a few ways animation can bring your learning to life:

The sky’s the limit

Animation does not require huge filming budgets to beautifully portray your idea.  If you can imagine it, chances are, you can achieve it with animation. For example, if you want to show that a human is actually really tiny in the grand scheme of the world – you’d need drones, planes and even rockets to achieve the impact of the beautiful animation, created by   Vyond, below:

A picture speaks a thousand words, and animation speaks millions

Trying to explain complex ideas, such as the inner-workings of a microprocessor, can be difficult, even with state-of-the-art video recording. However, with animation, you can enable your learners to visualise complex ideas, without restraint.

Everything is changing, and video* stays the same

*Live-action video that is.

Picture this: You’ve shot a really high-end, beautiful video explaining a really complicated subject – GDPR for example. You’ve hired actors, voice over artists and professional videographers to make sure it is outstanding. You’re so proud of the video, and your learners find it really useful. Then two weeks later, the government changes legislation, and your video needs updating. What does this mean? You’ll probably need to pay out for the same actor, voice over artist and videographer, to tweak your video. That’s quite a costly task.

However, with animation, changes can be made in a few simple clicks – with little (or no) expense! Up-to-date content with no pay out, win win!

Actions speak louder than words

Emotions can often be lost through text, which is critical in many eLearning courses. Animating characters can accurately portray emotion in a concrete, understandable way. For example, if you have an induction course and you’re trying to teach new employees about company culture, this can be effectively portrayed through animated characters, such as cheering for teamwork, or a handshake for trust.

Observational learning

Scenarios  are a great way of teaching learners a ‘real life’ action, without the fear or risk of failure. Using animation in your scenarios can truly bring the concept to life, allowing your learners to watch it in a story-like format, teaching them how to apply the concept in real life.
So, if you’re looking to bring a dull course to life, or explain a complex concept to your learners, why not try animation? It will allow you to simplify ideas, while telling your learners a story they’re bound to remember.