Proposing Improved Teaching Methodology and Identifying Most Effective Conditions to Offer Animations and Scaffold Characteristics to Improve Learning

Abstract

This study aims to propose an effective framework, which will set guidelines for the newline newlineeducators in order to achieve enhanced learning outcome from the computer- newlineanimation based learning environment. The present research first identifies the newline newlineeffective conditions to offer computer animations. A meta-analysis was conducted to newlinefind out the answer to this research question. Two conditions were considered (a) newlinecomputer animations are effective when offered to high spatial ability (HSA) learners newlineversus low spatial ability (LSA) learners (b) computer animations are effective when newlineoffered to high prior knowledge (HPK) learners versus low prior knowledge (LPK) newlinelearners. The outcome of the meta-analysis indicated that prior knowledge is a crucial newlinefactor while offering animations. Thereafter, the present research work discovered the newlinemost effective scaffold characteristics while learning through computer-animations newlineusing an experimental study. The different ways of giving instructional support and newlinefading to learners are known as scaffold characteristics. The outcome of the newlineexperimental study indicated that indirect support and adaptive fading is the most newlineeffective way of scaffolding. The outcomes of the first and the second objective were newlinetreated as essential components of the proposed framework. The present research newlineadditionally worked on the significance of design elements of computer animations newlineand extracted few essential design elements from the literature and integrate them into newlinethe proposed framework as a third component. Thereafter, the computer animations newlinewere designed based on the guidelines set by the proposed framework using Adobe newlineFlash software and jCanvas library. Finally, an experimental study was conducted to newlineevaluate the effectiveness of the proposed framework. The outcome of this study newlineindicated that the participants profited more with a framework having design elements. newline