Center of Visualization Göteborg is a membership organisation managed by Business Region Göteborg and Chalmers University of Technology. Center of Visualization Göteborg is one of three national Knowledge Arenas within the network VISARD, Visualisation - Arenas for Research and Development.

Animated science education

A major educational problem with conceptualization of microscopic biochemical processes is that they are not observable and therefore have to be grasped trough some representational system. The use of multimedia enables new ways of representing scientific phenomenon. Given an educational framing, one could conclude that there should be potential gains from developing educational material that builds on more dynamic forms of representations, e.g., computer animations.
For the purpose of researching on learning outcomes of animated science I have designed computer software, illustrating with 3D animations biochemical processes being an integral part of the carbon cycle. The analytic approach will be interaction analysis since I find this particularly helpful in complex, multi-actor, technology-mediated work settings and learning environments. Through the detailed analysis of videotaped material, this method tries to describe the ways participants orchestrate both communicative and material resources when performing any given task.
The studies intend to reveal pedagogical possibilities as well as shortcomings of animations displaying complicated biochemical processes. Fundamental questions are how animations are used and construed by students. By analyzing the students´ interaction and talk, I aspire to gain insights into their interpretations of the depicted phenomena. An overall aim with this study is to discuss the possibility of creating a pedagogical approach that integrates the use of computer animations in an educational setting where instruction, students´ collaborative work and discussions with the teacher; constitute an integrated entirety.
Content Responsible: hery
Updated: 2009-03-17
Organizational affiliation
Dept. of applied IT, GothenburgUniversity
Project type
Ph.D. project
Project period
2005-2012
Status
Ongoing
Doctoral candidate
Göran Karlsson
Supervisor
Berner Lindström
Co Supervisor
Jonas Ivarsson
Funded by
Gothenburg Educational administration
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