High Tech Tools: 3D Graphics and Animation

When people think of the words "high tech", they often describe 3D and animation technologies.

Go to the Simple Machine Blog. Watch the animations produced through a collaboration between fourth graders and tenth graders. Also read the comments to see the interaction between the collaborators.

Software Tools

 

3D Graphics

• Alice v2.0 - (free) an easy-to-use, non-programmer, 3D authoring system. Can be used by middle schoolers and adults alike. Provides a drag-and-drop editor and a textbook. Used to create VR worlds.
• Adobe: After Effects (commercial) - 2D and 3D motion graphic effects; high end
• Blender (free)
• Google Sketchup (free). Provides a powerful tool for creating, viewing, and modifying 3d images.
• K-3D (free). 3D modeling
• Panda 3D (free). Create 3D animation used in Disney productions. Check out their animation gallery.
• Plant Studio (free). Create 3D plants.
• Tools for Young People
  • Cosmic Blobs
  • Tom Snyder: Hollywood Series (commercial) - learners write, direct, and produce animated stories.
  • HyperStudio (commercial) - multimedia
  • Tech4Learning: MediaBlender

Animation

• Adobe: Macromedia Flash - develop animation
• Adobe: Macromedia Flash Player - players Flash files
• Adobe: Macromedia Flex - web-based multimedia and interactivity

GIF Animation

GIF animation is an easy and effective, yet somewhat dated way to create simple animations. A GIF animation is simply a series of still photos that create a slideshow, show steps in a process, or provides the illusion of movement. For example you could show a series of covers from Harry Potter books. There are hundreds of tools for making these animations. A few are listed below.

• AIM GIF construction - (Windows, trial available)
• Coffee Cup Animator - (Windows, trial available)
• GIFmation - (trial available)
• GIF Animation - (Windows, trial available)
• GIFWorks - easy online tool for creating animated GIFs.
• Microsoft GIF Animator - (Windows) - very old but still works

Multimedia

• Adobe: Macromedia Director - multimedia authoring tool for professionals

Screencast

A screencast is a recording of the computer screen often used for creating tutorials in most cases you can add audio narration.

• Adobe:Macromedia Captivate - records all onscreen actions and instantly creates an interactive Flash simulation
• TechSmith: Camtasia - (commercial, trial available) records screen, presentations, voice, and web cams
• TechSmith: SnagIt - (commercial, trial available) still screen capture
• Wink - (freeware) low-end screen recorder (Windows)

Learn more

• How do I capture a screenshot of a video from Ourmedia.

Features of High Tech 3D Graphics & Animation

Animation tools have evolved over the past decade. Most of today's animated movies and television programs were created using computer-based animations.

Objects. Most animation software packages provide tools for creating objects. These objects can then be reused in many different ways. For example, the basic 3D rectangle can be used to make houses, desks, and trains. The basic circle becomes a baseball cap, tire, or bouncing ball.

Movement. Like objects, tools for creating movement can be applied in many ways. For example, the same technique might be used to produce the waves of a corn field, flag, or water. There are many different kinds of animation.

• Frame-by-frame animation involves creating a separate visual for each step in the animation. This technique is time consuming, but can be effective in showing movement. It's popular, because it requires little technical skill. GIF animation is based on this technique.
• Tweening is a process of automating the creation of animation. You provide the beginning and ending points and visuals. Then, you let the software figure out the changes " in between." This might involve the movement of a single object from one place to another such as a hot air balloon rising (motion tweening). Or, you can morph one image into another image such as changing a person into an animal (shape tweening).
• Scripting is another way that animation is produced. Some software programs provide tools for writing your own computer code or commands that can be applied to an object for a particular action such as smling, laughing or clapping.

Read Animation from AIM Your Projects with Flash for more information about the types animation. If you want to learn more about animation, take a 1.5 hour graduate course called Flash from IUPUI-SLIS.

High Tech 3D Graphics & Animation in Learning

From showing how a submarine works to retelling a fairy tale, there are many applications of 3D graphics and animation in learning. The key is finding applications that require movement for understanding. For example, if you're teaching someone how to use a piece of computer software, animation can be used to take a learner through each screen of the program. Animation is a good choice for tutorials because the learner can see how the menus work and how the cursor moves around the screen.

Think about concepts that are difficult to learn such as science topics. Animation can be used to show now a seesaw or pendulum works. Consider projects that can't be done with video such as demonstrating how the layers of earth move during an earthquake or the movement of cancer cells in the body.

Digital 3D Graphics & Animation in Learning

Read Engaging in Real-World Projects by GLEF Staff at Edutopia. It shows how a 3-D animation project can be used in authentic performance assessment.

Learners, Multiple Intelligences, and Digital 3D Graphics/Animation

Use of digital 3D and animation software match well with many of Howard Gardner's intelligences including logical/mathematics, visual/spatial, bodily/kinesthetic and musical/rhythimic.

Learn More

 

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