The influence of animation on physical science learning in a grade 10 rural classroom

Abstract

This research study investigates how English First Additional Language learners respond to animation in Physical Science learning in a rural Further Education and Training (FET) Grade 10 class. A study was implemented to find answers to the main question: “How do learners respond to animation in the learning environment?” The sub questions are: In an interactive learning environment with animations … 1. what learning takes place from a cognitive, affective and psychomotor perspective and how? 2. what language problems do the learners experience and how do they deal with them? The study employed a computer program with which learners engaged for an average of 40 - 45 minutes. The animation elicited numerous cognitive, affective and psychomotor behaviours in the learners. The observations describe cognitive activities, such as a progressive decrease in times taken to complete games successfully, a controlled display of information for brief periods, patterns of buttons pressed varied amongst the groups, and the learners’ proficiency as game playing increased. Results pointing to affective activities included the learners’ perseverance to master the game and a wide range of emotions that were displayed during the execution of the animation. The results showed the following: <ul> <li>little time was spent on reading instructions with learners merely giving them a cursory glance;</li> <li>learners interacted with the learning activity in different ways both during the learning phase and the assessment phase;</li> <li>learners managed to reach the objective of the learning activity irrespective of how they approached the activity; and</li> <li>a wide range of other psychomotor activities were displayed during the course of the animation.</li> </ul> The study recommends minor changes to the program in order to improve it, and concludes that learners do respond positively to animation in a learning environment. Copyright