Can animations effectively substitute for traditional teaching methods? Part I: preparation and testing of materials

Abstract

Two animations, one focused on the macroscopic phenomena and particulate conception of the three states of matter and the effects of heat on these states, and the other on solution formation and solubility were produced using Adobe Flash MX software. The first was designed for and tested on elementary school (3rd – 5th grade) students. The second was tested on secondary school chemistry students. The materials were prepared according to established multimedia learning design guidelines. A pre- and post-test study was used to compare the learning gains of the students who received the animations with those who received textbook reading time and discussion in class. The pre- and post-test data indicate that while both groups showed learning gains regardless of the provided mode of instruction, those who received the animations obtained higher scores than the control group.