Evaluation of Educational Animations: Taxonomy and Recommendations

Animations can communicate movement, changes in status, and various other temporal changes more effectively than static images. The potential for the use of computer animations in training and education in laboratory settings is tremendous. For example, algorithm animations have been used in computer science to make visible the essential steps of an algorithm. The need exists for a systematic approach to categorize and evaluate the effectiveness of an animation with respect to the subject matter. The goal of an animation is to communicate a message to the user. The effectiveness of the animation is determined by the extent to which its message is understood by the user. To facilitate evaluations of animations, a taxonomy is presented that outlines the critical elements of the interaction scenario, the objects, and the animations involved in a view. Suggestions for its use in evaluation of animation views accompany the taxonomy.