Classroom 2.0 era: easy-to-use 3D animation programs can help students previsualize their vision.(Knowledge & Career)

Textbooks have long dominated the classroom, but with the current trend of integrating computers, multimedia software, and other digital tools into school curricula, the conventional education setting is transforming.

Professors are finally embracing animation technology and taking advantage of the new teaching techniques of the Classroom 2.0 era. One particular department, film studies, is proving that computer animation and 3D graphics tools can be used for more than just a hobby. Media arts and film educators are using the software to bring textbook subjects to life--not only allowing students to visualize classroom studies, but also helping them to jump-start their careers.

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From Brigham Young University (BYU) in Utah to the National Film and Television School (NFTS) in the UK, educators and their students are adding a new dimension, quite literally, to the way animation technologies are being applied in the classroom. 3D software programs are being used to illustrate key Filmmaking 101 methods and to clarify camera techniques, such as the 180-degree rule and Pudovkin's theory of editing.

BYU professor of philosophy Dennis Packard even worked with his class to produce short video definitions of basic terms, and used 3D animations to visualize the techniques and terms being defined. Educators are also utilizing animation technology with controlled virtual environments to support the advanced teaching of complex scenes, to communicate which camera choreography produces the most compelling results, and to adapt creative ideas in real time--all with instant visual feedback.

Animation software provides an easy and affordable way for classes to experiment with film actions and viewpoints. The technology often does not require external specialist training and features user-friendly interfaces for both novice and advanced users. With 3D animation software tools, educators are able to simulate a virtual video-production class to teach the basics, while minimizing expensive overhead costs, such as camera and lighting equipment.

Four NFTS students were challenged to produce a 20-second models-and-miniatures HD test as part of their Visual and Special Effects Diploma course. The students chose to combine multiple motion-controlled camera passes, live action shot against a green-screen, and a one-sixth scale model of a London street, and then composited and graded the results. To further complicate the task, they decided to test atmospheric physical effects on the model set, allowing the shot to move from a rain environment to one with bright sunshine and, finally, heavy snow. With virtually no budget and only two days of filming to get everything right, animation software delivered immediate benefits to the project and helped in many parts of the process.