I struggled with animation in elearning until I found this simple approach.
As an elearning developer at Endurance Learning, I am often hopping in and out of project files to update them, make edits, or add something to the module. Sometimes I am very familiar with the content or have been the initial developer on the project. At other times, I am jumping into totally unfamiliar territory, like using animation in elearning. On those occasions it can be a little disorienting to figure out the context of the slide, what the general theme of the module is, or how to make adjustments within the content. However, one major benefit to this is that I have the opportunity to deconstruct content or interactions and really take a look at how it was created.
Elearning Animation Tools
You don’t need to be a Pixar animator to create effective eLearning. Here is the technology I often use:
- Articulate Storyline 360: The bread and butter of L&D. It uses a timeline similar to PowerPoint. It is excellent for “state changes” (e.g., a button changes color when hovered over) and simple motion paths. The elearning animation examples below are built in Storyline.
- Vyond: The industry leader for character-based animation. It is browser-based and drag-and-drop, making it perfect for scenario-based learning without needing drawing skills.
- Camtasia: Essential for software training. It allows you to record your screen and then “animate” the cursor size, highlight clicks, or zoom and pan smoothly to focus attention.
The 3 Types of Animation in Elearning
Not all movement is created equal. When deciding to animate, categorize your goal into one of three buckets. If it doesn’t fit these, it might just be distraction.
- Transformational Animation: This shows a change in state over time. Think of a water cycle diagram where the water actually evaporates and rains, or a software simulation showing a mouse moving across a screen. This is crucial for teaching processes.
- Directive Animation (Signaling): This highlights specific areas of the screen to guide the learner’s eye. For example, fading out the background while a spotlight highlights a specific button on a dashboard. This reduces cognitive load by telling the learner exactly where to look.
- Narrative Animation: This uses characters and scenes (often created in tools like Vyond) to tell a story or simulate a role-play scenario. This is best for soft-skills training where emotional context matters.
If you’re interested in an incredible free job aid for updating existing elearning modules that uses these same theories, check out the Elearning Instructional Design Checklist.
Learning to Use Animation in Elearning
When starting to learn how to use tools for elearning development, I would often watch LinkedIn Learning or YouTube videos about how to do something specific. But now that I’ve spent more time in elearning development and have had the opportunity to see the way more modules are built, I understand how much can be learned by deconstructing a file. I have found that there is a lot of value in taking a complex file and breaking it down to think about visual design and object placement on the screen, use of animation to draw learner attention or emphasize a point, or the way an interaction was built that made it easy (or more difficult) to adjust later on.
Part of growing as an elearning developer is taking time to dig deeper into how something was designed, how it works, or how it could be improved upon to work more efficiently the next time it is created. One of the more visually appealing files that I deconstructed was built by one of my colleagues, Lindsay Garcia, to look like a pixelated video game. It was interesting to work on this file because upon first glance at the screen, it looked like a mess!
However, the combination of videos, animations, and timed content on the screen came together to present a unique experience for the learner. Here are a few things I noted about animations from deconstructing this file:
Animations in Elearning Should Drive Attention
Every animation in elearning should be well thought out to support the content of the module, and direct the attention of the learner. Animations can either grab the attention of the learner and help them to focus on important information, or distract them from it.
“Animations attract and capture attention because motion is one of the primary attributes of a graphic that makes viewers take notice. Animations can also increase motivation because of their novelty. When they are humorous, they can create a positive affect.” – Educational psychologist Richard Lowe
In the case of this interaction, the animation pushes the narrative forward as we follow the path of the “hero” and are given a clear picture of who to go to to gain more information.
Use Video for Depth and Movement
Adding a video background can introduce depth and movement to an otherwise stagnant screen. While the information presented on this screen could have been animated on screen without movement in the background, this type of background animation in elearning helps to advance the character from one point to another.
From an instructional standpoint, this utilizes Situated Cognition. By placing the learner (or the character) in a realistic, moving environment.
I learned quickly that video backgrounds increase file size significantly. Use tools like Handbrake (an open source tool to compress video) to compress background video files before importing them into Storyline to ensure the course doesn’t lag for users on slower connections.
I really wanted a more complex background but I realized that when using video backgrounds, creating a “seamless loop” is way better. Just avoid a hard cut where the video restarts can be jarring and break the immersion.
Subtle Animations in Elearning May be the Best Choice
Sometimes it’s not always clear what to do next without explicit instructions. In this case, adding a small circular motion pathway to the question mark draws the learner’s attention to what to click on next to support the direction given on screen.
This is a direct application of the Signaling Principle (also known as the Cueing Principle) from Richard Mayer’s Multimedia Learning theory. Mayer found that people learn better when cues are added that highlight the essential material.
You don’t need complex motion paths to achieve this. Consider these “micro-animations” to signal the next step:
- Hover: Ensure buttons change state (color or size) when a mouse hovers over them to confirm interactivity.
- Pulse: A button that gently expands and contracts while the narration says “Click Next.”
- Shimmer: A subtle shine effect that moves across a clickable object.
Animation in Elearning Should Reduce Cognitive Load
If there is not a purpose behind an animation, it should not be added in because it can distract from learning and draw attention away from the content on the slide. In the case of this slide, animation adds to the style of the module, but also allows the learner to view text timed with voice over and see how to move on only when prompted to do so.
Many lessons can be learned from deconstructing files, and in this case, my focus was looking through the way the animations were placed, timed, and selected to appropriately deliver the content and story for the learner.
