Hi have managed to convince the principal at my school (8th-10th) to invest in A.M. for our pc lab.

Now the second worst part is left - to get my collegues enthusiastic enough to be willing to learn it and use it in their teaching. Many are rather old and old fashioned (50s and 60s) and rather computer illiterate besides basic office, in other words a rather typical teachers lounge.

Ordinary public schools have no chanse catching up with teenagers in digital competanse but we really need to hurry up a bit or we'll get totally left behind.

A.M might be the thing to do to let the teenagers and the community see that schools have something to offer that might compete even with computer gaming or LOL maybe at least make them watch the games with new eyes and hopefully want to build some themselves, which is much more active and creative actions than just playing all through the nights.

Any ideas on how to make my collegues sparkle a bit when thinking about learning A.M?

Tutorials where one can make animations that catches the eyes but are as simple as possible to make, might be the thing to use in a tiny step by tiny step workshop so that they see that they too can make something in A.M. Any ideas for those? The tutorials need to prioritize simplicity and few detail, maybe at the cost of some anathomy- or other perfection. A "fake advanced" look of the product might be something that inspire them too.

Links to teachers' sites where there are material about use of animation in classrooms would also be appreciated, especially if they show that they are used not only for Art classes.

Quite a wish list. Well, I might get lucky and get some info, ideas or tutorials out of it.

Trine

Trine,
I'll revisit your post if I can find any useful links.

The best suggestion that I can toss at you to get your collegues interested is to 'keep it real'.

What I mean by that is that everyone has interests. Some its writing... some math... some sports... others knitting (well people do like knitting!).

How can they apply their interests to telling stories *from the real world*.

This is an oversimplification of course but perhaps a start.
All teachers can help students tell their own stories by "keeping it real" and working out from there.

With Animation:Master there will be places for people with all manner of interest to get involved. For some it might just be a supporting role; encouraging students. For others it might be to show how math (formulas and programming) can be used to improve their animation. Finally, everyone can judge whether they like the final product or not.

Simple to complex... and back again.
Everyone can get involved.

Animation is about storytelling. Helping students tell their stories is a worthwhile goal.

Best,
Rodney

P.S.

You are about to hear from the considerable talented 50 - 60 year olds in the A:M Community!!! Be ready! LOL

I advise you to download the video tutorials on the Hash site, copy them and hand them out to the other teachers. They really help in picking up AM.

You are about to hear from the considerable talented 50 - 60 year olds in the A:M Community!!! Be ready! LOL
[/quote]

LOL WOULD LOVE TO
I know there are a lot talent out there in that age group. And they will probably have the very best ideas as how to inspire that age group.

Problem isn't that much age. It is more that quite a few have only 0-5 years left as teachers before they retire and with a new national curriculum starting this autumn and all, many simply do not have the time and energy to do more than they have to if the new thing isn't inspirational. In busy times it is always easiest to do things the way you have always done it. That plays a part too.

And, sorry to tell, age does matter a bit. Being 40 now I find that it IS harder and takes more time to learn things like this than it did 10 years ago. I find that I'm "playing" it safer than young people do. They just punch keys and handle multiple menues and undo if something goes wrong. To my horror I found myself being fossilerized 2-3 years ago, not because my kids said so LOL but because I noticed myself that suddenly my preferances in music, etc etc were different and that I didn't like all the new ways of doing thing. BUT :-) as they say "Life begins at 40" so NOW I'm trying for my NEW life and being more creative is one of my goals, hence raiding books stores in Glasgow this summer for cartoon books (see a few of them on book list in forum) and searching and finding AM among other things.

LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING FROM OTHER PEOPLE ON THE "RIGHT SIDE OF 40" OR 50 OR 60...

Trine from wet and foggy Norway who hasn't started "dreaming of a white Christmas...." YET

Keep one thing in mind...

It isn't age... it absolutely is not age... it is a state of mind.

Years ago, on the front edge of the computer revolution. My ad agency purchased computers for all of our desktop publishing and print work.

They bought... 4... top of the line... spent over $200,000 on the best money could buy at the time... best printers... best scanner... HUGE wacom pads for each station. ALL the software...

They had a meeting and asked everyone to write down a number of extra unpaid hours they would be willing to spend to learn this new thing.

A group was selected to go through basic training and to work on live projects based on this voluntary commitment.

I was totally... computer illiterate at the time. I had to learn under fire.

Out of that group... only about 4 or 5 of us really caught the bug. ALL DIFFERENT AGES. The ones who didn't make the cut.. it wasn't how old they were... it was...

working for free
fear of technology
learning something new
thought they were "too old" or too "stupid"

Several of these people were so adamant about "not learning"... they lost their jobs. People in their 30's... people in their 50's.

There were guys I knew older than I at the time... who kicked my ass! All I could do was wait for them to die or retire and... uh... sorry did I say that out loud?

It won't be... learning animation that is the problem... it will be teaching old dogs new tricks.

If they don't WANT to learn... nothing you can do will change their minds... trust me. I tried. I pleaded. I couldn't understand their reluctance.

I use to rant and rave at some of those people about the great opportunity they were passing up... expensive top of the line computers... at their beck and call anytime of the day or night.. FOR FREE!!!... and some wouldn't even think about it unless they got time-and-a-half pay or some kind of bonus... they thought they were being taken advantage of.

...I stole their nice chairs after the layoffs...

Vernon "!" Zehr

You are so right and I know it. Just had a day when I left work thinking "would it kill them to be a bit more enthusiastic about things" Just was a bit tired todayof being the rebel that wants change . It really is a great school with great collegues and we ARE at the beginning of great changes, fortunately. But sometimes one wants change NOW because one has worked for it for years and years, and some days patience is low.

And I do really believe that many schools are light years behind because society has changed so fast these last ten years but schools in general tend to change veryyyyy slowly.

And LOL the old dogs are very good at finding "proof" that the old tricks are the best and some of the old tricks are BUT we need the new tricks as well.

Thanks a lot for letting me rant a bit.

A realistic time schedule for getting 2D and3D animation worked into my school is probably at least a year and then mainly together with the "dogs" that are least afraid of new tricks. So expect me back during the next year with both SIGHs and JIPPIIs.

:-) been thinking about inviting them to an adult version of a "LAN party" where we did a bit of "show and tell" from our different digital experiences. Good food and drinks. That might do the trick. LOL

Trine

Animation is about storytelling. Helping students tell their stories is a worthwhile goal.

Really really loved that bit Rodney - hit me straight in the heart. Animation is just a text genre like any other text genres. It is a great, modern tool. BUT It's the communication (the storytelling) that counts and we need to help our students master their society's communications.

You have helped me VERY VERY MUCH with that phrase. THAT will be the door to get it in in English and Norwegian and social science.

For biology the advantages is obvious - the same for mathematic understanding.
And no need to mention ART and Digital Competence.

And something that is very dear to me: Spes ed. for some groups of students

THANK YOU - THANK YOU - THANK YOU.

thought-openers like that are so valueble.

Trine

Good Idea KenH. Am preparing that CD now.

T

Getting AM into our school WILL take a bit more time than originally hoped for.


Funding will be sought outside school budget first.

I'll be coming here posting during the process of educating myself, involving fellow teachers and working to get AM used in my school. Hopefully my experience will be useful for other teachers trying to get AM into junior high?/middle schools?(8th-10thgrade not sure what term is used).

Will appreciate contact with other educators especially as well as contact the regular great persons here in connection with this project. I am a bit alone in this so a slap on the back might be needed occationally.

T

Sounds like you might want to set up a demo.
Ask around to see which students really like what is being done with 3D. Making sure some of them are actually attending art classes might be helpful.

Invite these students and the teachers to see a demonstration of the software.
Try to know the basics of the software well enough and have practiced the demo routine enough times so that you can get through it without thinking.

Hash Inc. demonstrates A:M at many conventions in the US every year.
Perhaps they will have a video recorded of their usual demo.
You might want to ask them for a copy, so you can show it to the students and teachers.

Observe the student's reaction and that of the teachers.
After the demo, hold a question and answer session with the students and have the teachers watch. Then afterward, discuss the matter with the teachers and see what their observation of the student's reaction and also let them ask questions about A:M and also about Hash Inc.'s incentives for schools to use the software.

Try these links if you haven't looked at them yet:

Course Materials

Online Video Training

I'm a bit confused... The intention is to somehow incorporate A:M animation across the curriculum and not just as an "Art" portion of it. In Math? History? Literature? Sex-ed?

That's what I inferred from the need to engage the other teachers. Or did I miss something?

Sorry for being unclear - have not figured it all out myself yet

1. You did and you did not. Special education thinking not sex ed. LOL. For the school hating kids that do little besides skip classes, make trouble and stand around the corner smoking during classes. You know the kind - very difficult for schools to get them motivated for anything. Animating might be the thing since many of them spend their nights playing animated games.

2. Yes, students in our school have only 2 hours Art per week and a big national curriculum to get through so if animation is to be used it will have to be done in other classes as well.

My thinking is that 2D and 3D animation are useful tools along with the old pen and paper and digital cameras to be used more generally after basic knowledge is achieved. For example making a short animation as a projects presentation instead of the old boring poster on the wall.

Or why not play around with a 2d or 3D program when working with geometry in Maths....

Or making simple walk cycles when working on anatomy and muscles.....

Or playing around with shapes in connection with innovation work.....

Not for everyone, not all the time but where it will feel natural and increase learning and motivation in the student. The most common word from students are BORING, LOL you know.

As I said - have not figured it out completely myself - might be on a completely wrong track, but I sort of feel that animation WILL be a useful tool for my students to master in their future.

Trine



You're thinking along the same lines as I do :-)))) some sort of demo will be needed and I am thinking about it - how and what and where and when etc......

And as you said, probably would be best if I work really hard especially during the Xmas holiday to master as much as possible myself to show in person how easy it is by example - "if I'm able, then they are able"-right?



T

AM I CRAZY TO CONSIDER THIS?

IS IT WAY TO AMBITIOUS?

Should I just be happy and play with AM as my personal toy instead of thinking about using it in education?

What are your thought?

T

My Two Cents,

I think you have to first answer “What do you want to accomplish?” If you are looking for a way to jazz up the learning of core curriculum, the complexity of producing CG animation itself would probably dilute the important material. If you are looking for a way to teach computer science, there are more direct ways to teach computing and you would want to include information technology. If you are looking to teach design, and more specifically computer aided design. CG animation teaches skills that are applicable well beyond art, including architecture, simulation, and engineering design. I think the most valuable lesson CG animation teaches is complex problem solving. What you learn is to take a large complex task, break it into smaller solvable problems, and then reassemble those individual solutions into a larger result. If you are looking for something quick and easy with a big WOW factor, CG animation is probably too complex. There is no magic bullet tutorial that will make anyone competent in a short peroid of time. If you are looking for something to really challenge your brightest kids, Animation Master will be fun and extremely intellectually stimulating for both the teacher and students. One note of non-PC caution, there is probably a minimum inherent spatial acumen required to learn CG. Probably much like an ear for music. Many can enjoy music, some can understand yet struggle with making music, but few are truly musicians. Some will do OK with CG animation and be able to operate the software, few will excel at the art.

Thanks a lot :-) very valuable insights and food for thought. I will take my time and consider very carefully all the things you mentioned. Again, this was very valuable 2 cents



Trine

BTW, I started using AM in my late forties and am now {GASP!!!!!}, I'm in my fifties.

Age is not a factor, it is the interest in learning something new.


Good Luck

A bit late but ,I just done a few little animations for a head teacher in Wales ,for physical education use ,very simple stuff and he was over the moon with it ,said the kids loved it .I started at around 50 years of age never even looked at a pc before although I will never get a job doing this ,maybe another lifetime in learning ,but I have a lot of fun and I think it keeps your mind active .I find it relaxing ,being so different from my job wich is a floor layer. So much of what Vern said is true a lot of older ppl do shy away from learning something new. Anyway good luck

Someone said Sex ed and Animation:Master. I am patiently waiting for Will Sutton to chime in here...





Wade

Thanks.

I think it will be ok. I have talked with different collegues one to one very calmly hiding some of my enthusiasm and so far the reaction is more positive than I imagined.

And as several of you have pointed out, what it can be used for or not and who for and not varies a lot.

I think the wisest thing is to take this slowly - one step at a time - and sort of see it as another tool in our tool box - A multi tool - and let each subject find out for itself where end when it fits in.

Like you said Steve, why not Phys. ed. . . . Have not thought about that subject.

What did you do? Am curious. Luckily, school isn't normally that cool so it does not take that much to get an WOW- factor.


T

My opinion is that Animation would be an arts class. some kind of elective class like art, music,chorus,etc.
It is really too all-consuming to be a part of another class--if you added it to the regular art class, it would end up just being a brief familiarization with the concept, since you also are exposing the students to drawing, painting,sculpture,print making, wood burning, stained glass, weaving (my art teacher was very passionate that we be exposed to a lot of arts)... So animation might only get a couple of weeks!!!
But if animation was an elective course, like drafting, or band, then it would be a great opportunity to learn animation since you could spend some time every day over the course of a school year!

The problem that frustrates teachers, students and parents is that school has become increasingly theorized the last few years and elective subjects has almost dissappeared completely. And we are at present getting ready for a new national school reform - again- and nobody knows exactly what everything will be like.

So due to the issues that you mention among other things, I'm still unsure myself.

I realize that AM is a giant step and maybe planning for a course in powerpoint would be ambitious enough for 2006. But something inside keeps insisting that we should at least look into using digital tools beside the most common ones. And 2D and 3D animation techniques are increasingly used everywhere and I really would like the young to see at least some of it as producers themselves not only as consumers of other persons creativity. MIght even help them be more critical to some of the digitalized items they meet every day through games and commercials.

As I've said, I do not yet have the answers but want at least to begin asking the questions and considering this issue because it is such a fast growing thing in modern society.

I really appreciated your input because it like the other replies I've got helps me look at this from many important angles - and THAT is very important for me to do, so thanks for taking the time to give me your thoughts and experiences.

T

Trine

I am intrigued by this topic.

Seems to me one could just initially have a class/lab in teaching how-to use Animation:Master, the tool. This starts simply. Innocently.

After the students as well as the teachers in the other disciplines become familiar & jazzed by A:M, a variety of classes might start to make use of A:M. Even a school wide multi-disciplinary project could develop in producing an animation (like the TWO project).

Dreaming on a grand scale (if there were a school wide project and even if there wasn't):

Math & Computer Science classes could teach the technology of Computer Graphics and the math and algorhythms behind image generation, writing software, plug-ins for CG.

Science classes could use A:M for creating physical simulations as well as illustrating concepts in biology, physics, chemistry (special effects, rigging)

Creative Writing classes could get into scriptwriting for films/animation.

History classes could get involved with researching material (for subject matter, content)

Music classes (band, orchestra) would participate in writing & performing the music for films/animation

Art courses in sculpture, 2d could create the CG models & textures, lighting setups, storyboards

And more than likely an course in animation & production would need to be added to the curriculum to coordinate the project and/or to teach & practice animation, as well as teach how to put a production together, and directing skills.

Hard-to-motivate students might be more jazzed in their regular classes if they knew that the class would also be contributing to an animation project.

Sorry taken so long to get back .I did this and about six more very simmple animations ,as thats what he wanted

rotation-ani

rotation-ani
[/quote]

Thanks Steve. Things like that is what I'd like to do myself (besides playing with AM on my spare time hehe).

My experience is that small things like a short sound of movie clip or an animation can lighten up a lesson.

Am at present correcting term papers amd dreaming of making a 2D animation with plurals of nouns or irregular verbs hehe after correcting "leaved" written instead of "left" ten timesnot to mention "mouses", and letting the animation loop on a big projector screen in my classroom while they eat their lunch or something






Love your dreaming Nancy!

One has to dream BIG. Realism kicks in soon enough and reduces the dreams to something manageble.

I know that AM is not a magical tool but in some contexts and for some students learning and using it might bring in a bit of magic into a very grey school day.

Dream on Nancy - I will!

T

IIRC, animation was once the chosen method of training troops in aircraft identification, and a part of basic training in other ways as well.

There is little limit to the means in which it (animation) can be used as a tool to teach.

Trine, you are only scratching the surface, so go ahead and dream big!

"We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them" (Attributed to Albert Einstein)

Can't wait to see what is beneath the surface :-)

T

You can buy a video course, complete with lesson plans for $80.00. I've used other Anzovin tutorial videos and they are generally excellent. You can look at them here.

http://www.rafhashvideotapes.com/rafhashvi...matecdroms.html

One of the most important parts of the process of learning animation is to have a knowledgeable person critique your work. Ideally you would want to have iterative cycles of critique and tweak. You can see this process at work in the “Students” section of this forum. The animators at Pixar and almost all studios also use this process in production.


Bruce

I agree, video tutorials are a great way to learn. Which do you recommend for AM?
Am waiting and waiting and waiting for my copy - held up at customs at present - sigh

T

would prefer downloadables because shipping and taxes increase price considerably.

I have to pay 25 % tax on both price and shipping + handling fees for the customs office. SIGH
T

Just to learn AM, I would use the free training videos on the Hash web site. The Anzovin videos are really a more comprehensive look on animation itself, really independent of what software you use. An added bonus is that they use AM. I think $80 is a supreme bargin. I'm afraid you are on your own with taxes.

hello from Russia! i'm very interested in questions how to use AM at school. Our teaching is still far from being progressive. The level of achievements depends only on enthusiasm of some teachers. As for curriculum we have only 6-7 hours for arts and graphics. Do you have the same problems? How do you solve them? Thanks a lot.

Trine,

Don't think big. Don't try to convert everyone. Just one. Pick out the one colleague most likely to join your cause and recruit that one person. Work together to build your skills. Then produce just one bit that your recruit can use in class. Show that the tool really can help present ideas in the classroom. Once you have that new true believer, each of you recruit just one... Binary progression being what it is, soon you'll have everyone who is willing.

You hit on a right idea for the "problem" kids. A:M could be just the thing to spur their interest. Don't use it as a carot, though it could have that effect. Instead, weave it into the course work (Biology: just how does a hip joint work and how can you use that in an animation?). Consider creating your own mini production company. The productions? Bits you can use in the classroom, of course. "Problem" doesn't always mean "stupid" or "troublemaker". Sometimes it means "bored" or "unchallenged." The production company unit studies approach may be just the ticket.

Mark,
You may want to send this to Trine via email *also*.
I don't know how often she frequents the forum.

Keep the dialog going and she'll visit more often.

Have not been here a lot and to be honest have not worked with AM much myself either lately.

My schoolhas prioritized general computer skills (office) and exploring "classfronter" which I agree was the right choice this spring. I do have the permission to start using swishmax as our 2D program. But 3D probably will be some freeware or very cheap program initially.

We do have the one AM so I'll just use the next semester to try to get collegues to play a bit with it and then bring up the subject again. We're just starting a new curriculum and i will just have to watch out for the right timing.

LOL I will be back so feel free to remind me not to give up :-)

Trine

Always great to see you here in the forum Trine!

Whoops. Didn't realize it was a stale thread. Gotta remember to check the dates.

Trine,

Management is pretty much the same all over. The higher up, the less vision. the way to get them into an idea is to show them. I've done that with 3D renders (POVRay, anyone?) for some facilities we needed and they went through easily. Point is to keep on. Get something they can connect with to show them. And don't wait to recruit that one soon to be new believer. Regular contact with someone else on the same path will keep both of you motivated.

Swishmax is a fine tool, particularly for creating interactive Flash content. In many ways it is much easier than Flash. As far as animation goes, though, they haven't added anything since Swish2. I think you'll find out that there are some things that are much easier to animate in 3D.

Hey Ken,
Nice icon! They are sending me the other models, and paying me! Can you believe it? So I will contact you about more models in the new year.

M