A Study on Project Based Learning Approach for Motion Graphics Visualization Nekhat Sultana binti Tarique Azam
Yuen, May Chan
Faculty of Creative Multimedia,
Faculty of Creative Multimedia,
Multimedia University, Malaysia
Multimedia University, Malaysia
[email protected]
[email protected]
Abstract This study attempts to identify visualisation techniques used by First Year Film and Animation students to visualise motion graphics animation. It reports the pedagogy used in teaching the visualisation process of motion graphics animation. The curriculum has been designed using the project based learning approach, where the outcome of the project was explained to the students in the beginning of the trimester. Within a time period of eight weeks, students went through lectures, lab lessons, workshops and video showcases to prepare them for the project. Students were required to display their processes through 2 assignments and using the scrapbook in documenting their process of ideation through to the final visualization. This paper evaluates the Motion Graphics course, a course centered on project-based learning incorporating the development of students’ soft skills as well as technical or professional competences. The research aimed to identify to what extent ProjBL helped in achieving the identified learning outcomes and to identify potential areas for improvement for Motion graphics visualisation.
Keywords Motion graphics, Visualization, project based learning
1. Introduction Motion graphics (MG) is a branch of animation which Writer Matt Franz described as a “designed non-narrative, non-figurative based visuals that change over time” [1].The distinction of non-narrative, non-figurative based visuals is to separate MG from the larger general definition of animation or film that extends beyond the common animation techniques and incorporates various media of visualization [1]. MG is a form of graphical communication that incorporates movement overtime, encompassing a multitude of different areas of design which include film, digital video, moving typography, traditional 2D animation, stop-motion and 3D elements [2].
MG is widely applied in film title sequences, music videos, television commercials, visual effects, computer animation, product demonstrations and visualisation, websites and pre-screenings in cinemas. It was pioneered by experimental animation films in 1920s by Oskar Fischinger, Viking Eggeling, Mary Ellen Bute, and Hans Richter before Saul Bass brought MG into mainstream filmmaking through creative title sequence design for films [3]. Later in the 1990s, MG boomed with
the expansion of the World Wide Web where MG designers such as Hillman Curtis and Yugo Nakamura explored text movement in Flash pages, creating motion graphical typography in dynamic interactive multimedia [4]. Artists are getting increasingly sophisticated in developing creative content design, as well as visual and aural design [3].
2. Project Based Learning for teaching motion graphics Since year 2004 when the course MG was first offered to the students majoring in Film and Animation (FA) at the Faculty of Creative Multimedia, Multimedia University (MMU), Cyberjaya, Malaysia, this course has been using Project based learning (ProjBL) approach for teaching design based courses. Course delivery methods were students-centred, implementing instructional strategies that are intended to engage students in authentic, real world tasks to enhance learning. The lecturers and tutors only played the role of facilitators and motivators to ensure that the students stayed on track. Open ended projects were assigned to the students so the students worked in cooperative groups, instigating research and collaboration to seek out multiple sources of information before finding a solution for the problems given. Project problems were designed to reflect real problems as encountered in the industry, thus pushing the students to find solutions, and acquire skills and knowledge that is at par with the industry’s standard.
The outcome of the projects usually varies widely depending on students’ creative thinking skills, content knowledge and the level of technology used. In this project based setting, students were in charge of defining the objectives for their tasks and also in identifying their target audience. They researched, designed and time-managed their own project, resolving problems and issues that arise during production until they accomplish their tasks. Students were given time to reflect on and evaluate their work [5]. ProjBL enables students to be task-oriented, where they focus to tackle the task through acquisition of knowledge and skills, rather than depend on their existing capabilities. Making choices in solving their problems, the project-based learning motivates the students more than any other teaching and learning method.
This paper evaluates the Motion Graphics course, a course centered on project-based learning incorporating the development of students’ soft skills as well as technical or professional competences. The research aimed to identify to what extent ProjBL helped in achieving the identified learning outcomes and to identify potential areas for improvement.
3. Course Delivery Methods – the Learning Context FA students were equipped with basic knowledge and skills in terms of design fundamentals, computer graphics, communication and humanities study prior entering first study of the majoring. After spending their first trimester learning about Principles of Animation, Basic Storytelling and Character Design & Animation, first year FA students were introduced to MG as their design project in
their second trimester of study. The MG course ran through an 8-week period (short trimester in MMU) facilitated by three instructors. The course was delivered around 2-hour weekly lectures and 2 workshops that ran for a week each; lab sessions allowed students for hands-on practices while video sessions gave exposure to current trends and techniques of MG.
3.1 Lectures Each week, class sessions started with a fifty-minute lecture covering topics related to theories and concepts of MG design. Lecture sessions were complemented with MG videos viewing which consist of examples from film, web, commercials and short animations. Clips chosen were based on their content, target audience, medium (2d, 3d or mixed media) as well as the delivery method. Most clips were approximately 1 minute long to correlate with the duration of the students’ project which was 60 seconds. Viewing of selected clips was also based on lecture content for each week. Lectures and viewing sessions were followed with discussions and for instructors to collect feedback on the topic presented and continued with assignments, in-class exercises or consultation.
3.2 Presentations Students were required to critically analyse a professional piece of MG animation and present their analysis in class in the form of a power-point presentation. The objective of this particular exercise was to sharpen students’ analytical skills while developing their soft skills or personal competences in disseminating their ideas to public. The MG analysis focused on content, treatment, design and colour study, typography, transition, animation, and other elements which they felt was suitable.
3.3 Lab Sessions During the lab sessions, students’ practical skills were polished where they were introduced to the production and post-production techniques used in MG, such as basic key-frame animation, layers, texts, effects and 3D space in After Effects® an animation and editing software. Students sat through short demos at the start of the class before exploring the animation techniques through simple exercises given by the instructors. Five technical tasks were carried out over 8 weeks of the course duration, where the students completed short exercises focusing on the techniques demonstrated earlier in the lab session.
3.4 Workshops Two workshops were organized during this course in order to sharpen students’ problem solving skills in developing MG compositions.
The workshops were conducted in the studio where students
practiced hands-on exercises with materials and manual tools. The instructors facilitated a MG derived composition study as an exercise in understanding MG visualization. The instructors gave feedback on the students’ work at the end of the workshop of which the students improved and later digitized for final submission.
3.5 Beyond the Classroom Beyond class hours, students were encouraged to do independent research and reference studies in order to solve their design problems. These research and references were then presented during consultation time in class. Students were encouraged to access additional learning materials through the internet and textbooks recommended by the instructors. Considering the limited contact hours with the instructors, independent research and practice were required to improve their understanding of design fundamentals and technical skills. Consultation outside of the classroom was done weekly to monitor their progress in regards to assignments and lab exercises.
3.6 Learning outcome The objective of the course was to provide the students with the fundamentals of MG design. By the end of the course, the students will be able to employ design elements as well as principles of composition into MG animations. Students will also able to express ideas and illustrate concepts for motion design, as well as construct motion design ideas in real world projects. In the second assignment,
The course assessment is 100% project based without final exam. The learning outcome of the course was designed around 2 assignments and 2 workshop exercises to test students understanding of the course topics and help develop various levels of problem solving skills. Assessments were based on the students’ abilities to deliver each exercise and assignment according to the given criteria. The students’ learning outcome was assessed through two assignments: Typography and Transition Design (2 weeks duration) and Final Motion Graphics Animation (6 weeks duration). Each assignment was complemented with several consultation sessions, to guide the students and ensure they would be able to deliver their work on time. The first assignment focused on designing and animating motion graphics visualization using typography as the main design element. Students were given 10 different audio clips to select from. They had to sketch their ideas, consult and then progress into After Effects® to animate their visualization. The second assignment was the main project for this course. The project was introduced in Week 2 of the trimester so the students could develop their ideas effectively. In this project, students were to pick one of the 5 colours given (red, green, blue, black and white) as the main theme for their 60 second MG visualisation with music incorporated. They were required research and find references that suited their interpretation of the chosen colour. Final submission included the final motion graphics animation, printed concept, research and pitch boards, as well as sketches, reference images and videos used for the visualization development. For this assignment, students were required to keep a journal in a form of a scrapbook to document their design process studies. This assignment tested the students’ ability to create a MG animation that maintained a sense of creative composition while
adhering to the given theme. All assignments and exercises were individual work. All submissions were through CDs and the design boards were required to be printed.
4. Course evaluation In order to understand to what extent could ProjBL help in enhancing visualisation techniques for MG animation, 40 students were presented with a paper-and-pencil questionnaire which they completed as part of the final submission at the end of the course. The questionnaire set out to evaluate the effectiveness, and to identify potential improvement for future conduct of the course delivery methods from the students’ point of view. The questionnaire consisted two parts:- first part consists of three 5point Likert scale questions related to lectures and students visualisation preferences where 5 represents highest rating and 1 represents the lowest rating; the second part consists of 2 multiplechoice questions with open ended commentary related to students perception of how to expand and improve the course delivery. Table 1 Students’ perception of lecture topics most helpful in understanding MG N=40 History of MG MG Composition Study MG Concept Colour Study Design Principles Type & Transition Design Pitching Ideas
Average 2.65 3.65 3.65 3.625 3.775 4.075 3.525
Stdev 1.098951 0.80224 0.863802 0.896932 0.831665 0.79703 0.986771
From the questionnaire result shown in Table 1, most students found the lecture on Type and Transition Design to be most helpful in understanding what MG is. The visual samples of MG that displayed type and transition design helped enhanced students’ understanding of typography and MG transitions, thus enabling students to apply their understanding creatively in the first assignment as shown in Figure 1. Top row of Figure 1 showcased a simple text animation compared to the bottom row which showcased a more dynamic flow of typography animation with the effective use of 3d space that added more depth to the visualization.
Figure 1 Sample of Screenshots from Assignment 1 – Type and Transition Overall, students felt that most lectures were helpful in understanding MG except for History of MG which students felt were the least helpful. From the feedback given, students felt that the samples shown for the History of MG were “boring” and “too dry“. The history content was mainly factual and did not require much interaction and response from the students, thus was not able to engage learners in the learning process. Students also felt that the video clips shown as part of the lecture were ‘crude’ and ‘too basic’ compared to how MG is utilized today. Table 2 Course delivery methods that was most useful in understanding MG visualisation N=40 Lectures Composition Workshop A1 (Type and Transition) A2 (Final MG Animation) Lab Lessons and Exercises Video Screening Sessions
Average 3.225 3.95 4.125 4.4 3.975 4.075
Stdev 0.973692 0.845804 0.722797 0.671775 0.946993 0.997111
Referring to Table 2, students perceived that the assignments were the most useful course delivery method which helped in MG visualisation. Lectures were the least useful according to the students as compared to other delivery methods. This may be because the second assignment was a more in depth assignment for this course in which students had more time to research, develop and reflect on their MG designs and animation. The learning outcomes of the course were achieved where students were able to demonstrate that they could assemble the building blocks of motion design, namely visual composition, text, transition and animation, and finally assess and defend their design ideas. From this finding, we can presume that these students being creative and design based individuals are kinaesthetic learners who preferred hands-on and practical learning compared to listening and viewing information.
Table 3 Students’ preferred visualization technique for MG N=40 Sketching Collaging Image Reference Studies Video Reference Studies Others
Average 3.5 2.7 4.075 4.15 2
Stdev 1.154701 1.159133 0.888314 0.948683 1.467599
From the questionnaire findings as shown in Table 3, the majority of the students used video referencing and image referencing as their main approach for their MG assignments. The least preferred technique is the collaging technique. Few used other methods such as experimenting through their software and also using their chosen music track as the driving force in visualizing the MG. Students found that by using references, it helped them visualise the final outlook of the MG project more effectively as reflected in their composition design in Figure 2. The collaging technique was well received during the workshop, but since it was non-motion work, it did not generate much interest other than as a form of composition study.
Figure 2 MG compositions from Workshop exercise With reference to Figure 2, the top row compositions are considered average in achieving a balance yet dynamic MG composition as the arrangement was a little static compared to examples in the bottom row where usage of objects and lines to create a centre of interest, keeps the focus on a single area.
Table 4. Students’ perception of delivery method expansion and relevance N=40 Lectures Composition Workshop Viewing sessions Assignments Lab Sessions and Exercises
f delivery method in need of expansion 13 14 12 8 19
f delivery method least relevant to course 24 1 6 5 7
From the questionnaire findings, students indicated that the lab sessions and exercises were the most in need of an expansion in order to help improve the course (refer to Table 4). As the feedback indicates, the students felt that the lab sessions were “too short” and “too fast” of which some of them (slow learners) found it difficult to cope with. On average, students recommended that the Lectures, Viewing sessions and Composition Workshops to be expanded. The students felt that the assignment components were least needed for expansion, possibly that the component is already sufficient, relating to the findings in stating that assignments helped them most in understanding MG. Written feedback indicates that most students enjoyed their Composition Workshop, as they get to design MG related composition then and there, and get immediate feedback from instructors. From Table 4, majority of the students felt that lecture sessions were the least relevant in helping them visualize MG. This correlates with the findings in Table 2 where lectures are perceived as the least useful in helping the students understand MG. Most feedback mentioned the lack of visuals accompanying the lectures as the main cause for the lack of interest in the lecture sessions. Some students also stated that the lectures were “too long” or “too abstract” to catch their interest. Based on the written feedback given, students preferred to see a mixture of both, the good and bad examples in order to be able to understand MG visualization better, rather than viewing the good examples only.
Conclusion From the findings, it is found that Image referencing and video referencing are the most preferred methods in helping the students visualize their MG animation. In a project-based learning environment, students were interested in finding similar images and video references as a starting point to their design and animation ideas. Once this was defined clearly, the sketching technique was the second most used method in achieving their visualization. Feedback from questionnaire determined that the Composition Workshop was a popular exercise and has helped the students understand MG composition study. Most students responded positively to the Composition Workshops and Lab Sessions, indicating the need for a more interactive learning environment as opposed to Lectures. Despite negative responses to the Lecture sessions, some students still found certain lectures helpful in their understanding of MG visualization. Using the project based learning approach, facilitators were able to engage the students in learning MG visualisation. With lecturers as facilitators, students used their creative skills to solve problems. As MG is an authentic art form, students benefitted in the ProjBL classroom, where students were able to self-initiate learning, collaborate with peers and instil research to achieve the course outcome. Nevertheless, further study
is warranted in order to explore other possible techniques in developing the students’ understanding of MG visualization. Acknowledgement Acknowledgement to instructors Zaini Kamarolzaman and Anuar Hassan for their contribution to the content of the syllabus and also to Wafi, Ashraf, Chu Weng Fatt, Alansari, Foo Pin Boon, Jennifer Esther, Liyana Munir, Azlan Shah, Andrew, Lim Kean Cheok, Ang Bin Yee, Liu Mei Zhi for the contribution of images used in this paper.
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