Instructional animations have a learning value in that they are used to convey an instructional point. These animations can be automatic (default) or prompted by the learner. Instructional animations are an effective method for explaining content with the following characteristics:
Movement is a critical part of the learning experience (for example, a visual guide as to how to add a graphic in a word processing application).
The learning point is more effectively illustrated by the animation than any other instructional strategy or visualization technique.
The learning point is vital to the overall knowledge gained from the course.
The learner's attention must be drawn to a specific part of the screen in order to fully understand a learning point.
Specific uses for instructional animations include:
Simple process and/or data flow
Multiple dimensions, particularly three dimension objects
Hierarchies and/or dependencies
Layers and/or relationships of a visualized concept or entity
Relationships, associations, and/or links between learning points
