On the Track of Emotional Issues in the Design of Multimedia Learning Materials: A Qualitative Approach

Abstract

The literature suggest that learners' emotions play an important role in educational processes by the means of cognition, motivation, interest, and so, learning. However, emotional design of multimedia learning materials is relatively new for the education literature. Although there are several studies on the effects of emotional design on learning, there is a theoretical gap about how to design multimedia learning tools in order to involve learners emotionally in the learning process. Therefore, this study aims to identify issues that should be taken into consideration for the emotional design of animations as multimedia learning materials. In this direction, a basic qualitative approach was adopted and inquiry was carried out in two phases. At the first phase, semi-structured interviews were conducted with five expert academicians in the field of animation with different areas of interest, in order to gain information about a variety of issues on the design of animations on the emotional base. Data was inductively analyzed and findings were categorized under seven themes. At the second phase, certain emotional issues were identified and, in order to increase the trustworthiness of the findings acquired by semi-structured interviews and obtain the opinions of the practitioners in the field on the issue, findings were restructured as a survey. This survey was conducted on an online platform with field experts working in the animation sector at various positions. A total of 79 expert participated in the survey process. Findings showed that survey results were in line with interview as well.

Emotional Design of Educational Animations: Effects on Emotion, Learning, Motivation and Interest

“…However, the main concern designing this animation was to create believable and emotionally connectible characters, which could enable emotional transfer. In this direction, various emotionally supportive elements were included in the animation, which are based on 12 principles of animation (Thomas & Johnston, 1981) and on the findings of the preliminary qualitative inquiry of the authors (Bülbül & Kuzu, 2019). These emotional elements were, in brief, as part of the personification process enabled by assigning contextual and human-like attributes to the characters, appealing mimics and jests, fluent motions, exaggerated emotional expressions, as well as adding references to real life events, cinematographic tools and so on (Bülbül & Kuzu, 2019).…”

“…In this direction, various emotionally supportive elements were included in the animation, which are based on 12 principles of animation (Thomas & Johnston, 1981) and on the findings of the preliminary qualitative inquiry of the authors (Bülbül & Kuzu, 2019). These emotional elements were, in brief, as part of the personification process enabled by assigning contextual and human-like attributes to the characters, appealing mimics and jests, fluent motions, exaggerated emotional expressions, as well as adding references to real life events, cinematographic tools and so on (Bülbül & Kuzu, 2019). To give examples, the star on the introduction scene was winking at the audience, Jupiter was hitting on the ground with his scepter, Venus was playing her hair looking at the mirror, the sun (main sequence star) was bored of waiting for millions of years yawning and looking at his watch, Nebula was tucking away the particles around, red giant was a red hot and was roaring, white dwarf was at the death's door and was coughing, also the camera zoomed in and out of the characters to show what was happening inside, and throughout the animation, a star was born, grew older and died eventually.…”

“…This research, on the basis of CATLM, seeks further findings about the effect of emotional design on emotion induction, learning, intrinsic motivation, subject interest and cognitive load. Distinctively from previous research, this study emphasizes on educational animations, and puts emotional worthiness of the material designs at the center by practicing different formats of emotionally designed animations, exercising 12 principles of animations (Thomas & Johnston, 1981) and the findings of preliminary qualitative research of the authors on the emotional design issues of multimedia learning materials (Bülbül & Kuzu, 2019). 12 principles of animations are the techniques that were emerged from the fifty-year-experience of Walt Disney animators, as Thomas and Johnston reports, and that made Disney a pioneer and a legend in animation field (1981).…”