Computer Animation for Nursery Pupils ( a Case Study of Lizbey Model School)
Chapter One
Aim and Objectives of the Study
The aim of this research is to develop a computer animation for nursery pupils.
The objectives of this research are as follows:
- To introduce graphics to the pupils as a good educational instructional material to enhance learning.
- Developing an animation of the existing method so as to prepare children to welcome and face the future with smile and confidence.
- Explore design consideration involved in the development of effective animated materials for learning
- To demonstrate the use of C# programming language as a good educational technology in enhancing learning.
- Illustrate the cognitive effects of animated learning materials used in a classroom.
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
INTRODUCTION
Computer graphics is the art of using digital computer for the generation of image from mathematical description of the image’s geometry and topology (David & William, 2018).
The branches of computer graphics are imaging, modeling, rendering and animation.
Imaging involves warping, metamorphosis and non-photorealistic rendering. It is used in graphics arts for the description of an image to produce the image on canvas.
Modeling has to do with creating an abstraction of real life situation using computer graphics.
Rendering is the process of generating an image from a model by means of computer programs. It could be polygonal rendering, global rendering and textual mapping.
Animation has to do with creation of graphical objects that will be in motion (not static). In this research; animation, which is a branch of computer graphics, is used.
APPLICATIONS OF COMPUTER GRAPHICS
Computer graphics is applied in these various areas:
- Computer Art
- Graphics Arts
- Entertainment
- Computer Aided Design (CAD)
- Computer Aided Manufacture (CAM)
- Film Industries (Animation, Cartoons, Video & Sound Effects)
- E-Commerce etc.
HISTORY OF COMPUTER ANIMATION
As early as the 1940s and 50s, experiments in computer graphics were beginning, most notably by John Whitney but it was only by the early 1960s when digital computers had become widely established, that new avenues for innovative computer graphics blossomed (Beckerman & Howard, 2003). Initially, uses were mainly for scientific, engineering and other research purposes, but artistic experimentation began to make its appearance by mid-1960s. By the mid-1970s, many such efforts were beginning to enter into public media. Much computer graphics at this time involved 2-dimensional imagery, though increasingly, as computer power improved, efforts to achieve 3-dimensional realism became the emphasis. By the late 1980s, photo-realistic 3-D was beginning to appear in cinema movies, and by mid-1990s, it had developed to the point where 3-D animation could be used for entire feature film production. Persistence of vision was discovered in the 1800s. This led to devices such as the zoetrope, or “wheel of life.” The zoetrope was a device popularized in the Victorian era for entertainment. The zoetrope has a short, fat cylinder, which rotated on its axis of symmetry. Around the inside of the cylinder was a sequence of drawings, each one slightly different from the one next to it. The cylinder had long slits cut into its side in between each of the images so that when the cylinder was spun a slit would allow the eye to see the image on the opposite wall of the cylinder. As the cylinder was spun on its axis, the sequence of slits passing in front of the eye would present a sequence of images to the eye, creating the illusion of motion.
The kinetoscope was another traditional technique of animation invented by Thomas Edison, who also invented the light bulb and the phonograph. The kinetoscope machine could be loaded with a sheet of perforated film which when moved over a light, gave the impression of moving images. This was the forerunner of modern film projection, such as the type, which is used in cinemas today, although this is being overtaken now by digital film.
Another low-tech animation piece of equipment was the flipbook. A flick book (also known as a flipbook) is a very simple type of animation. Several pieces of paper are used, usually long and narrow. At the end of each page, a drawing is made, starting from the back, as when it is viewed the images are seen from back to front. On each page moving forward through the book, the drawing is slightly different. Once completed, the book can be flicked through and because the images are moving past the eyes at speed, the drawings give the illusion of movement. This was also popular in the 1800s. However, these devices were little more than parlor curiosities used for light entertainment.
Celluloid is film, which is made up of a line of cells. Each cell is clear and the rest of the film is black. For cell animation, each picture is drawn onto a cell. When the film is run at speed over a light, the images are projected and give the illusion of movement. The simplest method is to paint the whole image onto the cell. A different method is where several layers are used for each part of the picture (e.g. background, characters) and they are laid on top of each other. This means that the background layer can stay the same over several cells and only the characters have to be moved when painted on to each cell. Each picture in a cell can be drawn with a great level of detail, but this method is incredibly time-consuming. This was the main method used for both television cartoons and animated movies until computer animation became popular.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
INTRODUCTION
The methodology used in this research work is a waterfall model. It is a sequential design process, often used in software development processes, in which progress is seen as flowing steadily downwards (like a waterfall) through the phases of Conception, Initiation, Analysis, Design, Construction, Testing, Production/Implementation, and Maintenance .
A waterfall model
From the diagram above, the conception phase of the software development process is the beginning of the project. This entails the point at which the project was conceived. The initiation stage entails the action that causes the research to begin. It contains different activity such as requirement gathering and requirement specification. At the initiation stage of the project, different textbooks were read so as to know how to go about the project and also researches were made on the existing system of education so as to know what gap to fill and how relevant the research would be to the present state of the society.
ANALYSIS OF EXISTING SYSTEM
From interview with a nursery school teacher by Mrs. Akinsusi R.I, it was discovered that there are three basic instructional materials used in the existing system of teaching in early childhood these are:
- The use of a chart that contains different alphabets and what they stand for.
- The use of Real objects.
The use of Concrete objects.
Apart from the fact that a teacher uses the chart to show the child the alphabets and what it stands for, it is compulsory that the teacher brings real objects to the class because children learn and remember things that have to do with real pictures rather than abstract pictures.
For instance, on the chart there is A is for apple but the teacher stills shows the pupil an apple for retention. Other instructional materials used are: Flash card which is a card with words or numbers printed on it that is briefly displayed as a learning device, audiovisuals such as alphabet videos, videos for poems etc. These instructional materials does not reflect the rapid change in early childhood that is, the use of educational animation and hence needs to be developed because a child is attracted to attractive pictures that are dynamic in nature especially an abstraction of real life because it widens his imagination.
CHAPTER FOUR
SYSTEM TESTING AND IMPLEMENTATION
INTRODUCTION
In order to make amendments to the system file like adding or deleting of program files to improve the performance of the system. Also to keep the system running effectively, one has to always update the information to keep the information on the system current to improve the performance of the system.
CHOICE OF PROGRAMMING LANGUAGE AND DATABASE
The new system is implemented using Microsoft Visual C# programming language. This is because the programming language has the advantage of easy development. It is flexible and it has the ability of providing the developer/programmer with possible hints and it produces a graphical user interface. Microsoft Office Access will be used as the database.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
SUMMARY
The summary of the research is that there is a need for an increase in the quality of education in the country. In this present century dynamic instructional materials are used in the classroom to enhance the learning capacity of a child thereby the traditional material/method is already obsolete. The dynamic instructional materials were made possible via animation a branch of computer graphics.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, Instructional material increases the rate at which a child understands the topic being taught by his instructor or teacher. But in a situation where creativity is required these static way of learning cannot be useful. However, a dynamic instructional material using animation can be used to increase the learning capacity and creativity of a child.
RECOMMENDATIONS
I recommend this research work to be used in teaching pupils in crèche and nursery schools. And also, parents should get this package for their children at home to enhance their learning capacity. Other areas can be developed in this form if the need arises.
REFERENCES
- Aguokogbuo, C.N (2000). Instructional materials in teaching English language effectiveness. Retrieved from http://www.doublegist.com/ on April 13, 2018
- Alphabet Recognition (n.d). Retrieved from http://www.reading-tutors.com on April 12, 2018
- Animation as a Learning tool, (n.d). Retrieved from http://www/viauc.com/ on April 20, 2018
- Bétrancourt, M. (n.d). The animation, interactivity principles in R.E. Mayer. Handbook of Multimedia, Cambridge University Press, (2001). A brief history of multimedia. Retrieved from http://cnet.com/webbuilding/0-3883-8-4874826-1.html on March 30, 2018
- Jimoh R.G (2013). Introduction to Computer Graphics. Department of Computer Science, University of Ilorin, Nigeria.
