Computer Animations as Learning Objects: What is an Efficient Instructional Design, and for whom?

The creation of computer animations is relatively costly and time consuming. However, their educational power is high if designed properly. It is therefore of increasing importance to establish animations with optimal instructional design properties. Commercial e-learning tools show an enhanced tendency to incorporate 3D-animations although their production is rather costly as compared to the productions of 2D-animations. Until now, producing state of the art 3Danimations requires complex and expensive software tools and specialized trained people. The creation of 2D-animations is relatively easy and can be achieved by the use of less expensive and therefore more widespread software tools. The present study investigates in an empirical setting instructional design properties of 2D and 3D-animations by comparing students learning efficiency while working with a 2D and a 3D-animation about the biomolecule ATP-Synthase. Both animations were produced in order to ensure an equality of the content delivered within the animation. The animations were presented via video projector to 188 students of biology. Due to pre-test results students were identified as having high or low prior domain specific knowledge. A post-test revealed that students with high prior knowledge gained from watching a 2D-animation while students with low prior knowledge performed equal with the 2D and the 3D-animation. Implications for instructional design properties of animations are given.