Statistics & Probability

The Challenge

Students of a psychology class were having difficulty dealing with processing statistical data. The students needed to be familiar with the processes used to examine data and identify trends and relationships within that data. The practices for analyzing this data required students to follow specific steps, and were necessary building blocks for the course and future work in the major and field. A solution was needed that would give students greater access to and understanding of the specific methods for critically examining data sets. It was key that students be able to grasp these ideas and retain them well enough to consistently put them into practice, in the correct order.

The Solution

An animation was chosen as the delivery method to best demonstrate to students directly and visually what was needed of them. Using animation as the medium also provided a platform in which to capture students’ attentions and create an experience of enjoyment rather than struggle. The animations were coordinated with the professors to maximize understanding and eliminate extraneous information. After identifying the vital information, the concepts were broken into 3 distinct animations, based on learning objectives, that could each stand alone. A visual treatment was developed that was playful and communicated clearly. The animations were storyboarded and then animated with consistent feedback from the professors. These animations were then able to be used in class during instruction and remain available to students throughout the course for review and affirmation.