چکیده (انگلیسی):

Textbook companies are increasingly including larger numbers of animations as complementary
resources for students and teachers. Are all animations useful as teaching tools? The answer is
no. Animations can be useful for communicating dynamic events and processes but only when
specific rules are followed. The authors review the important components of effective animations
and their extensive, original research on the value of animations in learning and long-term
memory retention. When the rules are applied, students can learn complex material more easily
and retain more of what they have learned in short and long term memory than they can by
viewing static textbook figures. Our results also indicate that learning from animations and
graphics differs between males and females. Insight gained from student feedback is highlighted
with some final comments on future research.