BrainPOP Science
https://science.brainpop.com/investigation/water-power/player/
BrainPop is an animation-based e-learning tool used by educators around the world. It allows students to interact in a 3D environment to experience a wide variety of scientific as well as other educational phenomena. BrainPOP interactions allow the learner to observe, investigate, explain and reflect while being challenged to complete assessments to check their understanding of the resource. Students are also asked to use evidence and reasoning to answer guiding questions. Finally, students connect what they learned to their experiences and other background knowledge. Building personal interpretations based on interactions and past experiences lead to the conclusion that BrainPop is based on the Constructivism learning theory.
Gagne’s Nine Events of Instruction is the authoring technology employed in the development of BrainPop. The use of interactive animated 3D environments elicits students’ attention and
guiding questions inform students of the objective. The challenge of relating previous experiences stimulates the recall of prior learnings. Interactions in the 3D environment are used to present the content while visual images provide learning guidance. Assessments are used to elicit performance and provide meaningful feedback. The connection to previous knowledge and real-life interactions and understandings enhances retention and cements the transfer of information.
The BrainPOP learning environment was designed for a wide variety of teachers and learners with its main objective to enhance learning and understanding. BrainPOP’s animation-based platform is designed to promote transfer of knowledge and higher order thinking skills while assessing learning through claim, evidence and reasoning responses. The interactive animated presentation seems to be a highly effective method that encourages exploration and investigation that results in deepened learning.