or as the educationists call it - multi modal media!There are lots of examples of great little animations or digital stories on the web but for many teachers it is hard work tracking them down.
I have been fortunate enough to work with some of the people behind Inanimate Alice, a really great example of online story telling that gets to you on first viewing. It has also thrilled learners all over the world.
It tells the story of Alice as she learns about life and technology. Music is grand, style superb. Different countries feature and it is available in several languages. Episode 1 is even there in Afrikaans!
4 stories so far.
I have to admit that the story gets less effective as you carry on through the episodes but the first one is really engaging. Some of the writing for the classroom is also a little "iffy" but a good teacher would be able to use this in their delivery very effectively. Learners who I have seen using it, love it. It is interactive and exciting.
But best of all? It is entirely free! Brief outline of the story below. The website also tells you how you can get involved.
'Inanimate Alice' tells the story of Alice, a young girl growing up in the first half of the 21st century, and her imaginary digital friend, Brad.
Over ten episodes, each a self contained story, we see Alice grow from an eight year old living with her parents in a remote region of Northern China to a talented mid-twenties animator and designer with the biggest games company in the world.
