Instructor Toolkit: Create an Animated Video Assignment

This assignment type helps students develop visual literacy, communication, and media creation skills, and more, depending on the scope of a project. It broadens a student's learning experience beyond traditional assessment types to connect more with 21st centruy skills. Please read the digital assignments page to learn more about the befefits of these non-traditional assignments.

For an animated video assignment, students can develop an idea, research, write a script, gather media, record/edit audio, and create a video using animations, stock images, or uploading their own media in PowToon.

Skill level: beginner to intermediate

Suggested length: 3-5 minutes

Weighting: 20%-30%

Best for

• Personal Reflection 
• Concept Overview 
• Essay 
• How To/Instructional 
• Pitch 

Limitations

• Cannot edit video footage or sound once uploaded  
• Small upload capacity  
• For group work: Students should share a single account so all students can edit the project. While there is a collaborate feature, it sends the project back and forth and does not support simultaneous editing like Google Docs.

Sample learning outcomes

• Reflects on personal learning experiences and growth after participating in a Community-Engaged Scholarship project.
• Communicate complex ideas to a general audience by creating a scripted video.  

Key creative steps

• Topic and brainstorm 
• Storyboard/outline your ideas 
• Pitch and feedback 
• Finding appropriate images/videos/sound effects/music 
• Draft script 
• Peer feedback/story circle 
• Revise script 
• Record and edit audio using Audacity
• Compile media using PowToon 
• Publishing & Accessibility (AODA) 
• Final submission/classroom film fest 
• Reflection on the experience 

PowToon

Powtoon free accounts allow people to create videos up to three minutes in length. 

Audio recording and editing

Students can use whatever tools they are familiar with or have access to to record and edit their audio. If students do not have experience with a specific tool, here are some suggestions of free tools: 

• Audacity: This tool is open source, and is available for both PC and Mac. The library has a number of resources available, including a help guide and tutorial. Because it is open source, there are also many help videos available on YouTube. 
• GarageBand: This tool is freely available on all Mac computers. The media studio has a help guide available for students to use.