Animating the Atom via Adobe Flash CC

February 24, 2018 Educator's Corner Opinion

Chemistry is one of the most important subjects in the field of science as it is regarded as the central science; however, many students in secondary schools have difficulties understanding it. One reason is the existence of chemistry on the atomic and molecular level which students cannot easily relate to. It also involves an understanding based on assigning meaning to the unseen and the abstract world. Because of this, students develop scientifically unacceptable misconceptions about some chemistry concepts especially on topics involving atoms.
To understand the world of atoms deeply, students must make connections or relations among the three levels as follows: the macroscopic, the sub microscopic, and the symbolic structures of matter. The association of these three is important because the atoms and molecules which are the foundations of chemistry are very small that the naked eyes cannot see, even the most powerful microscopes cannot view. Hence, to help students make mental picture of atoms, using various strategies are of great help. One of these strategies is animation. There are various animation software available in the worldwide web and I suggest Adobe Flash CC (Creative Cloud).
Adobe Flash, formerly known as Macromedia Flash, is a software program used to create and manipulate graphics and animation. It is one of the common programs used for creating animated web pages, cartoon clips and video games among others. It is s a multimedia authoring and computer animation program developed by Adobe Systems. Because of the number of functions in Flash, multiple-type of applications can be created. It can be used to design graphics and animation, and publish outputs as online videos, other web applications, video games and most important to teachers is animated classroom instructional material. With the computer-age students we cater, using technology at a platform they understand would make them relate better to the lessons we present.
I have used Adobe flash CC when I taught lessons involving trends in the periodic table. The art of making the animation is engrossing and I want to share the incredible and awesome feeling when viewing my creation.
According to studies, animations have many positive impacts to learners. One is to provide tools where the student’s comprehension can be increased by providing students the opportunity to form mental models of high quality which in turn improves their conceptual understanding. Through animation, students rearrange their thoughts about a phenomena and processes and build meaningful visualization. This is because animation can show the parts and details of a complex operation, concept or process that is impossible to isolate and view. It also creates realistic representations of abstract concepts in their 2-D and 3-D appearance and movements. The process of teaching and learning gets a whole new experience when animations are used. To sum up, teachers can use an educational animation in the classroom to provide students with a more dynamic learning experience and to make the classroom environment more interesting, capturing attention and keeping students engaged. GRACE L. SANTOS, Pines City National High School