Narrated Animations and Still Frame Figures: When and how should I use them?

The Climate Communication website (www.climatecommunication.org) utilizes narrated animations of various climate change graphics. To quantify the differences between the efficacies of narrated animations and still frame figures, an eye-tracking study was conducted using the Climate Communication website’s narrated animations and still frame figures of the same graphics. Participants were divided into two groups: one group interacted with the narrated animations (N = 26) while the other group interacted with the still frame figures (N = 26). As participants interacted with the climate imagery, their eye movements were tracked to determine where, when, and for how long participants looked at certain aspects of the imagery. In addition to eye tracking, other data collected include: multiple choice questions, which gauge how well participants understand the material presented; pre- and post-questionnaires, which measure prior knowledge and learning gains and assess the participants’ attitudes and behaviors toward climate change; and short interviews, which seek to identify and understand the graphic characteristics participants like or benefit from most. This study highlights the similarities and differences in participants’ eye-tracking behaviors, learning gains, and changes in attitudes and behaviors toward climate change between the two groups and makes recommendations for how and when narrated animations and still frame figures can be used for educational purposes.