Animations are images that change over time. Two fundamentally different types can be distinguished:
- Animation films (the events are predetermined)
- Interactive animations (the events can be influenced)
There are many different genres such as cartoons, 3D animations or simulations. In contrast to movies, animations usually have an artificial origin.
Didactic animations can help to eliminate critical factors in learning. Two examples of critical factors are:
- Temporal complexity (many processes occur sequentially and in parallel)
- Lack of visual clarity (processes cannot be directly observed)