Abstract

The latest generations of students are visual learners who are used to animated and interactive visual media. Teachers may, therefore, find it more challenging to make the course content and methods of delivery more engaging for students who prefer animated and interactive educational experiences. Recently, the COVID-19 pandemic changed the way students approach learning and changed their learning needs and preferences. Educators must employ new learning approaches that draw the students in and encourage them to embrace learning. To help teachers in Bahrain deliver educational content that can engage students in a dynamic way and enhance their motivation, the content from various government school textbooks was converted into animated lessons by art and design students. The main aim was to investigate the effects of these animated lessons on students’ attitudes, attention, and comprehension. To achieve this aim, the research proposes a participatory co-design approach and employs a quasi-experimental study whereby university art and design students co-create animations with school teachers. It attempts to evaluate the influence of the approach on the students’ performance and to encourage teachers to explore its potential in their classrooms. It also explores how involving art and design students in the educational content creation process can provide stimulating learning experiences.