Is anyone out there using Avatars in eLearning? I have always completely ignore the idea before but recently I came across a pretty functional and not too bad looking avatar, that is easy to use and pretty reasonably priced. Now I am interested. Randal
Hi Randal
Personally, I don't care for avatars, because it does not add value.but on the other hand, using multimedia for visual explanations and interactive activities has been proven to increase retention.
We use what we call "animated narrators" in a number of our eLearning courses. I am concerned that some people might find them juvenile; however, we've gotten a lot of positive feedback on them. I think it really depends on the audience.
I think animation is very helpful when it is used to support content. For example, explaining a concept by using an animated build diagram; explaining the history of something by using an animated timeline; explaining a process by using an animated flow diagram. The danger is adding animation just because you can. Then it can become annoying/distracting. Just like adding drop shadows to fonts or making fancy transitions in Powerpoint.