A Critique of Visual Mastery (RSA Animate)

Sir Ken Robinson’s TED talk: Changing educational paradigms (animated by RSA animate)

https://www.ted.com/talks/ken_robinson_changing_education_paradigms

Assessment criteria: As part of authoring critiques of digital storytelling in INTE 5340 three criterions are selected from Jason Ohler’s assessment traits.

Digital craftsmanship (Score 1-10: 10 Points)

Mastery of media: use media is appropriate, well-crafted, and supports the story. Media application is free of errors.

Comments:
The use of white-board media creates a 'hand-made' aesthetic. The attention to detail and ability to draw and communicate ideas with this medium as an animation is incredible. The animation appears to be free of smudging or errors yet it doesn’t look overly reproduced digitally, or retouched. The evolution of the drawings takes shape into a larger picture of the lecture to support the story in a very creative fashion.

Flow, organization, pacing (Score 1-10: 10 Points)

Information presented makes logical sequential sense; story pace is easy to follow.

Comments:
The lecture followed a logical sequence as demonstrated by the drawings and animations that evolved over time. The pacing was a little fast for the “deep” concepts but the drawings and animation completely makes up for this by accurate visual depiction.

Problem solving and innovation (Score 1-10: 10 Points)

Obstacles to presentation and access to story overcome. Creative use of media that demonstrates innovation.

Comments:
This video demonstrates a unique ability to express complex interrelated social concepts through the use of visual imagery. The use of a white-board and marker to express the concepts as they take shape over time is really innovative yet accessible.

Total Score 30/30

Other characteristics this assessment fails to capture:

The limited assessment criterions do not necessarily capture the planning or process of the incredible undertaking of this story. How many times did the artist(s) have to draw the images to get it right? Was it highly edited? Were some of the drawings made digitally and then crafted to look like ‘marker?’

How could this digital story be improved?

This story and execution of creative visual media is an excellent digital story. There is not much room for improvement, but perhaps video of Ken Robinson giving the lecture could have been added as well. I can see this as being a small window in the corner showing his ‘presence’ as the animation takes shape. Perhaps this was attempted by the creators but it was decided it was too distracting? I would love to see ‘the making of’ of this digital story.