In any media production, it is often thought that the final product is the thing to be evaluated. This commonly held belief misses the rich opportunities for evaluation that lie in the production process itself. If done thoroughly, the production process is full of writing samples and a variety of text types that provide insight into the final product, and allow to develop competencies in various subjects.
It is difficult to provide you with generic evaluation tools due to differences in grade level, where you are in your curriculum and your personal goals for the specific group of students you are teaching.

Building Criteria

Keep in mind that evaluation criteria can be built around generic elements found in any animation production and linked to your particular subject area and curricular focus. These generic elements are:
  • Characters
  • Setting
  • Storyline
  • Movement and transitions
  • Integration of audio
  • Overall message

Involving Students

It is important for students to be active participants in the evaluation process. A good way to make sure they are going where you want them to be going is to build and share evaluation criteria with them.
 
  • Use the Inspiration Phase (immersion into texts, appreciation of media works) to generate criteria by asking: "What worked in this piece? Why?" or "What did not work in this piece?"
  • Provide students with a handout that clearly states the evaluation criteria for the project and go over it with them, or ask them to discuss it and then share what each point means
  • Post the criteria in a visible place in the classroom and refer to it regularly so the vocabulary becomes common to all

Making Links to Your Programme

For tracking and reporting, you need to know what parts of your programe you are covering with your animation project. Use annotated post-its in your program or create a project document that groups all the program elements.  Ask yourself: What subjects would I like to cover? For example, an animation project in which students illustrate various simple machines could cover Science and Technology as well as ELA.

Student Artefacts

There are many student artefacts that you can use to inform the evaluation process:

  • Treatment
  • Storyboard
  • Character sketch (text and drawing)
  • Setting description or drawing
  • Planning checklist (including who does what)
  • Rough draft of production (if applicable)
  • Final production
  • Peer evaluation

Our Student Tools: