Aardman Create Bitesize Content for BBC Knowledge & Learning
Skwigly
Aardman Digital, the digital arm of Aardman Animations, has been commissioned to develop a suite of 21 online activities for a new Geography section of the popular BBC KS3 Bitesize website. Aardman Digital create high quality, engaging interactive content for children and have become a sought after creative partner for education providers.
Lorna Probert, who heads up Aardman Digital says: “We’re delighted to have had an opportunity to help the BBC develop these new learning resources for Bitesize. We have enjoyed the challenge of producing content that enables students to get a deeper understand of the Geography curriculum by allowing them to interact with different scenarios and presenting information in a fun and engaging way.”
Bitesize is a renowned BBC brand, providing education support and revision materials for school-age students in the UK – from Key Stage 1 through to GCSE level *NATIONS*. The new Geography section for Key Stage 3 students contains 21 topics, each consisting of text summaries and images, tests and activities. The topics covered in these activities range from physical geography subjects such as coasts, weather and glaciation, to human geography; covering areas such as global trade, farming and tourism.
All of the activities contain a level of interactivity and have aspects of visualisation and/or simulation within them. In the ‘visualisation’ activities, the information is conveyed to the user in a linear approach, with interactivity prompts or questions being posed at key points in the flow of the activity. In the ‘simulation’ activities the user is required to interact with the experience to generate a deeper engagement and therefore a greater understanding of the topic.
The activities are created to appeal to students in Years 7 to 9 but particularly advanced Year 8 and average Year 9 students who are 13-14 years old. The style and tone of the activities has been designed to appeal to both boys and girls alike and has a grown-up feel to engage students as if they were GCSE age or beyond. The activities are intended to help students with their class work, course work and homework and are designed to bring to life the drier elements of the curriculum and more abstract concepts.
To find out more about BBC Bitesize and use the activities visit the site: http://www.bbc.co.uk/ks3bitesize