The document discusses memes and animated GIFs as tools for learning. It defines memes and animated GIFs, explaining that memes often use images with captioned text while GIFs are short video or image sequences. The document advocates having learners create their own memes and GIFs to demonstrate understanding, as it requires them to reflect on key ideas and distill complex topics into simple visual formats. Tools for creating these media are presented, along with guidance on sharing and avoiding inappropriate content. Overall the document promotes memes and GIFs as attention-grabbing ways to engage learners and assess their comprehension through visual summaries.

1. Malcolm Wilson
ICT Curriculum Development Officer
Falkirk Council Children's Services
Making memes and
Animated Gifs for Learning
Malcolm Wilson on Twitter @claganach

2. • Short animation lasting just a
few seconds
• Sometimes a sequence of
related images
• Sometimes a short looping
segment or clip of a video
• Sometimes a stop-motion style
of inanimate objects brought to
life to convey a message
What is an animated gif?
Malcolm Wilson on Twitter @claganach

3. • May be a single photograph with text along
header and footer
• May have black top and bottom borders
where bold white text is superimposed
• Text often capitalised Impact font
• Text usually very short
• Text along top acts as draw in - text along
foot can spin idea to make reader reflect on
issue, often with humorous effect
What is a Meme?
Malcolm Wilson on Twitter @claganach

4. • It’s the learning process, conversations and the thinking by learners about
how to achieve impact for message which is most important
• Animated gifs & memes present messages in visual, attention-grabbing
way, to make those who view them stop and think
• Most thought-provoking memes & animated gifs distil what can be complex
concept into main idea which can be understood in just a few seconds
• Memes & animated gifs abound in the platforms familiar to children and
young people
• Provides children & young people voice & opportunity to create within
environment within which they are familiar
Why get learners to make memes or gif?
Malcolm Wilson on Twitter @claganach

5. • Having learners create own memes or animated gifs can support their
learning across all areas of the curriculum.
• Process of demonstrating understanding of a concept involves learners in
reflecting on their learning, often discussing with others to test the depth
of that understanding, and then finding creative ways to present the
information to others
• Where learners are encouraged to make these animated gifs or memes to
demonstrate their understanding of concepts they are reflecting on what
the key points are, they are summarising, in effect creating a visual précis of
information
How does this support the curriculum?
Malcolm Wilson on Twitter @claganach

6. Examples in Learning Contexts
Malcolm Wilson on Twitter @claganach
From Mental Health and Wellbeing project, AyeMind, developed by NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde along with partner
organisations, providing positive mental health support for children & young people
http://ayemind.com/

7. • Host of free online tools and apps for mobile
devices
• http://gifcreator.me/ provides free online ad-free
tool with no unmoderated gallery of user-created
content
• Simply add images from your device, change
order and speed to suit then download
• Alternative tools available for drawn images or to
extract section of video from YouTube – see link
• http://glo.li/2amtnK4
How to create an animated gif
Malcolm Wilson on Twitter @claganach

8. • Most image-creation tools can be used or presentation tool like PowerPoint
– anything which lets a user overlay text on an image
• Most online tools have unmoderated galleries of user-created content not
suitable for a classroom –
• Link below provides tools online for teacher use to select suitable examples
(and links to mobile device apps, more suitable for young learners, which
have no advertising or galleries or unmoderated user-created content)
• http://glo.li/2amtnK4
How to create a meme
Malcolm Wilson on Twitter @claganach

9. • Avoid sites with inappropriate advertising
• Avoid online tools with unmoderated galleries of user-created content
• Look for tool with options required: limit on number of images in
sequence
• Look for tool which permits download without sign-up requirement
• Mobile device apps often provide safer alternative tool for classroom use
• Link for more information and links to tools:
• http://glo.li/2amtnK4
What to be aware of in classroom context
Malcolm Wilson on Twitter @claganach

10. • Animated gifs only animate in certain applications
• Web browser - share on website, blog, social media
• PowerPoint (insert – image) – animates in slideshow mode
• Static image memes can be used in word-processed print documents too
• Be aware that each social media platform may treat animated images
differently, some permitting direct upload, other require embedding or
link from another hosted site
• More information here: http://glo.li/2amtnK4
How can these be shared?
Malcolm Wilson on Twitter @claganach

11. https://blogs.glowscotland.org.uk/fa/ICTFalkirkPrimaries/memes-and-
animated-gifs-for-learning/
Short link: http://glo.li/2amtnK4
Want to know more?
Malcolm Wilson on Twitter @claganach
•Blogpost “Making Memes and Animated
Gifs for Learning” has more links and
information