TN to set up animation lab for edu content

CHENNAI: Popular cartoon characters and heroes will soon turn teachers through animation, thanks to a first-of-its-kind initiative by the Tamil Nadu government, which has decided to come up with a high-tech animation laboratory that will create animated educational content for school students.

Most educational institutions, especially those abroad, have their content in the form of animated videos and these are the most-watched. A senior official from the School Education Department told DT Next that to provide seamless content to the channels, the Department has planned to set up an animation lab in the Directorate Of Public Instructions (DPI) complex in Chennai. “Developing educational content is different from developing content for media. Educational videos will have infographic animation, character animation and composite animation concepts,” he said.

Stating that animation will make education engaging and interactive, he said when popular cartoon characters start teaching kids science and mathematics equations, it will make learning interesting, students will retain better.

The State Council of Education Research and Training (SCERT) will tie up with top animation firms to not only to set up the lab but also come out with content, which will incorporate 3D models and voice over. The lab will be equipped with high-tech computer systems. “The lab will have database engineers, sound engineers, programmers, storyboard artistes, computer graphic editors, video editors and animators. The content will be sent to schools and students can access it in their institutions’ high-tech labs,” the official said.