8. Cognitive models
The Storyboard project used animation as a representational tool for students to articulate and refine their understanding of conceptual topics. Clement (2008) has identified a gap at the core of conceptual change theory; "...we do not have an adequate cognitive model of the basic cognitive change process; we do not have a good understanding of how flexible models are constructed". (2008:417)
The focus of this project is conceptual consolidation. Authoring explanatory animations is a unique process and context for articulation and representation. The emerging contribution to cognitive science is that explanatory animations can literally and figuratively function as cognitive models. The emerging contribution to educational research is that the process of creating explanatory animations is a powerful diagnostic tool to reveal incomplete or incorrect assumptions.