Edgif

Edgif is a term used in educational technology discussions to describe an approach to animated graphics designed for learning materials. In this context, Edgif refers to an extension or variant of the Graphics Interchange Format (GIF) intended to be lightweight for web delivery while incorporating features that support teaching and learning.

Core ideas include embedded educational metadata such as subject, grade level, learning objectives, and licensing, as well as options for accessibility like text alternatives and captions; and mechanisms to indicate interactivity or branching paths within a sequence.

History and status: The term arose in community discussions in the early 2020s as educators looked for ways to enrich visuals without resorting to larger formats like video. There is no single formal specification widely recognized or adopted as of now. Different groups have proposed ideas such as using a sidecar metadata file or extending the GIF format to carry structured data, but these proposals are not standardized.

Usage and limitations: In practice, since GIF itself is limited in compression and interactivity, Edgif ideas are often explored in pilot projects or as part of broader authoring tools. Potential benefits include easier inclusion in lightweight course materials and better searchability and accessibility, while challenges include tooling maturity, browser support, and compatibility with existing repositories.

See also: GIF, WebP, SVG, HTML5 video, learning object metadata.