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Exploring the realm of literacy involves understanding how graphic novels shape students' reading and writing journeys. Through scholarly research, the authors delve into the significant impact of graphic novels on education while highlighting their appeal to students through visual features and engaging storytelling. Included is a discussion of lesson planning using eighth-grade English Language Arts and Reading (ELAR) Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) focused on exploring the role setting has on a character's motivations, values, and beliefs through the graphic novel "When Stars Are Scattered" by Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed. This approach empowers students to become proficient readers and writers in today's visual society.

This study investigates elementary school teachers' perceptions of the appropriate proportions of cartoons for instructional purposes, with a focus on the Thai educational context. The research aims to shed light on teachers' preferences for cartoon proportions across different grade levels, contributing valuable insights into the effective use of cartoons in elementary school instruction. A questionnaire-based approach was employed to gather data from 78 elementary school teachers. The study found that teachers held a positive perception of cartoons as effective tools for teaching primary school students, with participants favoring distinct cartoon proportions for different grade levels. Notably, larger cartoon scales were preferred for early grades (Grade 1 and Grade 2), while smaller scales found favor with older students in Grades 4, 5, and 6. These findings highlight the nuanced considerations educators make when integrating cartoons into their instructional materials and underscore the potential of cartoons to enhance the quality of elementary school education.

The praxis article is devoted to the study of educational cartoon as an interactive method of teaching legal disciplines. The purpose of the article is to argue the usefulness of this methodology for the educational process (e.g., the development of critical thinking, increasing the activity of students when discussing educational tasks on the basis of cartoons, clarification of complex terms), to improve the image of the university (use of educational cartoons in universities during the week of the Faculty of Law), and explain how we assessed the effectiveness of this methodology through quantitative and qualitative methods. While it is a new approach in Russian Law schools, we draw attention to the universality of this methodology; as educational cartoons can be used in schools and across different university departments, and to the specificity of modeling of educational tasks in law, by providing specific examples of such educational tasks. We propose three variants of development of educational cartoons for the educational process at law faculties: (1) placing an order for special production of educational cartoons; (2) use of fragments of already existing cartoons; and (3) creation by the teacher of oral tasks on the motives of national fairy tales. The results of our research substantiate that the greatest effect of the proposed methodology can give only in the case of using for the preparation of educational cartoons national content, which is closest to the culture and mentality of students of a particular university.

The aim of the study is to reveal the experiences of social studies and science preservice teachers on the use of creative comics in the teaching of subjects related to environmental education. Since this study focuses on the pre-service teachers' experiences was used phenomenology design. A totally of 65 pre-service teachers participated in the study (35 social studies teacher candidates, and 30 science teacher candidates). Within the scope of the research, environmental education was given to pre-service teachers during one semester. This education process also includes creating and using creative comics in environmental education. Semistructured interviews and observations were used as data collection methods. Thematic analysis method was used in the analysis of the data. The results of the research show that creative comics can be used as an alternative teaching material in environmental education. According to pre-service teachers, creative comics enrich the learning environment. Results of the research, teachers need to pay attention to some issues for efficient use of creative comics. When using creative comics, teachers should keep students away from competition and negative criticism, which can negatively affect creativity.

The aim of the study is to reveal the experiences of social studies pre-service teachers on the use of educational comics in the teaching of subjects related to disaster education. Phenomenology design, one of the qualitative research methods, was used in the research. 30 social studies teacher candidates participated in the research. Pre-service teachers who participated in the research were given disaster education during one semester (12 week-2 hours). This education process also includes creating and using educational comics in disaster education. In the study, semi-structured interview and observation were used as data collection method. Thematic analysis was used in the analysis of the data obtained in the research. As a result, it has been revealed that social studies pre-service teachers see educational comics as a material that can be used in disaster education in line with their experiences. The pre-service teachers stated that educational comics is attracting attention, engaging participation, making it easier to understand. Pre-service teachers stated that educational comics contain limited information, and takes time to create and use.

Environmental awareness has become an urgent and indispensable necessity to protect the environment from risks and threats. Therefore, this study aimed to reveal the effectiveness of using cartoons in developing awareness of protecting the environment from pollution among students with learning disabilities. The study adopted the true experimental method by taking a simple random sample consisting of 33 students with learning disabilities in the elementary stage in the age group (9-12) years in Najran region in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The researchers prepared an attitude test, consisting of ten multiple-choice questions to measure the study sample's awareness of protecting the environment from pollution. The test was applied before and after the treatment on the control and experimental groups. Also, it was applied as a delayed test on the experimental group only. The results showed statistically significant differences in the post-test of awareness of environmental protection from pollution for the experimental group who studied using cartoons. In addition, there were no statistically significant differences between the post and delayed test of the scores of the experimental group on the environmental protection awareness test from pollution. The study recommended urging teachers of learning disabilities to use cartoons to deepen environmental knowledge among students with learning disabilities. Also, students with learning disabilities should be motivated to contribute and participate individually and collectively in protecting the environment, preserving its resources, and reducing potential environmental risks from environmentally unsound behaviors. Finally, the study suggests conducting more future studies examining the effectiveness of cartoons in developing different environmental education concepts.

The research aimed to determine the opinions of the students and the course teacher with regard to using the comic book prepared in accordance with a context-based scenario as teaching material for the science course. Phenomenology, one of the qualitative research approaches, was used for research purposes. A context-based comic book was used as course material for 12 hours in a class of 18 5th-grade students. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven students and a course teacher, following the implementation, using the interview forms developed within the scope of the current research. The data obtained from the interviews were analyzed by content analysis and classified under the themes of "Academic", "Affective", "Association with Daily Life" and "Comic Books and Humor". Pursuant to the results of the research, students, and course teacher declared the comic book as effective course material on the grounds that it makes the subject matter entertaining and understandable, facilitates learning, provides an opportunity for a permanent learning experience, provides an opportunity for individual learning, increases class participation, and supports the learning processes of students with literacy and language problems. Based on the results obtained, it has been suggested to use context-based comics in different units and lessons.

This study was designed to examine the development of pre-service teachers' knowledge of concept cartoons for three years within the scope of the courses they took. For three years, pre-service teachers took courses in scientific research methods, instructional technologies and material development, special teaching methods and teaching practice. During these lessons, the learning levels of pre-service teachers towards concept cartoons were examined. In the analysis of the data, the concept cartoons evaluation rubric and the concept cartoons application observation chart were used. Although they were not able to prepare concept cartoons and make applications at the expert level, it was concluded that the education the pre-service teachers received was effective. It is thought that arrangements are necessary to ensure the continuation of communication between teachers and lecturers.

Purpose: The Samuel Paty murder has generated a great response from the professional community and the world of education and schools in Europe and worldwide. In a unique way, civic educators expressed horror, sorrow, and solidarity with the family and with their French colleagues. The article is dedicated to Samuel Paty and the question of whether and how we as a community of international civic educators can learn from this terrible event. Design/methodology/approach: The article presents a case reconstruction using press and public documents attempting to disentangle the actors' positions, their stated intentions and contexts, and the following political intricacies of the case. Findings: The murder of Samuel Paty provoked a series of educational policy reactions that have paradoxical effects on civic education in schools, seen its intentions of political-social inclusion into a citizenship model. The case analysis documents the pitfalls of the instrumentalization of civic education for the securitization of societies.

This research aims to: (1) develop a feasible Android-based comic media of Gajah Mungkur Dam, and (2) reveal the effectiveness of the developed comic media in improving mathematical representation and critical thinking abilities on the materials of work and energy. The research subjects are senior high school students, consisting of 262 students for the empirical testing, 36 students for the limited trial, and 72 students for the field trial. This research is research and development applying the 4D model, consisting the stages of definition, design, development, and dissemination. The research instrument includes a validation sheet, evaluation sheet, questionnaire, lesson plans, comic media, and mathematical representation and critical thinking ability tests. The developed comic media contains an introduction, comic's work and energy materials, users' manual, instructional video, and discussion column. The data analysis used the MANOVA test. The finding shows that the developed Android-based comic media of Gajah Mungkur Dam is feasible to use with the assessment score of 3.70 or in a very good category from the validator, and score of 3.10 or in a good category from students in the limited trial. The MANOVA test result shows that there is a significant difference between the control class and experimental class. The developed comic is effective in improving mathematical representation ability in the small effect category and in improving critical thinking skill in the medium effect category.

The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of using manga comics in Linear Algebra course on elementary mathematics teacher candidates' attitudes and achievement towards the course. Pre-test-post-test control group experimental design was used in the study. The study was conducted with 48 elementary mathematics teacher candidates' taking Linear Algebra 1 course. In the study, the experimental group received lessons that were taught under the guidance of the researcher using the Linear Algebra Manga Guidebook. On the other hand, the control group received lessons taught by the researcher using the traditional teaching method. In this 8-week study, Attitude Scale towards Linear Algebra Course and Linear Algebra Course Achievement exam prepared by the researchers were applied as pre-test and post-test. At the end of the study, a significant difference was obtained between the attitude towards linear algebra course and achievement scores of the experimental group and the control group in favour of the experimental group.

The graphic novel "Invisible" (2022) by Christina Diaz Gonzalez and Gabriela Epstein demonstrates that adolescents can create a positive difference in the world and build friendships with people different from themselves. The novel's themes, nonlinear chronology, and innovative bilingual format make "Invisible" significant and linguistically inclusive. In this "Breakfast Club" (Hughes, 1985) remix, five eighth-grade students with Latina/o heritage grow to know one another and themselves through service hours. English Language Arts teachers can cover ELAR TEKS with "Invisible." Suggested strategies include author study, process drama, cultural x-rays, writing prompts, videos about language, and family interviews. Gonzalez and Epstein's empowering and engaging narrative, told in English and Spanish, merits academic study and a place in required or independent reading.

The development of photo-based digital comics is one of the fastest-growing digital media and is in great demand. This learning medium is an innovative blend of visual arts and education that offers tremendous potential in stimulating interest in and understanding of complex materials. The importance of understanding disaster mitigation in modern environmental and social challenges cannot be ignored. Drama, as a rich form of cultural expression, allows us to reflect on human life, social relations, and the challenges faced by society. Disaster mitigation is becoming increasingly important to deal with real threats due to climate change and society's vulnerability to natural disasters. This learning concept is especially effective for students who need an innovative and interesting approach. The development of photo-based digital comics as teaching materials is very interesting. Combining visual elements from photographs with strong narratives, digital comics will be able to present complex materials in an easy-to-digest form. This approach provides a great opportunity to convey information on learning and the importance of disaster mitigation in a way that is closer to students' daily lives, resulting in more authentic and embedded learning. This research focuses on efforts to develop teaching materials that are communicative, not boring, effective, and applicable to support creativity and increase students' understanding of social problems identified in society.

The aim of this research is to determine the students' misconceptions of using concept cartoons and to evaluate the lessons taught with concept cartoons according to the students' opinions. The model of the research is the case study, which is one of the qualitative research methods. Participants are a total of 82 students, attending the 3rd grade (8 years old). Descriptive analysis method was used in the analysis of the data. Considering the results of the research, although most of the students chose the right character and stated the reasons for finding operational mistakes, it was determined the students who stated that they agreed with the characters in the wrong instruction and put forward reasons, most of which included misconceptions. For the lessons taught with concept cartoons, students; that they like concept cartoons very much, that they create curiosity and excitement in themselves, by using concept cartoons, they will not make mistakes, and even if they make mistakes, they will be able to realize and correct their mistakes by discussing with their friends and teachers, that the lessons cannot always be done with concept cartoons, that the teachers will make this decision stated as. As a result, it has been concluded that the use of concept cartoons is effective in identifying students' misconceptions and understanding their thinking processes, and that concept cartoons can be used easily in classrooms, increasing the interest and motivation of students, and enabling them to learn while having fun.

The main aims of the present research were to: (1) describe the scientific outputs indexed in the Scopus and Web of Science databases, from now on WoS, regarding the use of comic books as didactic resources in the teaching-learning of the sciences, and; (2) establish the conceptual structure of scientific output regarding the use of comic books as didactic resources in the teaching-learning of science. A quantitative-bibliometric methodology was followed on a sample of 60 scientific documents recovered using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses strategy, from now on PRISMA. Findings suggest that the topic is still emerging given the novelty of the discipline and that published studies tend to be low impact in terms of the number of citations they receive. With regards to the conceptual structure, the most relevant themes and trends to emerge pertained to medical education, comic books and illustrations, and the use of mobile devices. Finally, analysis of the keywords used by the top 20 most relevant authors, it was possible to infer a degree of correspondence between sources, keywords and the continents responsible for the greatest scientific output on the topic.

With their increasing popularity, there is a need for more research clarifying the potential strengths and weaknesses of the comic format for education. The panelled comic format may be particularly effective for educating adults on the scientific aspects of processes (sequences of events, occurring over time, in a series of discrete steps). We tested change in performance in adults (n = 879) in correctly ordering the stages in four processes before and after being exposed to educational material about these processes. The material was presented in a random selection of one of seven experimentally manipulated formats based on characteristics of comic books. Overall, participant performance improved after seeing the educational material. There were significant differences in learning between the processes, suggesting that the benefits, or detriments, of the comic format may be subject-specific. Performance was significantly better when images were subdivided into panels, and worse when an explanatory agent (character) was included, though these differences in performance did not survive adjustment for multiple comparisons. This study presents some evidence that the panelled nature of the comic format supports learning about scientific processes in adults. Given results differed notably between the specific topics to be learned, there is substantial scope for further investigation.

Cybersecurity educational efforts are urgently needed to introduce young people to the profession and give students and teachers cybersecurity knowledge to protect themselves from increasing cybercrime. In this study, 56 elementary preservice teachers participated in a 3-hour intervention within a technology integration course that introduced them to a curriculum, [TITLE], designed to teach cybersecurity and cryptology to upper elementary classrooms. The study used pre-post surveys, an engagement questionnaire, and observations to investigate the influence of this module on elementary preservice teachers' perceptions about the importance of teaching cyber security in elementary school, confidence in their ability to teach cybersecurity, intention to teach cybersecurity in the future and engagement during the intervention. While most preservice teachers had minimal prior experiences with the content, there were positive changes in their perceptions, confidence, and intention to teach cybersecurity and cryptology content. There was also evidence of cognitive, behavioral, and affective engagement throughout the intervention. While longer interventions and opportunities to teach these concepts in authentic settings would likely be even more impactful for preservice teachers, this study suggests that even short interventions can have positive results and is a step forward in bringing cybersecurity and cryptology content to preservice teacher education.

The purpose of this study is to understand how Latinx preservice teachers (LPSTs) engage their multimodal and multilingual literacies to create comic strips about the knowledge and pedagogies found within their homes located within with U.S.-Mexico borderlands. Drawing on pedagogies of the home and Chicanx/Latinx multimodality, the findings illustrate how the LPSTs used comic creation to document teaching and learning practices of biculturalism, cultural preservation, spirituality, remedios, and the importance of education. This study has implications for developing teacher education pedagogies that are reflective of the linguistic and cultural diversity of LPSTs.

This qualitative study highlights how children's literature can serve as a springboard for discussing current events while making connections with a similar historical event. Undergraduate students enrolled in children's literature courses read the graphic novel "Fever Year: The Killer Flu of 1918" and discussed the parallels between the book and the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings indicate strong text-to-self and text-to-world connections between the events of the flu of 1918 highlighted in the graphic novel and those of the COVID-19 pandemic. Connections included restrictions and closures, mask mandates, vaccine development, medical theories, and theories of spread. Information dissemination and consumption was a prominent theme.

Background: Emotional design of multimedia lessons involves adding features that are intended to increase learner enjoyment and promote learning--such as adding narrative, anthropomorphizing non-human elements, and using warm colours. Objective: The present study extends this work to examine the potential of Japanese animation (anime) for improving science learning. Method: Specifically, 134 English-speaking students learned about cells in the human body by viewing the popular anime, "Cells at Work," either in Japanese with English subtitles or dubbed in English with no subtitles (anime groups), or by viewing a slideshow containing the same information (slideshow group). The anime conditions were vibrant story-driven lessons that depicted human-looking cells working to fight off invaders in a human body that looked like a city. The slideshow used very similar wording as the anime groups, and displayed the cells without anthropomorphism or a storyline. Results and Conclusion: The anime groups did not differ significantly from each other on any dependent measures and were therefore combined. The anime groups scored significantly higher than the slideshow group on retention (d = 0.35) and transfer (d = 0.48) tests. The anime groups also had significantly higher ratings of motivation (d = 0.60) and enjoyment (d = 1.13), whereas, the slideshow group had significantly higher ratings of distraction (d = 0.59). These results support the cognitive-affective theory of learning with media (CATLM) and demonstrate that anime may be an effective learning medium. Takeaways: Anime should be considered as a medium for science learning, especially when students might not otherwise be motivated to learn.

This paper explores the use of comics as an integrated tool for introducing socioscientific issues (SSI) in elementary school classrooms. To illustrate this, we provide implementation examples from two teachers who facilitated introducing SSI to students using comics. These case studies depict how teachers integrated comics into their classroom settings and combined them with various teaching activities. In this paper, we also emphasize the format of the comics we designed, which starts with an introduction to everyday stories and scientific concepts before delving into SSI scenarios within the comics. Additionally, we have incorporated a conclusion part in the comics to serve as a closing segment. Furthermore, we emphasize the role of SSI scenarios within the comics in establishing meaningful connections between students' personal experiences and real-life SSI scenarios. The discussions predominantly involve private discourse, enabling students to construct their reasoning and perspectives. This approach promotes the development of critical thinking and problem-solving skills, aligning with the ultimate objective of linking the science classroom with societal issues.

Academic integrity is a crucial aspect of the educational process, often receiving insufficient attention until a violation occurs. Researchers emphasize the importance of students comprehending academic integrity to foster ethical professionalism. However, there is a lack of resources available to effectively support these conversations. This study aims to assess academic integrity efficacy and the multi-dimensional ethical scale (MES) through the use of a graphic novel mini-case study. The analysis reveals a significant relationship between academic integrity efficacy, MES dimensions (moral equity, relativism and contractualism), and the case studies among undergraduate participants. The combination of quantitative and qualitative findings provides valuable insights into how graphic novel mini-cases can engage in academic integrity discussions with undergraduate students. The graphic novel mini-cases, along with their limitations and potential for future research, are provided.

The aim of this article is to examine research on inquiry-based chemistry education in primary and secondary schools to discuss how it is addressed in the research literature. A systematic review was conducted, including 102 articles published between 2000 and 2020. Through inductive analyses, the articles were categorised into four groups: (1) articles testing specific teaching approaches or models, (2) articles testing specific learning environments, (3) articles reporting on teachers and (4) additional relevant studies. Within each group, the articles were further categorised into five scientific domains (i.e. conceptual, epistemic, social, procedural and affective) and two categories: classroom practice and other. The experimental studies were also given a typology according to the quality of the methods applied. Overall, the research has been conducted with varied foci and it generally reports positive learning outcomes. However, the main emphasis is on the conceptual and affective domains, with fewer studies focusing on the epistemic domain. Finally, when it comes to methodology, the reviewed articles included many quantitative studies, often with few respondents and of varied quality. Thus, there is a need for more studies with larger numbers of participants, longer durations, more purposeful sampling and with focus on the epistemic and social domains.

A research project on using comics for teaching mathematics was initiated in one Singapore primary school. One class of Grade 5 (students of age 11-12) students was exposed to comics for mathematics instruction. This paper reports a case study of seven students' perception of the features of the comics instructional package and how these features impacted their learning of mathematics. The students' responses in an interview with the researchers were analysed using Thematic Analysis and presented using the Singapore mathematics curriculum framework. Four main features of the comics instructional package: (1) humour; (2) story narrative; (3) scaffolding provided by the questions; and (4) visuals and four main themes: Increase in (a) enjoyment; (b) understanding; (c) appreciation of real-world applications of mathematics; and (d) participation during lessons; were uncovered. The use of comics could potentially impact positively on developing students' Attitudes, Skills, Concepts and Processes of the Singapore mathematics curriculum framework in learning mathematics.

This manuscript suggests that comic art or cartoons can be used for illustrating, depicting, skewering, or even satirizing ethical, unethical, and other practices associated with business decision-making. As a classroom instructional project, the approach presents arguments for why cartooning is a useful tool for business, education, and the arts. Cartooning can improve decision making by fostering creativity and generating more relevant and meaningful solutions to the problem. It is posited that artful cartooning will be of value to management decision makers when used as a tool to explain funny, difficult and/or heretofore inexplicable and puzzling phenomenon encountered both within the confines of the business world and beyond.

This research aims to reveal the effectiveness of the use of Kofie GeBoL media in improving (1) vector representation ability and (2) critical thinking ability in physics instruction. It is a descriptive quantitative study with the quasi-experiment design. It was conducted in two stages: empirical try out and implementation of Kofie GeboL to see the media effectiveness. It was conducted in four high schools in Sleman Regency, including State Senior High School (SSHS) 1 Mlati with 64 students, SSHS 1 Ngaglik with 96 students, SSHS 1 Ngemplak with 56 students, and SHS Bina Umat with 46 students on the learning materials of Parabolic Movement in October, Semester 1 of the academic year 2019/2020. The research instrument is a vector representation and critical thinking ability test which is valid and dan reliable according to the empirical test. The data analysis used the QUEST application to see the validity and reliability of the test items and the MANOVA test to see the media effectiveness. The research finding shows that the Kofie GeBoL is effective in improving students' vector representation and critical thinking abilities with the Cohen's value in each variable being 0.46 and 0.57 interpreted as "Large Effect Size." This can also be seen in the "N-gain" scores of vector representation and critical thinking abilities of 0.7 and 0.8 respectively, which are in a high category. So similar research can be done for other physics theory to improve students' scientific abilities.

Incidental learning is a well-known process of acquiring new knowledge, vocabulary, or information without intention. Traditional or intentional learning is widely practiced in classroom environments, while incidental one receives less attention from educators, schools, and scholars. English Language Learners encounter various problems when they start learning the second language, including culture shock, lack of understanding of foreign culture, different contexts, and ineffective teaching strategies implemented by teachers. Many English Language Learners cannot communicate in a second language outside the classroom, yet, they are exposed to a variety of media, including cartoons and animated films, when they are at home. By using cartoons as the means of incidental learning among English Language Learners to acquire second language vocabulary, students could learn a foreign language faster. The current paper critically analyzes the benefits of incidental learning, the evidence of its effective implementation in the classroom with English Language Learners, and the results of previous studies using cartoons as the method of incidental learning among students, including English Language Learners. The paper recommends using incidental learning as one of the strategies to acquire second language vocabulary among English Language Learners. However, teachers must pair this practice with intentional learning to retain the results. Also, it is recommended to use cartoons with subtitles for students with basic or limited knowledge of a second language for effective accommodation and scaffolding of English Language Learners in general classrooms.

Cartoon images have been widely applied in children's educational media. The study examined the effect of cartoon images in touchscreen media on young children's recognition of time. With a 2 (clock type: cartoon clock, non-cartoon clock) × 2 (media type: touchscreen, video) between-subjects design, ninety-two children aged 4-6 were randomly assigned to one of four experimental conditions. Each group was exposed for 10 min to the media designed to teach children how to tell the time. We examined children's learning to tell time by pre- and post-test clock tests. Results showed that: (1) In the condition of the cartoon clock, children in the touchscreen groups got significantly higher total clock learning scores than the video groups; (2) In the condition of touchscreen, children in the cartoon groups got significantly higher total clock learning scores than non-cartoon groups. Findings suggest that touchscreen interaction is more beneficial for children to learn to tell time than watching videos, and when using educational apps for touchscreen learning, cartoon images have a positive effect on children's learning to tell time. However, cartoon images have no effect on children's learning to tell time through videos.

Language revitalization efforts have been critiqued for creating and reproducing linguistic, epistemological, and pedagogical hierarchies that might run counter to a community's needs and interests. Drawing on a seven-year ethnographic and collaborative research with the Maya cultural promoters of the Caste War Museum in Tihosuco, Mexico, we describe the dynamics of our Maya language reclamation partnership focusing on the creation of bilingual comic books and summer workshops for children. These experiences show a slow but steady language reclamation approach based on the concern for younger generations to feel comfortable to claim their right to speak and learn Maya and on their fondness for Maya language and culture. We argue that the construction, negotiation, and assertion of linguistic and pedagogical authority among all participating actors is central to reclamation projects, and that these processes are impacted by outsider researchers-collaborators in ways that can support but also potentially harm these language efforts. This paper sheds light on the various tensions lived in long-term language reclamation projects, recognizing the need for outsider researchers to turn our reflexive gaze inwards and consider how we can bring to the fore practices we can celebrate as well as address and transform those that cause discomfort and uncertainty.

While there are many difficulties faced by world language educators, both teachers and students of certain languages--languages commonly identified with countries and cultures deemed to be hostile to the United States--often find themselves in uniquely paradoxical situations. This article begins with a brief anecdotal description of the personal challenge of speaking a "language of the enemy," and then turns to a discussion of world language education in the United States, emphasizing the distinction between the commonly taught languages (CTLs) and the less commonly taught languages (LCTLs). Next, an overview of linguistic bias in the history of world language education, focusing on the cases of German and Russian, as well as both Farsi and Arabic, is provided, followed by a discussion of the uses of "soft power" in the promotion of a country's language and culture. After a brief analysis of the role of media in constructing images of different languages for public consumption, and the impact of such media efforts on the teaching of some of the LCTLs, the article concludes with a discussion of the fundamental dilemma that we face in teaching what are considered by many Americans to be the "languages of the enemy."

Comics engage students in learning mathematics through their interactive nature and the relatively simple language they use. Not only that, it also helps expand students' thinking through the introduction of contextualized mathematics. This is also in line with the latest math education trend to engage students with math problems in a real-world context. As a result, there is a great potential for the use of comics as a teaching tool in primary school mathematics lessons. The current research works pointed out that comics increase the efficiency of teaching and strengthen the relationship between teacher and students. The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of educational comics-supported instruction on academic achievement of primary school students in division concept. The study used quasi-experimental design with pretest-posttest control group. The study group consists of 42 second grade pupils (21 for experimental and 21 for control group) studying in a public primary school located in Nigde, Turkey. As for data collection, academic achievement test was developed based on the learning outcomes of the mathematics curriculum. The pilot study was conducted to determine the statistics and the quality of test items. In order to ensure the validity of this test, evidences were collected and the reliability of the test calculated. The results of this study showed that the students who learn division via educational comics-supported instruction is more successful than the students who learn division via traditional instruction. Two of the reasons could be listed as (1) division is a complex and abstract concept so that traditional instruction have some difficulty in making the understanding easier, (2) educational comics strengthen the communication between student and teacher, attract attention of the students. This study is considered important in terms of emphasizing that educational comics are a preferred tool for some concepts of mathematics instruction.

Digital storytelling (DST) is one of the areas which has entered the field of foreign language education and has proved to be beneficial in learning different language skills. However, it remains underexplored whether and how DST can affect learners' writing skill and motivation to write. The present study sought to investigate the impact of DST on young EFL learners' writing skill and motivation to write through mixing quantitative and qualitative research methods. The data were collected through pre- and post-tests of writing and interviews from 22 EFL learners. The learners were asked to create digital stories based on the pre-taught topics, vocabulary, and structures in their course book within a 10-week implementation process. In addition, structured interviews were carried out to investigate the impact of DST on the learners' motivation. The result was a proof to the efficiency of DST in improving the learners' writing skill. Also, the thematic analysis of the interview data indicated that employing DST had a positive impact on young EFL learners' attitude toward writing and increased their motivation. The primary takeaway from this study is that DST can provide a more favourable and enjoyable teaching context to instruct writing to EFL learners.

Cartoons are an effective alternative to create a rich learning environment that is visually and audibly equipped for students in an effective science education. It is of upmost significant for science teachers to possess the necessary knowledge, activity experience and equipment in order to carry out a qualified science teaching. Therefore, the pre-service science teachers, who will be trained in the specified direction, should hold a certain level of knowledge, skills and experience in preparing and implementing activities. In this regard, this study aims at revealing the pre-service science teachers' views on the process of designing activities through using cartoons. The study was carried out with 14 fourth grade pre-service science teachers studying at a state university in Turkey. The cartoon that the pre-service teachers were requested to use to design in-class activities during the implementation was determined as "Ege and Gaga" on the "TRT Child" channel. That this cartoon is related to education and science and includes science subjects has been effective in its selection. This study employed a case study design, one of the qualitative research methods, and the data were collected through a semi-structured interview form. Content analysis was used during data analysis. The results suggested that no pre-service teachers had encountered an activity prepared through using cartoons before. The participants also had positive views on the activity design process such as effective, interesting, enjoyable, concretizing knowledge and alternative technique. These activities, which are appropriate for the teaching and traditional classroom environments, are expected to enable students to access knowledge more easily with pleasure, and thus contributing to learning.

This convergent mixed method study investigates learner engagement during a blended, transmedia curriculum called CryptoComics, which is designed to teach 3rd-5th graders about cryptology and cybersecurity. Curriculum design is presented through the lens of four engagement facilitators: (1) anchoring the curriculum with a comic book, (2) blending digital and unplugged media, (3) supporting situational interest via a transmedia narrative, and (4) designing for social-cultural relevance. Latent profile analysis is used to develop profiles of learner engagement using quantitative indicators of cognitive and emotional engagement collected across 204 students at 13 implementation sites in the Eastern U.S. Qualitative indicators of engagement include teacher weekly check-ins submitted by 17 teachers working at the 13 implementation sites, student interviews, and classroom observations of 26 students participating in the curriculum at two local sites. Quantitative and qualitative results converge to suggest the majority of the students participating in the curriculum were highly engaged cognitively and emotionally. Qualitative data (1) suggest some third graders may be less cognitively engaged due to challenging content, (2) provide evidence for how the design of the blended, transmedia curriculum supported, and some cases hindered, engagement, (3) highlight the importance of transitions between blended learning components in facilitating engagement, and (4) uncover questions regarding one of the quantitative measures selected as an indicator of cognitive engagement.

The students' explaining skill is interrelated with their conceptual understanding. This study aimed to determine the effect of the implementation of the student facilitator and explaining model assisted by the media game on the students' explaining skills related to environmental pollution. This quasi-experimental research was using a pre-test post-test control group design. The population was 120 seventh graders of state junior high schools in West Java, Indonesia. The simple random sampling technique has resulted in two groups (control and experiment) samples, consisting of 32 students for each group. The data were analyzed using the paired sample t-test. This study found that the student facilitator and explaining model assisted by the media game can significantly improve students' explaining skills (p-value 0.001 < 0.05). The students in the experimental group had a better understanding of the concept of environmental pollution. This study concludes that the student facilitator and explaining model assisted by the media games can improve students' explaining skills and understanding of environmental pollution

The aim of this study is to reveal the experiences of digital comics developed by the participants in Atatürk's Principles and History of Revolutions course. In this context, the research has been designed with phenomenology, which is one of the qualitative research methods. The study group of the research consists of 29 university students who took APHR (TAR101) course. The sample was chosen through easily accessible sampling due to the epidemic conditions. In the study, semi-structured interview form developed by the researchers, focus group interviews, researcher feedback and comics created by the students via the Pixton Edu tool were used as data collection tools. The research process lasted 15 weeks, the interviews were conducted online through the online meeting program Zoom and through the WhatsApp group established by the researchers. The findings obtained in the research were analyzed with a holistic perspective according to content analysis. According to the opinions of the participants in the research; it was concluded that the comics developed positively affect the attitude towards the lesson, improve the thinking skills of the participants. This experience transformed the learning process to a funny, meaningful and permanent process, enabled distance education to an interactive, increase motivation, and strengthen in-group communication in the distance education process. Based on the research findings, various suggestions were made by the researchers.

The purpose of this study was to examine the knowledge, emotions and views of grade 4 elementary school students on education via cartoons. We designed the study as a case study, which is a qualitative research design. The study group included 30 elementary school students. The study used document review as the data collection technic. The study used worksheets and educational cartoons as data collection tools. In analysis of the data the study used content analysis. As a result of the study we observed that most students expressed what they saw in the cartoons correctly. In addition, the students who expressed what they had seen in the cartoons correctly also perceived the message in the cartoons correctly. Most students stated that the cartoons were about the right to education and made supportive statements. However, the students were incapable of expressing their emotions about the intended message of the cartoons. In addition, when they were asked to interpret a specific cartoon, the details did not attract them and they made rather holistic comments. Based on this result, we think that creating classroom environments supported by cartoons may develop the ability of students to analyze and perceive their rights and their skill of expressing their emotions.

In the digital age we live in, electronic teaching materials can effectively increase students' participation in the learning and teaching process. In addition, it is known that using visual materials in science education has a positive effect on learning in this direction. The study aims to determine the effect of digital concept cartoons in the sixth-grade science course on the academic achievement of students and the retention of what is learned in the lesson and to determine the students' views on the concept cartoons applied in the lesson. This research was carried out with sequential mixed design, one of the mixed designs in which quantitative and qualitative research methods are used. The quantitative dimension of the study was conducted with a random experimental design with the pretest-posttest control group, and the qualitative dimension was carried out with a case study design to support the quantitative data and make an in-depth analysis of the data. A significant difference in favor of the experimental group was found between the post-test and retention test mean scores of the experimental and control group students participating in the study. Based on these findings, it can be said that the use of digital concept cartoons in the sixth-grade science course "reproduction, growth, and development in plants and animals" unit is effective in ensuring academic achievement and the retention of what is learned in the lesson. This finding of the study is parallel with qualitative findings.

This article documents work with pre/in service teachers who are university students across three universities in three regions of the US, across multiple courses. Given our shared concern about the narrowing of space for imaginative literacy practices in schools, we focus on our collective use of open-ended, arts-based pedagogies as a way to challenge how we, as instructors, and our students conceive of literacy practices. A collection of Shaun Tan texts (including picturebooks, wordless graphic novels, and other multimodal/media texts for young people) served as focus texts across our three classroom contexts. We found surprise, a problematizing of narrow literacy definitions, and flexibility were all common ways of responding to this open-ended, arts-based literacy work. It resulted in tensions around and challenges of conventional or ordinary classroom literacy practices and pedagogical choices.

The purpose of this study was to investigate both the individual and relative effectiveness of two conceptual change interventions, gender and their interactions on preservice science teachers' conceptual understanding and their misconceptions in mechanical waves. The interventions are conceptual change texts enriched with concept cartoons (CCTCC) and 5E learning model enriched with simulation activities (5ESA) respectively. Participants are 66 sophomores from two intact classes. A quasi-experimental design was used as a research methodology. One group studied the concept of mechanical waves with the CCTCC and the other studied it with the 5ESA. Students' conceptual understanding levels and misconceptions were measured by a Four-Tier Mechanical Waves Misconception Test as pre and post-test. Preliminary analysis indicated that there was no significant difference among the intervention groups' pre-conceptual understanding levels. Individual effects of the treatments from pre to post-tests were investigated by paired-sample t-tests and the main effects of the treatments, gender and their interactions on post-conceptual understanding levels were examined via two-way ANOVA. The results of t-tests showed that both treatments significantly affected learners' conceptual understanding levels individually. ANOVA results yielded a significant treatment effect on behalf of the CCTCC, but the effects of the gender and gender*treatment interaction on students' post-conceptual understanding levels were insignificant. Findings showed that the conceptual change approach accompanied by conceptual change text enriched with concept cartoons is likely to be more effective for increasing students' conceptual understanding level and decreasing their misconceptions in mechanical waves.

In the current study, it is aimed to improve the speaking skill of primary school students instructed in a multigrade class through cartoons. The current study employed the action research design. Participants of the study are 3rd and 4th grade primary school students instructed in a multigrade class in a village school in the city of Kahramanmaras in Turkey in the 2019-2020 school year. The data in the study were collected through observations, interviews and documents. A program consisting of 7 applications in which cartoons are used for students with speech problems was prepared and applied within the scope of the language teaching course. The application continued for four weeks until the students' speech problems were reduced to a certain level and they achieved some improvement in speaking. Plans were prepared every week in line with the opinions of the field experts and the development status of the students in speech was evaluated. At the end of the study, the students' opinions about the application were taken through semi-structured interviews. At the end of the study, it was observed that the speech errors of the students decreased. At the same time, it was determined that there was an increase in the speaking time of the students and the number of words and sentences they used. The most important and positive change occurred in the psychological dimension of speech. Students' motivation increased and they started to behave more comfortably when speaking. In this direction, their anxiety decreased and their desire to speak increased. Furthermore, positive changes occurred in the students' adjustment of their tones and sound intensities. The words spoken by the students became more comprehensible.

This study focuses on the effectiveness of employing Cartoon Cum Strategic Intervention Material as learning instructional techniques to improve Grade 5 learners' ability to make meaning from text. This intervention encourages students to focus on big ideas and to consider how specific details contribute to the big picture. Cartoons can be organized in non-linear way to emphasize the complexities of concepts. Learning, is an active process in which humans construct meaning and interpret circumstances based on their prior knowledge and experiences. The scope of this study includes thirty Grade 5 elementary students from Ateneo Casa Famiglia Servants of the Poor, Inc. prior to employing cartoon cum strategic intervention as teaching material, the researchers assessed the learners' grasp of making meaning from text acquisition. They also carefully evaluated and observed data from Grade 5 students based on pretest and posttest scores on instructional exemplars, as well as the attitudes of students who had been exposed to their logic and reasoning ability, visual and auditory processing, and sustained and selective attention. This study demonstrates that there is a significant difference between the pretest and posttest of Grade 5 students who were exposed to the Cartoon Cum Strategic Intervention Material. This paper assists the researchers in developing a lesson exemplar in English 5 based on the study's findings, as well as gaining a deeper understanding of the said learning technique and its efficacy with young learners. The use of cartoons in the creation of learning materials appeals to students' intrinsic motivation because they are more enjoyable to students to share and review.

Mathematical and didactic knowledge presented in mathematics textbooks and other resources, like mathematics comics (MCs), needs to be evaluated from a lens of appropriate theoretical framework in mathematics education before it can be used as a medium for teaching and learning mathematics. Therefore, this study investigates mathematical and didactic competencies that were reflected in MCs designed by preservice elementary teachers. The framework for analysing mathematical knowledge embedded in these MCs is based on the Anthropological Theory of the Didactic, specifically a praxeology. This study utilized a content analysis technique within a qualitative approach. Thirteen MCs were analysed using a praxeological analysis; the type of task and techniques (praxis block) as well as the possible technology and theory (logos block). The findings demonstrate that the mathematical praxeologies embedded in MCs belong to five mathematical domains, namely numbers and operations; number theory; fractions, decimals, and percentages; ratio and proportion; as well as measurement. Additionally, the analysis revealed that seven of these MCs were related to a single domain, while the others belong to two or three mathematical domains. Concerning the mathematical praxeologies, most of MCs focus on presenting the practical blocks, the type of task and the techniques, while only a few could provide the theoretical lens to justify the practical blocks.

The aim of this research is to examine the effects of worksheets enriched with concept cartoons used in the teaching of Science Teaching Laboratory Applications-II course on the academic success and metacognition skill levels of science prospective teachers. The study was carried out using semi-experimental design. The sample of the study, science prospective teachers studying at the 3rd grade at a state university in Turkey, was composed of the experimental group (N = 37) and control group (N = 42), including 79 participants in total. The data were obtained by applying "Academic Achievement Test" and "Metacognitive Activities Inventory". In the analysis of the data, paired sample t-test, independent sample t-test, frequency and percentage calculations were carried out using a suitable statistical program. As a result of the research, although there was an increase in the academic success and metacognition skill level of the prospective teachers who were taught with worksheets enriched with concept cartoons, this increase did not create a statistically significant difference between both groups. This may be due to the fact that science pre-service teachers are not accustomed to the teaching practice and the duration of the research is limited for the development of metacognitive skills. Therefore, the applications of different special education methods and techniques used in science education should be demonstrated in the education faculties within the scope of this course. Thus, it can be ensured that prospective teachers' knowledge about special teaching methods and techniques are not only theoretical but also practical.

This paper reports on the use of comics to help facilitate reflection on one's past as part of an early childhood education degree programme in Spain. It is common in professional education programmes in the health and education fields to encourage students to reflect on their past in order to explore how this has shaped their development and how it has influenced their career decisions. A challenge with more traditional forms of written reflections in this area is that they often become simple descriptions without any critical reflection on past experiences. To address this, the research reported here aimed to explore the extent to which comics had the capacity to afford alternative and novel ways of reflecting on one's past by providing students with the opportunity to create their own comics. Reporting on a sample of the completed comics and the students' reactions to the task, the study found that despite initial reservations and limited experience of comics, the students completed the task to an impressive level. While there was variation in the quality of the completed students' comics, they had utilised many of the unique affordances of comics to reflect their past lives. This paper discusses the implications of integrating comics into reflective practice activities and the challenges and opportunities they pose for practitioners.

This article posits that the comic medium, wedded with traditional essay assignments, may be a powerful tool for social studies teachers, those who prepare social studies teachers at the collegiate level and other teachers and professors who desire to teach about citizenship in an era of "fake news" and alternative facts.

The purpose of current study was to investigate the effect of conceptual change-oriented instruction accompanied by conceptual change texts enriched with concept cartoons, gender, and their interaction on primary preservice teachers' conceptual understanding and their attitudes towards simple electricity. Participants were 225 sophomores from six intact classes in a state university. A quasi-experimental design was used and the study lasted in 3-week treatment period. The experimental group studied the simple electricity concept with the application of the conceptual change texts enriched with concept cartoons and the control group studied it with traditional instruction. Seven conceptual change texts with concept cartoons were developed, keeping students' misconceptions in mind. Students' conceptual understanding and attitudes were measured by two-tired misconception test and physics attitude scale respectively. They were administered as pre- and post-tests before and after instructions. The main effects of treatment, gender, and their interaction on post-test scores were examined via MANCOVA with pre-conceptual understanding and pre-attitude scores used as covariates. The analyses yielded a significant treatment effect, but insignificant gender and gender x treatment interaction effects on the collective dependent variables of the post-test scores. The ANCOVA results revealed that the conceptual change-oriented instruction affected students' conceptual understanding significantly with respect to traditional instruction, but it had insignificant effect on their attitudes. This study revealed that the use of the conceptual change texts enriched with concept cartoons is likely to be effective for primary preservice teachers' conceptual understanding in teaching simple electricity.