Digital Comics, a Visual Method for Reinvigorating Romanian Science Education

Abstract

The Romanian science education reform is targeting a real literacy in science and technology among all graduates of the compulsory education. Writing, talking, and reading about science are desirable goals of scientific literacy, and also ways of achieving it. One the one hand, the current generation of pupils is a digital one, a YouTube Generation or Net Generation, which has grown up in an environment in which it is constantly exposed to digital technology and accustomed to the use of various media, short written texts, pictures and videos, for pleasure and sometimes for learning. On the other hand, handson learning activities based on ICT tools aim at increasing pupils' interest in sciences both during formal and non-formal education. In this context, the use of visuals and ICT, in particular, of digital comics, can be a suitable medium/method for science education and communication for this young generation. In this article, we describe and analyze how ICTbased formal and non-formal activities incorporating digital comics and other visuals can facilitate learning and can increase student enthusiasm/motivation for learning science. This article presents and analyzes example activities designed for secondary school pupils by students from the Faculty of Physics, from the West University of Timisoara, which are also enrolled in the preservice teacher training program offered by this institution. The favorable feedback we have received from the pupils and preservice science teachers alike leads us to assert that such innovative ICT-based teaching methods can lead to a revival of the Romanian science education in general, and of the Romanian physics education in particular, at least as a result of raising pupils' interest in this discipline.

Online Student Education in a Pandemic: New Challenges and Risks

“…The specifics of the socio-psychological portrait of a digital generation student require a close interweaving of formal and informal activities in education. For example, digital comics and other visual effects can help generate sustained student interest and increase their enthusiasm and motivation to learn (Craciun, Bunoiu, 2019). Similar results were obtained in the course of conducting focus groups with graduate and undergraduate students.…”

Usage of Digital Comics in Distance Learning During COVID-19

“…One of the findings is that digital material makes the teaching process more effective when used in accordance with these criteria. It is also seen in the studies abroad that digital comics contribute to education (Aryanto, 2007), increase students' academic success (Layla, 2020), are found entertaining by students (Aryanto, 2007), increase the desire to learn (Yunus, Salehi, Syed & Balaraman, 2011), increase students' interest (Crăciun & Bunoiu, 2019). In this regard, it is seen that the participants find digital comic material positive and their academic achievements are positively affected by it is consistent with the literature.…”

Students' evaluation and learning experience on the utilization of Digital Interactive Math Comics (DIMaC) mobile app

“…This fact reinforces the argument that the world consisting of text is irreversibly dead (ArtsEDNet, 1997;Goldfarb & Kondratova, 2003). Today's learners are exposed to digital technology and are used to various media for pleasure or learning (Crȃciun & Bunoiu, 2019;Kirchoff, 2017). Throughout learners' education, they engage with images and visuals (ACRL, 2011).…”