Abstract
Undergraduate student participation in general education classes constitutes a point of struggle for many educators. Using both critical constructivism and counter storytelling as theoretical frameworks, this multi-method phenomenological case study explored the experiences of undergraduate honors students in a semester-long general education literature class. The purpose of this study was to 1) explore how comics can be used as a pedagogical tool in higher education classrooms, 2) assess the ways in which students interacted with comics, and 3) investigate what role comics played in engagement and development of critical thinking and analysis skills. Primary data collection involved document review of student coursework, deployment of three surveys, and semi-structured interviews. Data analysis employed horizontalization, coding, frequency distribution, and content analysis of coursework. The findings of this study provide a unique glimpse into how comics impact undergraduate engagement and participation. This research showcases the potential of comics as a versatile and inclusive medium with which to discuss social and cultural differences in college classrooms. Using comics as primary texts can foster engagement and build community, promote knowledge construction and meaning making, develop and refine intellectual skills, and encourage student interaction with class texts.
Recommended Citation
Crist-Wagner, Keri
(2024)
"Read More Comics: Developing Student Analysis Skills and Engagement Through the Use of Comic Books in General Education Courses,"
Dialogue: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Popular Culture and Pedagogy: Vol. 11:
Iss.
3, Article 7.
Available at:
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/dialogue/vol11/iss3/7