When creating comics, students critically think about content in a way that is naturally fun! Digital comics can increase that natural value. In this session you will learn about different digital comic makers, creation/reflection processes, and how digital comic creation aligns with the Common Core. Bring your own laptop or digital device if you have one, but it is not necessary.
Reading - Writing Summer Conference, ESU - 2014
Introduction to ArtificiaI Intelligence in Higher Education
Writing with Digital Comics: It’s Serious Fun!
1. Between the Lines: Reading & Writing for Contemporary Learners” Conference – Summer 2014
Beth Rajan Sockman Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Instructional Technology
Michele Herrmann
Elementary Math, Pleasant Valley School District
Writing with
Digital Comics
It’s Serious
Fun!
2. Between the Lines: Reading & Writing for Contemporary Learners” Conference – Summer 2014
Abstract
• When creating comics, students critically think
about content in a way that is naturally fun!
Digital comics can increase that natural value.
In this session you will learn about different
digital comic makers, creation/reflection
processes, and how digital comic creation
aligns with the Common Core. Bring your own
laptop or digital device if you have one, but it
is not necessary.
3. Between the Lines: Reading & Writing for Contemporary Learners” Conference – Summer 2014
When you were younger, do you remember
looking for the comics in the Sunday paper?
What was your
favorite comic or
character? WHY?
4. Between the Lines: Reading & Writing for Contemporary Learners” Conference – Summer 2014
5. Between the Lines: Reading & Writing for Contemporary Learners” Conference – Summer 2014
Goals – Take Aways
• Understand HOW digital comics
creation supports learning goals
– PA Common Core, Creativity, Diverse
Learning Needs, Motivation
• Identify classroom writing process
• Recognize the technology options
• Familiarize with digital comic
creators
• Navigate locations to more resources
6. Between the Lines: Reading & Writing for Contemporary Learners” Conference – Summer 2014
COMICS & LEARNING
GOALS
Diverse Learning Needs, Motivation, PA Common Core & Creativity
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Motivation
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Comic Creation Encourages..
Critical
Thinking
Literacy
Development
Meets Diverse
Student needs!
3 for 1
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Comic Pedagogy for
Critical Thinking (Decker, 2007)
Sustains the question until the learning has a place
of understanding
Attends to complexity and discourages the search
for the simple
Embraces a “punch line”, the counter-intuitive
option
Higher Order
Thinking
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Why Comic Creation?
Reflect on material and to create
deeper meaning - VISUALLY
Visual
Literacy
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Comic Pedagogy
Language Arts
• Writing builds
Vocabulary
• Write complicated
narratives
• Practice Sentence
structure
Builds
Literacy
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PA Common Core
• Grade 6CC.1.4.6.C
Develop and analyze the topic
with relevant facts, definitions,
concrete details, quotations, or
other information and examples;
include graphics and multimedia
when useful to aiding
comprehension.
E06.C.1.2.2
E06.E.1.1.2
See
Handout
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Individual Learning Needs
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http://youtu.be/qRhIhYvDhEU
English Language Learners
• Students can create
the image to
communicate. Then
add the English words
to portray their
cartoon.
• Research shows
increase in vocabulary
and correct sentence
structure.
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Special Needs Students
Comics can help students
with disabilities:
• Create social stories focusing on
behavior.
• Autistic or deaf students may
use the characters to express
what they want to say.
• Able to express emotions by
drawing the expressions on the
characters faces.
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All Learners
• Motivation – Comics
• Rehearsal/Reteaching – Rewrite
concept learned in a comic
• Extension – Apply a concept
learned to a scenario
17. Between the Lines: Reading & Writing for Contemporary Learners” Conference – Summer 2014
Sample Rehearsal-2nd Grader
Explaining
odd and even
numbers
using the
talk balloons
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LET’S TRY A SIMPLE
AVATAR CREATOR:
WILDSELF
19. Between the Lines: Reading & Writing for Contemporary Learners” Conference – Summer 2014www.buildyourwildself.com
Build your WildSelf with adaptations
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Reflection: How could this be
Wildself used?
• Creativity: Create & Make avatars
• Creative Writing: Write a creative story about
yourself
• Mythology: Write a myth about the character
to explain a natural phenomenon
• Science: Explain adaptations and compare to
other species that have those adaptations
• Lesson Plan Link
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DIGITAL COMIC CREATION
Technology & Writing Process
22. Between the Lines: Reading & Writing for Contemporary Learners” Conference – Summer 2014
Tips for the Comic Creation
Process
Teacher
Plan
• Content
• Technology
Writing Process
Content
Brainstorm
Plan Storyboard
Create
SHARE
Revise
Publish
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Know Something about the
Technology
By Casey
Unangst on
Bitstrips
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Common Comic Creator Options
• Text Balloons
• Props
• Panels
• Characters
• Expressions
• Backgrounds/Scenes
• Options Account, Sharing, Printing,
Webcam, Download Photos, Captioning, Edit
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Expectations
You will learn a
little about the
technology.
The student
will learn a lot!
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By Graduate
Student on
Bitstrips
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COMIC MAKERS
Least complex More complex
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Read-Write_Think
• Easiest
• No account
• Comic creator
• Panel number
choice
• Share: Print only
• Graphic
Organizers
• Lesson Plans
• Community
MakeBeliefsComix
• Easy
• No account
• Comic creator
• Panel number –
3
• Manipulate
Characters
• Share: Print &
email
• Lesson Plans
• GOOD resources
Pixton
• Must create an
account
• More complex
• Panels: Totally
adjustable
• Manipulate
Character etc.
• Share: Print,
Email & Embed
• Lesson Plans
• Good Resources
3 Different Level Comic Makers
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Read Write Think
http://www.readwritethink.org/files/reso
urces/interactives/comic/
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In this comic, a third grade
student used captions along
with the talk balloons to write
his story.
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Make Beliefs Comix
http://innovations2010unco.pbworks.com/w/page/314326
28/Writing-%20Make%20Beliefs%20Comix
http://www.makebeliefscomix.com/Comix/#
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Make Belief Comix Workspace
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Pixton
http://www.pixton.com/my-home
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Pixton Choices
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Teacher Resources
• Make Beliefs Comix – See bottom of page
• Read Write Think Community -
http://www.readwritethink.org/
• Pixton - Samples
– http://www.pixton.com/schools/library/
• Planning Sheet -
http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/lesson_
images/lesson195/comic-strip-planning.pdf
• Live Binder of Comics Creators
http://www.livebinders.com/play/play_or_edit?id=414
75
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Summary Questions
• Why should you consider using comics in the
classroom?
• What do you need to do before using in the
classroom?
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38. Between the Lines: Reading & Writing for Contemporary Learners” Conference – Summer 2014
The principle goal of education in the
schools should be creating men and
women who are capable of doing new
things, not simply repeating what
other generations have done.
Jean Piaget
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References
bsockman@esu.edu
Amen, D. (2005). Making a good brain great. New York: Harmony Books.
Blackwell, L. B., Trzesniewski, K. H., & Dweck, C. S. (2007). Implicit theories of intelligence predict achievement across an adolescent transition: A
longitudinal study and an intervention. Child Development, 78(1), 246-263.
Carter, J. B. (2011). Graphic Novels, Web Comics, and Creator Blogs: Examining Product and Process. Theory Into Practice, 50(3), 190-197. doi:
10.1080/00405841.2011.584029
Cornelius-White, J. (2007). Learner-centered teacher-centered relationships are effective: A meta-analysis. Review of Educational Research, 77(1), 113-143.
Decker, E. (2007). Q. What's funny about teaching? A.Not Enough!: Arguing for a comic pedagogy. Educational Insights, 11(3).
Figueiredo, S. (2011). Building Worlds for an Interactive Experience: Selecting, Organizing, and Showing Worlds of Information Through Comics. Journal of
Visual Literacy, 30(1), 86-100.
Gardner, H. (1999). Multiple approaches to learning. In C. M. Reigeluth (Ed.), Instructional-design theories and models: A new paradigm of instructional
theory (Vol. 2, pp. 69-90). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Publishers.
Hammond, K., & Danaher, K. (2012). The value of targeted comic book readers. ELT Journal: English Language Teachers Journal, 66(2), 193-204.
Jee, B. D., & Anggoro, F. K. (2012). Comic Cognition: Exploring the Potential Cognitive Impacts of Science Comics. Journal of Cognitive Education &
Psychology, 11(2), 196-208. doi: 10.1891/1945-8959.11.2.196
Joyce, H. (2007). The world is getting smarter. Retrieved September 25, 2011, from http://moreintelligentlife.com/story/the-world-is-getting-smarter
Kılıçkaya, F., & Krajka, J. (2012). Can the use of web-based comic strip creation tool facilitate EFL learners' grammar and sentence writing? British Journal of
Educational Technology, 43(6), E161-E165. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-8535.2012.01298.x
Lamb, A., & Johnson, L. (2009). Graphic novels, digital comics, and technology-enhanced learning: Part 2. Teacher Librarian, 37(1).
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science. Educational Researcher, 39(9), 643-655.
Mellin, L. (2010). Wired for joy!: A revolutionary method for creating happiness from within (1 ed.). Carlsbad, CA: Hay House.
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Nixon, R. (2012). Teaching narrative writing using comics: Delainey and Rasmussen, the creators of Betty, share their composing strategies as rich literacy
resources for elementary teachers. Literacy, 46(2), 81-93. doi: 10.1111/j.1741-4369.2011.00580.x
Restak, R. (2013). Laughter and the brain: Can humor help us better understand the most complex and enigmatic organ in the human body? . American
Scholar, 82(3), 18-27.
Schunk, D. H. (2000). Learning Theories: An Educational Perspective (3 ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc.
Seglem, R., & Witte, S. (2009). You gotta see it to believe it: Teaching visual literacy in the English classroom. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 53(3),
216-226.
Smetana, L., Odelson, D., Burns, H., & Grisham, D. L. (2009). Using graphic novels in the high school classroom: Engaging Deaf students with a new genre.
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Ward, B. A., & Young, T. A. (2011). Reading Graphically: Comics and Graphic Novels for Readers from Kindergarten through High School. Reading Horizons,
50(4), 283-296.
40. Between the Lines: Reading & Writing for Contemporary Learners” Conference – Summer 2014
Question or Comments
Beth Rajan Sockman
Instructional Technology
bsockman@esu.edu
570-422-3621
For teachers
Form of expression for teachers so that they honestly share their frustrations but don’t “sound” like to their colleagues/admin/supervisors that they are complaining or unwilling…their honesty can shine through their use of visuals not just verbal and text.