Week 9 Assignment

Feedback on three of my classmates' comic strips

In your feedback, please describe how your selected comic strips can be used for teaching and
learning. Your discussion will focus on the design, content and strategies of the comic strip. You
may describe your ideas or thoughts about how these comic strips can be implemented, what
kind of gamified learning environment can be created with these comic strips, etc.
You will analyze three comic strips respectively. About 200 -300 words for each comic strip are
expected. (45 points)

Analysis of Katelyn Conners cartoon
I liked this cartoon as the purpose of the cartoon was to use it as a teaching tool. As a social
studies teacher I use cartoons to teach current events or concepts and ideas, so Katelyns cartoon
is in this genre. Katelyn choose to use her cartoon to teach the concepts of proper nouns and it
is done in an entertaining manner. I know that I found learning the rules of English boring but
the process Katelyn used was entertaining and had a twist as I was not expecting the requirement
to analyze the cartoon for specific information. This approach had me engaged from the start, as
I wasnt expecting the twist at the end where the cartoon asked me to engage and analyze the
cartoon material. This approach would be a huge hit for many students who, like me were
disengaged from learning the rules of English. Because the reader is engaged from the start and
the approach is different I believe that the learner would be more willing to do the work and find
the proper nouns. To take this approach to the next level would be easy; the instructor could
have students create their own cartoons, and each student created cartoon could require the
reader to demonstrate their understanding of various English rules in a different manner. For
example, a cartoon could ask for the learner to identify all the adjectives or adverbs in a student
created cartoon. As Khoii and Forouzesh discuss in their paper Using Comic Strips with
Reading Texts: Are We Making a Mistake? they state, reading develops gradually, a reader
cannot become a fluent reader suddenly and quickly. Rather, fluency in reading is the product of
a long term investment of effort and gradual improvement. Katelyns approach is part of that
long-term approach that is both engaging and educational.


Analysis of Achraf Touats comic strip
I liked this cartoon because it reminded me of the Monty Python movie the search for the Search
for the Holy Grail, in particular the bridge of death scene. This scene required the travelers to
answer three questions in order to pass over the bridge, in the scene several people dont get the
correct answer and are thrown into the abyss. Achrafs cartoon uses humor and uses an analogy
to entertain the reader. An analogy is a comparison between two unlike things that share some
characteristics. By comparing a complex issue or situation with a more familiar one, cartoonists
can help their readers see it in a different light. Achrafs cartoon connects the requirements to get
into a program of studies and the mental ability to solve a seemingly complex problem using and
simple solution. The cartoon requires the reader to think about the challenges in life by using
and looking for simple solutions to challenges and problems. The cartoon is telling the reader
that its the simple things in life that can solve complex problems. I think this cartoon could be
used in math class at the start of word problem unit to demonstrate to the learner that to solve
word problems the learner must analyze the question, look for alternative solutions and think
outside of the box.


Analysis of Stacy Barkers comic strip
Stacy uses humor and irony to get a number of points across to the reader. First of all irony is
the difference between the ways things are and the way things should be or the way things are
expected to be. Cartoonists often use irony to express their opinion on an issue. Irony is used to
demonstrate the challenges of over reliance on technology to assist with instruction. I personally
have had this happen several times as our school and District were struggling to provide
broadband to all the school. Many times the web would be extremely slow or we couldnt log
onto the sites we needed. I also have the challenge of having all of my lessons, activities and
student work on our District web platform Desire2Learn (D2L), so when the system goes down it
sure make you scramble as a teacher to provide the ideas in your lesson. Stacie also uses humor
to get her point across; this cartoon could be used in a teacher publication or part of an article
about the challenges of transitioning into an electronic learning environment. The humor is sort
of black humor as the observer can feel the teachers pain and probably experienced a lesson
going badly because of either technical issues or some other unforeseen event. The cartoon is
also humorous because the teacher has planned for the lesson, and planned for a backup in case
the technology fails; however in the end the teacher can only create so many alternative lesson
plans. Some days as teachers we just have to give in to the inevitable that the lesson you planned
for the day will not take place and you must adapt and teach the material in a different manner.


References:
Khoii, R., & Forouzesh, Z. (2010). Using comic strips with reading texts: are we making a
mistake? Literacy information and computer education journal (LICEJ), Islamic Azad
University, North Tehran Branch, Iran. (1. 3)