{"id":34891,"date":"2023-09-17T06:35:00","date_gmt":"2023-09-17T06:35:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/?p=34891"},"modified":"2023-09-22T10:23:35","modified_gmt":"2023-09-22T10:23:35","slug":"3-reasons-we-use-graphic-novels-to-teach-math-and-physics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/3-reasons-we-use-graphic-novels-to-teach-math-and-physics\/","title":{"rendered":"3 reasons we use graphic novels to teach math and\u00a0physics"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Sarah Klanderman<\/a>, Marian University<\/a><\/em> and Josha Ho<\/a>, Marian University<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Post-pandemic, some educators are trying to reengage students with technology \u2013 like videos, computer gaming<\/a> or artificial intelligence, just to name a few. But integrating these approaches in the classroom can be an uphill battle. Teachers using these tools often struggle to retain students\u2019 attention, competing with the latest social media phenomenon, and can feel limited by using short video clips to get concepts across.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Graphic novels \u2013 offering visual information married with text \u2013 provide a means to engage students without losing all of the rigor of textbooks. As two educators in math<\/a> and physics<\/a>, we have found graphic novels to be effective at teaching students of all ability levels. We\u2019ve used graphic novels in our own classes, and we\u2019ve also inspired and encouraged other teachers to use them. And we\u2019re not alone: Other teachers are rejuvenating this analog medium with a high level of success<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition to covering a wide range of topics and audiences<\/a>, graphic novels can explain tough topics without alienating student averse to STEM \u2013 science, technology, engineering and math. Even for students who already like math and physics, graphic novels provide a way to dive into topics beyond what is possible in a time-constrained class. In our book \u201cUsing Graphic Novels in the STEM Classroom<\/a>,\u201d we discuss the many reasons why graphic novels have a unique place in math and physics education. Here are three of those reasons:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Explaining complex concepts with rigor and fun<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Increasingly, schools are moving away from textbooks<\/a>, even though studies show that students learn better using print rather than digital formats<\/a>. Graphic novels offer the best of both worlds: a hybrid between modern and traditional media.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This integration of text with images and diagrams is especially useful in STEM disciplines<\/a> that require quantitative reading and data analysis skills, like math and physics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, our collaborator Jason Ho, an assistant professor at Dordt University<\/a>, uses \u201cMax the Demon Vs Entropy of Doom<\/a>\u201d to teach his physics students about entropy. This topic can be particularly difficult for students because it\u2019s one of the first times when they can\u2019t physically touch something in physics. Instead, students have to rely on math and diagrams to fill in their knowledge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rather than stressing over equations, Ho\u2019s students focus on understanding the subject more conceptually. This approach helps build their intuition before diving into the algebra. They get a feeling for the fundamentals before they have to worry about equations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After having taken Ho\u2019s class, more than 85% of his students agreed<\/a> that they would recommend using graphic novels in STEM classes, and 90% found this particular use<\/a> of \u201cMax the Demon\u201d helpful for their learning. When strategically used, graphic novels can create a dynamic, engaging teaching environment even with nuanced, quantitative topics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Combating quantitative anxiety<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Students learning math and physics today are surrounded by math anxiety and trauma<\/a>, which often lead to their own negative associations with math. A student\u2019s perception of math can be influenced by the attitudes of the role models around them \u2013 whether it\u2019s a parent who is \u201cnot a math person\u201d<\/a> or a teacher with a high level of math anxiety<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Graphic novels can help make math more accessible not only for students themselves, but also for parents or students learning to be teachers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a geometry course one of us (Sarah) teaches, secondary education students don\u2019t memorize formulas and fill out problem sheets. Instead, students read \u201cWho Killed Professor X?<\/a>\u201d, a murder mystery in which all of the suspects are famous mathematicians. The suspects\u2019 alibis are justified through problems from geometry, algebra and pre-calculus. https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/vATkt9xuA44?wmode=transparent&start=27 A peak inside the mathematical graphic novel \u2018Who Killed Professor X?\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While trying to understand the hidden geometry of suspect relationships, students often forget that they are doing math \u2013 focusing instead on poring over secret hints and notes needed to solve the mystery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although this is just one experience for these students, it can help change the narrative for students experiencing mathematical anxiety. It boosts their confidence and shows them how math can be fun \u2013 a lesson they can then impart to the next generation of students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Helping students learn and readers dream big<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In addition to being viewed favorably by students, graphic novels can enhance student learning by improving written communication skills<\/a>, reading comprehension<\/a> and critical literacy skills<\/a>. And even outside the classroom, graphic novels support long-term memory for those who have diagnoses like dyslexia<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pause and think about your own experience \u2013 how do you learn about something new in science?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re handed a textbook, it\u2019s extremely unlikely that you\u2019d read it cover to cover. And although the internet offers an enormous amount of math and physics content, it can be overwhelming to sift through hours and hours of videos to find the perfect one to get the \u201caha!\u201d moment in learning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Graphic novels provide a starting point for such a broad range of niche topics<\/a> that it\u2019s impossible for anyone to be experts in them all. Want to learn about programming? Try the \u201cSecret Coders<\/a>\u201d series. Want to understand more about quantum physics? Dive into \u201cSuspended in Language: Niels Bohr\u2019s life, discoveries, and the century he shaped<\/a>.\u201d Searching for more female role models in science? \u201cAstronauts: Women on the Final Frontier<\/a>\u201d could be just what you\u2019re looking for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With all that they offer, graphic novels provide a compelling list of topics and narratives that can capture the attention of students today. We believe that the right set of graphic novels can inspire the next generation of scientists as much as any single individual can.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sarah Klanderman<\/a>, Assistant Professor of Mathematics, Marian University<\/a><\/em> and Josha Ho<\/a>, Adjunct Professor of Mathematics and Computer Science, Marian University<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This article is republished from The Conversation<\/a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sarah Klanderman, Marian University and Josha Ho, Marian University Post-pandemic, some educators are trying to reengage students with technology \u2013 like videos, computer gaming or artificial intelligence, just to name a few. But integrating these approaches in the classroom can be an uphill battle. Teachers using these tools often struggle to retain students\u2019 attention, competing […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":44,"featured_media":34892,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[292],"tags":[1996,14534,3555,13861,665,1188,14533,14532,2381],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34891"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/44"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=34891"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34891\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":34893,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34891\/revisions\/34893"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/34892"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=34891"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=34891"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=34891"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}