Constructing socio-scientific issue literacy through comics in learning apperception for elementary school students

Abstract

This study explores the role of comics in constructing socio-scientific literacy among elementary school students. Through content analysis of conversations between teachers and students, we examined the sources of information in comics, including text, images, multimodal interaction and implicit meaning. Our findings revealed that students rely on more than just explicit information from text and images; they also engage in multimodal interaction, combining visual and textual elements, and interpret implicit meanings within the comics’ narratives. The design of the comics influences the distribution of information, with comic strips providing substantial explicit content and comics with minimal text emphasizing visual elements. Additionally, mathematical representations, such as bar charts, are incorporated to enhance students’ statistical and scientific inquiry literacy. These findings highlighted the potential of comics as effective educational resources for promoting socio-scientific literacy, fostering critical thinking skills and empowering students to engage with complex socio-scientific issues. Educators and researchers can utilize these insights to design educational comics that engage students and facilitate the construction of socio-scientific literacy, ultimately equipping them with the skills to navigate real-world challenges. Further research is recommended to explore the long-term effects of comics on students’ knowledge retention and decision-making skills.