Abstract

In engineering colleges, first-year students come from different kinds of high school and have different technical backgrounds. In engineering graphics courses, the weaker students are the ones entering with a lower technical background. Such students are less motivated and have generally difficulties in keeping high their attention level during the lessons. In this study, the use of a webcomics structured in graphic novels was experimented as a motivational support in an engineering graphics course. Sixty nine students of a class taught by using webcomics as support and 47 students of a class taught traditionally were classified according to the kind of their high school of provenience: technical; scientific; non-technical and non-scientific. The findings showed that in the class where webcomics were used, students from non-technical and non-scientific high school scored a higher level of attention compared to others. The teacher who used the webcomics commented it an effective tool to encourage and stimulate weaker learners to actively participate to the lessons and the majority of students agreed such tool was stimulating. At the same time, some students considered the webcomics representation of engineering graphics topics as too far from the reality. It is concluded that the use of webcomics structured in graphic novels is a proficient way to better motivate weaker students to arouse and keep their attention at a high level during engineering graphics lessons.

Keywords:

Comic strips, engineering education, graphic novels, teaching, technical drawing,

References

1. Baillie, C. and G. Fitzgerald, 2000. Motivation and attrition in engineering students. Eur. J. Eng. Educ., 25(2): 145-155.
   CrossRef    
2. Contero, M., F. Naya, P. Company, J.L. Saorìn and J. Conesa, 2005. Improving visualization skills in engineering education. IEEE Comput. Graph., 25(5): 24-31.
   CrossRef    
3. Cronbach, L.J., 1951. Coefficient alpha and the internal structure of tests. Psychometrik, 16: 297-334.
   CrossRef    
4. Davis, R.S., 1997. Comics: A Multi-Dimensional Teaching Aid in Integrated-skills Classes.
   Direct Link
5. Dutta, P. and A. Haubold, 2007. A model for teaching engineering design. Proceedings of the 37th Frontiers in Education Conference. Milwaukee, WI, Oct. 10-13, S2J: 14-19.
   CrossRef    
6. Ernst, J.V. and A.C. Clark, 2012. Attitudes and motivation of students in an introductory technical graphics course: A meta-analysis study. Eng. Des. Graph. J., 76(2): 1-16.
   
7. Hosler, J. and K.B. Boomer, 2011. Are comic books an effective way to engage nonmajors in learning and appreciating science? CBE-Life Sci. Educ., 10(3): 309-317.
   CrossRef    PMid:21885827 PMCid:PMC3164570    
8. Huett, J.B., K.E. Kalinowski, L. Moller and K.C. Huett, 2008. Improving the motivation and retention of online students through the use of ARCS-based E-mails. Am. J. Distance Educ., 22: 159-176.
   CrossRef    
9. Kakalios, J., 2002. Adding pow! To your physics class with comic-book lessons. Curriculum Rev., 42.2: 14-15.
   
10. Keller, J.M., 1987a. Development and use of the ARCS model of motivational design. J. Instruct. Dev., 10(3): 2-10.
    CrossRef    
11. Keller, J.M., 1987b. Strategies for stimulating the motivation to learn. Perform. Instruct., 26(8): 1-7.
    CrossRef    
12. Keller, J.M., 1987c. The systematic process of motivational design. Perform. Instruct., 26(9): 1-8.
    CrossRef    
13. Keller, J.M., 2006a. Development of two measures of learner motivation. Florida State University, Tallahassee, United States.
    
14. Keller, J.M., 2006b. What is Motivational Design?
    Direct Link
15. Keller, J.M. and K. Suzuki, 1988. Use of the ARCS Motivation Model in Courseware Design. In: Jonassen, D.H. (Ed.), Instructional Designs for Microcomputer Courseware. Lawrence Erlbaum, Hillsdale, NJ.
    
16. Kirk, R., 1996. Practical significance: A concept whose time has come. Educ. Psychol. Meas., 56(5): 746-759.
    CrossRef    
17. McLuhan, M. and L.H. Lapham, 1994. Understanding Media. The Extensions of Man. Reprint Edn., MIT Press, Cambridge, Mass.
    
18. Metraglia, R., G. Baronio and V. Villa, 2011. Learning levels in technical drawing education: Proposal for an assessment grid based on the European Qualifications Framework (EQF). Proceedings of the 18th International Conference on Engineering Design. Lingby/Copenaghen, Denmark, Aug. 15-19, 8: 161-172.
    
19. Metraglia, R., G. Baronio, V. Villa and R. Adamini, 2013. Development of a self-assessment questionnaire for basic technical drawing skills: A preliminary study. Proc. Soc. Behav. Sci., 106: 848-859.
    CrossRef    
20. Norton, B., 2003. The motivating power of comic books: Insights from archie comic readers. Read. Teach., 57(2): 140-147.
    
21. Retalis, S., 2008. State of the Art Comics in Education. Using Web Comics in Education.
    Direct Link
22. Salas-Morera, L., M.A. Cejas-Molina, J.L. Olivares-Olmedilla, M.S. Climent-Bellido, J.A. Leva- Ramírez and P. Martínez-Jiménez, 2013. Improving engineering skills in high school students: A partnership between university and K-12 teachers. Int. J. Technol. Des. Ed., 23(4): 903-920.
    CrossRef    
23. Salehi, H., M.M. Yunus and M.A. Embi, 2012. Effects of using digital comics to improve ESL writing. Res. J. Appl. Sci. Eng. Technol., 4(18): 3462-3469.
    
24. Tatalovic, M., 2009. Science comics as tools for science education and communication: A brief, exploratory study. J. Sci. Commun., 8(4): 1-17.
    
25. Versaci, R., 2001. How comic books can change the way our students see literature: One teacher's perspective. Engl. J., 91(2): 61-67.
    CrossRef    
26. Williams, N., 1995. The comic book as course book: Why and how. Proceeding of the Annual Meeting of the Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages. Long Beach, CA.
    
27. Yang, G., 2003a. History of Comics in Education. Comics in Education.
    Direct Link
28. Yang, G., 2003b. Strenghts of Comics in Education. Comics in Education.
    Direct Link
29. Zimmerman, B., 2010. Using Digital Comics for Language Learning. eLearn Magazine.
    Direct Link

Competing interests

The authors have no competing interests.

Open Access Policy

This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made.

Copyright

The authors have no competing interests.