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Cartoons and Comics

 

Cartoons and Comics

The use of comics and cartoons in classrooms can have a powerful impact on capturing student interest.   There are many apps and online platforms that allow students and teachers to create comics  as a way to connect to the educational content being covered. This blog post will cover several good options to consider, and one option that I would not recommend.  I have really enjoyed the rise of the graphic novel and the introduction of them at the younger reading levels.  This format allows almost all learners to be able to read and understand.  If reading this format has a positive impact on it's readers, imagine the impact of these same readers being able to create their own comics?

Pixton

Pixton is one of the top platforms that I would recommend to use in the classroom.  It can be used on laptops and IOS devices.  It provides security features that can protect its users and is very user friendly to create comics.  One draw back though is that packages have to be purchased to have the graphics and backgrounds to create the wide-range of comics that you might need.  The platform provides you with several ways to share your comics once created.  All of these options provide the users with ease of access in sharing their created comics.  Below is an example of a comic I created using the package that is free.

Image taken from https://www.pixton.com/

Make Beliefs Comix

The Make Beliefs Comix platform is free, and doesn't require you to sign up for a membership.  It is very user friendly, but you will be limited in what all you can create.  This platform is offered for both laptop and IOS devices.  Make Beliefs Comix offers its user several ways to share or produce their comics.  I would recommend this platform for younger students, and would recommend Pixton for students 4th grade and up.  Here is an example of a comic that I created.

Comic created at https://www.makebeliefscomix.com/Comix/

 ToonDoo

The comic creator platform I would not recommend, is ToonDoo.  While I tried multiple times, and on multiple different computers to signup for this platform, each time the website would not load or my computer would send me alerts that the cite was not protected and that my information could be compromised.  I tried using different web browsers to see if that would help me to log in to the cite.  I was finally able to get set up and use this platform after several days of trying.  If you are braver, more determined, or have a computer that will allow you to log in to this cite, here is some information you might find helpful.  Once in the cite, it is pretty easy to use to create a cartoon.   I do believe that while students could use this cite to create comics, all of the trouble that it took me to log in, would definitely lead to much frustration and possible tears from either some of the students or from you.

Cartoon created from http://www.toondoo.com

 I'm thinking about several different ways that I could share the concept of creating comics digitally.  One way to share this format, would be with the students being able to create and explore with one of these platforms.  I would want the students to get the experience of what's available, play around within the platform, and then have a discussion on how they think that they could use comics within the classroom.  I think also sharing a quick video with teachers about comics and the different comic creator apps and websites would be a good plan.  I would use the video as an invitation for teachers to join a faculty makerspace within the library, on using comics in the classroom.  From that faculty makerspace, I would ask teachers if I could use some of their comics on our library website and in my library newsletters.  I would also use some of the students comics in these same ways as well. 

Comments

  1. Karla Díaz PargaNovember 3, 2019 at 3:44 PM

    Hi Tanya,
    I had trouble using TonDoo. It was very difficult to navigate and even crash on me one time. I would not recommend it. I liked the comics you created to show what can be done with this tools. You also have great ideas about how to implement comics in the library.

    ReplyDelete

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