Comic Strip as an Educational Tool

This post is written by Anamika Biswas.

Google launched its new browser with a bang. By now there must have millions and billions downloads of the same. Before I could really start with browser I got hooked to its engaging comic- Google Chrome Comic. During our childhood, we all were charmed by comics and their characters. We have admired those fictional characters and their colorful backgrounds. Comics remained as our good companions and entertainers.

Even though, the use of comic strips/comic characters for advertisement has received good response. But Google Chrome Comic made a mark on my psyche as Comic strips can be used as an effective educational/tutorial tool. I have read it more than four to five times. Every time I had a different reason to read it: of course, first reading was to understand what this new browser has on offer? Rest of the re-readings was to appreciate the brilliant usage this medium known as Comic.

Scott McCloud the artist behind this Non-Fictional comic has made it into an engaging tutorial by:

• Converting life cycle of the product into an illustrative narration. (We all like to read stories, so do we like this one as well)
  
  
  


• Introducing names of the team members to make narration authentic


• Presenting visual of various actions/reactions of technical ingredients/elements of the chrome


• Employing animated facial expressions and body language of the team members to inspire the reader to feel emotion of the narrative
  
  
  
  


• Using symbols/icons to expand the linguistic aspects of the narrative.


• Utilizing limited and essential technical terms used with ease


• Creating easy to relate illustrations from day to day life to narrate technical concepts


• There is a desired attempt to make user familiar with the features and feel of the chrome through various indirect method as:
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  • It carries the theme of the chrome i.e. simplicity at its best. So the back drops of the comic strips are quite simple
  
  
  • Scott McCloud has used similar blue color with combination of white, as the Chrome has
  
  
  • Comic is divided into five parts. Every time a new part starts the layout of the strip carries the New Tab Frame of the chrome
  
  
  
  

Hope to see more such unusual mediums to be part of educational/learning tools.



(Images from googlebooks/chrome)

Creating Animations Easily, well almost...

I earlier wrote about using comics in elearning and how easy it can be to create comics. Well, here a new site that allows you to create animations. GoAnimate provides you with tools to create animations easily. I am not sure if we can actually use this tool to create animations that you can embed in your elearning courses, but the idea is fantastic. Like I mentioned the last time, the hardest part is the creativity required in the storyline and script. It is worth trying your hand at both these tools to create comics and animations.