CASE STUDIES
Anyone around comics already knows these things to be true, but here is some research to back it up.
• How comic books make kids and adults smarter
http://bigthink.com/videos/gene-luen-yang-how-comic-books-can-make-kids-and-adults-smarter
• Can the X-Men Make You Smarter?
http://www.parents-choice.org/article.cfm?art_id=140&the_page=editorials
• 6 Ways Reading Comics Makes You Smarter
https://www.lifehack.org/468585/6-ways-reading-comics-makes-you-smarter
• Are Comic Books an Effective Way to Engage Nonmajors in Learning and Appreciating Science?
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3164570/
• Comics are gaining respect in the educational community
https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/articles/teaching-content/comic-books/
• The New Teachers’ Aides: Superman and Iron Man
Leading industry talents are creating new comic books for the classroom, aligning them with the Common Core.
https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2014/09/how-comic-books-are-creating-super-classrooms/380236/
• The Power of Digital-Comic Therapy in Schools
An uptick in special-needs diagnoses among students has led educators to turn to an unlikely source for solace.
https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2017/05/the-power-of-digital-comic-therapy/526911/
• Great article from CBR here. “This doesn’t come as a surprise to a lot of us, but a recent study confirms what’s been theorized for years: Comics are a stronger learning tool than text books. It’s gratifying to see for the already-converted, but it should also be a strong signal to publishers and educators that the recent exploration of comics in schools is the right way to go. After all, the brain processes images 60,000 times faster than it processes text.”
https://www.cbr.com/the-benefits-and-risks-of-comics-in-education/
• OU study shows graphic novel readers retain more information versus traditional textbook users.
https://newsok.com/article/3748784/ou-study-shows-graphic-novel-readers-retain-more-information-versus-traditional-textbook-users
• Comics make you smarter
https://geekandsundry.com/science-proves-reading-comics-makes-you-smarter/
• Why reading comics makes you smarter
https://www.scribd.com/document/344414221/why-reading-comics-makes-you-smarter
• Reading Comic Books May Help Students Do Better in School
https://study.com/articles/Reading_Comic_Books_May_Help_Students_Do_Better_in_School.html
• Comics in the Classroom: Why Comics?
https://teach.com/blog/why-comics/
• Turning Struggling Students into Superheroes: Comic Books as Teaching Tools
https://teach.com/blog/comic-books-in-the-classroom/
• Comics in the Classroom. Building reading comprehension and literary analysis — with help from the X-Men
https://www.gse.harvard.edu/news/uk/17/12/comics-classroom
• How the humble comic book could become the next classroom superhero
http://theconversation.com/how-the-humble-comic-book-could-become-the-next-classroom-superhero-73486
• How I use comic books as a learning tool in my social studies classroom
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/education/how-i-use-comic-books-as-a-learning-tool-in-my-social-studies-classroom
• Joe Rogan and Eddie Bravo talk comic books
Are you starting to see a pattern here?
How about this?
Barack Obama: “I Grew Up Loving Comic Books”
https://comicbook.com/2015/03/25/barack-obama-i-grew-up-loving-comic-books/
Also of merit.
• While doing research on this, we came across this bit of encouragement, we will be contacting them shortly.
http://www.stanleefoundation.org
Excerpt:
“Not only is literacy essential, it’s a right that is denied to many students because of ailing public school systems. Though private and charter schools are available to some, many children are lacking a quality education. Aware of this need, the Stan Lee Foundation strives to provide equal access to literacy and education. In partnership with leading nonprofit, educational, and arts organizations, the Stan Lee Foundation provides guidance, leadership, and resources to high quality educational programs.
Collaborating organizations will benefit by having access to one of the most trusted and respected literary icons of this era. With Stan Lee’s global media presence, the most important thing the Stan Lee Foundation can provide is EXPOSURE.
Literacy is a fundamental building block for general education. A literate society helps meet the complex demands of an evolving nation. Our ability to learn, work and prosper is based heavily on the ability to read.
Surprisingly, 1 in 7 US Adults are illiterate* *National Center for Education Statistics
By developing strategic alliances with other credible organizations, the Stan Lee Foundation will:
- Promote Literacy For Children And Adults
- Fund Educational Programs For Underprivileged Children
- Provide Access To The Arts In Underserved Communities
The Stan Lee Foundation will provide guidance, leadership, resources and exposure to worthy institutions that share in its dedication to upholding these goals. In doing so, the Stan Lee Foundation will shape a new generation of writers, thinkers, philanthropists, innovators… heroes.”
• The Comic Book Project is a world-renowned literacy initiative that engages young people in the process of planning, writing, designing, and publishing original comic books. http://www.comicbookproject.org/
