Cartoons & Comics

 Cartoon & Comics

As a child born in the 20th century, I remember the joy of reading the comics from the newspaper at my grandparent's house. I loved getting the new Sunday paper, pulling the comic section out, and sitting at the breakfast table for another round of Garfield’s antics, or reading about Calvin and Hobbs’ new adventures. Cartoons and comics have a great effect on children in many ways. As stated in an article published by the Harvard Graduate School of Education, “Motivating students with texts that resonate with their personal interests and identities will increase their investment, leading to greater exposure to words, greater vocabulary acquisition, and more frequent use of reading strategies — three cornerstones of comprehension” (Sellars, 2017). So how does one begin using cartoons and comics in the classroom so that students may experience the benefits of such? There is a plethora of websites geared toward those in the teaching field looking for ideas and ways to incorporate the use of comics and cartoons into their classroom and coursework. I have created comics with the use of three particular websites and will share my thoughts on them below. 

Fotojet

The first website I used was Fotojet. Take a look at the comic I created below using this site. 

FotoJet is a free, online comic strip website that offers its users a way to create comics with real photos of their own! The site also allows users to create collages, posters, cards, and other fun projects. There is an upgrade option available if users want additional editing tools, effects, graphics, and more. The free version has multiple templates to use and is fairly simple to navigate. While working in this program, it reminded me of Canva (if you are familiar with such).  As you can see in the comic I created above, I chose not to use my own photos, but rather clipart that was offered on the site. As I stated earlier, for me, it was fairly easy to use because of its similarity to Canva. I was able to create my comic strip with ease and had fun doing so. I did find that I was limited in some ways using the free version, as I was wanting additional options for clipart. Also, after finishing my creation, I was able to download or share my comic. If I was willing to pay for the upgrade, I would have been able to save my project to my account to access it at another time. Overall, I was pleased with the website. Students would easily be able to create their own comics using FotoJet and would enjoy doing so.  

Pixton

The next website I tried for comic strip creation was Pixton. Check out my comic below!

Pixton was by far my favorite of the three websites I used. The site offers various plans for educators, parents, students, and businesses. Upon completing the account setup, you are taken to your dashboard where you can begin creating right away. This particular site has a lot of options available to users such as more realistic characters and backgrounds. Users can easily change multiple aspects of their characters, from haircuts to outfits, and more! Additional options available (right away without a paid account) include just about everything you can imagine! I found it easy to manipulate each scene as I progressed in creating my comic. Story starters and writing prompts are available if your creativity is stuck. The only downfall to the program was I was not able to download or share my creation without upgrading my account. All in all, this was my favorite website of the three comic strip-making sites. Students would genuinely love using Pixton in class!

MakeBeliefsComix

The last website I used was MakeBeliefsComix. Check out my creation below. 

After having such a great time using Pixton, my hopes for this particular site were high. I will honestly say I found this particular website difficult to use. Before I continue though, I must convey that this site has A LOT to offer educators. There are tons of ideas and resources available and other various ways to use this website. For my comic strip, however, I found navigating and figuring out tools somewhat of a challenge at first. I would have liked more realistic characters and more options for changing the characters I selected to use. Once I figured out how the program worked and how to use the tools, creating my comic became easier. I was able to download a copy of my creation and also had the option to print. If I wanted to save it online, I needed to sign in which required creating an account. I don’t think students will enjoy using the comic strip creator as much as some of the others, but I may try using this site again to see if my experience changes. 

Using Cartoons and Comics in Class

The use of cartoons and comics in class can have a powerful effect on student learning. Because of this, I plan to share this idea with the teachers in our school. As a librarian, I collaborate with my teachers as often as I can and I try to bring new ideas each time we meet. Here are some ideas using cartoons and comics I will bring to them: 

1. Use for creative writing

2. Character perspectives

3. Current events

4. Social/Emotional learning

5. Vocabulary practice for ESL students 

As you can see, there are many ways to incorporate the use of cartoons and comics into the classroom and other educational settings. For more information and useful ideas and resources, check out MakeBeliefsComix!

Works Cited:

Sellars, J. (2017, December 5). Comics in the classroom. Harvard Graduate School of Education. Retrieved October 29, 2022, from https://www.gse.harvard.edu/news/uk/17/12/comics-classroom 

Comic builder. Pixton. (n.d.). Retrieved October 29, 2022, from https://www.pixton.com/comic-builder 

Turn your ideas into stunning artworks. FotoJet. (n.d.). Retrieved October 29, 2022, from https://www.fotojet.com/ 

Zimmerman, B. (n.d.). MakeBeliefsComix. Retrieved October 29, 2022, from https://makebeliefscomix.com/ 

Videos and QR Codes in the Library

In today's digital world, information is available in multiple mediums and accessible in an instant. In order to stay current with the demand for information digitally, librarians can utilize various digital tools to better serve their patrons. For example, creating and uploading video tutorials for students or community members to view as needed. This is not only a time saver for the user but also another way for the library program to continue curtailing its services to meet the needs of patrons. Here are a few examples of video tutorials that address user needs: 

How to Use Soundzabound

This particular video from theunquietlibrary had 141 views and would be a great tutorial for showing how to add sound to a presentation. One downfall is, in my opinion, this tutorial would need to be updated but may still be relevant for some.  

Using EasyBib to Cite a Music File from iTunes

**This would be most liked and most useful for students**

This video, also from theunquietlibrary, oddly did not have as many views as the previous video but has not been available for nearly as long as the previous one. This would be a great tutorial for showing patrons how to cite music used in a project and is still relevant because people still use iTunes.

Here are some other video tutorials from Pikesville High School Library. I found these to be very informative and a great resource for students (and their parents) to refer back to as needed.

2013-2014 Registration Process

**This would be most liked by students**

Sharing information about registration criteria and tips for scheduling, this video by Pikesvillehslibrary would be useful for patrons. Having 256 Views, it would be a great resource to refer back to for registration questions. One thing I would change is maybe adding some graphics to show information visually.

2014-2015 Course Advisement

**This would be most useful for students**

This particular video from Pikesvillehslibrary had 348 views, proving its usefulness to students wanting to access information about course advisement. This video is great information for selecting courses, includes lots of visuals and excerpts from teachers, and is available to view by students and parents. The only downside to this video is it may be a little lengthy and some of the audio was difficult to hear.

Another librarian/media specialist from a middle school offers great video tutorials for students to access. 

Noodle Tools - How to make a website citation

This video tutorial shares information with students about how to use a web application, Noodle Tools, to create a website citation. This video is very thorough and the librarian also offers a follow-up video on how to print or export the works cited list from Noodle Tools. With 286 views is a great resource for students but it is a little lengthy.

eResources Tutorial

**This would be most liked and most useful for students**

This tutorial focuses on how students can access electronic databases and resources. Having 213 views. this is a great tutorial on how to access and utilize the digital content the library program offers. This would not only be helpful to students but also to parents who may be trying to help their child with homework or a research project.

As a future librarian, I plan on following in the footsteps of the librarian/media specialists mentioned above. Creating tutorials on various topics can improve student access to resources but also access to a librarian when help is needed or requested.

Another example of ways to promote the library program and resources is through the use of book trailers. Book trailers are a wonderful way to highlight various books and promote interest in different genres and with different authors. I created a book trailer on a recent read by Angeline Boulley titled Firekeeper's Daughter. Scan the QR code below to view my book trailer!

Synopsis from the publisher: 
Eighteen-year-old Daunis Fontaine has never quite fit in, both in her hometown and on the nearby Ojibwe reservation. She dreams of a fresh start at college, but when family tragedy strikes, Daunis puts her future on hold to look after her fragile mother. The only bright spot is meeting Jamie, the charming new recruit on her brother Levi’s hockey team.

Yet even as Daunis falls for Jamie, she senses the dashing hockey star is hiding something. Everything comes to light when Daunis witnesses a shocking murder, thrusting her into an FBI investigation of a lethal new drug.

Reluctantly, Daunis agrees to go undercover, drawing on her knowledge of chemistry and Ojibwe traditional medicine to track down the source. But the search for truth is more complicated than Daunis imagined, exposing secrets and old scars. At the same time, she grows concerned with an investigation that seems more focused on punishing the offenders than protecting the victims.

Now, as the deceptions―and deaths―keep growing, Daunis must learn what it means to be a strong Anishinaabe kwe (Ojibwe woman) and how far she’ll go for her community, even if it tears apart the only world she’s ever known.

Using QR codes in the library brings access to information and resources so easily! I plan on using QR codes for access to items such as wifi networks, library resources or references, social media handles, virtual library tours, and more. Check out this study on the use of QR codes in the library: 

QR Code And Its Effectiveness in Library Services

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Infographic Webapps

Successful communication with an audience is vital to anyone who is taking the time to share information and data. One must be thorough and present data in a format that its readers can understand and glean knowledge from. One way to do so is through the use of infographic web apps. In this particular blog, I will be critiquing three different free infographic web apps for ease of use and access to tools to better create infographics. To become familiar with each web app, I found research data from Pew Research Center and attempted to create three identical infographics using bar charts to represent data found on the use of digital devices and social media sites by children ages 11 and younger during the years of 2020 and 2021. This was of interest to a lot of people due to this being the time period when Covid was prevalent and many people were social distancing and finding other means of entertainment - especially parents with young children. 

The first infographic web app I tested was Easel.ly. This particular application, as noted in a beginner's tutorial on youtube, works best in Firefox. However, I used Google Chrome and had no problems. To begin using this application, you may sign up for a free account by registering with your email and creating a password. After setting up your free account, the dashboard provides public layouts/templates for the user to choose from with an option to create from scratch. Within each template, you can manipulate your project by adding objects, shapes, and text, uploading photos, changing colors, and more. I began my infographic creation using a blank template. I inserted and manipulated a bar chart to reflect the data I had found on children using digital devices and social media sites during a two-year span. I did struggle some when trying to adjust the bar chart to show a title for the x & y axis or when wanting to change the coloring and text font and size on the free version. I was disappointed that I could not do any of those things but continued with my creation. Though there was a bit of a learning curve to using this particular web application, I did finally finish my infographic. There are many ways to share your creations: email, link, and embed code. You can also invite others to edit your work or share it on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter. Overall, I wasn’t too impressed with this application, but I can say it got the job done. 

The second infographic web application I reviewed was Infogram. I tried accessing this web app using Google Chrome but encountered problems with the site loading. I was finally able to access it using Microsoft Edge. Once creating my free account, I noticed the dashboard had a very clean interface. I also noticed there were templates available for the user but only about six to eight. The options available were fundamental but users can add charts, text, maps, pictures, and video links. Unlike Easel.ly, projects can be shared on additional social media sites other than Facebook and Twitter. An additional option includes Pinterest and publishing to the web. Users can generate an embed code to use as needed. I was disappointed to see that the option to download my project required upgrading my account from a free account to a paid account. Overall, this infographic web application wasn’t too bad, but I was left wanting more. 

The third infographic web app I evaluated was Piktochart. As with the other infographic applications, once creating a free account, you arrive at your dashboard. This web application also offers various templates and project themes to its users. I attempted to create a bar chart just as I had in the previous web apps by selecting a blank template. As I began my infographic, I noticed that Piktochart offered more graphic and formatting options. I was also impressed at the additional tools such as adding maps, charts, videos, etc. While creating my bar chart, I could also manipulate the properties of the chart to include X and Y-axis titles, along with the ability to manipulate the font and coloring of the text on the chart. I noticed that there was an option to import data for ease in making charts or other infographic visuals. Once done with your creation, a user may download the project as an image or pdf. It can also be shared via email as an attachment or printed with the use of a desktop computer. Sharing the Piktograph creation can also be done via many social websites such as Facebook, Twitter, Google, Pinterest, email, or the generation of an embed code. This web app also allows its users to share their projects via email directly within the application. Once shared, recipients may view, interact, and leave comments on the project. Overall, I felt as though this particular web application was the most user-friendly and offered more features and tools than the other infographic applications. Check out the infographic I created below using Piktochart!