Date of Award
Spring 5-22-2026
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts (MA)
Department
Education
First Advisor
Caitlin Black
Second Advisor
Shana Cinquemani
Third Advisor
Ramya Ravisankar
Abstract
The world is a visual place nowadays. Media, books, movies, art, and more constantly surround us. What might we do if we consciously incorporate this visual stimulus into our educational spaces? What might we learn about ourselves and the world around us?
In this comics thesis, non-fiction comics are the focus. Through personal reflection and semi-structured interviews with three cartoonist-educators, non-fiction comics’ role in current and future pedagogical practices is explored, with the aim of thinking about how these types of works encourage exploration of oneself, others, and the world at large. I offer three guiding tenets for educators who want to use these texts in their own practice, all while leaving room for other tenets to be added, swapped out, and reworked. I argue that non-fiction comics are a place for contemplation about our own lives, and that these works offer new possibilities for learning in the future.
Recommended Citation
Zawatsky, Maxwell, "Cartooning from Life: A Graphic Guide to Using Non-Fiction Comics in Education" (2026). Masters Theses. 1538.
https://digitalcommons.risd.edu/masterstheses/1538
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Included in
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