Using Educational Comics in Physics Teaching for Chemistry and Biochemistry Students: Impact on Motivation and Domain-Specific Conceptual Gains

TL;DR

This study demonstrates that educational comics can enhance motivation and facilitate domain-specific conceptual gains in physics among undergraduate students in chemistry-related fields.

Contribution

It introduces the use of educational comics as an active learning tool in physics education for non-physics undergraduates, showing positive effects on motivation and conceptual understanding.

Findings

Average normalized gain of 0.21 on the FCI.

Higher gains in content-related items (g=0.23) than non-related items (g=0.19).

Improvements in student interest, self-efficacy, and reduced negative emotions.

Abstract

This study investigates the impact of educational comics as an active learning strategy in physics workshops for undergraduate students in Chemistry and Pharmacy and Biochemistry during the second semester of 2025. Conceptual understanding was assessed using the Force Concept Inventory (FCI), and student motivation and attitudes toward physics were evaluated through a Likert-type survey administered in pre- and post-test formats. The results show an average normalized gain of g = 0.21 on the FCI, corresponding to a low-to-medium range according to physics education research. A higher gain is observed in items directly related to the intervened content (g = 0.23) compared to non-intervened items (g = 0.19), suggesting that instructional design influences domain-specific conceptual development. At the motivational level, improvements are observed in student interest, self-efficacy, and perceived usefulness of physics, along with a reduction in negative emotional responses toward the subject. These findings indicate that educational comics can serve as an effective pedagogical scaffold, promoting positive learning dispositions and supporting targeted conceptual development in non-physics undergraduate contexts.