The Effectiveness of Using Comics in Education: A Meta-analytic and Meta-thematic Analysis Study

Abstract

The aim of the study is to assess educational comics in the context of meta-analytic and meta-thematic analysis. Within the scope of meta-analysis, studies on educational comics from 2005 to 2021 were obtained from different databases. The effect size of educational comics studies on achievement was medium (g=0.71), and on attitudes was also medium (g=0.70), with educational comics in favor of academic achievement and attitude points. Moderator analyses were conducted in the meta-analytic process, and it is aimed to address the status of educational comic activity in terms of teaching levels, application process, subject matter domains and sample sizes. The reliability of meta-analysis process was considered and the operations in the meta-analysis process were completed at reliable levels. For the meta-thematic aspect, national and international studies with qualitative dimensions were reached. Despite some minor flaws of the comic, it has been seen that it has positive effects on academic achievement, attitude, and cognitive and affective dimensions of students. These emerging data were combined in two directions, and it was ensured that the study reached a general conclusion. It is thought that performing both meta-analysis and meta-thematic analysis with different data sources contributes to the scope and reliability of the research.