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

Mauricio Echiburu, Camilo Henriquez, Rodrigo Valdés, Cristobal Ríos

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.

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

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.

Paper Structure

This paper contains 6 sections, 4 figures, 4 tables.

Table of Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. Theoretical Framework
  3. Methodology
  4. Results
  5. Discussion
  6. Conclusions

Figures (4)

  • Figure 1: (Left) Distribution of Force Concept Inventory scores (30 items) in pretest and posttest for 22 students with paired data. (Right) Average percentage of correct responses in pre and post considering all 30 items and the corresponding normalized gain.
  • Figure 2: Percentage of correct responses in pre and post by student and group average, separated by item type.
  • Figure 3: Pre and post averages of positively worded items in the motivational survey.
  • Figure 4: Pre and post averages of negatively worded items in the motivational survey.