Preservice Teachers' Perceptions and Knowledge of Graphic Novels in the Content Areas

Abstract

This article describes a qualitative study conducted to introduce preservice teachers to graphic novels which are often considered 'unconventional' reading materials. The study addressed specific questions to gain better understanding of preservice teachers' perceptions and knowledge of graphic novels, as well as how graphic novels can be used as classroom resources in each content area. There were fifteen preservice teachers involved in the study. Findings reveal that overall preservice teachers in this study believed that graphic novels were a beneficial resource to engage students in content material, and using them as a resource can foster meaningful learning in all content areas.