AI-Generated and Student-Created Comics as a Tool for Enhancing Environmental Education
AI-Generated and Student-Created Comics as a Tool for Enhancing Environmental Education

Summary/Abstract: The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in education provides opportunities for innovative instructional strategies that combine technology, creativity, and teacher facilitation. This study investigates the effectiveness of AI-generated and student-created comics in enhancing environmental learning among students in grades 5–10, while also examining implications for teacher practice in technology integration. A quasi-experimental, mixed-methods design was implemented across 15 schools in Bulgaria. Three instructional approaches were compared: traditional text-based instruction, AI-generated comics, and student-created comics. Data were collected through pre- and post-tests on environmental knowledge, motivation questionnaires, cognitive load assessments, and thematic analyses of student-created comics. Results indicate that both AI-generated and student-created comics significantly improve students’ conceptual understanding, engagement, and environmental awareness. Student-created comics additionally foster creativity, collaboration, and personal connection to ecological issues. Findings highlight the role of teachers in scaffolding technology-enhanced learning and suggest that combining AI resources with student creativity represents a promising model for integrating digital tools into science instruction.

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