Bill Boerman-Cornell

1. Dr. William Boerman-Cornell
Associate Professor of Education, Trinity Christian College, Palos Heights, Illinois
bill.boerman-cornell@trnty.edu
ICCTE Conference
Azusa Pacific University
Thursday, May 24, 2012

2.  Graphic Novels (GNs) are not
exclusively graphic. (they
combine images and words using
the conventions of a comic book)
 GNs are not exclusively novels
(the GNs in this study are all non-
fiction)

3.  Graphic novels integrate images and words even
more closely than websites. Learning to read them
may help students make meaning multi-modally.
 Graphic Novels seem to have potential for teaching
in particular content areas
 Graphic novels, like picture books, may be helpful
to teach struggling readers to picture what is
described in the text – thus
developing imagination.
 Imagination may be vitally
important for developing faith.

4.  Multimodal texts have great power to
convey meaning. (Cazden et al. 1996; Lemke
2002; Iedema 2003; Hull & Nelson 2005; Brunye, Taylor and
Rapp, 2007; etc.)
 A disciplinary approach for teaching
reading can be effective. (Wineburg 1991;
Stahl et al. 1996; Britt & Aghanskas 2002; Hynd-Shanahan et
al. 2004; Shanahan & Shanahan 2008; etc.)
 GNs can be used to engage students
in the classroom. (Moore 2003; Barnett 2004; Bitz
2004; Moffatt and Norton 2005; Ranker 2007; etc.)

5. Much of the research on multimodality to date has
reported enthusiasm about GN’s power to engage
students – yet little is said about what happens once
they are engaged.
Researchers need to consider the next step. What
can various multimodal formats offer teachers to
help them reach their curricular goals.
To that end, this study is a textual analysis looking at
how primary source GNs can contribute to
disciplinary literacy in high school history instruction.

6.  Different content area
disciplines read differently
(Shanahan and Shanahan 2008).
 Reading in History
 Contextualization
 Corroboration
 Sourcing
 (Wineburg 1991)

7.  From a list of 22 GNs, I
selected 5 primary-source
based GNs.
 Quantitative textual
analysis with multiple
readings looking for
contextualization,
sourcing, and
corroboration.
 Final close readings to
consider aspects difficult
to quantify.

8. Contextualization
 Geographic, Temporal, Social, Economic, Political
 Embedded maps, long shots, images, narration boxes, timelines,
juxtaposition of events
Sourcing
Embedded documents, narration boxes, images, explanatory
notes,
Corroboration
Parallel accounts , facial expressions showing support or non-
support, collaborative report

9. Geographic context: Images once every 31
pages. Narration boxes once every six pages.
(During a campaign, place becomes blurred).
Political context: Images showing political
context on average once per page.
Larger context: Critical questioning: narrated
by two cynical reporters
The GN adjusts its
contextualization to
events it covers.

10. Embedded maps, long shots to
convey place.
Sourcing anonymous witnesses.
Multiple sources for corroboration.
Questioning the veracity of
sources.

11. Nat Turner: Distinguishing the
Primary Source from the Context
Through Images
Contrasting the brutality of
the rebellion with the brutality
of slavery.
Image narration for context,
words taken straight from
Diary of Nat Turner and other
primary sources
Visuals carry powerful
emotional content – double
edged sword

12. Cultural Contextualization in Journey Into
Mohawk Country
Original text-only 1634 journal of a Dutch explorer
trying to determine why the Mohawk prefer
trading with the French.
Original text is not very interesting, and
Vandenbogaert never finds an answer.
Historians studying the text however have
determined that the diary describes many actions
by the Dutch that the Mohawk would have found
culturally offensive.
GN version uses images to show social gaffes
In a way that high school students could
recognize.

13. Conclusions and implications
1. The GNs in this analysis exhibited contextualization,
sourcing, and corroboration in traditional, text-only
ways, but also in new multimodal ways.
2. GNs tailor contextualization to the needs of the
particular historical events being narrated.
3. GNs provide sourcing and corroboration even in
situations where privacy issues make it difficult to use
names or photos.
4. GNs should not, in the context of the history discipline
or in any other instructional context, be treated
monolithically. Each GN has unique affordances and
limitations.