A copy of this post can be found in the EDCI 337 Opened.ca template.

You can delete the instructions when publishing but please keep the headers format:

I recommend to make a copy of this draft post and you may also find it easier to work in a separate document and then uploading it here later.

This template is designed to guide your team through the design and creation of multimedia learning design challenge in EDCI 337. Each projects follows the process of design and is comprised of the following phases:

• Phase 0: Sharing and Helping Discussion
• Phase 1: Understand (Discover, Interpret, Specify)
• Phase 2: Plan (Ideate, Sketch, Elaborate)
• Phase 3: Prototype
• Phase 4: Peer Feedback Discussion
• Phase 5: Reflect and Refine

Each phase, for each multimedia learning challenge, has specific due dates which can be found in the Course Outline. Use Mattermost to engage with Phases 0, 3, and 4. Use this template for Phases 1, 2, and 5.

Begin by drafting Phases 1 and 2 to set the foundation for your prototype (Phase 3). Use this template for producing and submitting your MML Challenge Documentation. If you feel that a section is missing that supports your project, process, design, and/or reflection, then please include it!.

While the phases should generally be completed in sequence, this is an iterative process — adjustments and refinements are encouraged as you progress.

Project Name (multimedia type)

Subtitle

Updated: September, 15, 2025
Author: Caelan Street

For this project, I am writing a an educational comic book that explains the steps of the digestive system in a fun engaging way. I am choosing this topic because it is something that interests me and it is something I think it would be extremely beneficial to learn through a comic format as it will help kids to have a visual image when trying to recall information. My goals here are to help young learners learn the main steps of the human digestive tract, and demonstrating the important processes our body undergoes everyday without our noticing. In terms of the process for this idea, I broke down the fundamental steps of digestion to each have 1-2 scenes in the comic so the kids can become familiar with each step of the process!

FINAL DESIGN COMING SOON

THE PROCESS

Understand (Discover, Interpret, Specify)

DESCRIBE THE CHALLENGE:

• I remember when I was in middle school trying to learn about the digestive system my teachers focus was always to give us a text book, and tell us to memorize terms and the order in which processes happen. This system was not helpful as this whole idea of digestion was rather abstract and I could never see it happening, I think that learning this through a comic would help it to feel more realistic and be a much more engaging way to learn the same information in a more effective way.

CONTEXT AND AUDIENCE:

• My target audience for this comic book is later elementary but primarily middle school aged students (ages 10-14). At this stage in education, students are still developing their more abstract thinking skills, but still do the most learning when it is tied to real world examples they can easily relate to. As students transition from elementary to middle school they are learning that there are new standards in school but still have that childhood curiosity, so a comic book is a fun way to help them experience more advanced material through a fun childhood way.
• Typically students are interested in learning how their body works but struggle to learn through a long scientific explanation. Students succeed when the information is delivered in more bite sized pieces with clear connections to everyday life. The characters and images make the learning process more fun and engaging which will also lead to better understanding of the concepts. The comic format is perfect because it combines the best of both worlds: fun and engaging images to display the material as well as shorter pieces of text that are easier to digest and reinforce the images.
• In more extreme cases, students can struggle with science due to differences in how they learn, there is also the possibility of having a different first language or various other behind-the-scenes struggles. In cases like these, traditional textbook learning could cause frustration, lowered self-esteem, and many more complications. Comic books can help reconnect these kids with learning as it is an easier way to interact in a more simplistic way with the material. There are less scientific words for people who may not be fluent in the language they are learning for example. As the ted talk mentioned it also allows for the students to learn at their own pace. They have a remote control and can read and reread at their leisure if they didn’t understand a concept the first time.
• Generally speaking, middle school students are motivated by three things: curiosity, humor, and relatability. Middle school is a social time for kids and spend lots of time joking around and sharing things they find funny. As far as behavior goes, I can’t think of a student who wouldn’t be familiar at least with the idea of comic books or some kind of cartoon entertainment. Therefore, using this style makes the material they are learning feel that much more natural and engaging. By combining the students interests and strengths with the material they are learning from we can more effectively connect with their daily lives, making a bigger impact on their learning.

POV STATEMENT:

• A middle school student who struggles to stay engaged with science for any reason whether they don’t prefer the subject or maybe they have some learning challenges needs a fun and engaging learning method. A story based learning approach of the digestive system is a fantastic way to help kids connect abstract information to themselves. It also helps kids to better remember the process at a deeper level meaning they won’t immediately forget everything after their next term test. Last but not least, this helps kids to feel more confident in their understanding regardless of different learning styles or abilities.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

• Students should be able to explain the main processes of the digestive system (ingestion, digestion, absorption, transport, elimination) and identify the order in which these step occur.
• Students will explain the role of the small and large intestines.
• Students will recognize the difference between mechanical digestion and chemical digestion.

Note: This phase focuses on understanding the learning need, not on the multimedia resource you plan to create.

Plan (Ideate, Sketch, Elaborate)

IDEATION:

• At first I was trying to think of something that I knew about or a skill I had that I could pass on, but as I thought about it, I didn’t really see how these skills would fit into a comic style learning tool. So I thought back to my school experience and remembered in Gr. 6 we had a project where we drew a monster to become more familiar with parts of the body and the whole class had lots of fun. Then I thought about a conversation I had this last week with a friend who is in science and currently learning about the digestive system and and she explained it to me I was trying to picture what she was describing. So I thought, if I could use some visual help with this, I’m sure it would benefit others to.
• My most promising prototype is a comic called “The Safari of a Sandwich”, it describes a story where food is the main character traveling through someone’s digestive system. This comic book will transform science from a stereotypical textbook to a fun and engaging adventure!

STORYBOARD OR SCRIPT:

PRINCIPLES APPLIED:

• My comic books design follows multimedia learning principles that will keep students engaged and also help to reduce their cognitive overload. The main principles I used are: coherence principle, signaling principle, contiguity principle, segmenting principle and personalization principle. Coherence principle guided me to use simple visuals and remove any possible distractions from the comic. Signaling principle guided me to highlight the main processes of the digestion by giving the main steps a comic page. Contiguity principle guided me to keep text with the images explaining and enhancing them. Segmenting guided me to break down the big picture of digestion into smaller more manageable steps to enhance information retention. Lastly, personalization guided me to make the story engaging by making all of the components into interactive characters, leading to a more fun experience for younger students.

Important Note: Complete drafts of Phases 1 and 2 before starting your prototype.

Create and Share the Prototype

• Build your prototype using the tools specified in the challenge. Please share your prototype here and in the Challenge [A, B, C] Prototype Sharing discussion by the due date. 

Notes:

• Use peer feedback to refine your project.
• AI tools may be used honestly (i.e., refining your ideas and draft content) for script/plan revision (Challenges A, B, & C) and for voice and video generation on the prototype.  That said, I don’t expect you will earn a higher mark using AI. I am looking for authentic effort in design and prototype creation.

PEER FEEDBACK:

• Summarize the feedback you received; be objective – try to avoid your personal thoughts and judgments here, that’s for the next section.
• (2-3 paragraphs)

Reflect and Refine

TEAM REFLECTION:

• Reflect on the prototype, peer feedback, and your learning process. Address:
  • What worked well?
  • What would you change?
  • What revisions you included in your revised prototype.
  • What issues were raised, and how would you address them?
  • Strengths and limitations of this type of multimedia for learning.
  • Connect your responses to the academic literature, include references.
  • (4–6 paragraphs).

INDIVIDUAL REFLECTIONS:

• Each team member should write a paragraph about their own contributions and those of their teammates. Keep it constructive and positive, while offering suggestions for improvement.