Pixton: let's create a comic!

Hello everyone!

During this term in the ICT classes we have learnt a lot of resources and different programs and apps that can be really interesting for the English classroom. One of the programmes that I enjoyed the most in the masters’ is Pixton.

What is Pixton?

It is a website that allows you to create beautiful comics in just a few minutes. You can something simple or really elaborated. People can use it to:

- Write a book report or other school project in the style of a graphic novel

- Explain a concept or idea in a concise format

- Tell a story with words and pictures

- Depict nuanced emotions with customizable characters

- Make a joke as a comic strip or cartoon

- Storyboard a movie script

Key features:

- Fully possible, expressive characters

- Searchable prop library with 2,000+ objects

- Preset backgrounds grouped by theme

- Stylable text, captions, and speech bubbles

- Flexible layouts with variable panel width and height

Here you have a video that explains how to use it.

Activity:

I found this website so interesting that I have used it in 5th grade with a science project. The project consists in create a comic explaining the Prehistory and the Roman Times. In the first two sessions the students in groups have to search information about Prehistory or Roman times, depending on the group. Once they have the information they have to summarize it in order to use it for the creation of a comic. In the third and forth session they learn to use the Pixton with laptops and they start doing a brainstorming for the comic: What to write (content), the number of characters, the background they want to use, among others. During the fifth and sixth session they create the comic and finally in the seventh session they present it to the class.

As I was using it I discovered some advantages and disadvantages. For example, that it is only free during a short period of time. Besides, with this trial period, you cannot print or download the comic. If you need to use it more you can create an account for the school or pay for it. I decided to create a school account and I have discovered the following advantages:

• Control the comics the students are creating. They can’t publish them without permission.
• Add comments to my students’ comics so they can make improvements.
• Print and download the comics.
• Unlimited time using Pixton
• The school can create 50 different accounts for the students.
• The student and the teacher can grade the comic.

In the following PDF that I have created you can see step by step how to use it and the classroom options when you have a school account.

Finally in the following picture you can see an example of a Pixton comic created by some students.

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       Target audience: Second Key stage

-       Placement in curriculum: ICT, Science and English

-       Aims:

·      Session 1 and 2:

Understand the importance of the historical facts during Prehistory and Roman times.

Analyse and summarize information while connecting ideas.

·      Session 3 and 4:

Understand how Pixton works

Use the program exploiting its possibilities

·      Session 5 and 6:

Create a comic using the summarize content with Pixton

·      Session 7: Present the comic in front of the class acting out. Evaluate their own comic and the others.

General aims: Work collaboratively and speak in English.

-       Strategies and competences involved

Language and audiovisual communicative competence

Information processing and digital competence

Autonomy and personal initiative competence

Knowledge of and interaction with the physical world

-       Content:

• Using ICT to research information on tour performing specific tasks.
• Oral individual or group exposition of subjects studied and using all media available visual tics and       informatics.
• Understanding work instructions and performance in the classroom.
• Understand global and specific types of texts and diverse content in different media and formats and extraction of information for performing a specific task or as reinforcement / expansion of knowledge

English skills:

Reading: During the first sessions the students have to read a lot of information in order to summarize it.	Speaking: During all the sessions the students have to speak in English among them and with the teacher. Furthermore, the last session they have to present the comic in front of the class.
Writing: While summarizing the information and creating the comic they have to write.	Listening: During all the sessions the students have to listen to the teacher instructions, to each other for the creation of the information and the comic and finally pay attention to the presentations.

Bloom’s Digital Taxonomy: This activity offers an opportunity to enhance both lower- and higher-order thinking skills.

Lower order thinking skills.

·      Level II. Understand (explain ideas or concepts): Understand the importance of the historical facts during Prehistory and Roman times. Understand how to use Pixton.

•   Level III. Applying (using the knowledge in a variety of ways):  Implement the ICT knowledge using Pixton.

Higher order thinking skills.

·    Level IV: Analyse (draw connections among ideas): Analyse and summarize the Prehistory and Roman information while connecting ideas.

·      Level V: Evaluate (justify a stand or decision): Evaluate their own comics and the other groups.

·      Level VI: Creating (create new products or points of view). The activity gives the students the opportunity to create a comic with Pixton.

Added value through ICT – In my opinion this resource is appropriate to use it in the classroom and for example, in this project, because it is very complete and at the same time intuitive. It provides agility because students don’t have to spend time creating the comic if you don’t want because the website provides backgrounds, characters and accessories divided in topics.  I believe that ICT contributes to the activity because it is more motivational and challenging. It facilitates scaffolding because the students have the parts of the comic created.

Trouble-shooting – As I explained before if you don’t pay for the account you have a short period of time to work with it, so I recommend creating a school account. Another problem is that sometimes in the schools Internet doesn’t work properly and you waste a lot of time waiting for the page to charge completely. Maybe some students need extra help with the site, so we could teach one person of the group and create “Expertics”.

Assessment – As I explained before Pixton includes an Assessment grid and has the possibility to write comments. The teacher have to take into account the process and the final result, taking into consideration if the students speak in English all the time, is the apply the suggestions of the teacher in the comments, if they work collaboratively, if they make grammar mistakes and the technology skills and problem solving. Finally, during the presentation the teacher will be using the following rubric:

I hope you enjoy this resource!

Laia López i Mullor