Title: GRID in the Classroom: Comics, Manga & Graphic Novels as Teaching Tools
Facilitator: Adrian Knight, Reference Librarian at Main Campus Library
Date and time of workshop: Friday, October 23, 2026 from 9:00am-12:00pm, in Phillips Bldg 3-114.
Participants should register for the workshop on the training.durhamtech.edu portal.
Description: This hands-on workshop invites faculty across all disciplines to explore how graphic novels, manga, and comics can enrich their courses and support student learning. Following the Graphic Reading Integration and Development (GRID) grant through the State Library of NC, this workshop will use critical literacy and empathy in visual storytelling. The session pairs shared reading and discussion with practical, adaptable exercises faculty can bring straight into their own classrooms. Participants will leave with a draft assignment tailored to their course, plus a curated list of titles from the library's newly expanded collection to support their instruction of "GRID" at Durham Tech. Participants should bring a lesson plan (or two) with them for consideration of Graphic Novels as a learning tool.
Learning Outcomes By the end of the workshop, participants will:
- Generate ideas on how to use graphic novels and comics to build students' critical literacy and empathy, beyond simply boosting engagement.
- Identify how visual storytelling elements, such as panel sequencing, framing, pacing, and facial expressions convey meaning.
- Create an assignment that incorporates a graphic novel, manga, or comic into their own course content for increased student comprehension.
- Locate relevant titles in the library's expanded collection (including Comics Plus) that align with their discipline and teaching goals.