A conceptual design framework for an educational comic integrating three levels of chemical representation for the topic of matter

Abstract

This article presents a literature-informed design framework for an educational comic on matter, with emphasis on physical and chemical changes for Form Four chemistry learners. The framework aligns the proposed Three-Level Representation Visualisation Model with comic-based learning activities. Constructivism provides the overarching view of learning, while dual coding and interdependent model of the three levels of chemical representation inform the coordination of verbal explanations and visual representations. Macroscopic observations, microscopic particle models and symbolic expressions form the content structure. Analogy, modelling and concept mapping provide the selected visualisation skills activities. ADDIE organises the instructional design process within the broader research programme, which separately addresses the development of the visualisation model and the evaluation of learning outcomes. The article explains how these foundations can be translated into episode sequencing, and guiding questions connecting the three representation levels. It also presents illustrative specifications for physical and chemical changes. The contribution is a theoretically grounded route from the visualisation model to the comic design.