Edubiotik : Jurnal Pendidikan.
Biologi dan Terapan ISSN 2528-679X .
ISSN 2597-9833 .
Vol.
No.
May 2025, pp.
304 Ae 319 Available online at:
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php/edubiotik Research Article E-comic geneius: Contextual genetics learning media to enhance cognitive learning outcomes Zahra Firdaus 1,a.
Siti Zubaidah 1,b,*.
M Iqbal Najib Fahmi 1,c.
Deny Setiawan 1,d.
Chun-Yen Chang 2,e 1 Biology Department.
Universitas Negeri Malang.
Malang.
Indonesia 2 Graduate Institute of Science Education.
National Taiwan Normal University.
Taipei.
Taiwan Email: firdausszahra@gmail.
com 1,a, siti.
fmipa@um.
id 1,b,*, muhammadiqbalnajibfahmi@gmail.
1,c, setiawan.
fmipa@um.
id 1,d, changcy@ntnu.
tw 2,e * Corresponding author Article Information Article History:
Submitted: 2025-02-21 Revision: 2025-06-25 Accepted: 2025-07-14 Published: 2025-07-22 Keywords:
E-comic.
learning outcome Publisher Biology Education Department Universitas Insan Budi Utomo.
Malang.
Indonesia
ABSTRACT
Understanding genetics remains a challenge for high school students due to the abstract nature of the content and its limited connection to everyday experiences.
Traditional teaching methods often rely on memorization without promoting meaningful conceptual understanding.
This study aims to develop contextual genetics learning media in the form of an electronic comic .
-comi.
titled AuGeneiusAy, and to test its validity, practicality, and effectiveness in improving studentsAo cognitive learning outcomes.
The e-comic integrates fictional storylines with genetics concepts based on everyday situations to enhance conceptual This research employed the Lee and Owens multimedia-based instructional design model, consisting of analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation stages.
The quasi-experimental design used was a pretest-posttest control group design involving 60 high school students.
The effectiveness of the media was tested using 10 cognitive questions .
HOTS and 4 LOTS), and data were analyzed with a One-way ANCOVA.
The results showed that the material and media validation scores were 100% and 95% .
ery vali.
, respectively, and the practicality of the media was 92.
5% .
ery practica.
Although the ANCOVA significance value was 0.
018, an increase was observed in studentsAo HOTS performance.
These findings indicate that the AuGeneiusAy e-comic is a feasible and engaging alternative to support genetics learning and improve cognitive outcomes.
The study recommends the implementation of interactive, contextual digital media in genetics education.
How to Cite Firdaus.
Zubaidah.
Fahmi.
Setiawan.
, & Chang.
-Y.
E-comic geneius: Contextual genetics learning media to enhance cognitive learning outcomes.
Edubiotik : Jurnal Pendidikan.
Biologi Dan Terapan, 10.
, https://doi.
org/10.
33503/ebio.
Copyright A 2025.
Firdaus et al.
This is an open-access article under the CC-BY-SA license INTRODUCTION The increasing relevance of genetic science in everyday life makes genetic literacy an essential aspect for students to learn (Dorfman et al.
, 2019.
Lindemann, 2022.
Bouali et al.
, 2.
Over the past edubiotik@uibu.
: https://doi.
org/10.
33503/ebio.
Edubiotik : Jurnal Pendidikan.
Biologi dan Terapan Vol.
No.
, pp.
304 Ae 319 few decades, research breakthroughs in genetics have influenced public policy, health, and public knowledge (Hadiprayitno et al.
, 2.
Understanding the structure of genetic material and genetic bioprocesses is necessary to achieve a thorough understanding for students (Furniss et al.
, 2.
A good understanding of genetics is essential for all students (Rissanen & Costello, 2.
However, it is still found that many students have difficulty in understanding genetics material, because the nature of the material is abstract, complex, and involves bioprocesses (White, 2016.
Choden & Kijkuakul, 2.
The difficulty of understanding genetic material results in many students needing a higher cognitive understanding (Revell, 2.
Students' low cognitive scores result from needing a more in-depth understanding of a topic.
The concepts of genetic material structure, inheritance of traits, and gene expression that are often encountered in everyday life are still materials that are difficult for students to understand (Riyanto et al.
, 2020.
Brasier et al.
, 2.
Even though genetic material is the basis of various concepts in biology, so difficulties in understanding this material can cause students to experience obstacles in learning other biological topics.
Studies show that the difficulties experienced by students are caused by the learning methods used, where most students tend to memorize genetics material without understanding the mechanism of action in the body and its impact.
Learning in the modern era should lead to life-based learning to bring students closer to real-world problems.
Life-based learning allows students to understand genetics concepts, making learning more accessible and more useful in students' daily lives.
One example is genetic changes that can affect phenotypes in living things, disease risk, and body activity (Raspa et al.
Therefore, learning media is needed that makes it easier for students to understand the concept of genetics in everyday life better.
The delivery of genetics concepts has a variety of ways, one of which is by using technology-based learning media (Lai and Chen, 2.
Many technologies have been developed to optimize learning in the classroom (Leonora et al.
, 2021.
Susanto et al.
, 2.
Genetics learning can use technology-based learning media, such as virtual, video podcasts, and animations, to help students better understand genetics concepts (Najib et al.
, 2024.
Rejeki et al.
, 2.
The selection of learning media must be tailored to the essence of the material so that students can understand genetics concepts more efficiently and more useful in everyday life (Ahn et al.
, 2.
The results of the needs analysis show that many high school students have difficulty in understanding genetics concepts due to their abstract, complex, and mechanistic nature.
Observations at SMAN 2 Malang showed that genetics learning is still dominated by the use of textbooks.
PowerPoint slides, and YouTube videos that lack integration of daily life phenomena and often lack interactive components.
Students expressed difficulty in connecting genetic mechanisms with real-world examples, while teachers recognized the challenge of providing concrete illustrations of genetic bioprocesses.
This indicates the need for an innovative learning medium that can bridge conceptual understanding with contextual experiences.
Electronic comic interactive media is one of the potential technologies to be applied in genetics learning, where it can combine visual storytelling and biological content.
E-comics provide an engaging and narrative-based format, which is particularly suited to digital-native learners.
Prior studies have shown that e-comics can enhance understanding in science learning (Taufiq et al.
, 2.
However, most of the existing works have not focused on developing contextual phenomena relevant to students' lives.
The illustrations used tend to be conventional, with visual designs that are less attractive and limited to simple cartoon characters.
In fact, modern comic illustrations have developed rapidly with a variety of visual styles, including anime and visual novel-style approaches that are more interactive and immersive.
Based on the background described above, it is necessary to conduct research and development of interactive Firdaus et al.
Ae E-comic geneius: Contextual genetics learning media to enhance cognitive learning .
Edubiotik : Jurnal Pendidikan.
Biologi dan Terapan Vol.
No.
, pp.
304 Ae 319 contextual digital comics with a modern style that embeds genetics concepts into everyday life narratives.
This research specifically aims to produce e-comic learning media that is valid, practical, and effective in improving students' cognitive learning outcomes in genetics learning in high school.
RESEARCH METHODS
This study uses a research and development (R&D) methodology with Lee and Owens' multimediabased instructional design model, which consists of five stages: analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation (Lee & Owens, 2.
This model was chosen because it specializes in electronic media development and it's a comprehensive needs analysis.
First, in the analysis stage, researchers conducted a needs analysis and front-end analysis to identify learning difficulties in genetics and the limitations of existing instructional media.
Interviews were conducted with students, finding that the learning of genetics has been done so far using textbooks, and it is not easy to integrate the theory into the reading with everyday phenomena.
Interviews with teachers showed that teachers needed help providing concrete examples of integrating genetic material into everyday life.
Teachers can only give examples, but need help explaining the bioprocesses that occur.
Second, the design stage involved creating storyboards, comic scripts, and visual interface plans that were aligned with the independent curriculum and adapted to the cognitive characteristics of senior high school students.
Third, in the development stage, the comic was digitally illustrated using Adobe Illustrator, adopting an anime-style visual novel format with realistic backgrounds and manga-inspired characters.
The finished comic image is uploaded to the webtoon page to facilitate use.
The implementation stage uses a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest control group design to determine the effectiveness of the learning media that has been developed in improving student understanding of genetic material.
This study was conducted at SMAN 2 Malang.
East Java.
Indonesia, involving 60 students of class XII MIPA consisting of two classes, namely MIPA 3 .
and MIPA 5 .
The class used in the implementation stage was first tested for equality from the grade XI report The test results showed a significance value of 0.
This value is greater than 0.
05, indicating that there is no difference in the initial abilities of the two classes.
Based on this, then random sampling was carried out by drawing lots.
The results obtained in MIPA 3 class as an experimental class, namely in learning using E-comic biogenesis media.
MIPA 5 class as a control class, namely in learning without using E-comic biogenesis media.
To measure learning effectiveness, students completed a 10-item essay test covering genetics concepts, consisting of 6 HOTS questions .
nalyzing and evaluatin.
and 4 LOTS questions .
emembering and understandin.
(Table .
The selection of only four cognitive levels (C1.
C2.
C4, and C.
in the preparation of the genetics essay test was based on the principles of measurement effectiveness, the suitability of the essay format to the depth of thinking, and the orientation of genetics learning based on critical reasoning and scientific ethics.
Levels C3 and C6 were not used because they are more suitable for alternative assessment formats such as practicum, case study, or research-based The reliability of the instrument obtained was 0.
64 which was classified as good, while the differentiating power value of 1.
78 was in the acceptable category.
Based on the results of the trial, the instrument proved to be valid and reliable in measuring students' understanding of genetic material.
Cognitive pre-test and post-test learning outcomes values will first be tested for normality using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test and homogeneity using the Levene test, then analyzed using analysis of covariance .
ne-way ANCOVA) at the 5% significance level.
Firdaus et al.
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304 Ae 319 Table 1.
Genetics Essay Questions by Cognitive Level Question Level Lower Order Thinking Skills (C.
Lower Order Thinking Skills (C.
Higher Order Thinking Skills (C.
Higher Order Thinking Skills (C.
Higher Order Thinking Skills (C.
Higher Order Thinking Skills (C.
Higher Order Thinking Skills (C.
Higher Order Thinking Skills (C.
Questions Explain the definition of genes, alleles and chromosomes and give one example of each! Name and explain the three basic laws of trait inheritance proposed by Gregor Mendel! Describe the differences between DNA and RNA in terms of structure and biological function! Why do recessive traits not always show up in the phenotype of offspring? Explain with relevant examples! Take a look at the following picture! Based on the picture, there is a family tree that shows a daughter with hemophilia, while both parents appear Analyze the possible genetic inheritance patterns and explain the biological reasons! Compare the effects of genetic mutations in somatic cells and germ cells on individuals and their offspring.
Include specific examples of each! A child has blood type AB, while his father has blood type A and his mother has blood type O.
Analyze whether the possibility of his parents' genotypes supports this Explain with reasons! Evaluate the benefits and risks of using CRISPR-Cas9 technology in gene editing in human embryos from the perspective of genetics and bioethics! Do you think gene therapy is a long-term solution for genetic diseases such as sickle cell anemia? Give scientific arguments for and against! Two plant varieties were crossed: one red-flowered (RR) and one white-flowered .
When crossed, all F1s have pink flowers.
Evaluate the type of inheritance of the trait and give a genetic interpretation! In the fourth stage, namely multimedia evaluation, an assessment is carried out as the final part of the media development process.
The purpose of this stage is to assess the quality of the product in the learning process, both before and after the media is implemented.
The general procedures carried out include measuring user responses or reactions .
, assessing knowledge mastery .
, and assessing media performance .
Response measurement includes a practicality test filled out by students after using the developed media.
Assessment of knowledge mastery regarding the comparison of learning outcomes between control and experimental classes.
The results were tested using the one-way ANCOVA test.
Meanwhile, media performance assessment includes validation of materials, media experts, and practitioners.
Validation and practitioner measurements use formula .
The validation and practitioner measurement values are then compared with the criteria developed by Aka et al.
, as presented in Table 2.
The data obtained in this study are both quantitative and qualitative data.
ANCOVA data, practicality test, and validation are quantitative data, while qualitative data comes from suggestions and comments.
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304 Ae 319 ycNycuycycayco ycIycaycuycyce Validity/Practicality% = ycAycaycuycnycoycyco ycIycaycuycyce x 100 % Table 2.
Validity and Practicality Criteria of the Product
Validity Criteria
X = 100
80 Ou X < 100 60 Ou X < 80 40 Ou X < 60 Validity Level Highly valid or practical and can be used without revision Valid or practical and can be used after minor revision Less valid or practical, and cannot be recommended for future usage with moderate revision Non-valid or non-practical, required great revision great, and cannot be used 20 Ou X < 40 Highly non-valid or non-practical, should not be used and requires total revision Source: Aka et al.
, .
FINDING AND DISCUSSION
The results of the initial analysis stage in this study were obtained through interviews and a needs The students' needs analysis revealed that the difficulty in learning genetics is primarily due to the lack of integration between learning materials and real-life phenomena.
The interview with the teacher indicated challenges in explaining the genetic processes in a way that connects to everyday life as students find it difficult to visualize how these processes occur within the body.
Furthermore, student interviews showed that textbook readings were perceived as unengaging, overly text-heavy, and difficult to relate to real-life situations.
The questionnaire results indicated that 92% of respondents found genetics to be a difficult topic in Grade 12, 87% reported difficulty in understanding the bioprocesses involved in genetics, and 95% stated that they did not understand how to integrate genetic concepts into daily life Although animated videos on YouTube were considered the most helpful in explaining genetic bioprocesses, they still lacked the ability to effectively connect these processes to real-world phenomena.
The outcome of the design stage was a material draft that serves as the foundation for the storyline in the genetics e-comic.
The next stage is the design phase, which is divided into material design and media design.
The material design is aligned with genetics content based on the independent curriculum and adapted to the cognitive characteristics of high school students.
Meanwhile, the media design includes the development of a storyboard, comic script, and a visual interface plan.
The storyline is structured to support scientific accuracy while maintaining student engagement through relatable characters and dialogues.
Visual elements are planned with attention to clarity, color contrast, and illustration style to enhance conceptual understanding and visual appeal.
The result of the development stage is an electronic comic titled "Geneius".
In the development stage, the media was created using the Procreate application, resulting in four chapters of the comic.
"Geneius" e-comic is divided into four chapters, each of which explores everyday phenomena related to There are three main characters, namely Liza.
Fairuz, and Alex.
Chapter 1 tells the story of Alex, a student with curly hair, even though both of his parents have straight hair.
This chapter introduces the definition of genes, gene structure, and genes that influence hair phenotype.
It also explains how genetic processes determine hair type, providing students with a relatable example of genetic inheritance.
Several excerpts from the e-comic are presented in Figure 1.
Chapter 2 follows Liza, who participates in a school-organized blood test.
Surprisingly, it is revealed that Liza has blood type O, while her mother has type A and her father has type B.
This raises the question of whether it is possible for parents with Firdaus et al.
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304 Ae 319 blood types A and B to have a child with type O.
This chapter explores the inheritance patterns of blood Several excerpts from the e-comic are presented in Figure 2.
Figure 1.
Part of Chapter 1 Figure 2.
Part of Chapter 2 Firdaus et al.
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304 Ae 319 Chapter 3 features an adventure involving Liza.
Alex, and their friend Fairuz as they explore a futuristic genetics museum to uncover the reasons behind blood type inheritance.
During their visit, they meet an AI robot that explains complex topics such as the Rhesus factor, blood type inheritance mechanisms, and how seemingly unlikely blood types can be passed on from parents to children.
These explanations help resolve Liza's initial confusion.
Several excerpts from the e-comic are presented in Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Part of Chapter 3 Chapter 4 continues their exploration of the museum.
The storyline introduces the concept of human diversity based on gene expression.
The AI robot further explains how genetic variations occur due to changes in genetic material.
It walks the students through the location and function of genetic materialAifrom the cell nucleus to genesAiwhile also discussing how genetic material is inherited.
The chapter details key biological processes such as DNA replication, transcription, and translation in protein These complex processes are visualized clearly in Figure 4.
Through these four chapters, students are guided to understand genetic concepts by connecting them to familiar real-life contexts.
The comic is published on the Webtoon platform, providing easy and wide accessibility for users across different locations.
Expert validation was also conducted at this stage.
According to experts, the indicators of a productAos validity consist of content or material components, such as the alignment of the material with the core or basic competencies of the curriculum, accuracy, relevance, conceptual correctness, and the appropriateness of the difficulty level with studentsAo cognitive development.
Other indicators include media presentation, quality, visual appearance, and effectiveness.
The validation process was carried out through face validity by media experts and content validity by subject matter experts (Bouali et al.
, 2.
The validation results are presented in Table 3.
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304 Ae 319 Figure 4.
Part of Chapter 4 Table 3.
Validation by Media Experts and Material Experts Experts Validation Average (%) Visual Appearance Format Appropriateness Navigation and Interactivity Technical Functionality Platform Compatible Effectiveness of Subject Delivery Curriculum Alignment Conceptual Accuracy Content Completeness Appropriateness of Difficulty Level Real-Life Relevance Content Organization and Coherence Total Average Category Very valid Very valid Very valid Very valid Very valid Very valid Very valid Very valid Very valid Very valid Very valid Very valid Very valid The average of the two experts is 97.
5%, which can be categorized as valid, with some revisions according to the validation expert's suggestions.
It was then tested on five teachers and 30 students.
The average results of teacher and student responses to the genetics e-comic can be seen in Table 4.
Table 4.
Teacher and Student Responses Participants Teacher Student Total Average Validation Average (%) Category Valid Very valid Very valid The validation value range of 81%-100% can be categorized as valid (Wiratna, 2.
so from the values obtained, it can be concluded that the genetics e-comic received a good response from teachers and students.
This good student response shows students are happy when learning using mobile learning Learning using technology can make students happy because of its attractive design display Firdaus et al.
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304 Ae 319 (Susanto, et al.
, 2.
Suggestions obtained from teachers are to provide learning objectives and indicators of achievement by the independent curriculum, while the suggestions obtained from students are to improve the image resolution, which still needs to be HD.
Based on suggestions from teachers and students, improvements were made to using more precise resolutions.
The findings from the implementation stage, conducted using a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest control group design, were used to assess the effectiveness of the media.
Teacher preparation was carried out through a briefing session using the media, while student preparation involved providing instructions on how to use the media before the learning session.
The tools/media used were smartphones or laptops to access the learning media.
The effectiveness of using e-comic genetics on cognitive learning outcomes is seen from the results of e-comic implementation using a quasiexperimental design.
The cognitive learning outcomes of students in the control and experimental class show a significant difference in mean scores.
The control class's mean pretest and posttest scores were 47 and 74.
93, respectively, with a difference of 8.
The mean values of the pretest and posttest of the experimental class were 65 and 80, respectively, with a difference of 15.
A homogeneity test was carried out before conducting a single ANCOVA test.
The homogeneity test results get a sig value.
339 > 0.
05, so it can be concluded that the data is The effect of learning media on improving cognitive learning outcomes was tested using One-way ANCOVA.
The One-way ANCOVA test results get a sig value.
018 < 0.
05, so using e-comic affects learning outcomes.
The results of the one-way ANCOVA test are presented in Table 5.
Students' cognitive learning outcomes can be categorized into LOTS (Lower Order Thinking Skill.
and HOTS (Higher Order Thinking Skill.
A mapping of student responses based on LOTS (Lower Order Thinking Skill.
and HOTS (Higher Order Thinking Skill.
was also conducted to indicate the students' level of understanding, as shown in Figure 5.
Table 5.
One-way ANCOVA Test Result Souce Type i Sum of Squares Mean Square Sig.
Partial Eta Squared Corrected Model Intercept Pretest Class Error Total Corrected Total To evaluate the effectiveness of the learning intervention, students were given a 10-item essay test covering genetics concepts.
The test consisted of 6 questions designed to assess higher-order thinking skills (HOTS: analyzing and evaluatin.
and 4 questions targeting lower-order thinking skills (LOTS:
remembering and understandin.
, based on cognitive levels C1.
C2.
C4, and C5 (Table .
The pretest and posttest results were analyzed to determine the development of studentsAo cognitive abilities in both the control and experimental groups.
The accompanying diagram illustrates the average accuracy levels of students in answering HOTS and LOTS questions before and after the intervention.
During the pretest, the average accuracy for HOTS questions was only 16.
78%, while for LOTS questions it was 21.
After the intervention, there was a significant increase, with the average accuracy rising to 45.
59% for HOTS questions and 37.
63% for LOTS questions.
Firdaus et al.
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304 Ae 319 Figure 5.
Comparison Diagram of HOTS and LOTS These results indicate that the intervention had a positive impact on improving studentsAo thinking abilities, particularly in higher-order thinking.
The sharp increase from 16.
78% to 45.
59% in HOTS performance reflects the effectiveness of the learning media in stimulating critical and analytical thinking Although the improvement in LOTS performanceAifrom 21.
86% to 37.
63%Aiwas not as substantial, it still demonstrates a meaningful enhancement in studentsAo foundational understanding of genetics The conclusion that can be drawn from this data is that the intervention was more effective in improving higher-order thinking skills (HOTS) compared to lower-order thinking skills (LOTS).
This is evident from the more significant increase in the posttest results for HOTS compared to LOTS.
However, the improvement in LOTS performance also suggests that the intervention did not solely focus on enhancing higher-order thinking but also positively impacted students' basic thinking skills.
The use of a genetics e-comic proved to be more effective in boosting higher-order thinking skills (HOTS) compared to lower-order thinking skills (LOTS).
This is reflected in the more substantial improvement in HOTS posttest results compared to LOTS.
Nonetheless, the improvement in LOTS performance also indicates that the intervention was not solely focused on enhancing higher-order thinking but also had a positive impact on students' basic thinking skills (Qasrawi & Abdelrahman, 2.
The significant increase in HOTS can be attributed to the use of digital comic media on genetics, which presented various genetic phenomena.
This innovative educational media likely played a crucial role in engaging students and enhancing their understanding of complex genetic concepts, thereby improving their higher-order thinking skills.
The visual and narrative elements of the digital comic may have facilitated deeper cognitive processing and retention of genetic information, ultimately contributing to the observed improvement in HOTS performance.
Thus, this approach not only supports the development of critical thinking and problem-solving skills but also provides a more interactive and engaging learning experience for students (Zubaidah et al.
, 2019.
Zubaidah, 2.
The use of digital comics on genetics reflects the integration of technology into the learning process, which can have a positive impact on student learning outcomes.
This media effectively presents complex information in a more understandable and engaging manner, thereby increasing studentsAo motivation to learn (Hariri et al.
, 2.
By leveraging compelling stories and visuals, digital comics can help students build better connections with the learning material, which in turn can enhance their understanding of the concepts being taught.
Digital comic media also supports differentiated learning, where students with varying levels of ability can learn at their own pace and in their preferred learning style.
Students who may struggle to Firdaus et al.
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304 Ae 319 understand genetic concepts through conventional teaching methods might benefit more from the visual and narrative approach (Weng, et al.
, 2.
Digital comics not only enrich the learning experience but also help create a more inclusive learning environment.
However, even though the improvement in HOTS is more significant, it should not be overlooked that LOTS performance also saw a meaningful increase (Roemintoyo & Budiarto, 2.
This demonstrates that digital comic media is not only effective in teaching more complex concepts but also capable of reinforcing students' foundational understanding (Susanto, et al.
, 2.
The importance of basic thinking skills is a necessary foundation for developing higher-order thinking skills.
Therefore, this approach offers dual benefits by enhancing both aspects of students' thinking skills.
In general, the subjects supported and gave an excellent response to the e-comic media.
Students feel happy if the teacher uses multimedia-based interactive games as learning media.
The findings support the results of research proving that the integration and application of computer games into the classroom can help students learn more fun and effectively (Leksono et al.
, 2.
Students enjoy learning using technology because they see technology as something exciting and entertaining (Suryapranata et , 2.
This follows the results of research stating that game design can attract student interest and be an effective learning media (Agos, 2.
Interest in learning media can be seen from the enthusiasm of students in listening to material in the form of text, images, and videos.
The use of learning media also affects the increase in student motivation in learning (MarAoatussolichah et al.
, 2.
This is in accordance with the results of research showing that smartphone-assisted games as learning media can increase student motivation (Geng, et al.
, 2.
The learning process that integrates interactive multimedia also increases students' interest and enthusiasm in learning (Safitri & Hartati, 2.
This is in accordance with the results of research showing that multimedia can motivate students with student-centred learning.
The results of technology-based media development research prove that computer-based educational games can make students happy, so the student are more motivated and enthusiastic about continuing learning (Jabali, et al.
, 2.
Students like the appearance of the material contained in the e-comic interactive multimedia because it not only contains text but also images, audio, video, and animation (Safitri et al.
, 2.
The game media display is more interesting than the usual learning using textual books.
Students also find it easier to understand the material because the material is concretized with images and videos in e-comic media (Taufiq, et al.
, 2.
The study results show that students prefer picture stories to get new information and memorize, making it easier for them to understand the material.
The theory is also supported by the results of research proving that the ore varied the learning media used, the more information received and can improve learning outcomes (Valverde-Berrocoso et al.
, 2.
Images have more value and can explain complex concepts that can facilitate students learning (White, 2.
Elementary school students are also interested in the presentation of material using animation.
The use of visuals in comics has a positive influence on increasing student learning goals (Rosba et al.
, 2.
Learning objectives that are well achieved will increase student learning outcomes (Mahanal et al.
, 2.
Complex material such as genetics is easily understood using e-comic because it is displayed concretely.
The findings follow the research results that linking learning with everyday phenomena can improve cognitive abilities such as remembering in memory.
Students have a visualization of bioprocesses in the body, making understanding easier (Muhamedyev et al.
, 2.
Content in technology-based media helps pleasure students and is an effective learning media used in learning.
E-comics are not only made for entertainment but can potentially increase learning success (Gyrgen et al.
, 2.
Firdaus et al.
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304 Ae 319 Students learn enthusiastically because e-comic media stimulates students to be actively involved in learning.
Based on observation, students enjoy learning and follow the game flow seriously.
Research results state that interactive systems facilitate deep learning by actively involving students (ValverdeBerrocoso, et al.
, 2.
Games in interactive multimedia also make students active in thinking.
Students are interested and want to continue reading until the last chapter.
The e- comic makes students excited about learning and not quickly bored.
Interactive multimedia integrated with learning can assist teachers in achieving learning objectives.
The achievement of learning objectives due to multimedia has proven effective in education, so teachers need to develop multimedia for learning media (Gobert, 2.
Integrating technology in the classroom is also helpful in preparing students for the future.
Based on the research results, teachers, school managers and education stakeholders are advised to integrate technology into the learning process.
Based on the findings, teachers need to use game media to improve the quality of learning.
Game media makes student learning more exciting and fun (Lumbantoruan & Ditasona, 2024.
Lai & Chen, 2.
The interactive multimedia display, which consists of text and images, also helps students understand the material better (Yadav & Chakraborty, 2.
The presence of comics integrated with biological material makes students active in learning the material.
Teachers are advised to use multimedia to improve student responses and achieve learning objectives optimally.
An optimal learning process can improve students' understanding of the material (Saputro, et.
The increase in student understanding is directly proportional to the increase in students' cognitive learning outcomes (Yadav & Chakraborty, 2023.
Saputri & Corebima, 2.
The significance of the increase in cognitive learning outcomes in this study can be seen in the mean value of the control class pretest and posttest, respectively, 66.
47 and 74.
93, with a difference of 8.
Based on the results of oneway ANCOVA, e-comic has a significant effect on cognitive learning outcomes.
E-comic media can improve cognitive learning outcomes.
The process of using e-comic in teaching genetics resulted in a significant improvement in learning outcomes, as students who used this media showed superior learning outcomes.
However, in collecting research data, researchers experienced obstacles.
some students needed to be more interested in the genre raised in the e-comic in this first series.
Therefore, it is hoped that there are stories with other genres that can be an option for students.
In addition, the material presented is limited to basic genetics concepts so it would be better if there is development on different topics.
The evaluation stage process was carried out at each stage of development: analysis, design, development, and implementation.
During the analysis stage, it is recommended that evaluation be conducted offline to obtain more accurate and reliable data.
In the design stage, evaluation is best conducted through a focus group discussion with media experts to minimize revisions during the validation The development stage involved formative evaluation conducted by experts.
Media experts suggested that the media dimensions be optimized for accessibility on both smartphones and laptops.
Meanwhile, subject matter experts recommended expanding the comic format to cover additional topics in the curriculum.
For the implementation stage, summative evaluation was conducted with students.
Some of the student feedback is presented in Table 6.
Based on the results of the interviews, most students stated that they were happy and supported using e-comic media as learning media.
Based on observations of using e-comic media, students listened to the material seriously.
Students pay attention to the material and focus on their respective smartphones.
Students learn independently without asking for help from friends, but some students sometimes ask for Firdaus et al.
Ae E-comic geneius: Contextual genetics learning media to enhance cognitive learning .
Edubiotik : Jurnal Pendidikan.
Biologi dan Terapan Vol.
No.
, pp.
304 Ae 319 teacher guidance.
Students are enthusiastic about reading the material presented through interactive ecomics.
Table 6.
StudentsAo Feedback and Reflections Participants Feedback Student 1 AuI like using e-comic-based learning media because it provides interesting visuals".
"I become interested in reading the material presented using e- comic-based Student 2 learning media".
"I want to learn more often using e-comic-based learning media because there are Student 3 interesting pictures so that learning becomes easier".
"I prefer to learn using interactive learning media because it makes the material Student 4 not boring".
"I am more interested in learning using a smartphone than a textbook just because Student 5 I do not get bored quickly".
Student 6 "I am very excited to learn because thematic learning is done using a smartphone".
Based on students' opinions, the display of e-comic media motivates them to learn.
Students are encouraged to learn because the material displayed is interesting.
However, there are student comments regarding the text on the e-comic media, namely that the font is too small, so it needs to be corrected.
The technical aspect consists of ease of media operation and navigation (Taufiq et al.
, 2.
Based on the questionnaire results from the technical aspect, it shows that e-comic media is easy to use and the navigation is easy to understand.
Students are accustomed to using applications on cell phones, so they have no difficulty using interactive multimedia.
Based on student information, the buttons on this e-comic media are simple and have been accompanied by clear instructions, so students are evident in using interactive multimedia.
In addition, interactivity makes students excited about learning because of the feedback from multimedia-based interactive e-comics.
CONCLUSION
Research and development of genetics e-comic titled "Geneius" has successfully developed a valid, practical, and effective research product.
The results showed that the material and media validation scores were 100% and 95% .
ery vali.
, respectively, and the practicality of the media was 92.
5% .
ery This media has been tested to be practical and effective in improving students' cognitive learning outcomes through various advantages of genetics e-comic .
< 0.
Recommendations for further research are to make a follow-up series with different materials, implementation at higher education levels, and more varied comic genres.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The author would like to thank all related parties, supervisors, and the Universitas Negeri Malang.
This research is funded by the Internal PNBP project of Universitas Negeri Malang based on the chancellor's decree number 5.
1/UN32/KP/2023
REFERENCES