=Paper= {{Paper |id=Vol-3918/paper160 |storemode=property |title=Harnessing online services for creating augmented reality enhanced comics in primary education |pdfUrl=https://ceur-ws.org/Vol-3918/paper160.pdf |volume=Vol-3918 |authors=Dmytro M. Bodnenko,Oleksandra V. Lokaziuk,Lesya A. Poryadchenko,Volodymyr V. Proshkin |dblpUrl=https://dblp.org/rec/conf/aredu/BodnenkoLPP24 }} ==Harnessing online services for creating augmented reality enhanced comics in primary education== https://ceur-ws.org/Vol-3918/paper160.pdf
                         Dmytro M. Bodnenko et al. CEUR Workshop Proceedings                                                                                                   226–239


                         Harnessing online services for creating augmented reality
                         enhanced comics in primary education
                         Dmytro M. Bodnenko, Oleksandra V. Lokaziuk, Lesya A. Poryadchenko and
                         Volodymyr V. Proshkin
                         Borys Grinchenko Kyiv Metropolitan University, 18/2 Bulvarno-Kudriavska Str., Kyiv, 04053, Ukraine


                                     Abstract
                                     This article explores the current state and practical solutions for addressing the readiness of primary school
                                     students and teachers to utilise cloud services for creating augmented reality (AR) enhanced comics. The didactic
                                     potential of comics as an educational tool is clarified, and a comparative analysis of modern cloud services,
                                     programs, and applications for comic creation is presented, highlighting their advantages and disadvantages.
                                     The functionality of AR programs for creating comic-based content (Vuforia, EasyAR, Maxst, ARCore, AR.js, 8th
                                     Wall) is analysed. A survey of teachers reveals the most popular cloud services, including Pixton, Marvel HD,
                                     and Comica. Algorithms for developing educational materials using these cloud services to create AR-enhanced
                                     comics are presented. Readiness levels for using cloud services to create AR-enhanced comics (elementary, basic,
                                     and creative) are developed, and the current state of readiness among teachers and students is characterised.
                                     Educational and methodological support has been developed for implementation in university education and
                                     teacher professional development. Prospects for further research, including monitoring the readiness of students
                                     and teachers to use cloud services for creating AR-enhanced comics following the introduction of the authors’
                                     educational and methodological support, are discussed.

                                     Keywords
                                     cloud services, augmented reality, comics, educational technology, primary education, teacher training




                         1. Introduction
                         In the rapidly evolving landscape of primary education, modern teaching methods are increasingly
                         focused on employing non-traditional, interactive, and playful approaches to engage young learners.
                         As traditional lessons often prove less effective, teachers are compelled to seek innovative means and
                         forms of instruction. The role of the teacher is transforming, necessitating the ability to organise
                         captivating lesson-plays, lesson-journeys, and lesson-quests. Among these emerging educational tools,
                         comics stand out for their potential to simplify, visualise, and virtualise complex information through a
                         blend of forgiveness and visual playfulness. The visual nature of comics enhances the level of learning,
                         offering advantages over time-limited media such as movies and animation, which present language
                         and actions at a rapid pace. In contrast, the progression of time in comics is determined by the reader’s
                         pace of eye movement across the page, allowing for a personalised speed of information processing.
                         As Chykalova [1] note, comics serve as a tool for developing imagination, fantasy, and the skills to
                         clearly and concisely formulate and express opinions, as well as to distinguish the main ideas from
                         the text. Engaging with comics contributes to the development of 21st-century skills among younger
                         schoolchildren, such as emphasising the essential and collaborating in a team.
                            The effectiveness and productivity of educational technologies incorporating comics have been
                         demonstrated in recent years, with materials containing or based on AR technology proving particularly
                         popular, as evidenced by the authors’ pedagogical experience. However, an analysis of the actual
                         practice of the educational process in primary schools reveals a lack of high readiness among teachers
                         to apply comics in pedagogical activities, particularly those enhanced with AR. This can be attributed

                          AREdu 2024: 7th International Workshop on Augmented Reality in Education, May 14, 2024, Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine
                          " d.bodnenko@kubg.edu.ua (D. M. Bodnenko); o.lokaziuk@kubg.edu.ua (O. V. Lokaziuk); l.poriadchenko@kubg.edu.ua
                          (L. A. Poryadchenko); v.proshkin@kubg.edu.ua (V. V. Proshkin)
                           0000-0001-9303-6587 (D. M. Bodnenko); 0000-0001-9663-251X (O. V. Lokaziuk); 0000-0001-8596-8907 (L. A. Poryadchenko);
                          0000-0002-9785-0612 (V. V. Proshkin)
                                     © 2025 Copyright for this paper by its authors. Use permitted under Creative Commons License Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0).


CEUR
                  ceur-ws.org
Workshop      ISSN 1613-0073
Proceedings

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to a shortage of methodological developments on the use of AR-enhanced comics in training and the
limited capacity of teachers to develop and utilise such materials using cloud services. Consequently,
this highlights another significant problem: the preparation of future primary education teachers to use
cloud services for creating AR-enhanced comics in their professional practice.
   In today’s digital age, the integration of innovative technologies such as AR-enhanced comics into
primary education has the potential to revolutionise the way young learners engage with and absorb
complex information. By harnessing the power of visual storytelling and immersive experiences,
educators can create captivating learning environments that foster creativity, critical thinking, and
collaboration. However, the successful implementation of these technologies hinges on the readiness and
competence of teachers to effectively utilise cloud services for developing and deploying AR-enhanced
comics in their classrooms.

1.1. Related work
The importance of comics as a learning tool has been highlighted in several studies [2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9].
Of particular relevance to this work are studies focusing on the use of digital technologies as a means
of effective visualisation in the creation and application of comics. The works of [10, 11] analyse
modern software such as Bitstrips, Comic Life, Pixton, MakeBeliefsComix, Cartoon Maker, and Graphix
Comic Builder, examining their functions, characteristics, capabilities, and limitations. Fragments of
the use of these software in the implementation of the educational process are presented. Zerkina et al.
[12] explored the possibilities of using Pixton to form the ICT competence of engineering students
using a project approach. Different didactic possibilities of the specified cloud service are given in the
studies [13, 14, 15]. Weber [16] considered the use of cloud-based graphic narrative software in medical
ethics teaching. In addition, the theoretical and practical aspects of data visualisation and the use of
digital technologies for this purpose are presented in the works [17, 18, 19, 20]. The use of augmented
reality to work with comic book-based teaching material is the subject of research in [21, 22, 23].

1.2. The objective of the research
The purpose of this article is to explore the possibilities of using online services to create AR-enhanced
comics in the educational process of primary school.
   The study aims to address the following objectives: to identify the most popular cloud services
for creating comics among teachers and characterise them; to reveal the algorithms for developing
educational materials in cloud services for creating AR-enhanced comics; to investigate the current state
of readiness of future teachers and students to use cloud services for creating AR-enhanced comics; and
to develop educational and methodological support for the use of these cloud services in the educational
process.


2. Research methodology
To conduct this study, the following methods were employed: theoretical (analysis and synthesis of
psychological, pedagogical, and methodological sources, programs, handbooks, systematisation and
generalisation of theoretical material; study of experience with the research problems; clarification
of the basic knowledge of the studied problem), empirical (pedagogical observation, interviews with
teachers and questionnaires, writing methodological recommendations, formulating conclusions and
determining the sequence of research), and statistical (Pearson’s criteria for identifying the real state of
readiness of students and teachers for the use of cloud services).
   The study was conducted at Borys Grinchenko Kyiv Metropolitan University and 11 schools in Kyiv,
Ukraine. The study involved 28 primary school teachers and 84 students specialising in “Primary
Education” from years 1-4 of study.




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3. Results and discussion
3.1. Analysis of cloud services for creating comics
Comics serve as a new, effective, and democratic tool for primary school teachers in the formation and
comprehensive development of initiative and creative personalities among schoolchildren. Combining
visual and playful qualities, comics can satisfy the interests and meet the peculiarities of the course of
mental processes in modern junior schoolchildren, representatives of the generation, to prevent the
occurrence of stress during the study [1]. There are numerous online services and apps available for
creating comics. However, not all of them are suitable for teachers to organise work in class. Most
services are paid, too complex, require special knowledge and skills, or their content is not designed for
a children’s audience. Finding the right program, service, or app is difficult and time-consuming, which
teachers often lack.
   Lack of time for training is also a problem because the service must not only be found but also learned
to work with and know how and when to use the developed materials.
   In this study, we focused on functional, free, and most importantly, simple services that provide easy
access to programs for both teachers and students (table 1).
   Each of these online services contains a certain number of templates grouped by types:
    • People (children, teens, young men, adults, elderly people);
    • Animals;
    • Things;
    • Transport;
    • Special characters;
    • Backgrounds (school, forest, city, houses, historical and mythological views, nature, etc.).

Table 1
Modern online services, standalone and mobile applications for creating comics.
                     Online services                                Need to be uploaded
        StoryboardThat Price: Free basic version;         Comic Life    SW: Windows/macOS;
                         Language: English.                             Price: Free version – 30 days;
                                                                        Language: choice.
             Pixton        Price: Free;                     Krita       SW: Windows;
                           Language: Italian.                           Price: Free;
                                                                        Language: choice.
          Make Beliefs     Price: Free;                   MediBang      SW: Windows/macOS;
            Comix          Language: choice.              Paint Pro     Price: Free;
                                                                        Language: choice.
           Debate365       Price: Free;
                                                                         Mobile apps
                           Language: English.
             Canva         Price: Free;                    Comica        SW: Android/iOS;
                           Language: Ukrainian.                          Price: Free;
                                                                         Language: choice.
         Write Comics      Price: Free;                 Comic and        SW: Android/iOS;
                           Language: English.         cartoon maker      Price: Free;
                                                                         Language: choice.
          Marvel HD        Price: Free;               MomentCam          SW: Android/iOS;
                           Language: English.                            Price: Free;
                                                                         Language: choice.

   When creating a plot, you can choose the expression of the face, the position of the body, the mood
of the hero, change his appearance, clothes, etc.
   It should be noted that in table 1 you can also get acquainted in detail with the main characteristics of
modern online services, programs, and applications for creating educational comics, which can be used
not only for working online but also for working in the classroom with the ability to print material.



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   All offered by us online services, programs, and applications for creating comics can use instant
translation in Ukrainian and maintain it in the services themselves. Using these services, the teacher
can diversify the form of educational material presentation, will be able to convey complex ideas and
concepts using minimal artistic means, and will be able to organise not only face-to-face but also
distance learning qualitatively and interestingly. It is also possible to organise work with services not
only individually but also in a group format.
   The services are quite simple, so schoolchildren will be able to work with them. Most of them do
not require users to register, and they can start working with them right away. Talking about the
advantages of using these services, we can note the following:

    • Availability of services in material terms (most are free or have the possibility of using the
      trial/free version);
    • Simple interface (intuitive);
    • Use of templates (each service has its template database for use);
    • The ability to create a completely new product (the ability to download own resources is provided);
    • Dissemination of materials (it is possible to disseminate or embed the created materials of the
      author);
    • Versatility (materials can be used to work in any lesson for individual or frontal work, both online
      and printouts). It is also worth highlighting the disadvantages:
    • Other-language interface (most programs are foreign, but there is a possibility of using Google
      instant translation);
    • Preliminary training of teachers and students;
    • Conversion (not all file formats are supported; their size is limited).

  The creation of training materials such as comics using the specified software can be supplemented
with AR elements. The experience of implementing the educational process using AR also allows us to
highlight programs for developing and working with AR.

    • Vuforia can easily create marker-based AR, markerless-based AR, and cloud-based AR. Provides
      sufficient support to create an application for minor tasks. In particular, it allows you to recognise
      2D and 3D objects, English text (the vocabulary contains over 100,000 words, or you can use your
      dictionary) and allows you to play videos.
    • EasyAR offers its next-generation SDK, which has some features such as SLAM, 2D–3D screen
      tracking and recording, cloud-based object recognition, and unlimited recognition requests. In
      addition, the free version can store up to 1000 tags on the device.
    • Maxst offers two types of augmented reality software: Maxst AR SDK 2D and Maxst AR SDK
      3D. The first tool can only recognise 2D images, and the other is much more powerful and can
      track 3D objects. The Maxst AR 3D SDK has features such as SLAM, physical engine effect, and
      occlusion effect. The Maxst AR SDK 2D features multiple image recognition (up to 200 images
      per channel), video zoom, instant object tracking, image and marker tracking, and a QR/barcode
      scanner.
    • ARCore is not only supported on Android, but also on iOS devices, allowing you to develop
      cross-platform AR applications. Features of the application include: in addition to identifying key
      points, ARCore can detect flat surfaces, and can also estimate the average illumination around
      them; determining the size and location of vertical, horizontal, and inclined surfaces; tracking
      movement according to the position of the phone, accurate placement of virtual objects; assessing
      light and understanding depth.
    • AR.js is an open-source AR SDK based on JavaScript. Can create AR scenes based on markers. The
      tool comes with an A-Frame and three.js extension that works with any smartphone, regardless
      of its OS version, including Android, iOS, and other. Markers are stable but limited in shape,
      colour, and size.




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    • 8th Wall provides support for markers (Image Target), World Effects, Face Effects, SLAM. Video
      recording, light evaluation, and relative zoom function are available. Can be used in combination
      with Unity and Unreal engines.

  When choosing modern online services, programs, and applications for creating comics, as well as
AR, which a teacher can use in his educational activities to study in primary school, we were guided by
three main criteria:

    • Service availability;
    • Ease of use;
    • Functionality.

   As a result of a survey of primary education teachers, it was found that all services meet such
requirements, but separately, for working with primary school students, the following services are most
often distinguished: for teachers – Pixton; for schoolchildren’s work – Marvel HD, and the app installed
on the gadget – Comica.

3.2. Algorithms of development of educational materials in cloud services for the
     creation of comics
Let’s start with Pixton comic book designer that allows you to create your stories almost from scratch.
Allows you to customise models, background images, people’s postures and emotions, and other image
details, allowing you to create interactive comics. We start working at Pixton by choosing the type of user
(teacher, pupil, parent, or business). We are interested in the user-teacher. A sign-up window appears,
indicating that you can sign up for free. After registration, the user is flipped to the configuration panel.
Suggested three steps to set up the service.

Step 1 – Watch an introductory video where pupils who work with this service share their impressions.
         After watching the video, click the “Next Step” button.
Step 2 – Familiarise yourself with the process of creating comics in the Pixton service. Press the button
         “Create a comic book” and go to the Pixton work field. The work field contains a page panel,
         four comic creation toolbars, a search bar, and a comic display area. In the first toolbar, select
         the background of the comics (for example, the pupil’s room) and the main characters (the
         girl). Use the search bar to enter the name of the desired background or character (in English)
         or use the suggested groups (under the search bar). You can also upload your own materials
         – the camera icon under the comic book display area. Go to the toolbar to focus the image.
         Select the desired type of drawing (for example, “to the right”). Next, go to the text panel and
         enter the lines of the characters. This can be direct language (round dialog window), thoughts
         (window-cloud), shout (orange window), and whisper (dotted window). In the face setting
         panel, choose the desired emotion, for example, a thoughtful look. There is also the option to
         choose the character’s look. The last panel is the position setting of the hero’s body. Here you
         can choose the posture, the direction of movement and the possibility of holding objects in
         the left or right hand. In the upper-right corner, click the “Finish” button and go to the third
         step of the settings.
Step 3 – Enter the name of the comic book and choose a class. Next, the service offers to make a
         teacher’s avatar, which is created similarly to the comic, following the instructions offered by
         Pixton. Then the user is moved to the personal account, where the existing 4 sections (created
         classes, student comics, class photos and printed versions of comics) are also displayed on the
         right-hand side, where the “Link for pupils” button is displayed, from which the teacher can
         invite students to the virtual classroom.

  A fragment of work with the program is shown in figure 1.




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Figure 1: Example of a comic created using the Pixton online service.


   The following program, which was chosen by us, is excellent for both individual and group work
of junior school students. It is not required to register and fill out various forms here. There is an
opportunity to create the simplest comic with ready-made templates.
   Write Comics – is the easiest service to create comics and stories. After all, this is just one page
where you can set all the parameters of your plot: characters, background; text box.
   We start by entering the name of the comic. Scroll the cursor further and select the characters in



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our story, dragging them to the desired location in the comic book image area. Next, we choose the
background, the place where the events of the story take place and enter the lines of the characters.
Press the “Finish” button, the comic book is ready (figure 2).




Figure 2: Fragment of work with the Write Comics service.


  The next program that can be used to create comics in primary school is Comica. This is an app that



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you can use to create a comic from your own photos. First, you need to download the app and install it
on your gadget. It can be done in any user-friendly service (for example, in the Play Market).
   Open the app and view the menu: Gallery – processing of one photo in the comic book editor;
Camera – instant photo creation; Multi is the comic book editor.
   Select “Multi”, set the number of episodes in the picture (for example, 3 pictures), click on the field
and select a photo from the gallery. We process the photo in the photo editor and choose the comic
style. We individually adjust brightness and contrast, if needed. Next, we select the stickers and the
comic book elements that the user needs. We do the same thing with the other two photos and create
an episode of the comic. Download the comic book or share it (figure 3).
   These services are quite convenient and understandable. The key value of resources is that in each
program there is an opportunity to use ready-made templates of drawings, characters, backgrounds,
signs, objects, etc., and to adjust them as needed. Working with these applications does not require
special knowledge and skills, which is why it is an immense advantage. After all, even junior school
students will be able to work in the service.
   However, a significant disadvantage is that the developers of these online services and applications do
not provide any instructions on how to work with them, so users have to deal with the way applications
work by themselves.

3.3. Determination of the real state of readiness of teachers and pupils to use cloud
     services to create comics with AR elements
As a result of a survey of teachers, it was found that many people “do not know where to start” or
consider it an impossible mission to create comics on their own. Many teachers know about cloud
services, where you can find ready-made developments, but cannot select the appropriate comic for
a particular learning situation or lesson. Most teachers do not know how to create comics, including
with AR elements, using cloud services. These and some other circumstances keep many teachers from
introducing this kind of teaching activity into teaching practice.
   The analysis of the student survey also shows that within the informatics disciplines at the university,
the use of cloud services for creating comics is not given due attention (table 2).

Table 2
Levels of readiness of teachers and students to use cloud services to create comics with AR elements.
    Level               Characteristics of the level                    Teacher skill level requirements
 Elementary Lower awareness of cloud services use, in partic- Using the pedagogical capabilities of comics at
              ular AR. The teacher knows fragmentarily about the starting level, for example, conducting a les-
              the peculiarities of working with these cloud son with a multimedia presentation or a ready-
              tools, but does not have a goal to learn how to made animated resource already developed by a
              create comics, cannot relate to the pedagogical bulk product with AR elements. Using didactic
              expediency of their use.                            materials with the help of cloud services, already
                                                                  developed and ready for the lesson comics.
    Basic     Uses cloud services to create comics and AR at Designing tasks for pupils using cloud services
              the demonstration level (presentations, pictures, that involve the use of comics, including with
              slides). Formulates the request in relation to AR elements in class and outside classroom
              the specific topic of the upcoming lesson. Can hours, for example, for homework tasks related
              associate with the pedagogical feasibility of their to search and selection of information, including
              use. Can create his own comic book by analogy, on the Internet.
              including with AR elements, using step-by-step
              instructions.
  Creative Actively uses cloud services to create new and Integrated use of cloud services and modern edu-
              use ready-made comics with AR elements. Dis- cational technologies: integrated lessons, project
              seminates its developments and participates in activities of pupils using comics with AR ele-
              network communities.                                ments. Advise colleagues on using and work-
                                                                  ing with resources to create comics with AR ele-
                                                                  ments.




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Figure 3: Comic Book Editor Comica.



   As a result of the experiment, we found the willingness of teachers and students to use cloud services
to create and use comics in educational practice. Appropriate criteria and levels of readiness have been
identified and developed.




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Level 1 – elementary, characterised by superficial knowledge of working with cloud services to create
          comics with AR elements;
Level 2 – basic, characterised by a focus on the use of cloud services at the demonstration level;
Level 3 – creative, characterised by the active use of cloud services to create comics with AR elements.

   As a result of the questionnaires developed by us on the theoretical principles of using cloud services,
tasks on working with cloud services and the results of self-assessment, the real state of readiness of
teachers and students to use cloud services for creating comics with AR elements was revealed (table 3).

Table 3
The state of teachers and students readiness to use cloud services to create comics with AR elements.
                                                Students           Teachers
                                  Level
                                            (84 persons), % (28 persons), %
                               Elementary         63.1                67.9
                                  Basic           26.2                25.0
                                Creative          10.7                 7.1

  According to the results of the study, students and teachers showed approximately the same ability to
use cloud services. Most students (63.1% of the total number of respondents) and teachers (67.9%) have
an elementary level of readiness. Only 10.7% of students and 8% of teachers reached the creative level.
  The results confirmed the problem of the preparation of future primary education teachers for the
use of cloud services for creating comics with AR elements in professional activities.
  To compare the results obtained, we used the Pearson criterion 𝜒2 . For this purpose, statistical
hypotheses are formulated:
H0 – the level of students’ readiness to use cloud services does not exceed the level of teachers’
     readiness;
H1 – the level of students’ readiness to use cloud services exceeds the level of teachers’ readiness.

  The obtained empirical value of the Pearson’s criterion 𝜒2 = 0, 932 we compared with the tabular
values (for the number of degrees of freedom 2 (table 4).

Table 4
Critical value of the Pearson criterion 𝜒2 .
                                           𝜒2 (𝑝 = 0.05) 𝜒2 (𝑝 = 0.01)
                                               5.991          9.21

   Thus, we accept the hypothesis H0 that the level of students’ readiness to use cloud services does not
exceed the level of teachers’ readiness.
   Note that given the insufficiently large sample size, we certainly do not claim a strong scientific
justification for the state of this readiness in the context of the activities of all teachers and students of
primary education. The data obtained, rather, indicate an overall trend regarding the research problem
and require finding ways to improve it.

3.4. Educational and methodological support for teachers
As a result of a survey of teachers, we identified fundamental problems with the use of cloud services.
Among them, we can note the lack of time for self-education and learning.
   Taking into account this problem, Iryna R. Chopyk have developed a website, where the necessary
information was collected and methodological recommendations were prepared on the organisation
of the teacher’s work using cloud services for creating comics in classes in primary school (https:
//blogger090.wixsite.com/comics).
   This educational website helps primary school students and teachers improve their own competencies
in using cloud services to create comics.



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  Thus, the work of the website is aimed at helping the primary school teacher to create their own
development of interactive educational content, as well as using them in lessons in primary school. The
website contains 4 sections:
   1. Homepage;
   2. “About the project”;
   3. “For teacher”;
   4. Feedback.
  The homepage provides a brief description of the project, links to articles, and a contact window
where anyone can contact the author of the website if needed. At the top, the site menu is presented,
which is intuitive and allows the user to go to the following categories (figure 4).




Figure 4: The main page of the developed website.


  The section “About the project” provides basic information about the master’s study, the purpose of
creating the site, what its work is aimed at, and short theses “Here you will learn”:

    • What is a tutorial comic?
    • How to work with online services to create comics?
    • How to organise work in the classroom using the comic book technique?

  The category “For the teacher” contains three subdivisions:

    • “Theoretical information”, which provides information about what is the process of reading and
      its importance in human life, reveals the essence of basic concepts, describes the reasons for the
      popularity of educational comics, and identifies the strengths of their application in education;



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    • “Services”, where the user can find a list of free and available online services for creating their
      educational comics. Separately, in the section, there are links to instructions for the described
      services.
    • “Methodological recommendations”, which provides practical advice and methodological rec-
      ommendations for working with the technology of using comics in primary school. The unit
      provides a step-by-step description of the technology of working with comics, describes the
      preparatory work with pupils, defines the rules for selecting the subject of comics, provides
      examples of building educational tasks for working with comics and links to online resources for
      creating educational comics.
   Looking at the “Services” section in more detail, users can see the rating from the TOP-3 online
services for creating educational comics. This rating of tools was formed based on three key criteria:
functionality, affordability (all services are free) and ease of use of the service for both teachers and
pupils.
   Each presented service contains instructions for use, which the user will be able not only to view but
also to download to himself on a PC as a MS Word document.
   Each service title contains a link to its main page, which the user of the site will be able to start
working on creating his own educational comic, using the downloaded instructions and methodological
recommendations presented on the educational website.
   Thus, the work of the educational website is aimed at helping teachers of primary education in the
development of relevant educational comics using online services Pixton, Write Comics and Comica for
conducting lessons in primary school, as well as for methodological support of educators.


4. Conclusions
   1. It has been established that the use of AR-enhanced comics in primary school is one of the effective
      didactic means that increases children’s interest in learning and allows for the simplification,
      visualisation, and virtualisation of complex information. As a result of the analysis of modern cloud
      services, programs and applications for creating comics, their advantages are highlighted: the
      availability of services in material terms; a simple interface; the use of templates; the possibility of
      creating a completely new product and distributing materials; versatility. The major disadvantages
      have been clarified: a foreign language interface, the need for preliminary preparation for working
      with them; conversion. The functionality of AR programs for creating content based on comics
      (Vuforia, EasyAR, Maxst, ARCore, AR.js, 8th Wall) is analysed. As a result of a survey of 28
      primary school teachers, considering availability, ease of use and functionality, the most popular
      cloud services are highlighted: for teachers – Pixton; for pupils – Marvel HD and the app installed
      on the gadget – Comica. Algorithms for the development of educational materials in these cloud
      services for the creation of comics are presented.
   2. The levels of readiness for the use of cloud services for creating AR-enhanced comics (elementary,
      basic, creative) are highlighted. It is established that most teachers and students have an elemen-
      tary level of readiness. To improve the real state of readiness of teachers and students to use cloud
      services, an educational website has been developed. Its goal is to help primary school students
      and teachers improve their competencies in using cloud services to create comics. Methodological
      recommendations on the use of comics in primary school using digital technologies have also
      been developed.
   3. The next step of the study will be the implementation of the developed methodological recommen-
      dations in the practice of university education, in the system of teachers’ certification training,
      as well as further monitoring of the readiness of students and teachers to use cloud services to
      create AR-enhanced comics in primary school.

Acknowledgments: The research was performed within the framework of a complex scientific topic of the Department of
Computer Science and Mathematics of Borys Grinchenko Kyiv Metropolitan University “Mathematical methods and digital



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Dmytro M. Bodnenko et al. CEUR Workshop Proceedings                                            226–239


technologies in education, science, technology”, DR № 0121U111924.
Declaration on Generative AI: The authors have not employed any Generative AI tools.


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