Teaching Laboratories at a Slower Pace: Introduction of Photocomics as Easy-to-Use Laboratory Instructions

Nowadays the majority of young people are exposed to a wide and constantly rising range of stimuli by different media. This sensory overload leads to higher stress levels and therefore decreases the ability to concentrate and focus. Laboratory work, however, requires high concentration in order to achieve reliable results under safe conditions. The tendency toward students showing up in the laboratory without proper preparation is rising, resulting in higher risks of errors when performing experiments. Thus, simple and self-explaining instructions are needed to ensure the requested learning outcome, especially when facing laboratories with high course enrollments. A photocomic combines the ease of presentation with clear pictures showing the relevant steps of experimental work.