Education Initiatives

Because of their popularity and narrative capabilities, the various elements of Geek Culture have inevitably been utilized as education tools not only in the classroom but by museums and non-profits as well. Specially designed comic books have been crafted to tell stories from the Holocaust, the plight of the homeless, and the science of engineering. There’s even a Dungeons & Dragons’ adventure that mirrors the history of Aurora, Colorado. In the twenty-first century, the best way to educate is to add some pop culture into the mix.

Adventures in Learning with Indiana Jones

A South Carolina school teacher recognized the educational value of the early 1990s television series The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles and developed a curriculum around the narratives.

Aurora History as Dungeons & Dragons Fantasy

The Aurora History Museum in Colorado teamed up with Pop Culture Classroom to create a Dungeons & Dragons adventure that blended factual history with the fantasy of the game.

Civics for All Comics Group

As part of the Civics for All initiative at New York City public schools, historical graphic novels like John Lewis’s March and specially created comic books are being used as learning tools.

Constance and Nano

As part of its efforts to attract grade school girls to careers in engineering and technology, the Society of Women Engineers collaborated on a comic book series with writer Kelly Thompson.

Drawn to Home

The Pittsburgh-created comic book told the story of nine local individuals who had experienced homelessness at some point in their lives and complimented an earlier multimedia art exhibit.

Hamilton Education Program

The Broadway musical has not only found traditional success on stage but in education as well with a high school program designed by the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History.

Spectra: The Original Laser Superhero

To commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the first laser in 2010, the American Physical Society created a new comic book superhero to help educate kids about physics and lasers.