Effects of Visual Storytelling on Learning and Retention of Local Historical Memory in Elementary School Children: An Approach from Graphic Design and Pedagogy

Abstract

Passing down local historical memory to new generations is an educational challenge, especially when complex events are presented using resources that are ill-suited to children’s ways of understanding. This study aims to analyze the effects of visual storytelling—developed through characters, graphic narrative, and visual resources—on the learning and retention of local historical memory among elementary school children. The research is based on a graphic design proposal centered on the Ambato Fruit and Flower Festival, which uses characters such as Father Andrés, Queen Rosa, Don Pancho, and Don Helado—depicted as art toys—to present a narrative about the 1949 earthquake, the city’s reconstruction, and the emergence of the festival. A quantitative approach with a quasi-experimental design is proposed, comparing a group that receives the historical content through a conventional strategy with another group that uses a graphically designed visual storytelling experience. Historical learning, comprehension, immediate recall, delayed retention, and motivation toward cultural content will be assessed using structured instruments administered before and after the intervention. The study aims to determine whether the incorporation of visual narrative and culturally contextualized characters leads to different learning outcomes compared to a conventional presentation, providing empirical evidence on the role of graphic design as a pedagogical mediator for teaching history and preserving local cultural memory. This first phase presents the character and script design process, its comparison with historical sources, and the assessment protocol; the effects on learning will be reported following the implementation of the intervention.