Visual Storytelling and Satirical Cartoons: Pedagogical Tools for Sustainability Education

This research explored how satirical cartoons and student-created visual narratives enhance sustainability education in business programs. Through workshops, business and fine arts students analyzed sustainability-themed cartoons, engaged in group discussions, and crafted their own visual stories.

The study found that visual humor simplifies complex sustainability concepts, fostering emotional connections and encouraging peer discussions. Creating visual content deepened students' emotional and intellectual engagement, enhancing personal understanding, empathy, and clarity about environmental issues.

However, a generational gap in the perception of satirical cartoons between instructors and students was identified, potentially limiting the effectiveness of traditional visual teaching materials.

The findings suggest that integrating humor with visual storytelling effectively supports environmental education but stress the need to update teaching materials to align with current media trends. Researchers recommend involving students in selecting or creating visual content to ensure relevance and engagement in sustainability learning.

This work highlights how creative pedagogical methods can shift business education from purely analytical approaches to more emotionally engaging and reflective sustainability instruction.