The comic as a didactic tool for promoting critical and reflective thinking in physiotherapy students: a multidimensional approach with artificial intelligence and the teacher as researcher.

Abstract

This theoretical article explores the potential of comics as an innovative pedagogical resource to foster critical and reflective thinking in first- and second-level physiotherapy students at the Instituto Universitario de Tecnología Elías Calixto Pompa (IUTECP), specifically within the curricular units of Reading and Comprehension and Critical and Reflective Thinking. It is based on the premise that clinical complexity demands multidimensional thinking, integrating biopsychosocial, ethical, and communicative aspects. Through a conceptual analysis grounded in specialized literature, the article proposes a didactic model that incorporates: (1) graphic narrative as a facilitator of deep reflection; (2) artificial intelligence as a tool to personalize and assess learning; and (3) the role of the teacher as a researcher of their own practice. The article identifies gaps in the literature regarding the systematic application of visual media in physiotherapy and suggests the need to develop pedagogical frameworks that coherently integrate these dimensions within the Venezuelan context.