by Diane Lapp, Thomas DeVere Wolsey, Douglas Fisher, and Nancy Frey
Survey methods were employed to learn more about teachers’ attitudes toward graphic novels and how graphic novels are used in their classrooms. Questions explored participants’ attitudes and actual classroom use. The survey research sought to determine if teachers are open to using graphic novels and the extent of their willingness to do so. Though teachers report willingness to use graphic novels and other graphica, they are limited in their attempts to do so by lack of instructional models, lack of graphic novels in the classroom, and their own level of comfort with the genre.
http://www.bu.edu/journalofeducation/current-issues/ (Volume 192, No. 1)
or direct link to the PDF: http://www.bu.edu/journalofeducation/files/2012/09/BUJOE_192_1_Lapp.pdf
Read more about this study on IVN: http://ivn.us/2013/05/21/study-shows-graphic-novels-add-value-to-k-12-student-learning/62036/
Listen to Diane Lapp discuss this study with Lee Indrisano, editor of the Journal of Education: http://www.bu.edu/journalofeducation/talks-with-journal-authors/
tdwolsey 
[…] One of the issues teachers face when trying to integrate graphic novels into the classroom is a lack of general knowledge about the medium. Some interesting research shows that teachers want to use these books but do not know enough about how to read comics in general or how to evaluate graphic novels in particular (see Thomas DeVere Wolsey’s blog). […]