Why use a metaphoric framework for analysis? Dr John Willison, School of Education, University of Adelaide www.rsd.edu.au john.willison@adelaide.edu.au

Research on Scientific Literacy Nebulous Contested Depends on author’s ontology and epistemology My focus was hands-on science

Scientific Literacy..

Dewey (1938/63) When there are competing elements, come from a level deeper and more encompassing

Metaphors in Science Education

Metaphoric framework Eg Sfard’s (1996) Scribner (1986) Learning as acquisition Learning as participation Scribner (1986) Literacy as adaption Literacy as power Literacy as state-of-grace

Data

Tara’s story, my vignette

A ‘missing’ metaphor emerged… From the data From the literature Slowly

The Emergent Metaphoric Framework Student as recruit (similar to ‘acquisition’) Implicit in the literature Students as scientists (similar to ‘participation’) Explicit on the literature Student as judge Middle ground

The metaphoric framework… Framed the analysis of the data Framed the analysis of the literature Slowly

16 years post PhD The metaphoric framework continues to underpin much of my research Why? Flexibility Adaptability E.g. Wilmore and Willison, 2016 (Media) Willison and Buisman-Pijlman 2016 (Medical Science) Willison, Sabir and Thomas, 2016 (Business)

Questions What are the advantages and disadvantages of a metaphorical framework in your research context? How could you fashion a metaphoric framework? What will your examiners/reviewers think of a metaphorical framework?

References Dewey, J. (1938/1963). Experience and education. New York: Macmillan. Roth, W. M. (1993). Metaphors and conversational analysis as tools in reflection on teaching practice: Two perspectives on teacher-student interactions in open-inquirey science. Science Education, 77(4), 351-373. Scribner, S. (1986). Literacy in three metaphors. In N. Stein (Ed.), Literacy in American schools: Learning to read and write (pp. 7-27). Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Sfard, A. (1998). On two metaphors for learning and the dangers of choosing just one. Educational Researcher, 27(2), 4-13. Tobin, K. (1990). Metaphors and images in teaching. Perth: Centre for School. Science and Mathematics. Tobin, K., & LaMaster, S. U. (1995). Relationship between metaphores, beliefs and actions in a context of science curriculum change. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 32(3), 225-242. Willison, J. & Buisman Pijlman, F. (2016). Ph.D. prepared: Research skill development across the undergraduate years. International Journal for Researcher Development 7(1), 63-83. Wilmore, M. & Willison, J. (2016). Graduates’ evaluation of research skill development in undergraduate media education. Asia Pacific Media Educator 26 (1). Willison, J., Sabir, F. & Thomas, J. (2016) Shifting dimensions of autonomy in students’ research and employment. Higher Education Research & Development, DOI: 10.1080/07294360.2016.1178216