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Using Metaphor Analysis To Explore High
Using Metaphor Analysis To Explore High
39
40/Education Vol. 133 No. 1
"... we define our reality in terms of tions into the study group (Berg, 1998).
metaphors and then proceed to act on the Maximum variation sampling was used to
basis of the metaphors." (p.158). The increase the likelihood that all relevant
metaphors that students use to describe aspects of phenomenon being studied
their experiences of learning mathematics would be reflected (Patton, 2002).
also show their attitudes towards mathe- Turkish students enroll in high schools
matics. The literature review did not according to their scores in a nationwide
identify any previous studies in which stu- examination after the secondary stage of
dents' attitudes towards mathematics were primary education. Students who are suc-
researched using metaphor analysis. cessful in primary education also generally
achieve high scores in the subsequent
Purpose of the Study examination. These students enroll an Ana-
The purpose of this study is to deter- tohan high school or other prestigious high
mine the opinions and attitudes of 12th schools, requiring top scores. These
grade students about learning mathemat- schools prepare students for a university
ics. To this end, the study used metaphor education, whereas students who score less
theory. The research questions were: in the general examination attend voca-
1. Which metaphors do students general- tional high schools to learn a profession.
ly use in order to define their positive This study was conducted on two Ana-
attitudes towards learning mathemat- tolian and two vocational high schools in
ics? Turkey. All four schools were located in a
2. Which metaphors do students general- city center in the Aegean region. The
ly use in order to define their negative research was based on 669 12th grade stu-
attitudes towards learning mathemat- dents, 323 (169 female, 154 male) of whom
ics? attend Anatolian high schools and 346 (148
3. Is there a relationship between students' female, 198 male) of whom attend a voca-
attitudes towards mathematics and their tional high schools. Of the 669 students,
gender? 317 {Al.AWo) are female and 352 (52.6%)
4. Is there a relationship between students' are male, 48.3% of the students attend Ana-
attitudes towards learning mathematics tolian high schools and 51.7% attend
and the type of high school they attend? vocational high schools.
cadon. According to Patton "The true open- remaining 669 quesdonnaires, that were
ended question allows the person being answered adequately were used and coded.
interviewed to select from among that per-
sons' full repertoire of possible responses Classification of metaphors in
those that are most salient" (Patton, 2002; terms of indicating attitude towards
p 354). Participants were asked to com- learning mathematics
plete the sentence "For me, learning All of the 669 metaphors used and the
mathematics is like...; because..." based justifications for using these metaphors
on their experiences. were reviewed. The subject of the
metaphor, the source of the metaphor, and
Data collection l;he power of students' explanations
Data were collected during the fall term towards learning mathemadcs were ana-
of the 2011. This study was conducted in lyzed. Metaphors were separated into 3
the course of Turkish literature classes at groups; metaphors which show students'
participadng high schools. The researcher positive atdtudes, metaphors which show
informed the students about the research students' negative attitudes and neutral
in each class, where the Turkish literature metaphors in which students' atdtudes can-
teacher was present. First, the literature not be determined.
teacher described what a metaphor is and
gave some examples fiom literature and Reliability
daily life. Afterwards, the purpose of the The researcher recorded each student's
research was revealed, indicating that par- attitude towards learning mathematics,
ticipation was voluntary. Students who reflected by the given metaphor, in a com-
chose to participate were given 30 min- puter file. Then he asked one of his
utes to answer the questions and find colleagues from faculty of educadon, who
metaphors showing their emotions about is familiar with metaphor studies, to do the
learning mathematics. Students were same. Some differences were observed in
expected to work individually, creating the coding of the two experts. While one
their own metaphors. expert considered a metaphor as indicat-
ing a definidve atdtude the other considered
Data Analysis it neutral. The reliability of the research
Completed questionnaires were col- was calculated by using the formula below
lected and read individually by the (Miles & Huberman, 1994).
researcher before stardng classificadon. In Reliabihty = {Agreement/ (Agreement
the first reading, quesdonnaires that omit- -H Disagreement)}
ted demographic informadon (19), did not The first classificadons about students'
answer the open-ended question (23), had attitudes towards learning mathematics
a metaphor the researcher did not under- showed 91% reliability. The reliability
stand (26) or had no explanatory sentence coefficient was later increased to 94% after
regarding the metaphor (35) were exclud- discussion and collaboration on the clas-
ed (total 103) from the coding. The sificadons.
Using Metaphor Analysis... / 4 3
"For me, learning mathematics is like not liked the subject starting with my very
reading a comic book; because when you first mathematics lesson." (334, M, VHS).
read a comic book you must only focus on This male student at a vocational high
comics. You cannot understand the idea if school emphasized that he has experienced
you do not focus on it. Similarly, you can- problems learning mathematics since the
not solve the problems if you do not focus beginning of his studies. He did not have
on mathematics. For me, both of them are sufficient foundation at the beginning,
very enjoyable." (204, F, AHS). making future learning more difficult and
"For me, learning mathematics is like transforming what is not understood into
reading an exciting book; because as we a mountain summit that he can not reach.
turn each page of the book, new events A female student at an Anatolian high
take place and we are excited in reading school compares learning mathematics to
the book. I hold on to mathematics more a nightmare.
as we learn each subject and I wonder "For me, learning mathematics is like
what other operations will be performed. " having a terrible nightmare; because from
(563, M, VHS). the first minute of a mathematics lesson,
"For me, learning mathematics is like a nightmare begins for me. I feel that this
being occupied with something I like; 45-minute-long lesson is like death. When
because being occupied with the numbers I encounter mathematical concepts, I get
is so enjoyable.lt is very nice to reach the bored and I hate them. However I have an
result even though some topics are diffi- individual problem with mathematics, not
cult." (602, F, VHS). with my teachers. I do not like mathemat-
ics." (126, F, AHS).
Metaphors that students used to describe Some examples about negative attitudes
their negative attitudes towards learning on mathematics learning are given below:
mathematics "For me, learning mathematics is like
Metaphors that reflect students' nega- learning Chinese; because mathematics is
tive attitudes towards learning mathematics a very complicated subject." (32, M,
generally express the difficulty of learn- AHS).
ing mathematics. Students who used "For me, learning mathematics is like
metaphors such as searching for the exit in riding in a horror tunnel at an amusement
a maze, having a nightmare, suffering pain, park; because you get on the ride to have
nibbling tree bark, climbing Mount Ever- fun, yet you are so scared that you want to
est, learning Chinese etc. explain how get out as you proceed through the tun-
agonizing and difficult an experience it is nel." (110, F, AHS).
for them to try to learn mathematics. Some "For me, learning mathematics is like
examples are given below: climbing to the top of a building with 100
"For me, learning mathematics is like floors without an elevator; because / never
climbing Mount Everest by foot; because liked mathematics, I do not like it. I think
for me, mathematics is like a mountain that most of the topics are unnecessary
summit which is impossible to reach. I have and they will not serve any purpose beyond
Using Metaphor Analysis... / 4 5
Moreover, it may be useful to provide Cai, J. (2003). Investigating parental role in stu-
in-service training to high school mathe- dents' learning of mathematics from a
cross-national perspective. Mathematics Edu-
madcs teachers about students' percepdons cation Research Journal, 15(1), 87-106.
in learning mathemadcs. Teachers should
Cain-Caston, M. (1993). Parent and student atti-
find alternative teaching methods that tudes toward mathematics as they relate to
encourage students, arouse their interest third grade mathematics achievement. Journal
in mathematics, so that the subject is no of Instructional Psychology, 20(2), 96-101.
longer perceived as a "torture". Conse- Chen, C. & Stevenson, H. W. (1995). Motivation
and mathematics achievement: A comparative
quently, students' opinions are relevant to study of Asian-American, Caucasian-Ameri-
the training of future mathemadcs teach- can, and East Asian high school students. Child
ers. Therefore, besides giving in-service Development, 66, 121-134.
training to current mathemadcs teachers, Creswell, C. W. (2007). Qualitative inquiry and
it would be useful to teach prospective research design. Choosing among five
mathemadcs teachers in faculties of edu- approaches. London: SAGE Publication.
cadon the emodons, opinions and atdtudes Ethington, C. A. & Wolfle, L. M. (1986). A struc-
tural model of mathematics achievement for
of students towards mathemadcs and math- men and women. American Educational
ematics learning, creating a positive Research Journal, 23(1), 65-75.
atdtude towards the subject, and making Farooq, M. S. & Shah, S. Z. U. (2008). Students'
mathemadcs learning more interesdng. attitude towards mathematics. Pakistan Eco-
nomic and Social Review, 46(1), 75-83.
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