Impact

The project proposes an original analysis of the use of metaphors and analogies in science education and, thus, is expected to impact significantly (both theoretically and methodologically) onto future approaches to metaphor and textbook research, particularly on investigations of metaphor use in science education to develop new knowledge among (young) learners.

Implications for metaphor research: the 3 distinct corpora resulting from the implementation of the project will provide valuable data for comparative studies on the use of metaphor in science discourse. Furthermore, the project will contribute insights into the pedagogical function of metaphors.

Implications for textbook research: the 3 distinct corpora, especially the classroom interaction corpus and the focus group corpus, will provide valuable insights into the role of metaphors in science textbooks in simplifying complex, abstract scientific concepts and making them accessible to students. Metaphors are essential in textbooks and in classroom interaction, especially for their role in mediating the acquisition of new knowledge.

This project aims to offer a deep understanding of how metaphors and analogies permeate science education by contributing to as well as inhibiting learning. In addition to the contributions to metaphor and textbook research, the project will impact on more practical aspects of teaching and learning science. The analysis of the pedagogical uses of metaphor in science education may help textbook writers and teachers make better choices of metaphor and analogies to explain abstract scientific concepts.