Investigation of Preschool Teacher Candidates’ and Philosophy Department Students’ Metaphors on the Concept of Philosophy for Children

Year 2025, Volume: 11 Issue: 1, 68 - 94

Merve Öztürer , Özge Özel , Prof. Dr. Perihan Ünüvar

Abstract

Children learn to express their ideas clearly, support their thoughts with valid reasons, and engage in discussions with different people through the philosophy education they receive. This introduction to philosophy and philosophy education during early childhood is essential for their development. However, the concept of "Philosophy for Children" has not yet become widespread in Türkiye. The aim of this study is to examine and compare the metaphors used by pre-service preschool teachers and students in the philosophy department regarding "Philosophy for Children." The research was designed as a phenomenological study, which is a type of qualitative research. The study group consisted of 100 fourth-year university students from the 2023-2024 academic year, and data were collected using a form with three open-ended questions. The content analysis method was employed to analyze the data. The findings revealed that the metaphors of prospective preschool teachers included categories such as mental processes, play and fun, creativity and imagination, meaninglessness and abstract thought, personal discovery and curiosity, perspective and future, as well as importance. In contrast, the metaphors identified by philosophy students included mental processes, metaphysics, difficulty and meaninglessness, education and training, communication and expression, development and flexibility, and importance. Overall, the concept of "Philosophy for Children" was primarily associated with the category of "mental processes." Both groups recognized "importance" and "mental processes" as common metaphors. Prospective preschool teachers emphasized the connection between early childhood and play, interpreting "Philosophy for Children" through the lenses of "play" and "fun." On the other hand, philosophy department students primarily interpreted and explained the concept through the category of "metaphysics."

Keywords

Philosophy for children, Metaphor, Pre-service teachers, Philosophy

Okul Öncesi Öğretmen Adayları ve Felsefe Bölümü Öğrencilerinin Çocuklar için Felsefe Kavramına İlişkin Metaforlarının İncelenmesi

Abstract

Çocuklar tanıştıkları ve edindikleri felsefe eğitimiyle fikirlerini açıkça ifade etmeyi, fikirlerini geçerli nedenlerle desteklemeyi ve farklı kişilerle görüşlerini tartışmayı öğrenirler. Bu ise çocukların erken çocukluk dönemlerinde felsefeyle tanışması ve felsefe eğitimiyle mümkün olacaktır. Ancak henüz Türkiye’de “Çocuklar için Felsefe” kavramı yaygınlaşmamaıştır. Bu nedenle, bu araştırmanın amacı okul öncesi öğretmen adayları ile ile felsefe bölümündeki öğrencilerinin “Çocuklar için Felsefe” konusundaki metaforlarını incelemek ve karşılaştırmaktır. Çalışma, nitel araştırma türlerinden olan fenomenolojik bir araştırma olarak tasarlanmıştır. Çalışma grubunu, 2023-2024 akademik yılında 100 4. sınıf üniversite öğrencisi oluşturmaktadır. Veri toplamak için üç sorudan oluşan bir form kullanılmıştır. Verilerin analizinde içerik analizi yöntemi kullanılmıştır. Bulgulara göre aday öğretmenlerin metaforları; zihinsel süreçler, oyun ve eğlence, yaratıcılık ve hayal gücü, anlamsızlık ve soyut düşünce, kişisel keşif ve merak, bakış açısı ve gelecek ile önemdir. Felsefe öğrencilerinin kategorileri ise; zihinsel süreçler, metafizik, zorluk ve anlamsızlık, eğitim ve öğretim, iletişim ve ifade, gelişim ve esneklik ile önemdir. Çocuklar için felsefe kavramı, çoğunlukla ‘zihinsel süreçler’ kategorisi altında toplanmaktadır. ‘Önem’ ve ‘zihinsel süreç’ kategorisi iki bölüm için de ortak metafor olarak belirlenmiştir. Aday okul öncesi öğretmenleri, “Çocuklar için Felsefe”yi ‘oyun’ ve ‘eğlence’ kategorisi altında anlamlandırarak, erken çocukluk dönemindeki çocukların oyun ile bağlantısını vurgulamışlardır. Felsefe bölümü öğrencileri ise “Çocuklar için Felsefe” kavramını çoğunlukla ‘metafizik’ kategorisi altında anlamlandırmış ve açıklamıştır.

Keywords

Çocuklar için felsefe, Metafor, Öğretmen adayları, Felsefe

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