A Comparison of Metaphors Created by Teachers about eTwinning in Turkey and Abroad

Year 2021, Volume: 5 Issue: 2, 394 - 417, 31.12.2021

Celalettin Çelebi Fatih Yılmaz

Abstract

It is highly important that teachers have the necessary professional knowledge, skills and attitudes for the efficiency of the teaching and learning process, which has an important role in gaining the required qualifications to individuals. One of the educational platforms that can be used for teachers to develop both their personal and professional skills is the eTwinning platform. It offers various opportunities for both teachers and students. Literature review has shown that the number of researches on eTwinning, which is used by more and more teachers in Turkey, is insufficient in number. The participants of this research, which aims to compare metaphors created by teachers in Turkey and abroad, consist of 224 teachers. In the study, the content analysis method has been adopted, and the data have been collected through a fixed form questionnaire. According to the results of the research, it has been found out that eTwinning projects have mostly been carried out by teachers working at primary schools. The metaphors produced by teachers for eTwinning projects have been grouped under 8 different categories. Lastly, teachers also use various tools while carrying out their projects.

Keywords

Metaphors, online teaching, online learning, eTwinning, teachers

References

• Akdemir, A., S. (2017). eTwinning in language learning: The perspectives of successful teachers. Journal of Education and Practice, 8(10), 182-190.
• Akıncı, B. (2018). eTwinning proje uygulamalarının öğrencilerin yabancı dil becerileri ile öğretmenlik mesleki gelişimine katkısı. [Unpublished master’s thesis], Mehmet Akif Ersoy University, Burdur.
• Avcı, F. (2021). Çevrim içi bir öğrenme ortamı olarak etwinning platformuna ilişkin öğretmenlerin görüş ve değerlendirmeleri. Cumhuriyet Uluslararası Eğitim Dergisi, 10(1), 1-22.
• Başaran, M., Kaya, Z., Akbaş, N., & Yalçın, N. (2020). Proje tabanlı öğretim sürecinde etwinning faaliyeti’nin öğretmenlerin mesleki gelişimlerine yansıması. Eğitim Kuram ve Uygulama Araştırmaları Dergisi, 6(3), 373-392.
• Boddy, R., B. (2016). Sample size for qualitative research. Qualitative Market Research, 19(4), 426–432, Doi: 10.1108/QMR-06-2016-0053
• Bradley, J. (1993). Methodological issues and practices in qualitative research. The Library Quarterly: Information, Community, Policy, 63(4), 431-449.
• Carlson, T., B. (2001) Using metaphors to enhance reflectiveness among preservice teachers. JOPERD, 72(1), 49-53, Doi: 10.1080/07303084.2001.10605820
• Cavanagh S. (1997). Content analysis: Concepts, methods and applications. Nurse Res. 4(3), (5-16). Doi: 10.7748/nr.4.3.5.s2
• Costantino, T., E. (2008). Constructivism. In Given, L., M. (Editor), The SAGE encyclopedia of qualitative methods (116-119). USA: SAGE Publications.
• Dent-Read, C., H., & Szokolszky, A. (1993) Where do metaphors come from?, Metaphor and Symbolic Activity, 8(3), 227-242, Doi: 10.1207/s15327868ms0803_8
• “eTwinning’in Faydaları”, (n.d.). Retrieved May, 30, 2021, from: http://etwinning.meb.gov.tr/etwinningin-faydalari/
• Galvin, C., Gilleran, A., Hogenbirk, P., Hunya, M., Selinger, M., & Zeidler, B. (2006). Pedagogical Advisory Group: Reflections on eTwinning. Collaboration and eTwinning: Enrichment and added value of eTwinning projects. Brussels, BE: eTwinning Central Support Service. Retrieved from http://files.etwinning.net/shared/data/etwinning/general/pag_i.pdf
• Gajek, E. (2010). Social and cognitive constructivism in practice on the basis of eTwinning project in science. Computer Based Learning in Science, 41-47.
• Gençtürk Erdem, E., Başar, F.B., Toktay, G., Yayğaz, İ.H. & Küçüksüleymanoğlu, R. (2021). eTwinning projelerinin öğretmenlerin dijital okuryazarlık becerilerine katkısı. International Journal of Social Sciences and Education Research, 7(3), 204-219. Doi: 10.24289/ijsser.901129
• Gibbs, R., W. (1999). Why many concepts are metaphorical. Cognition, 61 (3), 309-319. Doi: 10.1016/S0010-0277(96)00723-8
• Gilleran, A. (2019). eTwinning in an era of change - Impact on teachers’ practice, skills, and professional development opportunities, as reported by eTwinners. Central Support Service of eTwinning-European Schoolnet, Brussels, Retrieved: http://files.eun.org/etwinning/etwinning_in_an_era_of_change_EN.pdf
• Guilherme, A., & Freitas, A., L., S. (2018). Discussing education by means of metaphors, Educational Philosophy and Theory, 50(10), 947-956, Doi: 10.1080/00131857.2016.1198250
• Güzel, H., Özdöl, M. F., & Oral, İ. (2010). Öğretmen profillerinin öğrenci motivasyonuna etkisi. Selçuk Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü Dergisi, (24), 241-253.
• Hsieh, H, -F., & Shannon, S., E, (2005). Three approaches to qualitative content analysis. Patient Qualitative Health Research, 15(9), 1277-1288. Doi: 10.1177/1049732305276687
• Kearney, C. & Gras-Velázquez, À., (2015). eTwinning Ten Years On: Impact on teachers’ practice, skills, and professional development opportunities, as reported by eTwinners. Central Support Service of eTwinning - European Schoolnet, Brussels, Retrieved: https://www.etwinning.net/eun-files/eTwinningreport_EN.pdf
• Leclerc, B, S. & Dassa, C. (2010). Interrater reliability in content analysis of healthcare service quality using Montreal’s conceptual framework. The Canadian Journal of Program Evaluation, 24(2), 81-101.
• Levine, P., M. (2005). Metaphors and images of class rooms. Kappa Delta Pi Record, 41 (4), 172-175. Doi: 10.1080/00228958.2005.10532066
• Licht, A., Pateraki, I., & Scimeca, S., (2020). eTwinning Schools: towards a shared leadership approach - Quantitative and qualitative analysis of the eTwinning School practices. Central Support Service of eTwinning - European Schoolnet, Brussels. Retrieved: http://files.eun.org/etwinning/eTwinning-report-2020_Schools_FULL.pdf
• Marshall, M., N. (1996). Sampling for qualitative research. Family Practice, 13(6), 522–526, Doi:10.1093/fampra/13.6.522
• Miles, M. B. & Huberman, A. B. (1994). Qualitative data analysis (2nd Ed.). CA: Sage Publications Inc.
• Moretti, F., Vliet, L., Bensing, J., Deledda, G., Mazzi, M., Rimondini, M., Zimmermann, C., & Fletcher, I. (2011). A standardized approach to qualitative content analysis of focus group discussions from different countries. Patient Education and Counselling, 82(3), 420-428. Doi: 10.1016/j.pec.2011.01.005
• Nacaroğlu, O., Mutlu, F. & Meral, H., B. (2019). Examining the metaphoric perceptions of preservice science teachers concerning the concept of project, Inonu University Journal of the Faculty of Education, 20(3), 753-769. DOI: 10.17679/inuefd.578306
• O’Connor, C., & Joffe, H. (2020). Intercoder reliability in qualitative research: Debates and practical gidelines. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 19, 1-13. Doi: 10.1177/1609406919899220
• Oğuz-Ünver, A., Arabacıoğlu, S. & Okulu, H. Z. (2015). Öğretmenlerin bu benim eserim proje yarışması rehberlik sürecine ilişkin görüşleri. Muğla Sıtkı Koçman Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, 2 (2), 12-35.
• “Proje Nasıl Başlatılır”, (n.d.). Retrieved June, 01, 2021, from: http://etwinning.meb.gov.tr/proje-nasil-baslatilir/
• Sandelowski, M. (1995). Focus on qualitative methods sample size in qualitative research. Research in Nursing & Health, 18, 179-183. Doi: 10.1002/nur.4770180211
• Timur, B. & İmer Çetin, N. (2017). Fen ve teknoloji öğretmenlerinin proje geliştirmeye yönelik yeterlikleri: hizmet içi eğitim programının etkisi. Ahi Evran Üniversitesi Kırşehir Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi (KEFAD), 18(2), 97-111.
• Tompkins, P., & Lawley, J. (2002). The magic of metaphor. Retrieved: http://www.cleanlanguage.co.uk/articles/articles/21/1/The-Magic-of-Metaphor/Page1.html
• “Türkiye”. (n.d.). Retrieved June, 01, 2021, from eTwinning website: https://www.etwinning.net/tr/pub/community/countries/country.cfm?c=793
• Ülker, N. (2018). Sanatta bir bakış, bir oluş ve bir eyleyiş mekanı olarak pencere metaforu. [Unpublished master’s thesis], Işık University Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü, İstanbul.
• Velea, S. (2011). ICT in education: responsible use or a fashionable practice. The impact of eTwinning action on the education process. In ICVL. Proceedings of the 6th International Conference on Virtual Learning. Bucharest: University of Bucharest Publishing House.
• Verkasalo, M., Daun, Aê . & Nııt, T. (1994). Universal values in Estonia, Finland and Sweden. Ethnologia Europaea, 24, pp. 101-117.
• Yılmaz, F. (2019). Dindarlık ve hoşgörü ilişkisi (Konya merkez ilçelerinde görev yapan öğretmenler örneği). [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. Necmettin Erbakan University, Konya.
• Zhou, D., & Heineken, E. (2009). The use of metaphors in academic communication: traps or treasures. Iberica, 18, 23-42.