A Case Study on the Pattern of Teachers' Analogies in Elementary Science Glasses

과학 수업에서 초등 교사가 사용하는 비유 유형에 대한 사례 연구

The purpose of this study was to observe five teachers' science classes and analyze the patterns of their analogies. To analyze the data, investigator triangulation was used, and the results were as follows: First, among the patterns of analogy used, expressions of similes and metaphors were utilized by all the teachers; teachers with over ten years' experience used adult's daily phrases, and teachers with under ten years' experience tended to use anthropomorphism. Regarding pictorial analogies, these manifested themselves in the sixth period, while teachers with over ten years' experience drew a simple picture about circulation of water, teachers with under one year's experience made additional materials for their analogy and they put an emphasis on the concept of the circulation itself. Teachers tended to use analogs according to their interests; teachers who majored in science education used pictorial analogies for further study. Second, the patterns emerging from the correspondence of the analogy manifested themselves in all the teachers equally, but they have no relation to the teacher's background. Third, routine analogy and artificial analogy appeared equally in consideration of degree of artificiality among the patterns of the analogies used. Regarding routine analogy, most teachers tended to look for analogs from things and experiences from themselves or their own backgrounds rather than those of the students. Regarding artificial analogies, teachers tended to purposely choose analogs to help students to understand; energetic teachers sometimes failed to choose appropriate analogs because they approached the topic with too much intensity. While a teacher who lacked experience and interest in science used many expressions of analogy, a teacher who felt some degree of constraint rarely used expressions of analogy. Fourth, most of the teachers used analogs familiar to their own experiences but students often found understanding these analogs difficult. Therefore, teachers need to make greater efforts to utilize analogs which are especially familiar to students when they attempt to explain science concepts.