Abstract:

This research applied metaphor analysis to investigate elementary school student teachers’ conceptions of technology. The sample included 160 student teachers who were studying at first, second, and third grades of an Elementary Teacher Education Program in 2010-2011 academic years. A questionnaire form was prepared in order to elicit information about the perception of teacher candidates for the concept of technology. In the first section of the form, they were asked to provide personal information, while they were asked to complete the sentence “Technology is like … , because … ” in the second section of the form. Metaphors created by the candidates were analyzed and classified under eight categories. Participants produced 154 distinct mental images clustered into nine conceptual categories that characterize technology as required, constantly changing, developing, providing benefit, leading to addiction, useful and harmful, progressing so fast and making life easier. Overall, the results suggest that student teachers’ conception of technology is restricted and mostly focuses on artifact and technical dimensions. Unfortunately, none of them created a metaphor including learning or teaching technologies.

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