Abstract:

The aim of this study is to determine pre-service teachers’ perceptions about the concept of “Out of School Learning” through metaphors. The study is carried out with phenomenology method of Qualitative Research Design. Data were obtained from 131 pre-service teachers studying the 3rd year of the Department of Preschool Teacher of the University of Sakarya, in 2019-2020 fall semester of the academic year. Participants were asked to complete these sentences, “Out of School Learning is like……… Because………” Obtained metaphors were analyzed with content analysis with packaged program NVIVO 12. This analyzed was done in 5 stages; 1) coding and debugging, 2) collecting metaphor image samples, 3) developing category and theme, 4) calculating validity and reliability, 5) comments. It is observed that Pre-service teachers generate well-formed and mostly positive metaphors. Metaphors generated by the participant pre-service teachers gathered under 6 conceptual category as; “experiencing”, “authentic learning”, “completing”, “freedom”, “amusement”. As a result of the study it is observed that, pre-service teachers perceived the concept of “out of school Learning” as positive, heuristic, accruing by practicing, amusing and life itself.

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