DETERMINATION OF THE METAPHORIES OF STUDENTS IN THE CHILD DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM FOR THE CONCEPTS OF "MOTHER" AND "CHILD EDUCATION

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to reveal how students studying in the Child Development Program conceptualize their thoughts on the concepts of "Mother" and "Child Education" through metaphors. A phenomenological (phenomenological) pattern, one of the qualitative research methods, was used in the study. Criterion sampling, one of the purposeful sampling methods, was used to determine the study group of the study. In the criterion sampling technique, individuals with in-depth relationships are used in determining the participants. In the selection of the participants in this study, the main criterion was the presence of students in the Child Development Program. In line with the purpose of the study, a study group consisting of university students studying in the Child Development Program, who is knowledgeable about the research subject, was determined. In the study group determined for this study, a total of 180 university students, 127 from Bingöl University Young Vocational School, 39 from Solhan Vocational School, and 14 from Health Sciences Vocational School, took part in the 2019-2020 academic year. In the study, a form containing a metaphor sentence was sent to the students in the e-mail environment, from the participants, “Mother is like / similar to ………. Because….… ”And“ Child education is like / similar to ………. Because…… ”they were asked to complete their sentences. The "content analysis" technique was used in the analysis of the data obtained in the study. As a result of the research, 73 different metaphors were produced about the concept of "mother" by students studying in the Associate Degree Child Development Program. These metaphors revealed by the students were categorized considering their similar aspects. When the metaphors created by university students were categorized according to their similarity, 11 different categories were reached. According to the results of the research, metaphors were mostly produced by the students in the category of "the person who is indispensable" (N = 36). Students produced 110 different metaphors regarding the concept of "Child Education". These metaphors revealed by the students were categorized considering their similar aspects. When the metaphors created by university students were categorized according to their similarity, 15 different categories were reached. According to the results of the research, metaphors were mostly produced by the students in the category of "being the beginning of the process in which people are produced" (N = 36). Some suggestions will be developed based on the findings of the research.