The Metaphor—Object and Instrument of Study: Contributions to Educational Research

Abstract

In this article the possibilities for the uses of metaphor for educational research are explored. Metaphor's potential is manifested on two levels: 1. as an object of study (the metaphor is the vehicle of expression and construction of models of thought and knowledge about reality); 2. as a tool of analysis (the metaphor is a tool of research with which one can discover, know, and understand ways of thinking and visions of reality). Moreover, there are a number of factors to consider when using metaphor as a research tool: the discursive context, the sociocultural context, and experience of the individual(s), and the micropolitical and institutional context. URN: urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs100162