Knowing through Metaphors: Metaphorical Devices from Science Communication to Science Education

Preparing students for life in an increasingly technical, complex, and global dimension is a relevant aspect of the current educational reform. To this end, international education researchers and practitioners are focusing on improving the persistence and success of students in scientific disciplines. The connections between Science Education and Science Communication, intended as a cultural activity that produces meaning about science, are receiving growing attention and have relevant educational potentialities. Scientific evidence shows that using metaphorical devices can improve learning processes involving scientific concepts (Amin, 2020; Fuchs et al. 2018). This contribution presents and discusses the research project “Knowing through metaphors”. The project’s central research hypothesis is that metaphorical-narrative teaching methodology, compared to traditional Science Education methodologies, is characterized by: a deeper understanding of scientific contents; the development of the ability to recognize implications and to activate new connections and easier access to scientific concepts for students with special educational needs. Such hypotheses were tested by developing experimental lesson plans that systematically use metaphors. The teaching models were implemented in six classes: two classes of the fourth grade (Primary School), two classes of the fifth grade (Primary School); two classes of the first grade (Middle School). For each grade, two parallel classes took part in the project. One acted as an experimental group, and the other as a control group. The emerging results suggest that the narrative-metaphorical methodology supports the long-term acquisition of the scientific contents and is more effective in activating new connections and supporting interaction. Finally, the presentation addresses the critical aspects that emerged from the research project.