Evolution of teaching models of prospective secondary economics teachers, through the metaphor

Abstract

Using the responses to open questions, this study analyzes the evolution of personal metaphors of a sample of prospective secondary economics teacher during their Master's degree course in Secondary Teacher Education during the 2012/2013 academic year. The study applied an adaptation of the four categories of Leavy, McSorley & Boté (2007): transmissive/ behavioral, cognitive/constructivist, situated and self-referential.

The results indicate that most of the prospective teachers were able to conceptualize their roles in the form of metaphors. Comparing metaphors before and after teaching practice, a progressive evolution occurs from transmissive-constructivist metaphors to cognitive-behavioral and situated metaphors. For preservice teachers, reflecting on their own metaphors, it has proven to be a good tool to make them aware of their conceptions and their teaching roles, and to initiate changes in them towards more focused teaching models in students.