gms | German Medical Science

Learning through Inquiry in Higher Education: Current Research and Future Challenges (INHERE 2018)

08.03. - 09.03.2018, München

Using metaphors in the beginners' courses to promote competencies in higher education

Meeting Abstract

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Learning through Inquiry in Higher Education: Current Research and Future Challenges (INHERE 2018). München, 08.-09.03.2018. Düsseldorf: German Medical Science GMS Publishing House; 2018. Doc29

doi: 10.3205/18inhere29, urn:nbn:de:0183-18inhere292

Published: March 1, 2018

© 2018 Wahl.
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License. See license information at http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.


Outline

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This study set out to investigate the usefulness of metaphors as a means for students in their first semester to learn through inquiry in higher education. One of the aims of teaching in the beginners’ courses is promoting competencies to manage academic work and to work in research groups: To undergraduates who are unfamiliar with the academic field this often seems a complex task. It can thus be suggested that adequate methods should be used to reduce complexity. Following experiential education approaches, the metaphor of domino was introduced to the students and they were asked to create a domino rally. Hypotheses were that playful learning offers a low-threshold start into the academic practice (e.g. setting research goals like planning the direction of the rally before actually starting to build it), that the engagement in metaphorical use of domino would promote transfer competence, and that it would strengthen the motivation to work in groups. Hence, the research question was: Is it possible to promote the understanding of the scientific working context and to encourage learning in groups in higher education via the metaphor of a domino rally? Data for this study were collected using short questionnaires after every seminar. The majority of those who responded to the questions felt that they gained confidence and knowledge in how the academic field “works” and reported an increased level of motivation and new ways to approach problems. The results suggest that creating a domino rally is a way to induce (self-) reflection and is easy to transfer. This research will serve as a base for future studies. For instance, it would be interesting to assess the effects of other metaphors (in other settings or contexts), to adapt the approach to conventional lectures and seminars or to replicate the method in advanced semesters.


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