e-International Journal of Educational Research

Abstract

Metaphor is an important tool which explains the relationship between learning and language. Metaphor is both related to literature and language, and an important part of daily life and language. The analysis of scientists' academic and personal lives, determining scientific and creative metaphors in their professional lives, presenting their views will be a model and shed a light for those who work and want to work in the academic domain. In this sense, the analysis of metaphors related to the academic lives of scientists is of vital importance. The purpose of this study is to analyze their academic backgrounds by discussing “The metaphors in academic life stories of living scientists”, and bringing out their perspectives and views by determining scientific and creative metaphors in academicians' lives. Within this framework, research question in this study is “What are the metaphors living scientists use while narrating their academic life stories and creativity?”. Method: This study is a qualitative research study which aims to analyze metaphors in academic life stories of living scientists, and determine themes according to the views and experiences of scientists. As a result of the studies, an interview form has been developed to obtain detailed information about explanations living scientists make about academic experiences and their views on metaphors. The study group was comprised of 28 academicians, and to conduct the interview more quickly and easier, the participants were chosen from 7 closest cities to Afyonkarahisar. To determine metaphors in academic life stories of living scientists, descriptive and content analysis techniques were used, and the life stories were summarized according to the themes organized. Results: The findings were presented under the themes of “the meaning of academic success concept”, “academic life metaphor”, “academic life metaphor and its rationale”, “experienced problems”, “solution offers”, “the relationship between academic life and private life”. According to the views of the academicians, academic success means integrating academic approach into entire life, the quality of scientific research and working hard and performing the necessities of career steps. When academicians' views on metaphors living scientists use about their academic lives and rationale were analyzed, four sub-themes were determined: working, journey, risk and promotion. When academicians' views on the metaphors they use about their academic lives and the rationale of the metaphors were analyzed, three sub-themes – considering academic life as a struggle, a journey and as advancing – were determined related to the “academic life metaphors and their rationale” theme. Academicians' expressions on the problems were divided into four sub-themes: problems among academicians, foreign language problem, administrative and bureaucratic problems, monetary and physical impossibilities. Furthermore, scholars have put forward various strategies to solve these problems. Finally, according to the views on academic – private life relationship, these findings were obtained: “won't succeed in any of them”, “keeping in balance” and “ignoring”. Conclusion and Recommendations: Academic success means three things. Being successful in only academic life doesn't reflect the whole meaning of success. Although reaching an aim which is valued universally is very important, climbing up career steps isn't enough on its own. Besides, proposing solution offers to universal and national problems and taking pleasure and feeling happy at the same time has an important place in academic life and academic success. Academic success is seen as a product of a process more than just a product, and individuals need to work hard towards the aims determined before to climb up the career steps one by one. Academic life is conceptualized working hard, journeys, risk and advancing concepts as a basis. In academic life, scholars need to develop themselves in a dynamic process, and to work in a disciplined way. Like a flying bird, scholars, with the aim of analyzing phenomenon and cases closely, deeply and remotely, should fly high and low. In this study, it is emphasized that scholars aren't happy with the freedom they have now; and in recent years; academic freedom has been limited. Also, it is emphasized that academic freedom is decreasing year by year. In academic circles, research funding and monetary problems are important problems waiting to be solved. Social life constitutes an important part of one's life whichever job s/he is doing. As they have to work hard, do research and produce knowledge, private and social lives have different roles in academicians' lives. Because scholars sometimes feel doubtful of which will be more important (social life or private life) and how they will keep the balance for their lives. Keywords: Metaphor, academic life stories, scientist, and scientist education.