Conceptual Integration Analysis of Multiple Instructional Metaphors Robert Johnson
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University of Northern Colorado Scholarship & Creative Works @ Digital UNC Dissertations Student Research 8-1-2009 Conceptual integration analysis of multiple instructional metaphors Robert Johnson Follow this and additional works at: http://digscholarship.unco.edu/dissertations Recommended Citation Johnson, Robert, "Conceptual integration analysis of multiple instructional metaphors" (2009). Dissertations. Paper 175. This Text is brought to you for free and open access by the Student Research at Scholarship & Creative Works @ Digital UNC. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Scholarship & Creative Works @ Digital UNC. For more information, please contact [email protected]. UNIVERSITY OF NORTHERN COLORADO Greeley, Colorado The Graduate School A CONCEPTUAL INTEGRATION ANALYSIS OF MULTIPLE INSTRUCTIONAL METAPHORS A Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Robert Johnson College of Education and Behavioral Sciences School of Psychological Sciences Educational Psychology August, 2009 This Dissertation by: Robert Johnson Entitled: A Conceptual Integration Analysis of Multiple Instructional Metaphors Has been approved as meeting the requirement for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the College of Education and Behavioral Sciences in the School of Psychological Sciences, Program of Educational Psychology Accepted by the Doctoral Committee _____________________________________________________________ Kathryn F. Cochran, Ph.D., Chair _____________________________________________________________ Teresa M. McDevitt, Ph.D., Committee Member _____________________________________________________________ Kevin J. Pugh, Ph.D., Committee Member _____________________________________________________________ Barbara L. Whinery, Ph.D., Faculty Representative Date of Dissertation Defense ______________________________________________ Accepted by the Graduate School ___________________________________________________________________ Robbyn R Wacker, Ph.D. Assistant Vice President of Research and Extended Studies Dean of the Graduate School ABSTRACT Johnson, Robert. A Conceptual Integration Analysis of Multiple Instructional Metaphors. Published Doctor of Philosophy dissertation, University of Northern Colorado, 2009. The present study was conducted to investigate some of the practical implications of conceptual integration theory for educators. This research was a mixed-methods study exploring how improvements in understanding—learning—(as measured by a selected- response assessment) are reflected in changes in learner language (described in terms of conceptual integration patterns). After a pretest with open-response and selected-response prompts, two groups of young adult participants viewed different videos of a slightly different review lesson in genes, genetics, and heredity, the difference lying in two different metaphor conditions: the experimental group was shown a more “metaphor- rich” version of the lesson using two classic metaphors about the topic. Both groups then took somewhat elaborated posttests to provide data as to what kinds of conceptual integration processes may have been in use by the participants as they processed, learned, and communicated their understanding of the instructional content. Results were compared to determine if the instructional metaphors bore on patterns of learning and understanding as described by the conceptual integration model. The different metaphor conditions were not shown to have been significantly different in their respective effects on participant learning; however, the broad gains across all pre- post quantitative results suggested real learning among the participants. This learning—or iii at least the participants’ communication about the content domain—was indeed reflected in changes identified by a conceptual integration analysis of the qualitative data. The researcher concluded not only that the conceptual integration model could be used as a guide to improve teaching practices; if the conceptual integration model could account more robustly or subtly for cognitive elements of teaching and learning, it also could be used to refine the language used in the creation and interpretation of assessments, leading to improved validity and reliability at any level of assessment, from teacher-developed classroom assessments to large-scale standardized assessments. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First, I must acknowledge my parents, Bruce and Zelma Johnson, whose value of learning and education has shaped my life; the dignity, grace, and wit with which they lived their lives continue to teach and inspire those who knew them. They knew me well and loved me anyway. As my parents have done, all of the people acknowledged here have encouraged me to persevere and I owe each a real debt. I thank the rest of my family for their wonderful patience and support. I also want to thank Ed Jakober, Senior Media Specialist, Video Production Services, at the University of Wisconsin-Stout in Menomonie, Wisconsin for his meticulous work in producing eight versions of the lessons. My friends and colleagues, David Adams and Lori Reinsvold, were crucially helpful in checking my work and the participants’ accuracy, respectively. I also owe a deep debt of gratitude to the members of my committee whose patience is rivaled only by their encouragement and academic rigor: Kathryn Cochran and Teresa McDevitt have been valued and trusted mentors since I arrived at UNC; Kevin Pugh and Barbara Whinery have professionally and unfailingly responded to my many needs with genuine interest and valuable ideas as well. Finally, it is a pleasure to acknowledge the many fine professors and fellow students at UNC from whom I have learned so much. My sincere thanks to typist Constance Beard for her professional excellence. v Their many excellent qualities, so generously shared, are reflected throughout this work; any errors herein, on the other hand, are mine alone. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................ 1 Theoretical Context and Background .............................................................. 1 Evolutionary Psychology and Conceptual Integration ......................................5 Neuroscience and Conceptual Integration .................................................... 10 Limitations of Reductionist Approaches to Cognition .................................. 14 Theories of Chaos, Complexity, and Dynamic Systems in Relation to Conceptual Integration ....................................................................... 17 Combinatorial/Computational Approaches to Language and Psychology .... 19 Overview of Cognitive Linguistics and Conceptual Integration ................... 22 Terminology from Cognitive Psychology and Cognitive Linguistics ........... 27 Applications to Educational Psychology ....................................................... 34 Overview and Summary of Purpose, Scope, and Methods of Present Research ................................................................................ 36 CHAPTER II. REVIEW OF LITERATURE ........................................................... 41 Traditional Perspectives and Theories in Metaphor ...................................... 41 Current Perspectives and Theories in Metaphor ............................................ 51 Metaphor in Psychology and Education ........................................................ 59 Definitions, Principles, and Examples of Conceptual Integration Theory .... 63 Examples and Conceptual Integration Analyses of Metaphors as Instructional Models/Tools ................................................................ 90 Instructional Metaphors in the Teaching of Genetics .................................... 93 Conceptual Integration, Metaphor, and the Present Study ............................ 98 Sample Conceptual Integration Analyses of Two Core Instructional Metaphors ......................................................................................... 99 The Present Study: Research Questions and Overview of Methods and Data Analysis ............................................................................ 104 CHAPTER III. DESIGN, ANALYSIS, METHODS, MATERIALS, PARTICIPANTS, AND PROCEDURES .................................................... 108 Introduction .................................................................................................. 108 Design .......................................................................................................... 108 Data Analysis ............................................................................................... 113 A Pilot Study ................................................................................................ 118 Research Design Components ..................................................................... 120 vii Instruments ................................................................................................... 121 The Research: Participants, Settings, and Procedures ................................. 124 Summary ...................................................................................................... 128 Integrity and Security of Data and Process .................................................. 130 CHAPTER IV. ANALYSIS AND CODING PROCEDURES .............................. 132 Quantitative Procedures ..............................................................................