Affective Engagement with Metaphor in Introductory Statistics Education

Abstract

Metaphor is a popular pedagogical tool to help learners understand unfamiliar concepts, but its affective and interactional qualities remain underexplored compared to its cognitive benefits. This study investigates how metaphor may enhance affective engagement within introductory statistics education for linguistics students. As previous research tends to rely on delayed and self-reported data, this study employs a mixed-methods approach that combines real-time physiological measures of engagement with feedback through surveys and interviews. It compares metaphorical and literal instructional styles for teaching simple linear regression, focusing on: i) differences in teacher and learner skin conductance levels, ii) teacher-learner synchrony through skin conductance concordance, iii) the relationship between physiological measures and affect-related survey responses, and iv) learner reflections on their experiences. Results show that the metaphorical style is associated with higher engagement levels and stronger teacher-learner synchrony, affirming the role of metaphors in enhancing collaborative learning when elaborated over time in spontaneous interactive fashion. However, the qualitative data reveal nuanced learner perceptions, highlighting the importance of clearly communicating the scope of metaphor use. This study contributes to understanding the interplay between affective and cognitive engagement in metaphorical learning, offering practical recommendations for its effective implementation in complex subjects like statistics.