Cultural–historical activity theory perspectives on constructing ICT-mediated metaphors of teaching and learning

Abstract

The identification of personal teaching metaphors is a potentially effective means of assisting pre-service teachers to become reflective teachers. However, although metaphors are often viewed as a way to facilitate self-reflection, teacher education programmes have shed little light on effective communication and collaboration that are essential to enhancing and mediating the construction of metaphors by pre-service teachers. Drawing on cultural historical activity theory (CHAT), this study explores ways of using information and communication technology (ICT) tools in pre-service teacher education to enhance and mediate the construction of metaphors of teaching and learning. Data included Singaporean pre-service teachers’ ICT-mediated teaching metaphors and online messages. Qualitative analysis revealed that ICT-mediated metaphors provided a unique opportunity for pre-service teachers to interact with teacher educators and peers and it empowered them to reflect on the teaching and learning process critically.