Investigation of the effects of computer-aided animations on conceptual understanding through metaphors: An example of artificial intelligence

Abstract

In this study, it was aimed to investigate the change in the conceptual understanding of "artificial intelligence". For this purpose, the determination of the metaphors related to the concept of artificial intelligence in the stages before and after watching the artificial intelligence-themed computer-aided animation developed within the scope of the study, and the assessment of change between them constituted the research problem. During the 2021-2022 academic year 39 Information Technologies (IT) teachers and 103 fifth grade students studying in a secondary school in Nilüfer District of Bursa participated in this study. A phenomenological design pattern was adopted throughout the research. In the first stage of the study, many concepts were revealed as a result of the questionnaire applied to determine the concepts that were difficult to teach by IT teachers, and among them the concept of "artificial intelligence" was determined. In the second stage of the study, students were asked to complete the statement "Artificial intelligence is like … because ..." to determine the metaphorical perceptions on the concept of artificial intelligence. Based on the themes obtained from the metaphor results, computer-aided animation on the concept of artificial intelligence was developed by the researchers. After the animation demonstration to students, the metaphorical data collection process was repeated and it was attempted to determine the change in the students' understanding of the concept of artificial intelligence. As a result of the study, although the conceptual categories regarding artificial intelligence generally had similar characteristics, it was observed that the justifications in the post-animation conceptual perceptions were more meaningful.