This article explores the use of the circle as a shape metaphor in qualitative and education research and particularly in research designs. Circles dominate the shape metaphors found in the literature and the paper argues that this is because circles have key features that align well with designing and conducting qualitative research. Circles…

Introduction: Even though advocacy for poststructural feminist lenses to change/challenge physical education (PE) has grown over the years, there is an evident gap in qualitative research using poetic forms of representation in PE. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to use a poststructural feminist framework to challenge a particular kind of…

The scientific metaphor of the lens remains widely used in qualitative education research, despite critiques of positivism. Informed by two recently completed empirical doctoral studies relying on "Metaphors We Live By," we propose that the attachment to the lens is a fetish. We argue that this fetish, evident even in purportedly…

A prolific number of researchers have chosen to study metaphorical narratives, confirming their usefulness in educational research. The aim of this paper is to analyse the metaphorical expressions used by 68 principals from infant, primary and secondary schools in Alicante (Spain), concerning the way they see the figure of the principal and how it…

Metaphors can be used in qualitative research to illuminate the meanings of participant experiences and examine phenomena from insightful and creative perspectives. The purpose of this paper is to illustrate how I utilized "trenzas" (braids) as a metaphorical and analytical tool for understanding the experiences and perspectives of…

This research investigates how high school students perceive the concept "environment". The research was conducted on 191 Social Science High School students from 9 to 12th grades in Istanbul and Denizli within 2012 to 2013 academic year. In the study, students were asked to draw a picture of the "environment". The research…

This paper reviews a series of Greek myths put forward as cultural narratives that could be used as metaphors or interpretative similes for explanatory and evaluative purposes in educational research and evaluation. These myths have been used in educational research literature, and most of them were found by carrying out an exhaustive search of…

Students from refugee backgrounds face unique challenges within higher education. This article reports analysis from a systematic review of qualitative research which aimed to explore these students' experiences. Four databases were searched, inclusion/exclusion criteria applied and the remaining studies subjected to a quality assessment, leaving…

Although educational researchers predominately study complex, multidimensional problems, research findings and proposed arguments can sometimes be characterized as definite, simplified, and prone to particular types of answers or expected outcomes. The authors seek to problematize these definite and simplified notions of answers by looking at some…

Since the supervisor's behavior influences the productivity of the group, it may also affect the level of fulfillment of the organization's goals. It is an undeniable fact that education supervisors assume outstanding roles in the healthy functioning of the education system and in determining whether the goals set have been attained or not. Just…

In this methodological discussion, the authors detail and reflect on the processes of using photo-elicitation interviewing as a way to align with positive qualitative methodologies, to gain access to participant beliefs and values, and to highlight participant voices through their choices of words and visuals. A review of the literature and an…

This paper serves two purposes: (1) it outlines some of the conflicting characterizations of the differences among scientific and artistic approaches to qualitative research; and (2) it provides some illustrations from conceptual and empirical research to demonstrate that these are indeed differences that matter. The following four ways in which…

Replies to Rist's unfavorable evaluation of Barone's own article critiquing the arts program of a black elementary school. Argues that quantitative social science research has unsuccessfully modeled itself on scientific methodology, but camouflages its subjectivity and fictionalizes the entire research undertaking. Crafting an educational…