The Use of Metaphors in the Processes of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education

Due to growing concern about the quality of learning, higher education institutions are looking at their academic achievements and developing initiatives related to research into their teaching activities. The main aim of this article is to contribute to broader knowledge about pedagogical issues in higher education regarding reasoning structure used in the classroom. On a more objective level, the article focuses on the importance of analogical reasoning and the specific use of metaphors as vehicles for learning. It is a case study focused on the use of metaphors in a particular course, which seeks to research the mode and effectiveness of using metaphors as interpretive and explanatory models of scientific phenomena in the processes of teaching and learning. Research shows that the two main uses of metaphors served educational purposes and produced foundational knowledge. Additionally, the use of metaphors was an opportunity to promote teacher awareness of his/her own teaching.