THE ROLE OF GESTURES FOR UNDERSTANDING THE PROCESSES AT CONSTRUCTIVE AND DESTRUCTIVE PLATE BOUNDARIES

Conceptual Metaphor Theory (Lakoff & Johnson, 1980) provides a powerful explanatory framework for genesis of student conceptions (Conrad & Libarkin, 2022). Embodied cognitions become apparent in verbal language and in gestures. Although speech-accompanying metaphorical gestures are considered to have great potential (Herrera & Riggs 2013), little attention has been paid to the role of gestures in learning geoscientific processes. The present study addresses the question if teacher's use of speech-accompanying metaphorical gestures positively impacts learners' understanding of processes at plate boundaries. Students (N=63) were divided in two groups and watched individually an educational movie about plate boundaries. The movies for the groups differed only in one point: The teacher supported her explanations for group 2 with speech-accompanying gestures. Students were interviewed individually before and after watching the movie. All interviews were qualitatively analyzed using systematic metaphor analysis (Schmitt, 2010) and gesture analysis. This was followed by a quantitative analysis with SPSS. The analysis using Chi Square Test showed highly significant differences between the groups. After the intervention, 33% of the group 1 activated a suitable source domain when explaining divergent plate boundaries, while 75% of the group 2 (with gesture) did so (χ² (1, n = 62) = 10,85, p < .001; φ- = .42). When explaining convergent plate boundaries after the intervention, 10% in group 1 activated an appropriate source domain, and 66% in group 1: χ² (1, n = 62) = 20.19, p < .001; φ- = .57).

References

Conrad, D. & Libarkin, J. (2022) Using Conceptual Metaphor Theory within the Model of Educational Reconstruction to identify students’ alternative conceptions and improve instruction: A plate tectonics example, Journal of Geoscience Education, 70:2, 262-277.

Herrera, J., & Riggs, E. (2013). Relating Gestures and Speech: An Analysis Of Students' Conceptions About Geological Sedimentary Processes. International Journal of Science Education, 35(12), 1979-2003.

Lakoff, G., & Johnson, M. (1980). Metaphors we live by. University of Chicago Press.

Schmitt, R. (2010). Metaphernanalyse. In: Mey,G. & Mruck, K. (Eds.), Handbuch Qualitative Forschung in der Psychologie, (S. 676–691). Springer.