Preservice science teachers’ metaphors on the subject of genetically modified organisms

The present study, which was carried out by way of a phenomenology design, one of the existing qualitative research methods, aimed to determine science preservice teachers' metaphors regarding the concept of GMOs. In the study, a total of 150 metaphors produced by 189 participants were identified. In similar studies reported in the related literature, metaphors regarding various concepts like mathematics, biology, laboratory, and so on (Polat, 2010; Yapıcı, 2015; Yücel Cengiz, 2016) were also noted. Furthermore, in similar studies, Uzunkol (2012) and Gürbüzoğlu Yalmancı (2015) tried to determine the common metaphors shared regarding GMOs.

According to the examination of the GMO-related metaphors produced by the preservice science teachers as part of the present study, the preservice teachers surveyed mostly thought that the shapes and structures of the GMO-based products were different from their original forms; that these products harm living beings; and that they were actually harmful despite their initially perceived attractive appearances. Therefore, it could be stated that the preservice teachers involved in the present research mostly had negative and pessimistic perceptions regarding GMOs. In this study, it was found that the category with the most frequent metaphors was 'causing changes in appearance or structure (f = 51)', which was followed by 'having harmful effects though seemingly beneficial ones at first glance (f = 43)', 'having harmful effects (f = 29)', 'having harmful effects that occur over time (f = 12)', 'having both beneficial and harmful effects (f = 9)', and 'having beneficial effects (f = 6)', respectively. The metaphors used most by the preservice teachers included 'tomato' (f = 5); 'poison, balloon' (f = 4); 'human, obese person, woman with make-up, virus, aesthetic, watermelon (f = 3)'; and 'mobile phone made in China, two-faced person, cancer, plastic, parasite, weapon, stale bread, rotten apple, chameleon, leading to death, person with botulinum toxin injections done (f = 2)'. Metaphors being used by the preservice teachers such as 'plastic', 'artificial', 'fake', 'doll', and so on demonstrate that the preservice teachers did not find these products natural; the use of metaphors such as 'balloon' and 'ball' showed that the preservice teachers did not find the products beneficial; and the use of metaphors like 'poison', 'virus', 'parasite', and 'cancer' were used by the preservice teachers to state that the products were harmful. In the study, it was seen that the preservice teachers mostly gave examples related to the ideas of 'tomato' and 'watermelon', while explaining their reasons for why they had used these metaphors. In one study titled 'Analysis of Elementary School Preservice Teachers' Perceptions of Genetically Modified Organisms with the Help of Metaphors', Uzunkol (2012) found that the most frequent metaphor reported was used to show the harmful effects of GMO despite its seemingly beneficial appearance and that the least frequent metaphor reported was used to mention the benefits of GMO for humanity. In the study, it was also revealed that the elementary school preservice teachers surveyed mostly had negative perceptions.

In another study titled 'High School Students' Perceptions Regarding Genetically Modified Organisms', Gürbüzoğlu Yalmancı (2015) found that the most frequent metaphor reported was used to mention the change in the appearance of the product and that the least frequent metaphor reported was used to mention the harmful effects of the product despite its seemingly beneficial appearance at first glance. Furthermore, the results reported in other related literature are consistent with those obtained in the present study. Sönmez and Kılınç (2012), in their study titled 'Science and Technology Preservice Teachers' Self-efficacies Regarding GMO Foods: Probable Effects of Certain Psychometric Factors', reported that 72% of the preservice teachers demonstrated negative attitudes towards GMOs, with the accompanying belief that such disturbed the natural balance of things.

Interestingly, in the present study, it was found that, in most of the metaphors, the preservice teachers preferred mentioning herbal products while explaining GMOs and that, in a few metaphors, the preservice teachers mentioned the effects of GMOs on animals. This situation shows that most of the participants considered genetic modification to be limited to plants. When the metaphors produced by the preservice teachers and the explanations related to these metaphors were examined further, it was seen that the preservice teachers had a large amount of incorrect knowledge about GMOs; that they believed that GMOs had many harmful effects; and that they did not have sufficient knowledge about the associated benefits. In addition, the preservice teachers' lack of knowledge about GMOs and their misconceptions regarding GMOs caused them to think that hormone and additives were added to many vegetables and fruits; that GMO foods were more smooth or shapeless in appearance as compared with natural products; and that the bodies of people consuming GMO foods trended toward demonstrating more unusual physical appearances. A living being whose gene sequence is changed using gene technologies or who gains new traits with the transfer of different genes from a virus, bacteria, plants, or animals is called a 'genetically modified organism' (World Health Organization, 2005). In this respect, it is not true that GMO products include hormones or additives. As can be understood from this definition, genetic modification is also not just limited to plants. Genetic transfer is possible in viruses, bacteria, and animals as well. Furthermore, hormones or pesticides are not injected into the living being; in addition, it is not true that GMO products will be different from their natural counterparts.

Öztürk, Ağapınar Şahin, and Güdü Tüfekçi (2014), in their study, revealed that 56.5% of participants considered GMO foods to include hormones. This result supports the noted misconceptions of the preservice teachers in the present study regarding that GMO foods included hormones, pesticides, or unnatural additives.

In another study, Özden et al. (2013) found that the participants surveyed had positive views about biotechnology and GMOs in terms of their use for the sake of enhancing human health and medicine production, but that they were opposed to the genetic modification of plants and animals for all purposes. In this respect, similar to the findings obtained in the present study, most of the other studies in the related literature reported negative attitudes towards GMOs. In addition, studies conducted on the topic of GMOs demonstrated that different study groups (e.g., students, preservice teachers, teachers, and so on) mostly had a lack of knowledge and negative views about GMOs. This finding is more important when the study group includes preservice teachers. Considering the fact that preservice teachers with negative views and perceptions regarding GMO will give incorrect information to their future students and cause them also to develop negative perceptions, it is necessary to provide preservice teachers with correct information about GMOs.

In the present study, it was seen that the preservice teachers surveyed produced very few similar metaphors amongst themselves. This situation was largely due to the fact that the preservice teachers had different experiences and thus perceptions regarding GMOs. Therefore, it could be stated that each participant produced so many different metaphors just because they perceived GMOs from unique perspectives. In this study, 117 of all the 150 metaphors were different not only due to the different perspectives of the participants but also due to the richness of the comparisons used.

Teachers have a fairly important role in ensuring the goals set forth in an education system are achieved. To this end, the perceptions and attitudes of preservice teachers, who will become teachers in future, will have a direct influence on their experiences with students and the thoughts and opinions of those students. The findings obtained in the present study revealed that the preservice teachers had a significant lack of knowledge about GMOs. For this reason, the results of the present study could be said to provide feedback regarding preservice teachers' levels of knowledge, misconceptions, and negative attitudes regarding GMO, which is a socioscientific and currently relevant subject. In order to determine the reasons for these teachers' related misconceptions, future studies could be designed using different research methods.

In order to avoid the dissemination of such incorrect information and negative perceptions regarding GMOs in all areas of society, teachers must be able to provide correct information about GMOs to their students starting from their early school years onwards. For this purpose, preservice teachers should be equipped with correct information about GMOs. In this respect, preservice teachers' lack of knowledge and misconceptions regarding GMOs can be avoided if the curricula applied at education faculties included more biotechnology subjects. In addition, when the importance of metaphors in education is taken into account, a greater use of metaphors could be involved more in the teaching and learning process to reveal preservice teachers' perceptions and to enable them explain concepts more easily and correctly.