Primary school teacher candidates’ perceptions of “aesthetics”: a case study from Turkey

This study examines the metaphors about “aesthetics” produced by 67 primary school teacher candidates at a state university in Turkey. The research is a basic qualitative study. In the determination of the study group of the research, the easily accessible sampling method, one of the purposeful sampling methods, was preferred. The data were collected through an opinion form, which was created using structured pattern questions. Content analysis technique was used in the analysis and the interpretation of the data. The metaphors provided by the participants were analyzed and classified under various themes. The results show that the aesthetic perceptions of primary school teacher candidates differ significantly and vary; also reveal that they prioritize form more in aesthetics, explain aesthetics based on comparison, and have a mental image focused on value judgment. The study empirically demonstrates that overall the same metaphor is understood differently by different people and provides clear evidence for individual differences in understanding metaphor.