Digital Reading and the Concept of Ebook: Metaphorical Analysis of Preservice Teachers’ Perceptions Regarding the Concept of Ebook

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the metaphorical perceptions of preservice Turkish teachers (PTTs) regarding the concept of ebook. In accordance with this aim, answers to the questions of “What are the metaphors used by PTTs for the concept of e-book?” and “Under which categories could the metaphors used by PTTs for the concept of e-book be collected?” were sought. A total of 150 preservice teachers studying in the Faculty of Education, Turkish Education Department at Çukurova University, constituted the participants of the research designed according to the phenomenology design, one of the qualitative research methods. A semi-structured interview form was used as data collection tool. Data were analyzed using the content analysis technique. As a result of the study, it was determined that eight categories emerged from the metaphors produced by PTTs for ebook and that they mostly had positive meanings. These categories are, namely, facilitating, information source, accessible, portable, requirement, inadequate, attractive, and harmful. PTTs mostly produced metaphors for ebook in the facilitating category. It was followed by the information source and accessible categories. It was determined that some PTTs produced negative metaphors for ebooks, and these negative metaphors were collected under the inadequate and harmful categories.