This study aimed to determine university students' perceptions concerning the concepts of "water" and "water pollution" by means of metaphors. The study group was composed of 258 undergraduate students attending Hacettepe and Gazi Universities in the 2015-2016 academic year. A semi-structured questionnaire containing the statement "water/water pollution is like……. because ……" was administered to the participants. The technique of content analysis was employed in analysing the data, for which the MAXQDA 12 software programme was used. Results showed that the students perceived the concept of water as a need and an indispensable part of life, while they perceived the concept of water pollution as the end of life.

This study was conducted so as to determine prospective teachers' perceptions of the concept of "social media" through metaphors. The study group was composed of 138 prospective biology teachers attending Hacettepe and Gazi universities in 2015-2016 academic year. The participants were given the semi-structured interview form containing the statement "Social media is like ….. because…." And they were asked to complete the statement. The technique of content analysis was used in assessing the data collected. MAXQDA 12, a program for qualitative data analysis, was used in analysing the data. Having analysed the data, they were interpreted. Accordingly, 30.43% of the prospective teachers perceived the concept of social media as a harmful element, the great majority of them (66.67%) perceived the concept positively as an educational, technological, entertaining, indispensable part of life and as an instrument of communication.

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The purpose of this study was to investigate epistemological predictors of nature of science understandings of 281 prospective biology teachers surveyed using the Epistemological Beliefs Scale Regarding Science and the Nature of Science Scale. The findings on multiple linear regression showed that understandings about definition of science and objectivity in science were negatively predicted by beliefs in inborn learning ability (ILA) and requirement for time in learning (RTL), while understandings about tentativeness was positively predicted by the same belief factors. Also, understandings of characteristics of scientific knowledge were positively predicted by beliefs in ILA and RTL, and hierarchy between laws and theories were negatively predicted by beliefs in ILA, RTL and development of learning ability with opportunity and support.

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ÖZBu araştırmanın amacı, üniversite öğrencilerinin "toprak ve toprak kirliliği" kavramlarına yönelik algılarını metaforlar yardımı ile ortaya çıkarmaktır. Araştırmanın çalışma grubunu, 2014-2015 bahar döneminde, Hacettepe ve Gazi Üniversiteleri'nin Eğitim Fakülteleri'nde öğrenim gören 258 öğrenci oluşturmaktadır. Araştırmada veri toplama aracı olarak, yarı yapılandırılmış iki açık uçlu sorudan oluşan görüşme formu kullanılmıştır. Bu kapsamda araştırmada, bireylerin bir olguya ilişkin algılarını ve yüklediği anlamları ortaya çıkartmayı amaçladığından nitel araştırma yöntemlerinden olgu bilim kullanılmıştır. Elde edilen verilerin analizinde gerekli kavramlar ve değişkenler arası ilişkilere ulaşılması için içerik analiz yöntemi kullanılmıştır. Araştırma bulguları, araştırma soruları ile ilgili olarak farklı kavramsal kategoride değerlendirilerek sonuçlar yorumlanmıştır. Bu kavramsal kategorilerden yola çıkılarak üniversite öğrencilerinin, çevre sorunlarına yönelik farkındalıklarının yüksek olduğu söylenebilir. Araştırmadan elde edilen sonuçların, "toprak ve toprak kirliliği" kavramlarına yönelik algıları anlamada ve açıklamada alana önemli katkılar getirmesi beklenmektedir. Ayrıca, araştırma sonucunda üretilen metaforların, "toprak ve toprak kirliliği" kavramlarını açıklamada, önemli birer araştırma aracı olarak kullanabileceği düşünülmektedir.Anahtar Kelimeler: Toprak, toprak kirliliği, metafor, olgubilim ANALYSIS OF UNIVERSITY STUDENTS' PERCEPTIONS TOWARDS "SOIL, SOIL POLLUTION" CONCEPTS WITH METAPHORS ABSTRACTThe aim of this research is to reveal the perceptions of university students about the concepts of "soil and soil pollution" with the help of metaphors. The study group consists of 258 students studying in the Faculties of Education of Hacettepe and Gazi universities during the spring period of 2014-2015 academic year. The questionnaire consisted of two semi-structured openended questions. In this study, qualitative research methods were used to reveal the perceptions of individuals about a case and the meanings that they impose. Content analysis method was used in the analysis of the obtained data in order to reach the necessary understandings and relationships between variables. Based on these conceptual categories, it can be said that university students have a high awareness of environmental problems. The results obtained from the research are expected to make significant contributions to the field in understanding the perceptions of the concepts of "soil and soil pollution". In addition, metaphors produced as a result of research can be used as an important research tool in explaining the concepts of "soil and soil pollution".

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