In Sfard's (1998) article "On Two Metaphors for Learning and the Dangers of Choosing Just One," the author investigates two unique education metaphors - the acquisition metaphor and the participation metaphor - and what they entail in their usage and choice. The research question is "whether the struggle for a conceptual unification of research on learning is a worthwhile endeavor" (p.4 ). Sfard concludes that the metaphors that are used when we theorize are able to fit in small portions of the education field, but in no way can one single metaphor (even the two studied in depth) provide a consistent answer. This leaves us to make sense of our own field ourselves, instead of trying to pigeonhole one consistent theory of learning into the entire notion of education altogether.
In order to reach these conclusions, Sfard performs a literature review in which many theoretical concepts regarding these two metaphors are examined. The acquisition metaphor is a general framework of education in which knowledge is attained and acquired, the person gaining more as they are educated more. Goals are set and attained through the help of the teacher, and any knowledge gained is shared and transferred to other contexts that might be useful. In addition to that, the participation metaphor was shown as a framework emphasizing education as a means of interactivity with others, as opposed to rote acquisition of knowledge.
While the framework is presented as a literature review, much of the work is based on the author's own opinions and determinations regarding the field of education. The article itself is less of a scientific breakdown on the theory of metaphor as it is an editorial piece about the author's own theories regarding metaphorical foundations for education. At the same time, she does provide a comprehensive, well-researched investigation of the two types of metaphor previously mentioned, and what they mean for people's perceptions of education. In essence, she investigates whether or not acquisition metaphors - which dominate the consensus regarding how to treat education - are necessary or productive when considering the process of education.
All in all, the article is very well written, and provides a comprehensive look at the subject of metaphors in education. In a field like this, metaphors are often important to create theoretical foundations for performing these duties. It stands to reason, then, that examining these metaphors would lead to a better understanding for educators of how to articulate their field or understand it. At the same time, I feel as though the topic itself is too broad to just dismiss the idea of metaphors altogether, though the conclusion seems sound (erring on the side of caution in regards to making blanket statements about education). No one metaphor could truly fit in a blanket definition of the entire education experience; therefore, further research into what kinds of metaphors might be more effective in certain education contexts might be in order. Since it has been determined that no one metaphor works, it might help motivation and communication between education professionals if more effective metaphors were determined for each subset of education.
References
Sfard, A. (1998). On two metaphors for learning and the dangers of choosing just one.
Educational Researcher 27(2): 4-13.
