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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