The Metaphors Gifted Students Attribute to the Concept of Digital Citizenship

This study aims to identify the metaphors developed by gifted students attending Science and Art Centers (SAC) in Türkiye regarding the concept of digital citizenship. The research was designed using the case study model, one of the qualitative research approaches. The study group consisted of 100 students, all officially diagnosed as gifted and currently studying in grades 5 through 8 at SAC institutions. Data were collected through a form containing a single open-ended question: “Digital citizenship is like ... because ...”. The collected data were analyzed using the content analysis method. To enhance the reliability of the analysis, the coding process was carried out independently by two researchers, and the inter-coder reliability was calculated as 91.6%. As a result of the analysis, 20 different metaphors developed by the students were identified and grouped under four main themes: guidance and counseling, reflection and identity, ethical responsibility and development, and protection and security. Based on the research findings, eight key recommendations were proposed: integrating ethical responsibility into digital citizenship education, developing guidance and counseling methods, providing training on digital identity and security, utilizing metaphorical thinking techniques, encouraging continuous development and adaptation, fostering social responsibility and awareness, implementing digital safety and identity protection education, and ensuring the active involvement of families and the broader community in digital citizenship education. These findings highlight the importance of incorporating gifted students’ perceptions of the digital world into educational programs and demonstrate that metaphor analysis is an effective method for gaining in-depth insights into their values and levels of digital awareness.