Around conflict – image, language and metaphors

Activities that promote both learner’s autonomy and collaboration, foster in-depth understanding, provide inspiration and develop creative thinking seem to be an essential part of today’s educational landscape. This paper analyses a workshop task designed on the basis of a theoretical model of the causes of conflicts, used in the academic Constructive Conflict Resolution course. The exercise involves creating outputs that combine visual and linguistic elements, illustrating the subject matter literally and figuratively, which then is used as the trigger for the in-class discussion aiming at indepth understanding of the various aspects of the topic. Moore’s wheel of conflict was applied as the knowledge component of the in-class activity which may be situated within a broader theoretical discourse on the role of image, language, and metaphors in conflict resolution education. The pedagogical potential of transcending traditional frameworks to foster autonomy, collaboration, and critical thinking were explored by examining how visual and linguistic elements can reframe learners’ engagement and thus effectiveness of the learning process.