Teaching Research Paradigms Through Superhero Metaphors

Abstract

We examine how superhero metaphors can help graduate students understand research paradigms. While metaphors are common teaching tools, their use in explaining complex philosophical concepts in social work education remains underexplored. In this paper, we reflect on a novel teaching strategy to show how superhero narratives provide accessible entry points for teaching five major research paradigms to graduate students in social work and allied disciplines. Using popular characters such as Batman, Superman, T’Challa, Joker, Harley Quinn, and Maverick, we map key paradigms onto familiar stories, showing how these metaphors encourage conceptual clarity and engagement. We also discuss how the idea for this work emerged organically through conversations between the authors. We argue that superhero metaphors offer a bridge between theory and lived experiences of learners, which support in-depth learning with fun and critical reflection among students. We conclude by suggesting that narrative-based approaches such as this hold promise for expanding how foundational, higher-order, abstract concepts like research paradigms are taught in graduate education.

The authors' abstract, as published at the source. Journal of Teaching in Social Work, 2026 · DOI ↗