Exploring representation of nature of science aspects in science textbooks

Download

index.pdf

Date

2009

Author

Yamak, Yeliz

Metadata

Show full item record

Item Usage Stats

225
views

267
downloads

The aim of this study was to examine middle school science textbooks according to some criteria in terms of nature of science (NOS). A total of three middle school science textbooks in 6th, 7th and 8th grade and two biology units were analyzed in each textbook. In the 6th grade science textbooks, “Reproduction, Development and Growth in Living Beings”and “Systems in Our Body” units, in the 7th grade science textbook, “Systems in Our Body” and “Human and Environment” units, in the 8th grade science textbook, “Cell Division and Heredity” and “Livings and Energy Relationships” units were analyzed by using “Nature of Science Criteria”, adapted from Gunckel’s (2004) study. The instrument consists of 3 categories, 9 criteria and 28 indicators. The categories are: “Science as Authoritative Knowledge”, “Science as Understanding Phenomena” and “Science as the Social Construction of Knowledge”. A qualitative oriented approach was performed and content analysis method was used to assess the science textbooks. Data were analyzed by percentage and frequency analysis. Reliability was calculated by Cohen’s Kappa and the value 0,71 which was found is reliable. The results of this study revealed that the three science textbooks inadequately presented the nature of science categories. It was also found that the percentages of almost all the indicators were under fifty. The textbooks presented the “science as authoritative knowledge” category relatively higher than the other two categories. The “science as the sociocultural construction of knowledge” category was portrayed less than the other two categories.

Subject Keywords

Education

URI

http://etd.lib.metu.edu.tr/upload/2/12610447/index.pdf
https://hdl.handle.net/11511/18463

Collections

Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences, Thesis

Suggestions

OpenMETU
Core

Investigating the Relationships Among Elementary School Students Epistemological Beliefs Metacognition and Constructivist Science Learning Environment TOPÇU, MUSTAFA SAMİ; Yılmaz Tüzün, Özgül (Informa UK Limited, 2010-03-01) The research questions addressed in this study were: what types of epistemological beliefs do elementary students have; what types of metacognition do elementary students have; and what are the relationships among students’ perceived characteristics of constructivist learning environment, metacognition, and epistemological beliefs. A total of 626 students enrolled in sixth, seventh, and eight grades of nine elementaryPUBLIC schools located in Ankara, Turkey constituted the participants of this study. Constr...
Exploring the development of pre-service science teachers’ views on nature of science in inquiry-based laboratory instruction Özgelen, Sinan; Yılmaz Tüzün, Özgül; Department of Educational Sciences (2010) The purposes of this study were to explore understanding of preservice science teachers’ (PSTs) nature of science (NOS) views during the explicit-reflective and inquiry-based laboratory instruction and investigate PSTs’ perspectives and experiences related to learning NOS aspects in the science laboratory course. This study was carried out during the Laboratory Application in Science II course. A total of 45 PSTs participated to the study. The design of the study was qualitative and exploratory in nature. I...
The importance of teacher-student interpersonal relationships for Turkish students' attitudes towards science Telli, Sibel; den Brok, Perry; Çakıroğlu, Jale (Informa UK Limited, 2010-01-01) The purpose of this study was to examine associations between Turkish high school students' perceptions of their science teachers' interpersonal behaviour and their attitudes towards science. Students' perceptions of the teacher-student interpersonal relationship were mapped with the Questionnaire on Teacher Interaction (QTI), which uses two relational dimensions: influence and proximity. Data on Students' subject-related attitudes were collected with the Test of Science Related Attitudes (TOSRA). A total o...
Investigating pre-service science teachers’ epistemological beliefs in the domain of environment through comparing with other domains Adıbelli, Elif; Yılmaz Tüzün, Özgül; Department of Elementary Science and Mathematics Education (2010) The main purpose of this study was to determine preservice science teachers’ (PSTs) epistemological beliefs regarding the nature of knowledge and learning in the domain of environment through comparing with the domains of biology, physics, chemistry, and mathematics. A total of 12 PSTs voluntarily participated in the study. The sample of this study was consisted of senior elementary PSTs who registered for an elective course titled “Laboratory Applications in Science and Environmental Education” in the fall...
The Contribution of Cognitive and Metacognitive Strategy Use to Students Science Achievement Akyol, Gülsüm; Öztekin, Ceren; Sungur, Semra (Informa UK Limited, 2010-01-01) This study examined the differences in the level of 7th-grade Turkish students' cognitive and metacognitive strategy use (rehearsal, elaboration, organization, critical thinking, and metacognitive self-regulation) in science and investigated the contribution of cognitive and metacognitive strategy use to students' science achievement. The present study also explored the relationships between students' background characteristics (gender, prior knowledge, socioeconomic status) and their cognitive and metacogn...

Citation Formats

Y. Yamak, “Exploring representation of nature of science aspects in science textbooks,” M.S. - Master of Science, Middle East Technical University, 2009.