WorldWideScience

Sample records for traditional textbook publishers

  1. Getting Your Textbook Published.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Irwin, Armond J.

    1982-01-01

    Points to remember in getting a textbook published are examined: book idea, publisher's sales representatives, letter of inquiry, qualifications for authorship, author information form, idea proposal, reviews, marketing and sales, publishing agreement, author royalties, and copyright assignment. (CT)

  2. Navigating the Minefield of Self-Publishing E-Textbooks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schultz, Leah

    2017-01-01

    This paper examines the issues useful for faculty members that are considering electronically self-publishing their course textbook. A brief history of the use of electronic textbooks is presented as well as the advantages and disadvantages associated with self-publishing and electronic textbooks. A brief overview is provided on the process of…

  3. Future of the Introductory Psychology Textbook: A Survey of College Publishers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Buskit, William; Cush, David T.

    1997-01-01

    Examines aspects of the introductory psychology textbook market through a publishing house survey. Aspects covered are the current and future number of introductory texts, fewer textbook publishers, custom publishing, changing content, and computer technologies. Discusses the results of the publishers' responses and provides statistical tables of…

  4. [The early medical textbooks in Korea: medical textbooks published at Je Joong Won-Severance Hospital Medical School].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, H W

    1998-01-01

    Kwang Hye Won(Je Joong Won), the first western hospital in Korea, was founded in 1885. The first western Medical School in Korea was open in 1886 under the hospital management. Dr. O. R. Avison, who came to Korea in 1893, resumed the medical education there, which was interrupted for some time before his arrival in Korea. He inaugurated translating and publishing medical textbooks with the help of Kim Pil Soon who later became one of the first seven graduates in Severance Hospital Medical School. The first western medical textbook translated into Korean was Henry Gray's Anatomy. However, these twice-translated manuscripts were never to be published on account of being lost and burnt down. The existing early anatomy textbooks, the editions of 1906 and 1909, are not the translation of Gray's Anatomy, but that of Japanese anatomy textbook of Gonda. The remaining oldest medical textbook in Korean is Inorganic Materia Medica published in 1905. This book is unique among its kind that O. R. Avison is the only translator of the book and it contains the prefaces of O. R. Avison and Kim Pil Soon. The publication of medical textbook was animated by the participation of other medical students, such as Hong Suk Hoo and Hong Jong Eun. The list of medical textbooks published includes almost all the field of medicine. The medical textbooks in actual existence are as follows: Inorganic Materia Medica (1905), Inorganic Chemistry (1906), Anatomy I (1906), Physiology (1906), Diagnostics I (1906), Diagnostics II (1907), Obstetrics (1908), Organic Chemistry (1909), Anatomy (1909), and Surgery (1910).

  5. 7 Things You Should Know About[TM]... Open Textbook Publishing

    Science.gov (United States)

    EDUCAUSE, 2011

    2011-01-01

    This paper offers seven things one should know about open textbook publishing. These seven facts are: (1) The open educational resources model, including textbooks, has emerged as a response to rising text prices, a need for greater access to high-quality learning materials, the proliferation of e-reader devices, and a trend in publishing toward…

  6. Content Involving Scientists in Selected Secondary School Science Textbooks of New and Traditional Curricula Published During 1957-1970.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reeder, Robert Edward

    Forty-five textbooks of biology, chemistry, and physics (new and traditional curricula) were analyzed for the extent to which they devoted words to scientists. Each scientist named in each text was identified, and word counts were established for the total words devoted to each scientist and the number of these words which were humanistic by the…

  7. Research in progress: the institution as e-textbook publisher

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vivien Ward

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available The advent of e-book and open access publishing has not yet been as potent as some would hope (and others fear in its disruption of commercial textbook publishing. However, universities are under increasing pressure to provide students with all the resources they need for their courses, without further cost to the student. Jisc is funding four teams to produce eight e-textbooks to test the processes, expertise required and outcomes when universities take on the job of publishing course texts themselves. With five books now published, and two years since the start of the project, some of the differences in the strategies adopted by the teams are starting to emerge. Teams have reflected on what they have learned and might change if they published more titles, and offer some advice for others considering similar projects.

  8. Studying Open versus Traditional Textbook Effects on Students' Course Performance: Confounds Abound

    Science.gov (United States)

    Griggs, Richard A.; Jackson, Sherri L.

    2017-01-01

    To combat the high cost of textbooks, open (digitally free) textbooks have recently entered the textbook market. Griggs and Jackson (2017) reviewed the open introductory psychology textbooks presently available to provide interested teachers with essential information about these texts and how they compare with traditional (commercial)…

  9. Comparative analysis of a nontraditional general chemistry textbook and selected traditional textbooks used in Texas community colleges

    Science.gov (United States)

    Salvato, Steven Walter

    The purpose of this study was to analyze questions within the chapters of a nontraditional general chemistry textbook and the four general chemistry textbooks most widely used by Texas community colleges in order to determine if the questions require higher- or lower-order thinking according to Bloom's taxonomy. The study employed quantitative methods. Bloom's taxonomy (Bloom, Engelhart, Furst, Hill, & Krathwohl, 1956) was utilized as the main instrument in the study. Additional tools were used to help classify the questions into the proper category of the taxonomy (McBeath, 1992; Metfessel, Michael, & Kirsner, 1969). The top four general chemistry textbooks used in Texas community colleges and Chemistry: A Project of the American Chemical Society (Bell et al., 2005) were analyzed during the fall semester of 2010 in order to categorize the questions within the chapters into one of the six levels of Bloom's taxonomy. Two coders were used to assess reliability. The data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential methods. The descriptive method involved calculation of the frequencies and percentages of coded questions from the books as belonging to the six categories of the taxonomy. Questions were dichotomized into higher- and lower-order thinking questions. The inferential methods involved chi-square tests of association to determine if there were statistically significant differences among the four traditional college general chemistry textbooks in the proportions of higher- and lower-order questions and if there were statistically significant differences between the nontraditional chemistry textbook and the four traditional general chemistry textbooks. Findings indicated statistically significant differences among the four textbooks frequently used in Texas community colleges in the number of higher- and lower-level questions. Statistically significant differences were also found among the four textbooks and the nontraditional textbook. After the analysis of

  10. Opening the Doors to Knowledge: Rebus’ Collaborative Publishing Model for Open Textbooks

    OpenAIRE

    Ashok, Apurva

    2017-01-01

    Over the last thirty years, the cost of education has become prohibitively expensive, both in terms of tuition and with reference to rising textbook costs. In response, organizations such as the Rebus Foundation are working towards the development of scalable models of Open Textbook creation. This report outlines, examines, and critiques Rebus’ efforts. It historicizes the Open Education Movement, and delineates Rebus’ role within the current textbook publishing landscape. Concentrating on th...

  11. Exploring Culture in Locally Published English Textbooks for Primary Education in Turkey

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kirkgöz, Yasemin; Agçam, Reyhan

    2011-01-01

    Since language and culture are closely interwoven, the integration of culture into textbooks used for teaching English as a second/foreign language has become a widely accepted phenomenon. This study investigates the cultural elements in locally published English textbooks used for Turkish primary schools following two major curriculum innovations…

  12. [Investigation of the publishing and using status of college genetics textbooks in China].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Xiwen; Chen, Defu

    2014-04-01

    Using Wenjin Search of the National Library of China, it was found that 895 genetics textbooks for Chinese colleges, including 588 (67.5%) theoretical books, 122 (13.6%) experimental books and 185 (20.7%) teaching reference books, have been published since College Entrance Examination resumed. Most of these books belong to medical genetics, followed by general genetics, while the books on plant genetics, animal genetics or microbial genetics are relatively few. In these search results, 91 had the same name of Medical Genetics, professor Ji Zuo is the most productive author, who edited 9 genetics textbooks, and Science Press Ltd. is the most productive press, which published 179 (20%) genetics textbooks. The questionnaire survey showed that "Genetics" (Second Edition) edited by Zhuohua Dai is the most widely used textbooks in the Chinese colleges, while the mainly used experimental books are the handouts or self-edited textbooks. Finally, we analyzed the problems currently existed in the textbooks, such as slowly updating cycle, less supports, lots of books with the same name, lack of scientific stories, very rare and unique illustrations, too full printed pages, and also provided the proposed solution.

  13. Analyzing Constructions of Polytheistic and Monotheistic Religious Traditions: A Critical Multicultural Approach to Textbooks in Quebec

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abdou, Ehaab D.; Chan, W. Y. Alice

    2017-01-01

    How are religious traditions and exchanges between them constructed in textbooks used in Quebec? Through a critical discourse analysis of History and Citizenship Education, and Ethics and Religious Culture textbooks, we find that the Abrahamic monotheistic tradition is valorized, while non-Abrahamic monotheistic traditions and polytheism are…

  14. A "Necessary" Dictatorship: The "Age of Rosas" in Argentine History Textbooks Published between 1956 and 1983 and the Defence of Authoritarianism

    Science.gov (United States)

    De Amezola, Gonzalo

    2007-01-01

    This paper aims to demonstrate that two traditionally opposed approaches--the official view and a revisionist approach--conflate in defence of authoritarianism in the teaching of History. The main focus is on school textbooks published between 1956, the year when an educational reform was introduced following President Peron's overthrow, and 1983,…

  15. The impact of computer-based versus "traditional" textbook science instruction on selected student learning outcomes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rothman, Alan H.

    This study reports the results of research designed to examine the impact of computer-based science instruction on elementary school level students' science content achievement, their attitude about science learning, their level of critical thinking-inquiry skills, and their level of cognitive and English language development. The study compared these learning outcomes resulting from a computer-based approach compared to the learning outcomes from a traditional, textbook-based approach to science instruction. The computer-based approach was inherent in a curriculum titled The Voyage of the Mimi , published by The Bank Street College Project in Science and Mathematics (1984). The study sample included 209 fifth-grade students enrolled in three schools in a suburban school district. This sample was divided into three groups, each receiving one of the following instructional treatments: (a) Mixed-instruction primarily based on the use of a hardcopy textbook in conjunction with computer-based instructional materials as one component of the science course; (b) Non-Traditional, Technology-Based -instruction fully utilizing computer-based material; and (c) Traditional, Textbook-Based-instruction utilizing only the textbook as the basis for instruction. Pre-test, or pre-treatment, data related to each of the student learning outcomes was collected at the beginning of the school year and post-test data was collected at the end of the school year. Statistical analyses of pre-test data were used as a covariate to account for possible pre-existing differences with regard to the variables examined among the three student groups. This study concluded that non-traditional, computer-based instruction in science significantly improved students' attitudes toward science learning and their level of English language development. Non-significant, positive trends were found for the following student learning outcomes: overall science achievement and development of critical thinking

  16. Electronic versus Traditional Print Textbooks: A Comparison Study on the Influence of University Students' Learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rockinson- Szapkiw, Amanda J.; Courduff, Jennifer; Carter, Kimberly; Bennett, David

    2013-01-01

    University students are increasingly choosing to purchase e-textbooks for their mobile devices as an alternative to traditional textbooks. This study examines the relationship between textbook format and 538 university students' grades and perceived learning scores. Results demonstrate that there was no difference in cognitive learning and grades…

  17. The institution as e-textbook publisher

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andrew Barker

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available Providing students with sufficient copies of core textbooks is an increasing challenge in an age of ever higher fees, economic realities and heightened student expectations regarding provision of library resources. This article outlines the partnership between the University of Liverpool Library and Liverpool University Press (LUP, which has progressed from the creation of a library advisory board to the co-creation of two bespoke and open access (OA e-textbooks as part of a Jisc-funded project. It tells the story of why we have gone down this route at Liverpool and what we hope to gain from the creation of these e-textbooks.

  18. A Statistical Analysis of College Biochemistry Textbooks in China: The Statuses on the Publishing and Usage

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Ping; Wang, Qinwen; Yang, Jie; Li, Jingqiu; Guo, Junming; Gong, Zhaohui

    2015-01-01

    This study aimed to investigate the statuses on the publishing and usage of college biochemistry textbooks in China. A textbook database was constructed and the statistical analysis was adopted to evaluate the textbooks. The results showed that there were 945 (~57%) books for theory teaching, 379 (~23%) books for experiment teaching and 331 (~20%)…

  19. Representing Nature of Science in a Science Textbook: Exploring author-editor-publisher interactions

    Science.gov (United States)

    DiGiuseppe, Maurice

    2014-05-01

    Current reforms in elementary and secondary science education call for students and teachers to develop more informed views of the nature of science (NOS)-a process in which science textbooks play a significant role. This paper reports on a case study of the development of representations of the NOS in a senior high school chemistry textbook by the book's author, editor, and publisher. The study examines the multiple discourses that arose as the developers reflected on their personal and shared understandings of NOS; squared these with mandated curricula, the educational needs of chemistry students and teachers, and the exigencies of large-scale commercial textbook publishing. As a result, the team developed and incorporated, in the textbook, representations of NOS they believed were the most pedagogically suitable. Analysis of the data in this study indicates that a number of factors significantly influenced the development of representations of NOS, including representational accuracy (the degree to which representations of NOS conformed to informed views of the NOS), representational consistency (the degree to which representations of NOS in different parts of the book conveyed the same meaning), representational appropriateness (the age-, grade-, and reading-level appropriateness of the NOS representations), representational alignment (the degree to which NOS representations aligned with mandated curriculum), representational marketability (the degree to which NOS representations would affect sales of the textbook), and 'Workplace Resources' factors including availability of time, relevant expertise, and opportunities for professional development.

  20. EFL Published Materials: An Evaluation of English Textbooks for Junior High School in Indonesia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rizaldy Hanifa

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available The use of EFL published materials like textbooks are becoming more widespread as they can bring easiness in the classroom by providing teachers with guidelines comprised of syllabus, methodologies, as well as materials for teaching and learning. However, choosing a suitable textbook for their teaching situation is deemed to be one of the most challenging tasks that EFL teachers often face. To get a good picture of the suitability of a textbook, a careful investigation needs to be undertaken. This study focused on the analysis and evaluation of two different English textbooks addressed to junior high schools grade VII in Indonesia, KTSP and curriculum 2013 textbook. Harmer’s (2007 framework was employed to figure out the strengths and weaknesses of each textbook. The analysis revealed that both textbooks are quite satisfactory as they are very affordable, contain interesting layout, attractive designs, and clear instructions, correspond to current ELT methodology, cover all language skills, and comprise a wide range of topics which are familiar and culturally appropriate for learners. Nonetheless, the KTSP textbook does not have add-ons and extra materials; meanwhile, curriculum 2013 textbook is weak in providing authentic listening materials. Therefore, although the teachers manage to use the textbooks as their core materials, they are supposed to make adjustment and supplement them with other materials according to their learners’ needs and their teaching context.

  1. Representing the nature of science in a science textbook: Exploring author-editor-publisher interactions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Digiuseppe, Maurizio

    Current reforms in elementary and secondary science education call for students and teachers to develop more informed views of the nature of science---a process in which learning materials like science textbooks play a significant role. This dissertation reports on a case study of the development of representations of the nature of science in one unit of a senior high school chemistry textbook by the book's author, editor, and publisher. The study examines the multiple discourses that arose as the developers reflected on their personal and shared understandings of the nature of science; squared these understandings with mandated curricula, the educational needs of chemistry students and teachers, and the exigencies of large-scale commercial textbook publishing; and developed and incorporated into the textbook representations of the nature of science they believed were the most suitable. Analyses of the data in this study indicate that a number of factors significantly influenced the development of representations of the nature of science, including representational accuracy (the degree to which suggested representations of the nature of science conformed to what the developers believed were contemporary understandings of the nature of science), representational consistency (the degree to which similar representations of the nature of science in different parts of the textbook conveyed the same meaning), representational appropriateness (the age-, grade-, and reading-level suitability of the suggested nature of science representations), representational alignment (the degree to which suggested representations of the nature of science addressed the requirements of mandated curricula), representational marketability (the degree to which textbook developers believed suggested representations of the nature of science would affect sales of the textbook in the marketplace), and a number of "Workplace Resources" factors such as the availability of time, relevant expertise

  2. Structural Aspects, Institutional Aspects, and Actors in the Organizational Field of Textbook Publishing : a case study on high school “Contemporary Society”

    OpenAIRE

    小原, 明恵

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this paper is to clarify the organizational field of high school “Contemporary Society” textbook publishing using triadic relationship among structure, institutions, and actors as an analytical framework. Firstly, the Course of Study for high school “Contemporary Society” is explained as the institutional aspect of textbook publishing field. Secondly, the structural aspects of textbook publishing industry such as the market size, the number of publishers and textbooks, and the ...

  3. Considering Point-of-Care Electronic Medical Resources in Lieu of Traditional Textbooks for Medical Education.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hale, LaDonna S; Wallace, Michelle M; Adams, Courtney R; Kaufman, Michelle L; Snyder, Courtney L

    2015-09-01

    Selecting resources to support didactic courses is a critical decision, and the advantages and disadvantages must be carefully considered. During clinical rotations, students not only need to possess strong background knowledge but also are expected to be proficient with the same evidence-based POC resources used by clinicians. Students place high value on “real world” learning and therefore may place more value on POC resources that they know practicing clinicians use as compared with medical textbooks. The condensed nature of PA education requires students to develop background knowledge and information literacy skills over a short period. One way to build that knowledge and those skills simultaneously is to use POC resources in lieu of traditional medical textbooks during didactic training. Electronic POC resources offer several advantages over traditional textbooks and should be considered as viable options in PA education.

  4. Textbooks in transitional countries: Towards a methodology for comparative analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Miha Kovač

    2004-01-01

    Full Text Available In its first part, the paper analyses the ambiguous nature of the book as a medium: its physical production and its distribution to the end user takes place on a market basis; on the other hand, its content is predominantly consumed in a sector that was at least in the continental Europe traditionally considered as public and non-profit making. This ambiguous nature of the book and with it the impact of the market on the organization of knowledge in book format remains a dark spot in contemporary book research. On the other hand, textbooks are considered as ephemera both in contemporary education and book studies. Therefore, research on textbooks publishing models could be considered as a blind-spot of contemporary social studies. As a consequence, in the majority of European countries, textbook publishing and the organization of the textbook market are considered as self-evident. Throughout a comparative analysis of textbook publishing models in small transitional and developed countries, the paper points out that this self-evident organization of the textbook market is always culturally determined. In its final part, the paper compares different models of textbook publishing and outlines the scenarios for the development of the Slovene textbook market.

  5. Creation of Reusable Open Textbooks: Insights from the Connexions Repository

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rodriguez-Solano, Carlos; Sánchez-Alonso, Salvador; Sicilia, Miguel-Angel

    2015-01-01

    Open textbook initiatives have appeared as an alternative to traditional publishing. These initiatives for the production of alternatively copyrighted educational resources provide a way of sharing materials through the Web. While the open model of peer-produced materials enables the global reuse of textbooks, the combination of fragments to…

  6. How Junior High School English Teachers in Bengkulu City Utilise Published Textbooks in the Classroom: A Classroom Observation Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Safnil Safnil

    2003-01-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of the study was to find out: (1 how the junior high school English teachers in Bengkulu city exploited the commercially published textbooks for classroom use; (2 if there was a difference in the way the experienced and the inexperienced English language teachers exploited the commercially published textbooks in the classroom; and (3 whether the teachers adapted textbooks or produced their own materials for classroom use. Twelve English teachers (6 experienced and 6 inexperienced teachers from four different junior high schools or SMPs (2 favourite and 2 non-favourite in Bengkulu city were the participants in this study. Data were obtained through a questionnaire, classroom observations, and sample lesson plans. The results of the study revealed that: first, the junior high school English language teachers (ET and IT; (1 used the commercially prescribed textbooks to a large extent; (2 there was not much difference between the way experienced teachers and inexperienced teachers exploited the textbooks; (3 both groups of teachers adapted the textbooks or produced their own teaching materials.

  7. New Textbook Publishing Model for the Internet Age

    Science.gov (United States)

    DiMaria, Frank

    2012-01-01

    College students living at or below the poverty line often have difficult choices to make: buy groceries, pay rent, or purchase textbooks. To Eric Frank, cofounder of Flat World Knowledge, this is not really a choice. When it comes to eating or buying a textbook, most will choose to eat. According to Frank, the biggest barrier to learning on scale…

  8. Textbook Publishers' Website Objective Question Banks: Does Their Use Improve Students' Examination Performance?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnston, Scott Paul; Huczynski, Andrzej

    2006-01-01

    This article presents the findings of a survey of students' usage of the objective question bank section of an academic publisher's textbook website. The findings are based on a survey of 239 business and management undergraduates conducted using a quantitative research methodology. The results suggest that increased use of the objective question…

  9. The Slovenian Art History Textbook in Comparison to Polish Textbooks: Authorship and Content, Didactic Structure and Publishing Circumstances

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marjana Dolšina

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available The paper analyses two concepts of art history textbooks for secondary schools. It discusses their role in the learning and teaching process of art history and related school subjects within the formal educational programmes in Slovenia and their didactic structure. The comparison between one Slovenian and two Polish textbooks might contribute to better understanding of the present situation regarding art history textbook production in Slovenia, which is a result of several factors: the historical continuity of textbook writing and research in textbook didactics, the current school policy and financial competition on the textbook market. Its intention is also to clarify the idea of didactic transformation of the art history contents from the challenging scientific texts to a form suitable for secondary school students who are textbooks' main target audience.

  10. Image of the Ottomans in Bosnian Textbooks Published After 2007

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jahja Muhasilović

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Division of historical consciousness in Bosnia and Herzegovina started before the Yugoslav Wars, but this division of historiographies and approaches towards the past resulted with more openly manifestation of the divisions to educational system and history textbooks during the wartime and post Dayton era. Even though International Community tried to change poisonous environment of ethnic hatred in which textbooks are produced, except few successes with Bosniak textbooks, not much positive development was achieved. Reform period which started in 1998 today is seen as an unfinished project. In Bosnia and Herzegovina three different versions of history with two of them having the focus point in neighboring Serbia and Croatia are taught to the students. Besides the fact that students are learning three different histories, there is a certain level of hatred and fear of others spreading through history textbooks. History textbooks became an important tool for poisoning the minds of the youth and building the barriers towards the others. This is the case especially with Serb and Croat textbooks in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Ottoman period in Balkans is mainly seen as a ‘’dark age of the Balkans’’ as it is underlined in one Serbian textbook and to lesser extend in Croat ones. Even though Bosniaks see Ottoman period in more positive light than other two ethnic groups, there are certain topics and periods were it is possible to see romantistic and nationalistic tone towards the Ottomans. History textbooks in Bosnia are having negative contribution for country’s possible future dissolution and it is the one of the main source of stereotype engineering that country is passing in the last decades and which is one of the main reason of the recent wars. In the times where country is confronting with secessionist threat, it is highly important to start building Bosnian statehood and understanding of others through history textbooks, otherwise we can

  11. Textbook America.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karp, Walter

    1980-01-01

    Focuses on how political attitudes have been influenced by American history textbooks at various times throughout history. Excerpts from traditional and revisionist textbooks are presented, with emphasis on "America Revised" by Frances FitzGerald. Journal available from Harper's Magazine Co., 2 Park Ave., New York, NY 10016. (DB)

  12. Rika-Shoshi, the First Physics Experiment Textbook Published in Japanese and its Editor, Jun'ichi Udagawa

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takahashi, Hiroshi; Akabane, Akira; Shozawa, Jun; Tamaki, Toyomi

    The aim of this study is to examine the teaching of physics experiment at elementary and secondary school levels at the time when Japanese science education commenced. In this report, we focused on the first Japanese textbook of physics experiment, Rika-Shoshi, published in 1882 and the editor of the book, Udagawa Jun'ichi. Many experiments in Rika-Shoshi can be performed using low-cost everyday materials. We compare Rika-Shoshi with the original English textbooks and describe Udagawa's physics teaching in the Gunma Normal School based on the documents in the Gunma University archives. We discuss how we can learn from physics education as taught about 130 years ago.

  13. Developing Textbook Materials in Uncommon Languages.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lathrop, Thomas A.

    Guidelines are offered for preparing and publishing textbook materials in Portuguese and other uncommonly taught languages. The available options for publishing Portuguese materials include two textbook publishers, three university presses, self-publication, and the Cabrilho Press, which produces language textbooks. Methods for submitting…

  14. Comparing gender discrimination and inequality in indie and traditional publishing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weinberg, Dana B; Kapelner, Adam

    2018-01-01

    In traditional publishing, female authors' titles command nearly half (45%) the price of male authors' and are underrepresented in more prestigious genres, and books are published by publishing houses, which determined whose books get published, subject classification, and retail price. In the last decade, the growth of digital technologies and sales platforms have enabled unprecedented numbers of authors to bypass publishers to publish and sell books. The rise of indie publishing (aka self-publishing) reflects the growth of the "gig" economy, where the influence of firms has diminished and workers are exposed more directly to external markets. Encompassing the traditional and the gig economy, the book industry illuminates how the gig economy may disrupt, replicate, or transform the gender discrimination mechanisms and inequality found in the traditional economy. In a natural experiment spanning from 2002 to 2012 and including over two million book titles, we compare discrimination mechanisms and inequality in indie and traditional publishing. We find that indie publishing, though more egalitarian, largely replicates traditional publishing's gender discrimination patterns, showing an unequal distribution of male and female authors by genre (allocative discrimination), devaluation of genres written predominantly by female authors (valuative discrimination), and lower prices within genres for books by female authors (within-job discrimination). However, these discrimination mechanisms are associated with far less price inequality in indie, only 7%, in large part due to the smaller and lower range of prices in indie publishing compared to traditional publishing. We conclude that, with greater freedom, workers in the gig economy may be inclined to greater equality but will largely replicate existing labor market segmentation and the lower valuation of female-typical work and of female workers. Nonetheless, price setting for work may be more similar for workers in the

  15. Perspectives on the Origins of Life in Science Textbooks from a Christian Publisher: Implications for Teaching Science

    Science.gov (United States)

    Santos Baptista, Geilsa Costa; da Silva Santos, Rodrigo; Cobern, William W.

    2016-01-01

    This paper presents the results of research regarding approaches to the origin of life featured in science textbooks produced by an Evangelical publisher. The research nature was qualitative with document analysis and an interpretive framework based on Epistemological Pluralism. Overall, the results indicate that there are four perspectives on the…

  16. A Modern Approach to the Traditional Textbook: Bringing Introductory Geology Courses into the 21st Century

    Science.gov (United States)

    Workman Ford, K.; Ford, K. R.

    2013-12-01

    Undergraduate introductory geology courses are required in many colleges nationwide as part of the general education requirement. As a result, a large portion of those students are non-majors and most are not science majors. Textbooks used in these courses are often extensive with respect to the amount of material covered which tends to be overwhelming to the average student. Thus, students often purchase the pricey textbook but turn to their smartphones, notebooks, and laptops for answers. Before the development of the internet, students spent many hours in libraries and with their textbooks organizing and retrieving information. However, new technologies in the 21st century have essentially replaced traditional textbooks with students turning to online search engines, such as Google, to study and to complete homework assignments. Presently, online search engines may be more intuitive, but what's going on in the background isn't intuitive at all, and few students have a clear understanding of how search engines operate. Effectively this leads to students without the conception of how to build an adequate search strategy independent of search engines. Often, students are directed to online encyclopedias that may have erroneous information. Here, we employ an alternative to traditional textbooks and online search engines by implementing a guidebook with electronic resources for online activities and homework assignments. The proposed guidebook is roughly modeled after the American Geosciences Institute's Geoscience Handbook: AGI Data Sheets 4th, revised edition, and will include diagrams, graphs, charts, and pictures of basic geologic principles, processes, and earth materials. Along with the information, each topic will have online resources including sites for general reading, specific assignments that require visiting scientifically sound websites (i.e., USGS, GSA, AGU, Science, Nature), online self-assessment activities, and Google Earth activities. In addition

  17. Education and Textbooks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Simon, Josep; García-Belmar, Antonio

    Education and textbooks have traditionally been standard objects of research in the history of science, technology, and medicine. However, they have often remained marginal in the formulation of large historiographical questions. In the last decades, the work of some historians of science has challenged this state of affairs. STEP has promoted a distinctive focus on education and textbooks, compared to other scholarship cultures such as the Anglo-American. This essay reviews its work in this field and stresses the potential of education and textbooks to produce interdisciplinary research in local, national, and international perspective.

  18. The role of women in history according to textbooks images. Comparison of textbooks published during LOE and LOMCE

    OpenAIRE

    Juan Carlos BEL MARTÍNEZ

    2017-01-01

    This paper focuses on the study of the role of women and its representation in the images of the textbooks of Environmental Knowledge and Social Sciences subjects, specifically in History topics. Textbooks can give us an overview of how women are presented in the historical discourse carried from Primary Education, and through their analysis we can see if it has or not an androcentric bias. Therefrom it’s developed an analysis and a comparison of the data between volumes of both last educatio...

  19. Methods of Use of an Online Economics Textbook

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miller, Jon R.; Baker-Eveleth, Lori

    2010-01-01

    The rising cost of college textbooks over the last decade provides an opportunity for alternatives. Electronic or online textbooks are an effective substitute to the traditional paper-based textbooks, although students have been slow to transition to the new method. A custom, professor-written online textbook not only addresses the reduction in…

  20. What Every Textbook Evaluator Should Know.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Muther, Connie

    1985-01-01

    Presents information on textbook design and marketing practices, and their consequences for textbook content; recommends that selection committees firmly define the role of the textbook in curriculum, and adapt published materials to their school system's unique requirements. (MCG)

  1. Education and Textbooks

    OpenAIRE

    Simon, Josep; García-Belmar, Antonio

    2016-01-01

    Education and textbooks have traditionally been standard objects of research in the history of science, technology, and medicine. However, they have often remained marginal in the formulation of large historiographical questions. In the last decades, the work of some historians of science has challenged this state of affairs. STEP has promoted a distinctive focus on education and textbooks, compared to other scholarship cultures such as the Anglo-American. This essay reviews its work in this ...

  2. New Format, Same Old Story?: An Analysis of Traditional and Digital U.S. History Textbook Accounts of Slavery

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lathan, Jamie L.

    2013-01-01

    While the distortions and omissions in traditional U. S. history textbook accounts of slavery have been well documented (Alexander, 2002; Brown & Brown, 2010; Banks, 1969; Council on Interracial Books for Children, 1977; Elson, 1964; Gordy & Pritchard, 1995; Kane, 1970; Kochlin, 1998; Washburn, 1997), no study has analyzed digital U. S.…

  3. Publishing scientifically sound papers in Traditional and Complementary Medicine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Isidoro, Ciro; Huang, Chia-Chi; Sheen, Lee-Yan

    2016-01-01

    Non-conventional medical practices that make use of dietary supplements, herbal extracts, physical manipulations, and other practices typically associated with folk and Traditional Medicine are increasingly becoming popular in Western Countries. These practices are commonly referred to by the generic, all-inclusive term "Complementary and Alternative Medicine." Scientists, practitioners, and medical institutions bear the responsibility of testing and proving the effectiveness of these non-conventional medical practices in the interest of patients. In this context, the number of peer-reviewed journals and published articles on this topic has greatly increased in the recent decades. In this editorial article, we illustrate the policy of the Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine for publishing solid and scientifically sound papers in the field of Traditional and Complementary Medicine.

  4. Textbook language: Incentive or obstacle

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Šefer Jasmina

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available The criticism of the current language in school textbooks indicates the gravity of this problem in our environment and the need to solve it. The first step in approaching this problem is studying the reception of primary school textbooks. In the first part of the paper we discuss all primary school textbooks from the fifth to the eighth grade with regard to the frequency of textbook usage and the perception of the difficulty of textbook language. In the second part of the paper there is an additional analysis of history, geography, biology, physics and chemistry textbooks from the fifth to the eighth grade with regard to the reasons for which pupils find them difficult. This preliminary research comprised in total 120 pupils from an urban school, thirty from each fifth to eighth grade. We analyzed the textbooks of the Institute for Textbook Publishing and Teaching Aids, which are used most frequently in our educational practice, and hence can represent the general situation of the problem. Bearing in mind the limited size of the sample of pupils, the results are used only as an illustration and should encourage new studies on a more extensive sample. Textbook language is often difficult since it is mostly insufficiently comprehensible, longwinded and with many data. In natural sciences, physics and chemistry, pupils give up studying from the textbook. The textbooks in narrative subjects lead the way with respect to their usage, among which everybody finds history textbooks most difficult. Geography and biology textbooks were evaluated differently, depending on the grade and success of the pupils declaring themselves. The results present a guideline to the current and new writers of our textbooks, critics and publishing houses.

  5. The role of women in history according to textbooks images. Comparison of textbooks published during LOE and LOMCE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Juan Carlos BEL MARTÍNEZ

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available This paper focuses on the study of the role of women and its representation in the images of the textbooks of Environmental Knowledge and Social Sciences subjects, specifically in History topics. Textbooks can give us an overview of how women are presented in the historical discourse carried from Primary Education, and through their analysis we can see if it has or not an androcentric bias. Therefrom it’s developed an analysis and a comparison of the data between volumes of both last education laws implemented in Spain (LOE and LOMCE.

  6. Understanding European education landscape on natural disasters - a textbook research

    Science.gov (United States)

    Komac, B.; Zorn, M.; Ciglič, R.; Steinführer, A.

    2012-04-01

    The importance of natural-disaster education for social preparedness is presented. Increasing damage caused by natural disasters around the globe draws attention to the fact that even developed societies must adapt to natural processes. Natural-disaster education is a component part of any education strategy for a sustainably oriented society. The purpose of this article is to present the role of formal education in natural disasters in Europe. To ensure a uniform overview, the study used secondary-school geography textbooks from the collection at the Georg Eckert Institute for International Textbook Research in Braunschweig, Germany. Altogether, nearly 190 textbooks from 35 European countries were examined. The greatest focus on natural disasters can be found in textbooks published in western Europe (3.8% of pages describing natural disasters), and the smallest in those published in eastern Europe (0.7%). A share of textbook pages exceeding three percent describing natural disasters can also be found in northern Europe (3.6%) and southeast Europe, including Turkey (3.4%). The shares in central and southern Europe exceed two percent (i.e., 2.8% and 2.3%, respectively). The types and specific examples of natural disasters most commonly covered in textbooks as well as the type of natural disasters presented in textbooks according to the number of casualties and the damage caused were analyzed. The results show that the majority of European (secondary-school) education systems are poorly developed in terms of natural-disaster education. If education is perceived as part of natural-disaster management and governance, greater attention should clearly be dedicated to this activity. In addition to formal education, informal education also raises a series of questions connected with the importance of this type of education. Special attention was drawn to the importance of knowledge that locals have about their region because this aspect of education is important in both

  7. Comparing the efficacy of multimedia modules with traditional textbooks for learning introductory physics content

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stelzer, Timothy; Gladding, Gary; Mestre, José P.; Brookes, David T.

    2009-02-01

    We compared the efficacy of multimedia learning modules with traditional textbooks for the first few topics of a calculus-based introductory electricity and magnetism course. Students were randomly assigned to three groups. One group received the multimedia learning module presentations, and the other two received the presentations via written text. All students were then tested on their learning immediately following the presentations as well as 2weeks later. The students receiving the multimedia learning modules performed significantly better on both tests than the students experiencing the text-based presentations.

  8. English language teaching textbooks content, consumption, production

    CERN Document Server

    Harwood, N

    2013-01-01

    English language teaching textbooks (or coursebooks) play a central role in the life of a classroom. This edited volume contains research-informed chapters focusing on: analysis of textbook content; how textbooks are used in the classroom; and textbook writers' accounts of the materials writing, design, and publishing process.

  9. Electronic textbooks: didactic aspect

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ivanova Elena O.

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The modern process of training proceeding in the information and education environment demands a textbook of a new format differing from that one of a traditional paper book. Research has shown that a new textbook is a specially designed subject information and education environment. Filling of this environment (the textbook - navigator, the textbook script, a set of materials for independent work, etc., structuring information (as the script of an educational process, the designer of a process of training, the integrator of the specified types is shown in the article. Characteristics of textbooks of a new generation are provided: orientation towards realizing the complete process of training from positing aims to a reflection of results, ensuring the maximum independence of pupils, accounting of specific features of pupils, granting opportunities of creation by pupils of an own educational product. Components of the subject information and education environment are presented: subject and target, substantial and organizational, estimated and reflexive components. The reformative and constructive tasks providing an activity orientation of the electronic textbook are considered.

  10. Should Geography Educators Adopt Electronic Textbooks?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Romig, Kevin

    2017-01-01

    Significant changes in textbook publishing are at college instructors' door. Textbook representatives are directed to mesmerize potential clients with eye-catching displays and statements about digital literacy of the next generation of college students. Based on a one-year pilot study, in 2014-2015, of an electronic textbook, this commentary…

  11. Europe representations in textbooks

    OpenAIRE

    Brennetot , Arnaud

    2011-01-01

    This EuroBroadMap working paper presents an analysis of textbooks dealing with the representations of Europe and European Union. In most of these textbooks from secondary school, the teaching of the geography of Europe precedes the evocation of the EU. Europe is often depicted as a given object, reduced to a number of structural aspects (relief, climate, demography, traditional cultures, economic activities, etc.) whose only common point is their location within conventional boundaries. Such ...

  12. Open-Access Electronic Textbooks: An Overview

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ovadia, Steven

    2011-01-01

    Given the challenging economic climate in the United States, many academics are looking to open-access electronic textbooks as a way to provide students with traditional textbook content at a more financially advantageous price. Open access refers to "the free and widely available information throughout the World Wide Web. Once an article's…

  13. Geometric Transformations in Middle School Mathematics Textbooks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zorin, Barbara

    2011-01-01

    This study analyzed treatment of geometric transformations in presently available middle grades (6, 7, 8) student mathematics textbooks. Fourteen textbooks from four widely used textbook series were evaluated: two mainline publisher series, Pearson (Prentice Hall) and Glencoe (Math Connects); one National Science Foundation (NSF) funded curriculum…

  14. Student Perception of Traditional versus Alternative Textbook Value

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuzma, Ann; Kuzma, John; Thiewes, Harold

    2013-01-01

    In today's environment of rising tuition and textbook costs, we surveyed business majors concerning their preferences regarding various text options that are available for their academic studies. Specifically, we surveyed 329 students enrolled in upper-level business courses at a mid-level Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business…

  15. A Framework for Open Textbooks Analytics System

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prasad, Deepak; Totaram, Rajneel; Usagawa, Tsuyoshi

    2016-01-01

    In the last few years, open textbook development has picked up dramatically due both to the expense of commercially published textbooks and the increasing availability of high-quality OER alternatives. While this offers a tremendous benefit in terms of lowering student textbook costs, the question remains, to what extent (if any) do open textbooks…

  16. Analysis of prescription database extracted from standard textbooks of traditional Dai medicine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Chuang; Chongsuvivatwong, Virasakdi; Keawpradub, Niwat; Lin, Yanfang

    2012-08-29

    Traditional Dai Medicine (TDM) is one of the four major ethnomedicine of China. In 2007 a group of experts produced a set of seven Dai medical textbooks on this subject. The first two were selected as the main data source to analyse well recognized prescriptions. To quantify patterns of prescriptions, common ingredients, indications and usages of TDM. A relational database linking the prescriptions, ingredients, herb names, indications, and usages was set up. Frequency of pattern of combination and common ingredients were tabulated. A total of 200 prescriptions and 402 herbs were compiled. Prescriptions based on "wind" disorders, a detoxification theory that most commonly deals with symptoms of digestive system diseases, accounted for over one third of all prescriptions. The major methods of preparations mostly used roots and whole herbs. The information extracted from the relational database may be useful for understanding symptomatic treatments. Antidote and detoxification theory deserves further research.

  17. Student Voice in Textbook Evaluation: Comparing Open and Restricted Textbooks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Woodward, Scott; Lloyd, Adam; Kimmons, Royce

    2017-01-01

    Advocates for student voice in higher education believe students should have the right and power to engage in much of the decision-making traditionally dominated by instructors or administrators. This qualitative study examines the role of student voice in the evaluation of textbook quality. Evaluators included two graduate students enrolled in a…

  18. Electronic publishing in radiology: beginnings, current status, and expanding horizons.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chew, Felix S; Llewellyn, Kevin; Olsen, Kathryn M

    2004-10-01

    Electronic publishing in radiology began in the 1980s and gathered momentum as use of the personal computer and subsequently the World Wide Web became commonplace. The ease of access and wide distribution that the Internet affords have presented both experts and lay users with the challenge of distinguishing reliable from unreliable material. In the field of radiology, peer-reviewed journals, the sine qua non of reliability in the scientific realm, began to appear in online versions in 1988, and now, nearly all such journals currently have online versions. Electronic versions of textbooks and textbook-like material have become more common, although the vast majority of publishers' catalogs are traditional print books. Electronic material is more common in the fields of internal, emergency, and family medicine than in the field of diagnostic radiology. The latest publishing medium is the personal digital assistant. Challenges that face electronic publishing include the issues of permanent archiving, citation, and indexing. Peer review seems to be the best method for distinguishing reliable from unreliable information. The use of Web technology has improved the logistics of peer review, and some journals have begun posting peer reviews themselves on the Web alongside peer-reviewed articles. Electronic publishing has changed the manner in which radiologists obtain information, providing wider, more immediate access.

  19. From oral traditions to elementary textbooks: a description of the maternal languages project in Niger.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stephens, C L

    1983-12-01

    Niger is experimenting with maternal language instruction in grades 1-3, within a broader context of educational reform. In these early grades, some 25 experimental schools distributed throughout the country are using 1 of 5 national languages -- Hausa, Zarma-Songhai, Fulfulde, Tamajaq, or Kanuri -- as the language of instruction and of standardized examinations, as in traditional schools. The curriculum in these experimental schools for the early grades is also innovative and favors an interdisciplinary approach. Lessons in various subjects are linked at any given time by a them selected by teachers and students. Niger's national pedagogical institute, in collaboration with the US Agency for International Development (USAID), designed a testbook project which was built around a recorded collection of oral traditions. Once assembled, this collection served as a resource to draw on for production of readers for grades 1 through 3. These readers provide content appropriate to the curriculum and serve as an archive of oral traditions for future use. The Institute's procedure for producing elementary readers in maternal languages has not only yielded the desired books but has also facilitated institutional development in several organizations committed to producing national language materials. The project has had several phases, including the collection, transcription, and cataloging of oral materials; the preselection, adaptation, final editing, and illustration of tests; the publication of the textbooks; and the evaluation of the textbooks. Over 70 primary school teachers participated in the collection phase during the summer vacation of 1981. The teachers were selected to assure a distribution of regions and dialects for each of the 5 languages. Before returning to their villages, trainees were issued Panasonic RQ 230 9A tape recorders, batteries, and a box of 20 cassettes. Supervisory teams composed of at least 1 linguist and 1 pedagogical advisor visited each

  20. Potential benefits of student- and junior doctor-led textbooks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qureshi, Zeshan U; Lattey, Katherine; Bryne, Patrick; Rodrigues, Mark; Ross, Michael; Maxwell, Simon

    2015-06-01

    Medical textbooks are an important teaching supplement. Few have junior doctors or medical students ('juniors') as primary contributors. However, the strengths of junior-led face-to-face teaching are now well-established, and we hypothesized that similar advantages would be transferrable to a textbook setting. Juniors were approached to contribute to an independently published medical textbook, with senior clinicians recruited in parallel to ensure factual accuracy. Juniors directed every aspect of textbook writing and the production process. The published book stressed that it was an open collaboration with readers, inviting them to get in touch to evaluate the text and suggest ideas for new titles. Of 75 respondents, 93 % awarded the first textbook in the series 4 or 5 out of 5 for overall quality. Five other titles have been released, with seven more in development. Over 100 juniors are currently involved, with two students progressing from reviewers to editors after less than a year of mentorship. Juniors can be a motivated, dynamic, innovative group, capable of significant contributions to the medical textbook literature. This initiative has generated a sustainable infrastructure to facilitate junior-led publishing, and has the capacity for expansion to accommodate new initiatives and ideas.

  1. Production and Utilization of Core-Textbooks in Primary School ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Production and Utilization of Core-Textbooks in Primary School System: Impact of Authors and Publishers. ... These stakeholders have specific roles to play and cannot operate in isolation. The study, therefore investigated the influence of authorship and publishers on core textbook production and utilisation in Oyo State ...

  2. Analysis of prescription database extracted from standard textbooks of traditional Dai medicine

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhang Chuang

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Traditional Dai Medicine (TDM is one of the four major ethnomedicine of China. In 2007 a group of experts produced a set of seven Dai medical textbooks on this subject. The first two were selected as the main data source to analyse well recognized prescriptions. Objective To quantify patterns of prescriptions, common ingredients, indications and usages of TDM. Methods A relational database linking the prescriptions, ingredients, herb names, indications, and usages was set up. Frequency of pattern of combination and common ingredients were tabulated. Results A total of 200 prescriptions and 402 herbs were compiled. Prescriptions based on "wind" disorders, a detoxification theory that most commonly deals with symptoms of digestive system diseases, accounted for over one third of all prescriptions. The major methods of preparations mostly used roots and whole herbs. Conclusion The information extracted from the relational database may be useful for understanding symptomatic treatments. Antidote and detoxification theory deserves further research.

  3. Open Textbooks and Increased Student Access and Outcomes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feldstein, Andrew; Martin, Mirta; Hudson, Amy; Warren, Kiara; Hilton, John, III; Wiley, David

    2012-01-01

    This study reports findings from a year-long pilot study during which 991 students in 9 core courses in the Virginia State University School of Business replaced traditional textbooks with openly licensed books and other digital content. The university made a deliberate decision to use open textbooks that were copyrighted under the Creative…

  4. [Joint contractures in nursing textbooks].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bartoszek, G; Meyer, G; Thiesemann, R

    2014-01-01

    The transparency criteria of the German statutory health insurance on joint contracture prevention have led to controversies about the appropriate assessment, prevention and treatment as well as to various actions in nursing practice. However, appropriate nursing assessments and proven treatment options are lacking so far. It is unclear whether textbooks on nursing reflect these uncertainties. Search for textbooks on nursing through internet-based search engines and publisher registers, data extraction by one investigator and control by a second. A total of 35 textbooks with contributions on joint contractures were identified of which 25 included a definition, causes/risk factors are presented in 32 textbooks and assessments are presented in 5 books. Most often positioning into a physiological or functional neutral position and passive moving of limbs are recommended as passive prophylaxis. Recommended therapeutic and preventive options do not differ. None of the textbooks reflect that there is a lack of scientific knowledge on the subject. Textbooks on nursing do not deal with complete and scientific sound information on joint contractures.

  5. Authoring and delivery of adaptive electronic textbooks made easy

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ramp, E.; De Bra, P.M.E.; Brusilovsky, P.; Richards, G.

    2005-01-01

    The vast majority of textbooks (even when offered on-line) are still traditional book-like static documents with a fixed structure and content. Authoring a textbook in a "simple" environment like Microsoft Word is much easier than using special authoring environments for adaptive electronic

  6. Gender Scripts in Professional Writing Textbooks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carrell, David

    1991-01-01

    Examines sexual stereotypes in selected professional writing textbooks published from the 1930s to the 1950s. Maintains that these textbooks--portraying women as subservient, emotional, and frivolous, and men as decisive, logical, and strong--suggest that men are more suited for positions of authority, and have played an important role in…

  7. Textbook Development and Selection in Japan and the United States.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tani, Masaru; And Others

    1993-01-01

    Reports on a study trip by 13 U.S. social studies educators and publishers to Japan. Compares development, marketing, and selection of textbooks in the United States and Japan. Concludes that both nations should improve textbooks and textbook selection processes. (CFR)

  8. Symbolic Interactionism in Sociology of Education Textbooks in Mainland China: Coverage, Perspective and Implications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dong, Xuan

    2008-01-01

    17 textbooks are examined for the quantity and quality of their material pertaining to ideas in the symbolic interaction tradition. Most of the textbooks fail to discuss at least some of the ideas in this tradition. In the 5 exceptions, the texts only include material from the Chicago school of this tradition with only a little inclusive…

  9. Illustrations and supporting texts for sound standing waves of air columns in pipes in introductory physics textbooks

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Liang Zeng

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available In our pilot studies, we found that many introductory physics textbook illustrations with supporting text for sound standing waves of air columns in open-open, open-closed, and closed-closed pipes inhibit student understanding of sound standing wave phenomena due to student misunderstanding of how air molecules move within these pipes. Based on the construct of meaningful learning from cognitive psychology and semiotics, a quasiexperimental study was conducted to investigate the comparative effectiveness of two alternative approaches to student understanding: a traditional textbook illustration approach versus a newly designed air molecule motion illustration approach. Thirty volunteer students from introductory physics classes were randomly assigned to two groups of 15 each. Both groups were administered a presurvey. Then, group A read the air molecule motion illustration handout, and group B read a traditional textbook illustration handout; both groups were administered postsurveys. Subsequently, the procedure was reversed: group B read the air molecule motion illustration handout and group A read the traditional textbook illustration handout. This was followed by a second postsurvey along with an exit research questionnaire. The study found that the majority of students experienced meaningful learning and stated that they understood sound standing wave phenomena significantly better using the air molecule motion illustration approach. This finding provides a method for physics education researchers to design illustrations for abstract sound standing wave concepts, for publishers to improve their illustrations with supporting text, and for instructors to facilitate deeper learning in their students on sound standing waves.

  10. The Determinants of Electronic Textbook Use among College Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miller, Jon R.; Nutting, Andrew W.; Baker-Eveleth, Lori

    2012-01-01

    Electronic books are a fast-growing component of the publishing industry. Sales of electronic textbooks (e-textbooks) are growing, but at a slower rate. In this research we use data from an undergraduate student survey to estimate the determinants of e-textbook use. We find that students who are younger, lower-income, and from larger high schools…

  11. Natural science textbooks for the fourth grade and their text difficulty

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Libuše Hrabí

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents findings regarding an assessment of the difficulty of text in six current Czech natural science textbooks for the fourth grade. The textual analysis was carried out according to a modified Průcha method. The results indicate that textual difficulty varies in the textbooks examined (19 - 31 points. Textbooks published by the Alter, Fortuna and SPN publishing companies are suitable for teaching in the fourth grade.

  12. Digital Game-Based Textbook vs. Traditional Print-Based Textbook: The Effect of Textbook Format on College Students' Engagement with Textbook Content outside of the Classroom

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thomas, Antonio Lamar

    2017-01-01

    The relatively little amount of time that some college students spend reading their textbooks outside of the classroom presents a significant threat to their academic success. Using Prenksy's (2001) digital game-based learning (DGBL) principles and Astin's student involvement theory as frameworks, the purpose of this true experiment was to…

  13. Design in the digital textbook

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ebbesen, Toke Riis

    reorganization of the publishing company, web based user interfaces, and ultimately the branding, that market these new digital objects, are building powerful discourses around the product. Thus it is suggested that the design process of the iBog-case can be understood in a model of database-based publishing......Building on a preliminary case study of the Danish educational publisher, Systime A/S, and its flagship product, the web based ‘iBog’ {Systime 2014}, this paper explores how digital textbooks can be understood as design. The shaping of digital books is seen as intertwined in a wider circuit...... with multiple levels. In the final analysis, the iBog is much more than a product and a technology. It is a brand that goes beyond what can be studied by looking at the digital textbook as a singular artefact....

  14. Digital versus Traditional: Secondary Students with Visual Impairments' Perceptions of a Digital Algebra Textbook

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bouck, Emily C.; Weng, Pei-Lin; Satsangi, Rajiv

    2016-01-01

    Introduction: Digital textbooks are increasingly marketed and used, yet little research examines this medium. Within the limited research, even less investigates the role of digital textbooks in mathematics--a challenging content area for many students, but especially for students with visual impairments. Methods: Through a qualitative analysis,…

  15. Textbooks evaluation

    OpenAIRE

    Tauchmannová, Iva

    2009-01-01

    This thesis deals with an evaluation of textbooks and their operation at school. The theoretical part clarifies the purport of the term a textbook, functions and a structure of textbooks, and describes a text of textbooks, parameters of its evaluation, and the extratextual components of textbooks. It presents methods of work with a textbook and research into textbooks. The empirical part describes a research that was aimed to learn whether textbooks fit to modern parameters of textbooks. Furt...

  16. A tale of two textbooks: Experiments in genre.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaiser, David

    2012-03-01

    Though the notion of a scientific textbook has been around for almost three centuries, the category has hardly been stable. The plasticity of the textbook genre may be illustrated by recent variations as well as long-term trends. In this brief essay I examine two idiosyncratic but highly successful physics books, each published in the mid 1970s, whose production, marketing, and adoption reveal some of the slippage between such categories as textbook, scholarly monograph, and popular best seller.

  17. Textbooks for biology applied in schools in Russia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sergey Vitalevich Sumatokhin

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available This article describes textbooks that are used in the teaching of biology in schools in Russia. The characteristics of designing biological programme content are presented. The school textbook, as a book, consists of a system of texts, illustrations, apparatus for acquiring knowledge (methodical apparatus and elements for orientation in the presented contents. In the textbook of biology, different types of texts are distinguished: basic, additional, explanatory. In Russia, biology textbooks for the school public more than ten publishers. A set of biology textbooks, ensuring the continuity of the study of biology in grades 5-9 (10-11 is called the subject line. Authors of different subject lines of textbooks differently select and structure the content of biological education. Depending on the approach to the structuring of the educational material, all subject lines of textbooks can be divided into two groups (system-structural approach and functional approach. These approaches can have a linear or concentric content structure. Each teacher has the right to choose from the variety of subject lines of biology textbooks those that most satisfy his needs.

  18. Some Design Issues for an Online Japanese Textbook

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nagata, Noriko

    2010-01-01

    This paper discusses several design issues in the development of a new online Japanese textbook, called "Robo-Sensei: Japanese Curriculum with Automated Feedback". When it is completed, the new online textbook will present a full Japanese curriculum. It extends a previously published online software program, "Robo-Sensei: Personal Japanese Tutor"…

  19. Comparing Physics Textbooks in Terms of Assessment and Evaluation Tools

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zeynep Başkan Takaoğlu

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Assessment and evaluation instruments provide teachers the opportunity of shaping education in the beginning, contributing to education during the process and evaluating education at the end of the process. Textbooks, on the other hand, are resources that present the aforementioned contributions to teachers at first hand. Thus, the study aims to compare the distribution of assessment and evaluation instruments in the physics textbooks being used in the academic year of 2011- 2012 and 2016-2017 according to units, settlement within units and types of assessment instruments that are used. For that purpose, 9, 10, 11 and 12th grade textbooks being used in physics lessons in the academic year of 2011-2012 and 2016-2017 were examined via document analysis method. As a result of the study, it was determined that the highest number of assessment instruments in physics textbooks from two different years was encountered in the unit of force and motion. The reason for this unit having higher number of questions could be associated with higher number of mathematical operations in the unit intended for allowing students to overcome their mathematical deficiencies by practicing such questions. It was observed that the number of questions was increased especially in the books being used in the academic year of 2016-2017 and alternative assessment instruments were fewer than traditional assessment instruments. Traditional assessment instruments are still used very frequently in the textbooks, which proves the effect of traditional approaches in assessment and evaluation. Another reason for this condition is that a result-oriented evaluation is used in the university entrance exam. In the light of these results, it is suggested to make the university exam student-centered rather than making an arrangement in textbooks.

  20. The Purpose of State Level Textbook Adoption: What Does the Legislation Reveal?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tulley, Michael A.; Farr, Roger

    1985-01-01

    A content analysis of textbook adoption statutes of 22 states was undertaken to gain insight into the reasons behind state textbook adoption. Findings indicate the intent of state-level textbook adoption may be to control marketing practices of the publishing industry. (DF)

  1. Morphemic Analysis as Imagined by Developmental Reading Textbooks: A Content Analysis of a Textbook Corpus

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roth, Daniel

    2017-01-01

    Although vocabulary instruction is a pressing need for postsecondary reading instructors, a minimal amount of current postsecondary scholarship addresses this need, and almost no current scholarship addresses the textbook tradition of morphemic analysis (MA). The present article reviews the literature on MA instruction and argues for teaching MA…

  2. An Analysis of the Readability of Financial Accounting Textbooks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, Gerald; And Others

    1981-01-01

    The Flesch formula was used to calculate the readability of 15 financial accounting textbooks. The 15 textbooks represented introductory, intermediate, and advanced levels and also were classified by five different publishers. Two-way analysis of variance and Tukey's post hoc analysis revealed some significant differences. (Author/CT)

  3. A Survey of Professor Acceptance and Use of E-Textbooks in Higher Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brown, Randy

    2013-01-01

    As electronic books (e-books) have continued to gain in popularity, more and more books are becoming available in electronic format. Textbooks are no exception. More and more publishers are making textbooks available in electronic format (e-textbooks). There have been many devices specifically designed to use e-books and e-textbooks with many more…

  4. Establishment of Textbook Information Management System Based on Active Server Page

    Science.gov (United States)

    Geng, Lihua

    2011-01-01

    In the process of textbook management of universities, the flow of storage, collection and check of textbook is quite complicated and daily management flow and system also seriously constrains the efficiency of the management process. Thus, in order to combine the information management model and the traditional management model, it is necessary…

  5. Chemical Reaction Engineering Applications in Non-traditional Technologies. A Textbook Supplement.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Savage, Phillip E.; Blaine, Steven

    1991-01-01

    A set of educational materials that have been developed which deal with chemical engineering applications in emerging technologies is described. The organization and the content of the supplemental textbook materials and how they can be integrated into an undergraduate reaction engineering course are discussed. (KR)

  6. Replacing textbook problems with lab experiences

    Science.gov (United States)

    Register, Trevor

    2017-10-01

    End-of-the-chapter textbook problems are often the bread and butter of any traditional physics classroom. However, research strongly suggests that students be given the opportunity to apply their knowledge in multiple contexts as well as be provided with opportunities to do the process of science through laboratory experiences. Little correlation has been shown linking the number of textbook problems solved with conceptual understanding of topics in mechanics. Furthermore, textbook problems as the primary source of practice for students robs them of the joy and productive struggle of learning how to think like an experimental physicist. Methods such as Modeling Instruction tackle this problem head-on by starting each instructional unit with an inquiry-based lab aimed at establishing the important concepts and equations for the unit, and this article will discuss ideas and experiences for how to carry that philosophy throughout a unit.

  7. Oral Health and Hygiene Content in Nursing Fundamentals Textbooks

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rita A. Jablonski

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this paper is to describe the quantity and quality of oral hygiene content in a representative sample of before-licensure nursing fundamentals textbooks. Seven textbooks were examined. Quantity was operationalized as the actual page count and percentage of content devoted to oral health and hygiene. Quality of content was operationalized as congruency with best mouth care practices. Best mouth care practices included evidence-based and consensus-based practices as published primarily by the American Dental Association and supported by both published nursing research and review articles specific to mouth care and published dental research and review articles specific to mouth care. Content devoted to oral health and hygiene averaged 0.6%. Although the quality of the content was highly variable, nearly every textbook contained some erroneous or outdated information. The most common areas for inaccuracy included the use of foam sponges for mouth care in dentate persons instead of soft toothbrushes and improper denture removal.

  8. Developing an E-Textbook for the Consumer and Family Sciences Classroom: Challenges and Rewards

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coussement, Martha A.; Johnson, Shannon; Goodson, Ludwika Aniela

    2016-01-01

    This article describes the self-publishing journey, challenges and methods of development, impact, the value of a self-published e-textbook in tenure decisions, and recommendations. This journey led to the self-publishing of an e-textbook for iPad® delivery at a Midwest university for a course on electronic distribution and hotel management in the…

  9. Playing the game: Psychology textbooks speak out about love.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vicedo, Marga

    2012-03-01

    Starting in 1958, Harry Harlow published numerous research papers analyzing the emotional and social development of rhesus monkeys. This essay examines the presentation of Harlow's work in introductory psychology textbooks from 1958 to 1975, focusing on whether the textbooks erased the process of research, presented results without hedging, and provided a uniform account of Harlow's work and results. It argues that many textbooks were not passive vehicles of knowledge transmission; instead, they played a role similar to articles of meta-analysis and literature reviews.

  10. Promoting International Understanding through School Textbooks. A Case Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boden, Philip K.

    A project is described which was carried out among Unesco member nations from 1971 to 1974 to investigate multilateral arrangements for the review of high school textbooks in the fields of history, geography, and social studies. Objectives of the project were to provide publishers with feedback about the potential of their textbooks to promote…

  11. Professional Human Service Occupation Biases Represented in General Psychology Textbooks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Firmin, Michael W.; Johnson, Erica J.; Wikler, Jeremiah

    2009-01-01

    We examined the coverage given by General Psychology textbooks, representing 8 major commercial publishers, regarding the professions of psychology, counseling, marriage & family therapy, and social workers. Of the 24 textbooks assessed, we found substantial bias favoring the coverage of psychology. While 25% of the texts mentioned social workers,…

  12. Textbook in global society: a few steps towards the methodology of comparative research

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mojca Kovač-Šebart

    2003-01-01

    Full Text Available The paper analyzes differences in primary school textbook publishing models in European Union, United States and Slovenia. Regardless the fact that there exist important differences among these models, in the majority of states there is competition among textbooks for the same subject. Nevertheless, the textbook is not a marketable good as any other: it is also a carrier of social and cultural values. Even more, in most cases, the decision which textbook to buy is not taken by the parent who pays for the textbook, but by the teacher who has no financial obligations in the whole process. As a result, textbook market is unperfect, and the majority of states regulates it more thoroughly than markets for other goods. Adoption processes are one of the most important keys for understanding the nature of such regulation. They are closely related to the nature of educational legislation: in the states with final-oriented legislation,the adoption processes are more common than in the states with process-oriented legislation. In Slovenia, the state has started to withdraw from textbook publishing in early eighties. Nevertheless, the state still adopts and evaluates textbook content,and is therefore more process than final oriented.

  13. Traditional Chinese Medical Journals currently published in mainland China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fan, Wei-Yu; Tong, Yuan-Yuan; Pan, Yan-Li; Shang, Wen-Ling; Shen, Jia-Yi; Li, Wei; Li, Li-Jun

    2008-06-01

    Traditional Chinese Medical (TCM) journals have been playing an important role in scholarly communication in China. However, the information in those periodicals was not enough for international readers. This study aims to provide an overview of TCM journals in China. TCM journals currently published in mainland China were identified from Chinese databases and journal subscription catalogs. Data on publication start year, publishing region, language, whether core journals, whether indexed in famous international databases, with/without accessible URL were investigated, and subjects of journals were categorized. One hundred and forty-nine (149) TCM journals are currently published in mainland China; 88.59% of them are academic journals. The subjects of those journals are various, ranging from the general TCM, integrative medicine, herbal medicines, to veterinary TCM. The publishing areas are distributed in 27 regions, with Beijing having the most TCM journals published. One hundred and forty-two (142) of those periodicals are in Chinese, while 4 are also in English, and 3 in other languages. Only 8 TCM journals were recognized as core journals, and 5 were identified as both core journals and journals with high impacted articles by all evaluation systems in China. A few of the TCM journals from mainland China are indexed in PubMed/MEDLINE (10), EMBASE (5), Biological Abstracts (2), or AMED (1). Online full-text Chinese databases CJFD, COJ, and CSTPD cover most of TCM the journals published in the country. One hundred (100) TCM journals have accessible URLs, but only 3 are open access with free full texts. Publication of TCM journals in China has been active in academic communication in the past 20 years. However, only a few of them received recognized high evaluation. English information from them is not sufficient. Open access is not extensively acceptable. The accessibility of those journals to international readers needs to be improved.

  14. Reception of the Baroque in US university textbooks in art history

    OpenAIRE

    Carol Herselle Krinsky

    2016-01-01

    Using American textbooks as examples, and drawing from 51 years of teaching American undergraduates, as well as from consultation for textbook publishers, this essay offers reasons why the American approach to art history of the baroque era has excluded the art history of Eastern Europe.

  15. Human Rights and Peace Education in the Lebanese Civics Textbooks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shuayb, Maha

    2015-01-01

    In 1997 the Lebanese government published its newly developed curriculum and textbooks following a long and fierce civil war, which started in 1975. The new curriculum emphasized nation building, reconciliation and citizenship. This study aims to examine how the civics textbooks in Lebanon addressed human rights and peace education, both of which…

  16. International dissemination of evidence-based practice, open access and the IACAPAP textbook of child and adolescent mental health.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rey, Joseph M; Omigbodun, Olayinka Olusola

    2015-01-01

    Dramatic changes have occurred in both publishing and teaching in the last 20 years stemming from the digital and Internet revolutions. Such changes are likely to grow exponentially in the near future aided by the trend to open access publishing. This revolution has challenged traditional publishing and teaching methods that-largely but not exclusively due to cost-are particularly relevant to professionals in low and middle income countries. The digital medium and the Internet offer boundless opportunities for teaching and training to people in disadvantaged regions. This article describes the development of the IACAPAP eTextbook of child and adolescent mental health, its use, accessibility, and potential impact on the international dissemination of evidence-based practice.

  17. Genre Analysis On Reading Passages Grade VII English Textbooks

    OpenAIRE

    Sukma, Ardini Nur

    2010-01-01

    Referring to the latest curriculum, School-Based Curriculum, every English textbook should provide genres based on the level of literacy of each grade. On this paper, I analyzed English textbooks published by Erlangga ?óÔé¼ÔÇ£ English on Sky (EOS), and by Pakar Raya -- Let?óÔé¼Ôäós Talk. This paper focuses on how are the reading passages of the textbooks compatible with ?óÔé¼?ôStandard Isi?óÔé¼?Ø?. Coinciding with the statement of the problems, the objectives of this paper are to describe the...

  18. The Textbook of the Future: What Will It Look Like?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shipman, Harry L.; Finkelstein, N.; McCray, D.; Mac Low, M.; Zollman, D.

    2006-12-01

    In May 2006, a group of scientists, publishers, technology gurus, National Science Foundation officers, and other interested parties met for a few days to think collectively about the future of the textbook. We met because: -The Web and search engines like Google change the relationship between students and information. If the textbook no longer needs to be encyclopedic, then what is its role? --Knowing information is not enough. Our students, whether they follow academic or other careers, will need to know how to get information, evaluate it, and use it to solve real world problems. How can a textbook help students in these environments? --The static, comprehensive narrative of a textbook does not always lend itself well to inquiry learning, which is strongly encouraged by science education research and by national science k-12 education standards. How can textbooks support active, student-centered learning and support new faculty as they adopt it? The workshop generated partial and uncertain answers to these questions, providing some ideas for the future, though not a complete roadmap. A metaphor that generated considerable support among the group was the idea of a textbook as a compact travel guide, like the Lonely Planet guides. It should be adaptable, and thus web-based, but it might still exist in paper form. The participants discussed barriers on the path ahead. How will peer review, which many workshop participants value, be incorporated? What incentives could motivate textbook authors and publishers to produce truly innovative products? How will new technologies such as computer simulations & animations, electronic readers, and widely accessible databases reshape the role of the textbook in education? Many workshop participants including this paper’s authors acknowledge support from the NSF Distinguished Teaching Scholars Program and the NSF CAREER awards program.

  19. Assessing the Readability of College Textbooks in Public Speaking: Attending to Entry Level Instruction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schneider, David E.

    2011-01-01

    More research is needed that examines textbooks intended for the entry level college classroom. This study offers valuable information to academics that adopt a public speaking textbook for instruction as well as objective feedback to the collective authors. Readability levels of 22 nationally published textbooks, based on McGlaughlin's (1969)…

  20. Local institutionalization, discontinuity, and German textbooks of psychology, 1816-1854.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Teo, Thomas

    2007-01-01

    In the context of social and intellectual developments and the changing role of German universities in the first half of the nineteenth century, which led to the local institutionalization of the discipline of psychology at German universities, the structure and content of textbooks of psychology are discussed. Textbooks in the first half of the nineteenth century had a pedagogical function in training teachers, in socializing students into the field, and in providing students and readers with knowledge about the subject matter, methodology, and topics of psychology. The textbooks, representative of influence, philosophical-psychological orientations, and different decades in the first half of the nineteenth century, are reconstructed with regard to the definition of psychology, the ways of studying the soul, and how to conceptually organize the field. The textbooks by Herbart, Beneke, and Waitz, which were written within a natural-scientific programmatic vision for psychology, are contrasted with the traditional philosophically intended textbooks of Reinhold, Mussmann, George, and Schilling. Fischhaber's textbook for Gymnasien is summarized. Issues regarding the continuity of psychology are discussed, and discontinuous developments in the history of German psychology are identified.

  1. Reception of the Baroque in US university textbooks in art history

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carol Herselle Krinsky

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Using American textbooks as examples, and drawing from 51 years of teaching American undergraduates, as well as from consultation for textbook publishers, this essay offers reasons why the American approach to art history of the baroque era has excluded the art history of Eastern Europe.

  2. Why has the bohr-sommerfeld model of the atom been ignoredby general chemistry textbooks?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Niaz, Mansoor; Cardellini, Liberato

    2011-12-01

    Bohr's model of the atom is considered to be important by general chemistry textbooks. A major shortcoming of this model was that it could not explain the spectra of atoms containing more than one electron. In order to increase the explanatory power of the model, Sommerfeld hypothesized the existence of elliptical orbits. This study has the following objectives: 1) Formulation of criteria based on a history and philosophy of science framework; and 2) Evaluation of university-level general chemistry textbooks based on the criteria, published in Italy and U.S.A. Presentation of a textbook was considered to be "satisfactory" if it included a description of the Bohr-Sommerfeld model along with diagrams of the elliptical orbits. Of the 28 textbooks published in Italy that were analyzed, only five were classified as "satisfactory". Of the 46 textbooks published in U.S.A., only three were classified as "satisfactory". This study has the following educational implications: a) Sommerfeld's innovation (auxiliary hypothesis) by introducing elliptical orbits, helped to restore the viability of Bohr's model; b) Bohr-Sommerfeld's model went no further than the alkali metals, which led scientists to look for other models; c) This clearly shows that scientific models are tentative in nature; d) Textbook authors and chemistry teachers do not consider the tentative nature of scientific knowledge to be important; e) Inclusion of the Bohr-Sommerfeld model in textbooks can help our students to understand how science progresses.

  3. Textbook in global society: a few steps towards the methodology of comparative research

    OpenAIRE

    Mojca Kovač-Šebart; Miha Kovač

    2003-01-01

    The paper analyzes differences in primary school textbook publishing models in European Union, United States and Slovenia. Regardless the fact that there exist important differences among these models, in the majority of states there is competition among textbooks for the same subject. Nevertheless, the textbook is not a marketable good as any other: it is also a carrier of social and cultural values. Even more, in most cases, the decision which textbook to buy is not taken by the parent who ...

  4. INSTRUCTIONAL MANUALS OF BOUNDARY-WORK: PSYCHOLOGY TEXTBOOKS, STUDENT SUBJECTIVITIES, AND DISCIPLINARY HISTORIOGRAPHIES.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Flis, Ivan

    2016-07-01

    This article aims to provide an overview of the historiography of psychology textbooks. In the overview, I identify and describe in detail two strands of writing histories of introductory textbooks of psychology and juxtapose them to provide an integrated historiography of textbooks in psychology. One strand is developed by teachers of psychology-first as a general approach for investigating textbooks in a pedagogical setting, and then later upgraded into a full history of psychology textbooks in America. The other strand follows a more familiar perspective of historians of science and historians of psychology who build on various post-Kuhnian and post-Foucauldian perspectives on textbooks. I make an argument for integrating these two views for a more comprehensive historiography of textbooks in psychology, recasting textbooks as objects of research and sources that are interesting sui generis for historians of psychology in their investigations. © 2016 The Authors. Journal of the History of the Behavioral Sciences Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  5. The Intercultural Component in Textbooks for Teaching a Service Technical Writing Course

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matveeva, Natalia

    2007-01-01

    This research article investigates new developments in the representation of the intercultural component in textbooks for a service technical writing course. Through textual analysis, using quantitative and qualitative techniques, I report discourse analysis of 15 technical writing textbooks published during 1993-2006. The theoretical and…

  6. Teaching Introduction to American Government/Politics: What We Learn from the Visual Images in Textbooks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Allen, Marcus D.; Wallace, Sherri L.

    2010-01-01

    Political science students learn the fundamental principles and values about the American political system from American government/politics textbooks. Most of the major textbooks used in these courses utilize the traditional institutional and behavioral approaches to the study of American government and politics, which examines institutions and…

  7. The Changing Face of War in Textbooks: Depictions of World War II and Vietnam, 1970-2009

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lachmann, Richard; Mitchell, Lacy

    2014-01-01

    How have U.S. high school textbook depictions of World War II and Vietnam changed since the 1970s? We examined 102 textbooks published from 1970 to 2009 to see how they treated U.S. involvement in World War II and Vietnam. Our content analysis of high school history textbooks finds that U.S. textbooks increasingly focus on the personal experiences…

  8. Gender stereotyping in EFL grammar textbooks. A diachronic approach

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marcin Lewandowski

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Gender stereotyping in educational materials (especially in EFL textbooks has been a common theme in linguistic research (cf., e. g., Hellinger 1980; Porreca 1984; Freebody/Baker 1987; Sunderland 1994; Lee/Collins 2010. However, very little attention has been paid to the representation of men and women in EFL/ESL grammar textbooks; i. e. the way both genders are portrayed in constructed examples of usage and practice sentences. The present contribution is intended to fill this gap. The paper investigates the scope of gender stereotyping from a diachronic perspective: it seeks to demonstrate whether and how the images of men and women have changed following the dissemination of guidelines for non-sexist language and equal treatment of the two genders in English language educational materials. To this aim, two corpora have been compiled. The first one includes sentences derived from three EFL textbooks published in the 1970s and 1980s, while the other one contains analogous data from three 21st century titles. The contrastive analysis of the sentences in the two corpora across 11 semantic domains has found that the recently published grammar textbooks portray the two genders in a much less stereotyped way than the 20th century course books.

  9. Supports for Vocabulary Instruction in Early Language and Literacy Methods Textbooks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wright, Tanya S.; Peltier, Marliese R.

    2016-01-01

    The goal of this study was to examine the extent to which the content and recommendations in recently published early language and literacy methods textbooks may support early childhood teachers in learning to provide vocabulary instruction for young children. We completed a content analysis of 9 textbooks with coding at the sentence level.…

  10. Behaviorism, latent learning, and cognitive maps: needed revisions in introductory psychology textbooks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jensen, Robert

    2006-01-01

    This paper critically assesses the scholarship in introductory psychology textbooks in relation to the topic of latent learning. A review of the treatment of latent learning in 48 introductory psychology textbooks published between 1948 and 2004, with 21 of these texts published since 1999, reveals that the scholarship on the topic of latent learning demonstrated in introductory textbooks warrants improvement. Errors that persist in textbooks include the assertion that the latent learning experiments demonstrate unequivocally that reinforcement was not necessary for learning to occur, that behavioral theories could not account for the results of the latent learning experiments, that B. F. Skinner was an S-R association behaviorist who argued that reinforcement is necessary for learning to occur, and that because behavioral theories (including that of B. F. Skinner) were unable explain the results of the latent learning experiments the cognitive map invoked by Edward Tolman is the only explanation for latent learning. Finally, the validity of the cognitive map is typically accepted without question. Implications of the presence of these errors for students and the discipline are considered. Lastly, remedies are offered to improve the scholarship found in introductory psychology textbooks.

  11. The multiplicity of the digital textbook as design object

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Riis Ebbesen, Toke

    2015-01-01

    Building on a preliminary case study of the Danish educational publisher Systime A/S and its flagship product, the web-based ‘iBog’/‘iBook’, this article explores how digital textbooks can be understood as design. The shaping of digital books is seen as being intertwined in a wider circuit...... reorganization of the publishing company, web-based user interfaces, and ultimately the branding, which market these new digital objects, are building power- ful discourses around the product. Thus it is suggested that the design process of the iBog case can be understood in a model of database-based publishing...... with multiple levels. In the final analysis, the iBog is much more than a product and a technology. It is a brand that goes beyond what can be studied by looking at the digital textbook as a singular artefact....

  12. [Characteristics of acupuncture textbooks on editing mode and content in the Republic of China].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Jing; Zhang, Shujian

    2017-09-12

    Sixty-seven textbooks in the Republic of China have been collected and divided into three stages according to their editing modes, named the early stage (1912-1927), the middle stage (1928-1939) and the late stage (1940-1949). The traditional teaching material of acupuncture was predominated at the early stage in the textbook compilation; meanwhile the editing mode was simple, and the content of it focuses on meridians, collaterals and acupoints and the modern scientific theories have been preliminarily introduced. The textbooks at the middle stage were edited as two modes, "western medicine+acupuncture" and "general introduction→meridian points→manipulation (techniques of acupuncture and moxibustion)→treatment". The knowledge in anatomy, physiology and pathology of western medicine has been involved in content, giving the great consideration to the clinical practicability. However, a part of textbooks still followed the traditional theory of acupuncture at the middle stage. At the late stage, the textbooks were edited align with "acupuncture science, moxibustion science, meridian point science and treatment science"; or in supplementation of the "diagnosis" on the base of "general introduction→ meridian points→techniques of acupuncture→treatment", or edited as "general introduction→points→treatment". The compilation of the textbooks at this stage not only followed but also improved the integration of western and Chinese medicine as that at the middle stage, which turned to be more scientific. Additionally, in the teaching content, the acupoint was much more considerable as compared with pulse and the section of diagnosis has been involved. As a result, a framework of acupuncture discipline has been established preliminarily by taking acupuncture technique, moxibustion technique, acupoints and treatment as the core. The development of the editing mode and content of textbooks played a great impact on the unified compilation of the acupuncture

  13. First-year engineering students’ use of their mathematics textbook - opportunities and constraints

    OpenAIRE

    Randahl, Mira

    2012-01-01

    Published version of an article in the journal: Mathematics Education Research Journal. Also available from the publlisher at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s13394-012-0040-9 The role of the mathematics textbook at tertiary level has received limited exposure in previous research although it is likely that students work individually and that some of this work depends on the use of the textbook. The aim of this study was to investigate the process of approaching the textbook from epistemologica...

  14. Schizophrenogenic Parenting in Abnormal Psychology Textbooks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wahl, Otto F.

    1989-01-01

    Considers the treatment of family causation of schizophrenia in undergraduate abnormal psychology textbooks. Reviews texts published only after 1986. Points out a number of implications for psychologists which arise from the inclusion in these texts of the idea that parents cause schizophrenia, not the least of which is the potential for…

  15. Effects of Lexico-syntactic Errors on Teaching Materials: A Study of Textbooks Written by Nigerians

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Peace Chinwendu Israel

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available This study examined lexico-syntactic errors in selected textbooks written by Nigerians. Our focus was on the educated bilinguals (acrolect who acquired their primary, secondary and tertiary education in Nigeria and the selected textbooks were textbooks published by Vanity Publishers/Press. The participants (authors cut across the three major ethnic groups in Nigeria – Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba and the selection of the textbooks covered the major disciplines of study. We adopted the descriptive research design and specifically employed the survey method to accomplish the purpose of our exploratory research.  The lexico-syntactic errors in the selected textbooks were identified and classified into various categories. These errors were not different from those identified over the years in students’ essays and exam scripts. This buttressed our argument that students are merely the conveyor belt of errors contained in the teaching material and that we can analyse the students’ lexico-syntactic errors in tandem with errors contained in the material used in teaching.

  16. History of science content analysis of Chinese science textbooks from the perspective of acculturation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ma, Yongjun; Wan, Yanlan

    2017-08-01

    Based on previous international studies, a content analysis scheme has been designed and used from the perspective of culture to study the history of science (HOS) in science textbooks. Nineteen sets of Chinese science textbooks have been analyzed. It has been found that there are noticeable changes in the quantity, content, layout, presentation, and writing intention of the HOS sections in textbooks from different time periods. What's more, the textbooks aim at presenting the scientific culture and aim to help students understand it better. However, the cultural associations of the HOS in textbooks is insufficient and significant differences exist among textbooks of different subjects. In order to explore the reasons why the presentation of HOS in various subjects is different, we made a specific comparison of curriculum standards of two subjects with great differences and interviewed the editors-in-chief of two textbooks. Results show that one of the most important reasons for the different writings of the HOS in textbooks is that different subject curriculum standards attach greater importance to the HOS. In addition, the attention to the HOS by editors-in-chief, the tradition of studying the HOS within the history of the discipline, and the reference textbooks in compiling textbooks are all important influence factors. Some suggestions for future textbooks compilation are given at the end.

  17. The intercultural component in Business English textbooks

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Carmen Lario de Oñate

    2013-10-01

    Full Text Available The relationship between culture and business is crucial; therefore, in an international business context Intercultural Communicative Competence (ICC is essential for effectively dealing with other cultures. The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages highlights the relevance of intercultural language education in developing effective communication across linguistic and cultural boundaries (Council of Europe, 2001. Thus, in recent years, whereas there has been an increasing interest in Intercultural Business Communication (IBC, relatively little attention has been paid to the study of the intercultural component in texts used for the teaching of English for Business, despite the fact that textbooks are a key resource for language instructors. This paper aims to examine the role that the intercultural component has played in Business English textbooks since the 1960s. It explores whether and to what extent those textbooks have promoted the acquisition of ICC, at the same time it reviews the development of ICC as a concept and the ways in which it has been taught over the years. A selection of 67 general Business English textbooks published between 1963 and 2009 are analysed.

  18. Textbook-Bundled Metacognitive Tools: A Study of LearnSmart's Efficacy in General Chemistry

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thadani, Vandana; Bouvier-Brown, Nicole C.

    2016-01-01

    College textbook publishers increasingly bundle sophisticated technology-based study tools with their texts. These tools appear promising, but empirical work on their efficacy is needed. We examined whether LearnSmart, a study tool bundled with McGraw-Hill's textbook "Chemistry" (Chang & Goldsby, 2013), improved learning in an…

  19. Editorial aspects of the primer Caminho Suave and the participation of the publisher Caminho Suave Limitada in federal programs for school textbook

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eliane Teresinha Peres

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available The main objective of this work was to present and analyze editorial aspects of the primer Caminho Suave, as well as the participation of the publishing house of the same name, in federal programs for school textbooks. The primer was published for the first time in 1948 and is edited until today, representing a landmark for Brazilian literacy, exerting influence over generations of teachers and students alike. Data analyzed were collected from official sources (Diário Oficial da União [Brazilian Official National Press] and Diário Oficial do Estado de São Paulo [São Paulo State Official Press], from periodical press (Veja Digital, Grupo Folha, and Hemeroteca Digital Brasileira [Brazilian Digital Periodical Press Collection], and from printings of the primer itself. In the research process, data indicated the primer Caminho Suave as one of the biggest editorial successes concerning books used to teach reading and writing inBrazil, as some studies in this field had already indicated.

  20. Communicative Textbooks: English Language Textbooks in Iranian Secondary School

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dahmardeh, Mahdi

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available English language teaching materials (textbooks play an important role in many language classrooms, but recently there have been a lot of debates within the English language teaching profession based on the actual role that materials play in teaching English as a foreign language. Arguments have encompassed both the potential and the limitations of materials used for 'guiding' students through the learning processes and curriculum as well as the needs and preferences of teachers who are using the textbooks that are available. Other issues that have arisen in recent years include textbook design and practicality, methodological validity, the role of textbooks in innovation, the authenticity of materials in terms of their representation of language, communicative textbooks, and balance in presenting the language skills as well as cultural components.The purpose of this article is to report the findings of a study carried out in 2006 into how Iranian textbooks could be made more communicative. The textbooks referred to are three English language textbooks, which are currently used in Iranian Secondary Schools. Although the work has been done within Iranian context, many suggestions could be applied to other foreign/second language situations.I will start my discussion by presenting an overview about the English language teaching in Iran, before and after the revolution. This will be followed by presenting the findings of this research that would include the Iranian ELT curriculum, the questionnaire survey (author's and teachers' perspectives as well as their discomfort will be addressed as well as introducing the English language coursebooks for secondary schools in Iran (topic, progression, structure of the lessons, types of exercises etc.. I will then present a discussion on findings of this research which would be a detailed exemplary criticism and suggestions for changes to make the materials communicative.The findings of this explanatory case

  1. Textbook research as scientific research: towards a common ground for research on mathematics textbooks

    OpenAIRE

    Fan, Lianghuo

    2011-01-01

    This article explores research issues and methods of textbook research. Drawing on literatures and the author’s own work in the area of mathematics textbook research, it conceptualizes textbooks as an intermediate variable in the context of education and hence defines textbook research as disciplined inquiry into issues about textbooks and the relationships between textbooks and other factors in education. Furthermore, it argues that to further advance the field of textbook research, research...

  2. Perspectives on Violence Against Women: A Study of United States Nursing Textbooks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Price-Glynn, Kim; Missari, Stacy

    2017-03-01

    This study examines conceptualizations of violence against women in U.S. nursing textbooks published from 1995 to 2005. Framing this pivotal decade, the federal Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) was passed and renewed. The American Nurses Association, the National League for Nursing, and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing also recognized violence against women as a health care priority. Sampling 107 generalist nursing textbooks from 1995 to 2005, the current study analyzes textbook terminologies, arguments, and protocols. Textbooks including violence were empirically tested for their application of gender neutral, symmetrical, and asymmetrical theoretical frameworks. Over 40% of generalist textbooks did not mention violence against women. Despite the VAWA in 1994 and broad recognition across national nursing organizations, textbooks did not change with regard to their treatment of violence over the next decade. The frameworks that nursing textbooks use may foster challenges for nurses in recognizing, supporting, and assisting women who are victims/survivors of violence. [J Nurs Educ. 2017;56(3):164-169.]. Copyright 2017, SLACK Incorporated.

  3. Electronic Geometry Textbook: A Geometric Textbook Knowledge Management System

    OpenAIRE

    Chen, Xiaoyu

    2010-01-01

    Electronic Geometry Textbook is a knowledge management system that manages geometric textbook knowledge to enable users to construct and share dynamic geometry textbooks interactively and efficiently. Based on a knowledge base organizing and storing the knowledge represented in specific languages, the system implements interfaces for maintaining the data representing that knowledge as well as relations among those data, for automatically generating readable documents for viewing or printing, ...

  4. Looking for Work: The Coverage of Work in Canadian Introductory Sociology Textbooks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dixon, Shane Michael; Quirke, Linda

    2014-01-01

    This paper examines the textual coverage of the topic of work in Canadian English--language introductory sociology textbooks. Our findings are based on a content analysis of 21 Canadian texts published between 2008 and 2012. We found that only 12 of 21 textbooks included a chapter on work, suggesting that work occupies a peripheral position in…

  5. Some Perceptions of English Geography Textbook Authors on Writing Textbooks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Jongwon; Catling, Simon

    2016-01-01

    There has been much research into the nature and uses of school geography textbooks as teaching resources, yet the perceptions of their authors have been neglected. This study investigated the perspectives of a sample of authors of English primary and secondary school geography textbooks on their experiences as textbook authors. It enquired into…

  6. Characteristics and Changes in the Mathematics Textbooks for the Secondary School in Argentina along 67 Years

    Science.gov (United States)

    Llanos, Viviana Carolina; Otero, Maria Rita

    2018-01-01

    This work analyses the changes in the relationship between arguing and images from the mathematics textbooks for the secondary school in Argentina (students 12-17 years old) along 67 years. The textbooks have been published in the period 1940 thru 2007. The analysis is done by (N = 137) textbooks based on three metacategories in an inductive way.…

  7. Latin America and the United States: What Do United States History Textbooks Tell Us?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fleming, Dan B.

    1982-01-01

    Evaluates how U.S.-Latin American relations are presented in high school U.S. history textbooks. An examination of 10 textbooks published between 1977-81 revealed inadequate coverage of Latin American cultural diversity and United States foreign policy from the Latin American perspective. (AM)

  8. Quickscan open textbooks

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Pierre Gorissen

    2015-01-01

    Deze quickscan open textbooks is uitgevoerd in opdracht van SURFnet ter voorbereiding van het seminar over open textbooks op 26 november 2015. Het is nadrukkelijk een quickscan, de beschikbare tijd om literatuur te verzamelen en te beoordelen rond open textbooks was begrensd. Deze quickscan heeft

  9. Production of multimedia textbook: ionizing radiation and radiation protection

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hola, O.; Holy, K.

    2005-01-01

    In our contribution we want to outline our plan of actions to be carried out for the creation of the first multimedia internet textbook in Slovakia in the field of ionizing radiation and radiation protection. In particular we want to describe first steps that have been performed at its realisation. This textbook would be applicable to the full-time study as well as to distance learning at traditional universities and technical universities. It will also be usable for various forms of in-service training by e-learning. Our objective is to create a modem internet textbook in radiation protection, of which production will be co- ordinated with other European Union countries. The output of our project -the multimedia textbook -will be available to all students at our university's servers and other users will have CDs at their disposal. We propose the use of this multimedia didactic means also in various forms of the distance e-learning. The main motivation for the implementation of distance courses is the necessity to update knowledge, skills and qualification in our contemporary rapidly developing world. The distance e-learning form of education can solve also the problem with the acquisition of the professional qualifications for the work with ionizing radiation. This is the reason for usage of the mentioned textbook not only as the fundamental and unified textbook for the students of universities, but also as the study material for the civil servants responsible for radiation protection, for in-service workers and providers of the professional training. (authors)

  10. THEORETICAL ASPECTS OF SCHOOL TEXTBOOK

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sveriene, Audrone

    2006-12-01

    Full Text Available School textbook is an important part of general education. Some theoretical works were written on school textbook theory. The question about textbook concept, structure and functions wasunder the dispute a long time in Lithuania and abroad.The main purpose of this article is to analyse and summarize the experience of researchers school textbook theory from Lithuania and foreign countries. The tasks of article are to determineconcept of textbook, describe the structure and the functions of the textbook. Famous scientists in this field are D. Zujev (Russia, P. Weinbrenner, F. Pingel (Germany, J. Mikk (Estonia, E. B. Johnsen (Norway, A. Choppin (France, F. M. Gerard and X. Roegiers Belgium, R. Bamberger (Austria. There are many interpretations of textbook concept, and different suggestions what is a textbook. In Lithuania the textbook concept was discussed with some specialists of Educational Development Centre and the Ministry of Education and Science. The Requirements on textbook development were approved in Lithuania only in 2003. According to the research litterature, the main aspect of the textbook is to meet the requirements of curriculum. The textbook consists of text, paratext and illustrations. All these parts of the textbook play many functions in education. The main function of the textbook is to motivate students. Other important functions of the textbook are: information, systematisation, coordination, differentiation, guidance education, learning strategy, value education, aesthetical.

  11. Discrimination in Textbooks

    OpenAIRE

    大津, 尚志

    1996-01-01

    In this paper, I deal with the issues which concern discriminations in textbooks.In America, they have paid special attentions to these problems since 1960's. They made guidelines for textbooks to check various kinds of discriminative descriptions and tried to make textbooks to meet these standards. In this respects I would examine the present states about textbooks in America and would compare them to the Japanese ones. That would be useful, I believe, when we consider these issues in Japan.

  12. Technology and Textbooks: The Future

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baglione, Stephen L.; Sullivan, Kevin

    2016-01-01

    This article describes two separate studies: a survey of students' textbook perceptions, purchases, and usage for e-textbooks and print textbooks and a conjoint analysis on e-textbook attributes. Print textbooks were perceived as easier to read, understand, and navigate, whereas e-textbooks were perceived to be cheaper. Students were willing to…

  13. Redox Models in Chemistry Textbooks for the Upper Secondary School: Friend or Foe?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Osterlund, Lise-Lotte; Berg, Anders; Ekborg, Margareta

    2010-01-01

    We have investigated how chemistry textbooks use models of redox reactions in different subject areas, how they change models between and within the topics, and how they deal with specific learning difficulties identified in the literature. The textbooks examined were published for use in the natural science programme in Swedish upper secondary…

  14. Raising European Citizens: Constructing European Identities in French and English Textbooks

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Inari Sakki

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Schools play a pivotal role in the formation of identities and in the political socialization of youth. This study explores the social representations of European integration in French and English school textbooks and shows how the social representations are discursively used to construct national and European identities. By analysing the history and civics textbooks of major educational publishers, this study aims to demonstrate how European integration is understood, made familiar and concretized in the school textbooks of the two influential but different European countries. The findings suggest some shared and some diverse patterns in the way the two European countries portray and construct the political project of European integration. These representations, constructed around French Europe in French textbooks and ambivalent Europe in English textbooks, share the images of a strong European economy and a French-led political Europe. However, they position themselves differently with respect to the United States, motivation for the European unification process and the significance of common values and heritage. In both countries textbooks draw upon memories that are important for group identity. While the French textbooks make European integration meaningful in reference to a shared post-war collective memory and to a cultural memory based on a more ancient idea of Europe, shared values and heritage, the English textbooks anchor it more strongly to domestic policy.

  15. Elementary topology problem textbook

    CERN Document Server

    Viro, O Ya; Netsvetaev, N Yu; Kharlamov, V M

    2008-01-01

    This textbook on elementary topology contains a detailed introduction to general topology and an introduction to algebraic topology via its most classical and elementary segment centered at the notions of fundamental group and covering space. The book is tailored for the reader who is determined to work actively. The proofs of theorems are separated from their formulations and are gathered at the end of each chapter. This makes the book look like a pure problem book and encourages the reader to think through each formulation. A reader who prefers a more traditional style can either find the pr

  16. A Study of the College Textbook Market.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yankelovich, Skelly and White, Inc., New York, NY.

    This report conducted for the Association of American Publishers, Inc. on the college textbook market provides the industry with operationally useful information and trend data on the prevailing attitudes, needs, purchasing and usage patterns of the prime users of college educational materials--the faculty and the students. Detailed findings…

  17. MODEL WRITTEN TEXTS IN THE RECOMMENDED SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH TEXTBOOKS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dwi Rukmini

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract: This article is based on the study on the model written texts provided in the Senior High School English textbooks. It is aimed at finding out whether those models are written by considering the English two contexts, cultural and situational, which encircle them. The data are all written texts provided in the six recommended English textbooks published by six different publishers. The results reveal that only eleven out of 115 model written texts tend to be incompatible with the two contexts encircling them, this implies that 104 of them (93.43% are likely to be compatible and can be used as model texts.

  18. Editora do Brasil S/A in the 1960s and 70s: the consolidation of a publishing house in the textbook market and the teaching of moral and civic education

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Katya Zuquim Braghini

    2013-02-01

    Full Text Available Through the analysis of several sources, we present the history of ‘Editora do Brasil S/A’, a family owned Brazilian publishing house established in 1947, that experienced fast growth in the 1960s and became one of the most important publishing houses of the country in the early 70s. This analysis points to the alignment of the publishing house with the military regime, both in its discourses, which indicated its intention to defend the shutdown of civil freedom, as well as through its practices, since their editors kept relations with civil and military groups interested in having the subject moral and civic education back into the school syllabus, contributing to the strengthening of the publishing house in the textbook market.

  19. MORE REALISTIC THAN THE KING, THE UNREAL NORMATIVISM OF PORTUGUESE TEXTBOOKS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marcos Bagno

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available Despite the many advances in mother tongue teaching in Brazil in the last years, the importane of linguistic knowledge in Portuguese textbooks is still linked to a pedagogy of uncritical transmission of traditional normative prescriptions. From the analysis of 24 collections of that sort of book, it became evidente the hipernormativism of such works, more written than the normative tradition itself.

  20. The Concept of the Interculture in Time: (Intercultural Topics in Textbooks of French as a Foreign Language

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Meta Lah

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available The article deals with the concept of interculturality as used in foreign language didactics. In accordance with the definition of interculturality given in the first part of the article, two categories are included in the analysis – two “levels” of culture, each of them bearing a different name in literature, namely high and popular culture. Various textbooks used for teaching French as a foreign language in Slovenia in both the past and present were chosen for the analysis of topics that cover a fairly long period of time – among them the textbooks by two Slovenian authors: Južnič (1938 and Grad (1954, as well as some generally-used French textbooks, such as Cours de langue et de civilisation françaises (1953, Le nouveau sans frontières (1988 and Nouveau rond point (2011. The article is based on the hypothesis that high culture is more likely to be present in the older textbooks, which are based on traditional methods, whereas in modern textbooks more popular, everyday topics can be found. It is also presumed that topics in modern textbooks are, compared to their more traditional counterparts, introduced in an intercultural manner which could encourage students to compare the culture of the foreign country with their own. Both hypotheses are partly confirmed. In Slovenian textbooks there are very few culture-based topics. On the other hand, they are present in all French textbooks, regardless of the methodology. It is true that Mauger introduces more high culture than the others and that the intercultural topics are presented only in the most recent textbook. In all the others, it is exclusively the culture of the target country that is introduced.

  1. History Textbooks at the New Century: A Report of the American Textbook Council.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sewall, Gilbert T.

    The American Textbook Council identified the nation's leading social studies textbooks based on estimated volume of sales and on adoptions in California, Indiana, North Carolina, Florida, and New York. Three multi-volume elementary-level programs and about a dozen secondary-level history textbooks command the market. The history textbooks at the…

  2. Where on earth to publish? A sample survey comparing traditional and open access publishing in the oncological field.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Poltronieri, Elisabetta; Bravo, Elena; Camerini, Tiziana; Ferri, Maurizio; Rizzo, Roberto; Solimini, Renata; Cognetti, Gaetana

    2013-01-22

    The paper intends to help scientific authors to make the best choice of journals in which to publish, by describing and comparing journal features in the area of oncology. For this purpose, the authors identified impact factor (IF) ranking, cost options and copyright conditions offered to authors wishing to publish in full open access (OA), subscription-based or hybrid journals. Data referring to articles published in 2010 by three Italian research institutions (National Institute of Health - Rome (ISS), Regina Elena National Cancer Institute - Rome (IRE), National Cancer Institute - Milan (INT) in journals (78) managed according to different business models, all listed in the Journal Citation Reports, subject category Oncology, were collected and analysed. The journals surveyed were ranked according to IF, position in quartiles, publication charges, usage rights in published articles, self-archiving conditions in OAI-compliant repositories digital archives. Almost half (34) the journals surveyed were included in the first quartile, thus revealing authors' preference for journals with a high IF. The prevalent journal business model was the hybrid formula (based on subscriptions but also offering a paid OA option) with 51 journals, followed by subscription-based only journals accounting for 22, while just 5 full OA journals were identified. In general, no relationship was found between IF and article publication charges, in terms of correspondence between more expensive fees and higher IF. The issue of OA journals as compared with traditional subscription-based journals is highly debated among stakeholders: library administrators facing financial restrictions, authors seeking to locate the best outlet for their research, publishers wishing to increase their revenues by offering journals with wider appeal. Against this background, factors such as the quest for alternatives to high-cost business models, investments in setting up institutional repositories hosting the

  3. Chinese translation of English textbooks on internal medicine from the 1850s to the 1940s.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hong, Chuang-Ye; Wang, Fu-Mei

    2014-06-01

    During the 100 years from 1850 to 1949, six English textbooks on internal medicine were translated into Chinese and published. Publication of these books was a response to the increased demand for Chinese textbooks after the opening of several Western-style hospitals and medical schools in China where the instruction was in Chinese. Throughout this period, textbooks translated from English were regarded as symbols of mainstream and authority within medical communities in China. There was a shift of translators from British and American medical missionaries to Chinese medical elites. Publishers also changed from missionary hospitals or missionary organizations to the Chinese Medical Association, which was led by ethnic Chinese. After the 1950s, translation activity continued in Taiwan, but it was halted in China until after the Cultural Revolution. This paper provides bibliographic information about these books. The transition of medical authority in China during this 100-year period is also reviewed through the successive publication of translated textbooks on internal medicine. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  4. Evaluation of WorldView Textbooks; Textbooks Taught at a Military University

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khalili, Masoud; Jodai, Hojat

    2012-01-01

    This paper intends to evaluate the WorldView series textbooks of English learning, which are being taught at an Iranian military university foreign language center. No textbook evaluation had been conducted by the university administration prior to the introduction of the textbooks to the language program. Theorists in the field of ELT textbook…

  5. Misconception and miseducation: Presentations of radical behaviorism in psychology textbooks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Todd, James T.; Morris, Edward K.

    1983-01-01

    Behavior analysts have recently expressed concern about what appear to be misrepresentations of behaviorism in psychology textbooks. This paper presents an analysis of currently used textbooks in the areas of introductory, social, cognitive, personality, and developmental psychology that confirms this. Topics on which behavior analysis is most often misrepresented relate to the role of animal learning research, environmentalism, the “empty organism,” language, and the overall utility of the approach. Because textbooks are often a major medium of interaction between the public and behaviorism, behavior analysts must work to correct these errors and to prevent possible negative consequences of widespread misunderstanding. Several potential solutions to these problems are presented that take into account current publishing practices and the monetary contingencies which support them. PMID:22478585

  6. Catholic Educational Publishing between the Two Wars: The Case of the Publishers SEI of Turin and La Scuola of Brescia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sani, Roberto

    2009-01-01

    Only at the beginning of the Twentieth century, a confessional type of publishing, directed mainly at schools and teachers and devoted, almost exclusively, to publishing textbooks for every level and type of school, came into existence in Italy. In the period between the two World Wars and especially after the Gentile Reform (1923), this type of…

  7. What Makes a Top-Selling Textbook? Comparing Characteristics of AIS Textbooks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Badua, Frank; Sharifi, Mohsen; Mendez Mediavilla, Francis

    2014-01-01

    The factors involved in the selection of accounting textbooks are under-investigated, and most of the research is survey-based, largely ignoring the information that could be analyzed by direct inspection of textbook content and its impact on textbook selection. In this study the authors fill this lacuna by deploying content analysis of the…

  8. A Sociolinguistic Analysis of "Greeting" and "Introducing": A Preliminary Study of Texts in English Textbooks Used at Junior High School

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lies Amin Lestari

    1997-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract: The introduction of the 1994 Curriculum and its meaningfulness approach (Pendekatan Kebermaknaan encourages textbook writers and publishers to publish textbooks in order to meet the needs of both teachers and students for the learning process. That is why at present textbooks of any subjects, including English, are flooding the market. There are some criteria that need to be considered before choosing a textbook for an English class; among others are the authenticity of the language as it is used by the native speakers and its cultural appropriateness (flicker, 1975. This article attempts to analyze three textbooks which are widely used at junior high schools in Surabaya and its nearby towns from the sociolinguistic point of view. The findings show that there are some words or sentences that are sociolinguistically inappropriate and unacceptable eventhough as a whole the textbooks are good and can be used for teaching.

  9. Posology of insulins: A review of standard textbooks and product inserts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhutani, Garima; Kalra, Sanjay

    2015-01-01

    The study is aimed to assess whether the information contained in standard pharmacology, endocrinology, and diabetology textbooks regarding timings of administration, frequency and dose of various insulins is adequate and also to see whether the information contained in these texts is concordant with product inserts. Four standard textbooks of pharmacology, two of diabetology and three of endocrinology were assessed for the published information regarding dose, timing, and frequency of insulin administration. The product inserts of commonly available insulins in India were also studied for the same. Various omissions and disparities could be seen in the coverage of insulins in standard textbooks. Posology information about premixed insulins and basal insulins have been omitted by the majority of the textbooks. Details about dose, frequency and timings of ultra-short acting insulins have also not been covered by all textbooks. Some discrepancies regarding prescribing information was also noted in product inserts, especially in case of newer insulins. Thus, this article stresses upon the need of a uniform source of information for providing adequate and standardized knowledge regarding timing, frequency, and dose of insulins.

  10. Journey to Textbook Affordability: An Investigation of Students’ Use of eTextbooks at Multiple Campuses

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eun-Ok Baek

    2013-07-01

    Full Text Available eTextbooks have steadily and recently more rapidly penetrated the textbook market. In order to effectively support students’ learning, it is important to comprehend students’ experiences using eTextbooks. This survey study was designed to gain an understanding of students’ experiences in using eTextbooks and variables that impact their experiences, perceptions, and attitudes towards eTextbooks. In a total of 33 courses, faculty members at five state university campuses in California participated in the eTextbook pilot project during the fall of 2010. Six hundred and sixty-two student questionnaires were returned from those courses. Key findings include: 1 More than one-third of the students were satisfied with the eTextbook; 2 more than half of the students felt that the eTextbook was easy-to-use; 3 older students (22 or older tended to have more positive experiences with the eTextbook than younger students; and 4 students most liked the eTextbook’s cost, accessibility, light weight, and keyword search features. This study implies that the eTextbook must be a high-quality, easy-to-use resource to serve as a viable textbook option for student learning.

  11. Textbooks for Content and Language Integrated Learning: policy, market and appropriate didactics?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    María Ángeles Martín del Pozo

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available The paper begins by approaching the concept of CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning providing a brief overview of the history of bilingual education. The influence of the linguistic policies of the European Union is discussed along with some beliefs about language teaching and how both have influenced the celerity of CLIL implementation, momentum and expansion. There are some indicators of the lack of a theoretical framework for CLIL, of insufficient teacher education and or inadequacy of materials. It is necessary to reflect systematically on to what extent commercially published textbooks match the demands of bilingual education. The second section centers on CLIL textbooks, mainly those commercialized by publishers, by referring to some recent studies which attempt to approach systematically their design and use. Since, by definition CLIL includes both content and language, our research question is if content books (in English also include content and language objectives. A corpus of 25 books from different subjects, years, and publishers is analyzed. The analysis shows an insufficient presence of linguistic objectives. Some reflections are made about this scarcity with the warning that this lack could hindrance an efficient implementation of CLIL. Thus, it could be said that these textbooks are not the product of discipline or didactic considerations but the result of the logic of market, publishers and linguistic policy.How to reference this articleMartín del Pozo, M. A., Rascón Estébanez, D. (2015. Textbooks for Content and Language Integrated Learning: policy, market and appropriate didactics?. Foro de Educación, 13(18, pp. 123-141. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.14516/fde.2015.013.018.007 

  12. Identity and Othering in Past and Present: Representations of the Soviet Era in Estonian Post-Soviet Textbooks

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Katrin Kello

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available This paper analyses representations of the ‘core Soviet era’ (1945-1985 in Estonian post-Soviet history textbooks (1989-2016. Attitudes towards the Soviet system have been a rich resource for identity building, and hence a powerful political tool across the whole of the post-Soviet block. Based on an analysis of sections about the Soviet era in Estonia in 21 textbooks, the paper takes a look at how textbooks reflect broader processes of social meaning making, identity building and othering after a profound social and political turn. In 1989 and during the early 1990s, perspectives and narratives in Estonian history textbooks were closely related to social memory and national politics, enacting a specific social representation of the Soviet era that dominated the Estonian-speaking public space during the 1990s. The Soviet era, Russia and local Russians became the main Others for Estonia and Estonians. Over time, public discourse has diversified. The national curriculum and textbooks, however, still maintain the canon that formed in 1990s and thus reflect earlier sentiments. Apart from the increasing salience of Soviet-era daily life in more recent textbooks, the thematic choices and emphases have changed little since the 1990s. Therefore, even if the style of writing has ‘cooled down’, issues of identity preservation, resistance and accommodation, together with a saliently negative representation of wrongdoings by the Soviet system, still prevail. On the one hand, this testifies to the resilience of an established tradition in the textbook genre in general. On the other hand, it reflects the dominance of an ethnocentric tradition in Estonian history textbook writing. The paper discusses the implications of these findings for interethnic relations in Estonia.

  13. Measures of student success with textbook transformations: the Affordable Learning Georgia Initiative

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Emily Croteau

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available In 2014, the state of Georgia’s budget supported a University System of Georgia (USG initiative: Affordable Learning Georgia (ALG. The initiative was implemented via Textbook Transformation Grants, which provided grants to USG faculty, libraries and librarians, and institutions to “transform their use of textbooks and other learning materials into using lower cost options”, in other words to use open educational resources (OER in lieu of a traditional bound textbook. The Round One Textbook Transformation Grants have already shown to be successful in that they saved students approximately $760,000.  What is not known, is the collective impact on student learning. This study examines the learning gains or losses pre- and post-transformation in ALG Round One courses where traditional resources were replaced with OER.  It estimates differences between pre- and post- textbook transformation across the following outcomes: 1 Drop Fail Withdraw (DFW rates, 2 rates of completion, 3 numbers of students receiving a final grade of A or B, C and D, 4 numerical final grades as a percent, 5 final exam grades as a percent, and, 6 course-specific assessment grades measured in percent. Twenty-four data sets were analyzed for DFW rate, eight data sets for completion rate, fourteen data sets for grade distribution, three data sets for final exam grades, three data sets for course specific assessment and one data set for final grades. The null hypothesis that there would be no differences between pre- and post-transformation rates in these learning outcomes was supported.  Thus, this study demonstrates that the USG’s ALG initiative helped students save money without negatively impacting learning outcomes. In addition, it is the first of its kind to measure some of these learning outcomes (e.g. final exam grade, assessment grade, and distribution of letter grades at this scale.

  14. Report on a Six-Year versus Eight-Year Textbook Adoption Cycle and Prepaid Freight.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Texas Education Agency, Austin.

    This report, submitted to the 71st Texas Legislature in fulfillment of the mandates contained in House Concurrent Resolution 84, summarizes a study of the feasibility of an 8-year cycle for the adoption of certain textbooks and considers the feasibility of contracting with textbook publishers on a freight prepaid basis. First, 6-year versus 8-year…

  15. Examinations of Home Economics Textbooks for Sex Bias.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weis, Susan F.

    1979-01-01

    Four analyses were conducted on a sample of 100 randomly selected, secondary home economics textbooks published between 1964 and 1974. Results indicated that the contents presented sex bias in language usage, in pictures portraying male and female role environments, and in role behaviors and expectations emphasized. (Author/JH)

  16. Popular Science: Introductory Physics Textbooks for Home Economics Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Behrman, Joanna

    2014-03-01

    For many decades now there has been an ongoing debate about the way and extent to which physics ought to be popularized by appealing to a student's every day experience. Part of this debate has focused on how textbooks, a major factor shaping students' education, ought to be written and presented. I examine the background, passages, and problems of two examples drawn from the special genre of ``Household Physics'' textbooks which were published largely between 1910 and 1940. The pedagogy of applying or relating physics to the everyday experience engenders values defining how and by whom science is to be applied. These books are particularly evocative, as well, of the extent to which gender can be tied to differing everyday experiences and the consequences therefore of using experiential examples. Using popular science textbooks can alienate students by drawing an implicit division between the reader and the practicing scientist.

  17. Principles of economics textbooks

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Madsen, Poul Thøis

    2012-01-01

    Has the financial crisis already changed US principles of economics textbooks? Rather little has changed in individual textbooks, but taken as a whole ten of the best-selling textbooks suggest rather encompassing changes of core curriculum. A critical analysis of these changes shows how individual...

  18. Health approaches in a widely adopted Brazilian high school biology textbook

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Liziane Martins

    2012-05-01

    Full Text Available Considering the long tradition of discussing health in the Brazilian school curriculum, it is important to investigate how this topic is addressed by the textbooks, the main resource used by most schools in the country. In particular, it is relevant to verify if this content is presented in a manner that contributes to the development of the students as active and critical members of the society. We analyze how health is treated in the textbook Biology, by Laurence (2005, which has been the high school Biology textbook most chosen by public school teachers among those certified by the National Program for High School Textbooks (PNLEM/2007, sponsored by the Brazilian Ministry of Education (MEC. We used categorical content analysis techniques, involving the decomposition of the texts into units of analysis, the categories, which were built in this work through analogical regroupings, by using semantic criteria. In order to investigate the treatment given to health, we applied an analytical table to the units of recording, which consist of sentences, paragraphs, and sections of the textbook that discuss contents related to health and disease. This table systematizes eight health indicators, seeking to identify three health approaches: biomedical, behavioral, and socioecological. We found 267 units of recording in the textbook and, based on their analysis, it was possible to categorize the textbook as one in which the biomedical approach prevails. Our findings are consistent with other works that indicate the prevalence of this approach in Brazilian education, and Brazilian and international textbooks. Another important finding of the work is that the behavioral approach does not hold, at least for the analyzed textbook, as a view of health different from the biomedical and socioecological approaches. After all, when the book mentions behaviors and habits of life associated with health, it generally emphasizes biological dimensions, aligning with a

  19. TEXT COMPLEXITY IN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH TEXTBOOKS: A SYSTEMIC FUNCTIONAL PERSPECTIVE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dhani Aldila Putra

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Textbooks have been considered to play a key role in the processes of education by researchers and educators, and the need to explore the language of textbooks has become increasingly recognized. However, although textbooks are an important learning tool, textbook language and composition have not been widely explored especially from textual perspectives. The purpose of the present study is to investigate text complexity progression in the reading texts of English textbooks published for senior high school students in Indonesia. The nature and rate of that progression are addressed within the framework of Systemic Functional Linguistics. Being largely qualitative, this study examines three consecutive textbooks issued by the Ministry of Education, which are available online for classroom use. Data were collected and sampled from the reading texts found in the textbooks and were analyzed with regard to lexical density, lexical variation and grammatical intricacy in order to find the complexity of the texts. The results of the analyses show that regardless of the inconsistent progression of text complexity within each textbook, there is a consistent pattern of text complexity progression across grade levels. In other words, the lexical density, lexical variation and grammatical intricacy across the textbooks were found to have consistent progression from one grade level to another of which the direction is positive. It could be concluded that in general the language used in the texts becomes increasingly sophisticated, especially at lexical level, in accordance with grade level progression to cater for students’ intellectual development.

  20. Concepts and definitions for "supportive care," "best supportive care," "palliative care," and "hospice care" in the published literature, dictionaries, and textbooks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hui, David; De La Cruz, Maxine; Mori, Masanori; Parsons, Henrique A; Kwon, Jung Hye; Torres-Vigil, Isabel; Kim, Sun Hyun; Dev, Rony; Hutchins, Ronald; Liem, Christiana; Kang, Duck-Hee; Bruera, Eduardo

    2013-03-01

    Commonly used terms such as "supportive care," "best supportive care," "palliative care," and "hospice care" were rarely and inconsistently defined in the palliative oncology literature. We conducted a systematic review of the literature to further identify concepts and definitions for these terms. We searched MEDLINE, PsycInfo, EMBASE, and CINAHL for published peer-reviewed articles from 1948 to 2011 that conceptualized, defined, or examined these terms. Two researchers independently reviewed each citation for inclusion and then extracted the concepts/definitions when available. Dictionaries/textbooks were also searched. Nine of 32 "SC/BSC," 25 of 182 "PC," and 12 of 42 "HC" articles focused on providing a conceptual framework/definition. Common concepts for all three terms were symptom control and quality-of-life for patients with life-limiting illness. "SC" focused more on patients on active treatment compared to other categories (9/9 vs. 8/37) and less often involved interdisciplinary care (4/9 vs. 31/37). In contrast, "HC" focused more on volunteers (6/12 vs. 6/34), bereavement care (9/12 vs. 7/34), and community care (9/12 vs. 6/34). Both "PC" and "SC/BSC" were applicable earlier in the disease trajectory (16/34 vs. 0/9). We found 13, 24, and 17 different definitions for "SC/BSC," "PC," and "HC," respectively. "SC/BSC" was the most variably defined, ranging from symptom management during cancer therapy to survivorship care. Dictionaries/textbooks showed similar findings. We identified defining concepts for "SC/BSC," "PC," and "HC" and developed a preliminary conceptual framework unifying these terms along the continuum of care to help build consensus toward standardized definitions.

  1. Journey to Textbook Affordability: An Investigation of Students’ Use of eTextbooks at Multiple Campuses

    OpenAIRE

    Eun-Ok Baek; James Monaghan

    2013-01-01

    eTextbooks have steadily and recently more rapidly penetrated the textbook market. In order to effectively support students’ learning, it is important to comprehend students’ experiences using eTextbooks. This survey study was designed to gain an understanding of students’ experiences in using eTextbooks and variables that impact their experiences, perceptions, and attitudes towards eTextbooks. In a total of 33 courses, faculty members at five state university campuses in California participa...

  2. Posology of insulins: A review of standard textbooks and product inserts

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Garima Bhutani

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Objectives: The study is aimed to assess whether the information contained in standard pharmacology, endocrinology, and diabetology textbooks regarding timings of administration, frequency and dose of various insulins is adequate and also to see whether the information contained in these texts is concordant with product inserts. Materials and Methods: Four standard textbooks of pharmacology, two of diabetology and three of endocrinology were assessed for the published information regarding dose, timing, and frequency of insulin administration. The product inserts of commonly available insulins in India were also studied for the same. Results: Various omissions and disparities could be seen in the coverage of insulins in standard textbooks. Posology information about premixed insulins and basal insulins have been omitted by the majority of the textbooks. Details about dose, frequency and timings of ultra-short acting insulins have also not been covered by all textbooks. Some discrepancies regarding prescribing information was also noted in product inserts, especially in case of newer insulins. Conclusions: Thus, this article stresses upon the need of a uniform source of information for providing adequate and standardized knowledge regarding timing, frequency, and dose of insulins.

  3. How do the high school biology textbooks introduce the nature of science?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Young H.

    2007-05-01

    themes is diverse by the publishing company. Some high school biology textbooks reflect a more reasonably balanced treatment of the four themes of the nature of science than other textbooks. The authors of most high school biology textbooks are attempting to convey an idea of biology and how scientific enterprise works by engaging students in investigations and revealing the thinking process of scientists. In addition to the quantitative analysis, a qualitative analysis was undertaken in an attempt to achieve a more comprehensive understanding of the nature of science in high school biology textbooks. A more experienced textbook analyst and nature of science researcher helped to confirm the conclusions by the investigator, who also examined the data sources from the introductory chapters of the biology textbooks. Examination of the first chapter of high school biology textbooks, using a qualitative analysis, reveals that each textbook describes the nature of science in a considerably different manner. While the approaches and emphases used to present scientific enterprise are remarkably different in each textbook, generally high school biology textbooks present several common topics, such as characteristics of life, scientific methods, biological issues, and tools used in science. Most of the high school biology textbooks present a narrow view of scientific methods as well as science, technology, and society. The qualitative/case study approach provided an insightful perspective of how science is presented to the user. Given the importance of textbooks on teaching and learning of science, it is recommended that teachers be informed of the findings of this study in order for them to understand how the first chapter presents the nature of science, which in turn may influence how they select biology textbooks and supplement this content Further, textbook publishers should also be informed of the results of the research in order to design future textbooks and materials to

  4. Journey to Textbook Affordability: An Investigation of Students' Use of eTextbooks at Multiple Campuses

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baek, Eun-Ok; Monaghan, James

    2013-01-01

    eTextbooks have steadily and recently more rapidly penetrated the textbook market. In order to effectively support students' learning, it is important to comprehend students' experiences using eTextbooks. This survey study was designed to gain an understanding of students' experiences in using eTextbooks and variables that impact their…

  5. Implementing recommendations for introductory biology by writing a new textbook.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barsoum, Mark J; Sellers, Patrick J; Campbell, A Malcolm; Heyer, Laurie J; Paradise, Christopher J

    2013-01-01

    We redesigned the undergraduate introductory biology course by writing a new textbook (Integrating Concepts in Biology [ICB]) that follows first principles of learning. Our approach emphasizes primary data interpretation and the utility of mathematics in biology, while de-emphasizing memorization. This redesign divides biology into five big ideas (information, evolution, cells, emergent properties, homeostasis), addressing each at five levels of organization (molecules, cells, organisms, populations, ecological systems). We compared our course outcomes with two sections that used a traditional textbook and were taught by different instructors. On data interpretation assessments administered periodically during the semester, our students performed better than students in the traditional sections (p = 0.046) and exhibited greater improvement over the course of the semester (p = 0.015). On factual content assessments, our students performed similarly to students in the other sections (p = 0.737). Pre- and postsemester assessment of disciplinary perceptions and self-appraisal indicate that our students acquired a more accurate perception of biology as a discipline and may have developed a more realistic evaluation of their scientific abilities than did the control students (p biology.

  6. An Economic Analysis of Textbook Pricing and Textbook Markets. ACSFA College Textbook Cost Study Plan Proposal

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koch, James V.

    2006-01-01

    Between 1986 and 2004, textbook prices rose 186 percent in the United States, or slightly more than six percent per year. Meanwhile, other prices rose only about three percent per year. This paper examines the economic reasons why textbook prices have escalated so briskly and what reasonable alternatives are available that might slow down these…

  7. Textbook Reading Levels

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hopkins, Charles R.; Kim, Paul Y.

    1974-01-01

    Since the reading abilities of general business students vary from one individual to the next, the author's report on the readability of three general business textbooks to guide business teachers in their selection of textbooks. (AG)

  8. Peace Values in Language Textbooks: The Case of "English for Ethiopia Student Textbook"

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gebregeorgis, Mehari Yimulaw

    2017-01-01

    Textbooks are not only meant to deliver subject knowledge; they are also a medium to convey universal and community-specific values. Aiming to explore the social and emotional development goals of "English for Ethiopia Student Textbook Grade 9," this study reviews the content and activities of the textbook by searching for embedded peace…

  9. Waldorf Education: An Innovative Tradition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harrington, Sheila

    1993-01-01

    Waldorf Schools represent the largest nonsectarian school movement in the world, shunning fads and technology and relying on the creative gifts of teachers and students. Studies include eurythmy, woodworking, weaving, and traditional academic subjects, and no commercial textbooks are used. Despite teacher/funding shortages, the system continues to…

  10. THE ANALYSIS OF ILLUSTRATIONS IN THE FOURTH CLASS GEOGRAPHY TEXTBOOKS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    IOANA CHIRCEV

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available This study focuses on the analysis of the illustrations found in five different Geography textbooks in Romania. The analysis is based on several criteria: number, size, clarity, pedagogical usefulness. The following conclusions have been drawn: the illustrations are numerous; most of the illustrations are too small and unclear to be efficiently used in the teaching activity; the purpose of some materials is purely illustrative; some illustrations are overcharged with details, which prevent children from understanding them. Authors and publishing houses are advised to choose the illustrations in the fourth class Geography textbooks more carefully.

  11. GRAMMAR IN TEFL: A CRITIQUE OF INDONESIAN HIGH SCHOOL TEXTBOOKS

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    Peter Collins

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract: The aim of this paper is to critically assess the presentation of English grammar in textbooks used in secondary schools in Indonesia. The influence of the Communicative Approach is in evidence in the books examined, and yet the importance of explicit grammar instruction is not ignored, reflecting the view of many today that grammatical forms cannot be successfully learnt merely on the basis of comprehensible input. Despite recognition of its central role, the grammar instruction presented in the textbooks invites questions as to its linguistic adequacy and accuracy. Writers often seem unwilling to take on board the insights recorded in the influential and authoritative descriptive grammars of recent years, continuing to accept tacitly the principles exposed in Traditional Grammar.

  12. AUTHENTIC MATERIALS VS TEXTBOOKS IN ESP (ENGLISH FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES

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    Elena Spirovska Tevdovska

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this study is to analyze and compare the value of authentic materials and textbooks in ESP English for Specific Purposes learning and teaching context. The study compares the characteristics of the authentic materials and the characteristics of textbooks designed and selected for the purpose of teaching and learning English as a foreign language in ESP setting. The study defines the role of materials in ESP setting and compares the benefits and possible drawbacks of both types of materials and resources: the authentic materials in English for Specific Purposes context compared to traditional textbooks designed for the purpose of teaching and learning English for Specific Purposes. The study identifies the benefits of authentic materials, which include the richness as an input source and the authenticity of the tasks offered to learners, as well as the negative sides of authentic materials, which include the level of difficulty that these materials might present to the learner . Furthermore, the study identifies the benefits of textbooks, which include available sources for the learners and less time consuming class preparation for the teachers, as well as the drawbacks which include the impossibility of finding a textbook which corresponds entirely to learners’ needs. In addition, the article focuses on teachers’ attitudes and opinions regarding the appropriateness and exploitability of each source and their preferences and reasons for material selection. The target population consists of eleven lecturers who teach English for Specific Purposes in tertiary education. The lecturers teach various branches of ESP, including ESP for Computer Sciences, Business, Communication and Legal Studies. Data collection is conducted through a specifically designed questionnaire, addressing the questions of materials selection, teachers’ preferences regarding textbooks or authentic materials and the selection criteria applied by the

  13. As Good or Better than Commercial Textbooks: Students’ Perceptions and Outcomes from Using Open Digital and Open Print Textbooks

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rajiv S. Jhangiani

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available The increase in the cost of college textbooks together with the proliferation of digital content and devices has inspired the development of open textbooks, open educational resources that are free, openly licensed, and often peer-reviewed. Although several published studies have investigated the impact of open textbook adoption on educational outcomes, none have separated the effects of textbook openness and format and only two have taken place in Canada (Hendricks, Reinsberg, & Rieger, 2017; Jhangiani & Jhangiani, 2017. This study investigates the perceptions, use, and course performance of Canadian post-secondary students assigned a commercial or open textbook in either print or digital format. Results show that students using the print format of the open textbook perceive its quality to be superior to the commercial textbook. Moreover, students assigned an open textbook in either format perform either no differently from or better than those assigned a commercial textbook. These results are consistent with the existing literature and support the conclusion that the cost savings to students associated with the adoption of open textbooks do not come at the expense of resource quality or student performance. L’augmentation du coût des manuels universitaires ainsi que la prolifération du contenu numérique et des appareils électroniques ont inspiré le développement de manuels ouverts, des ressources éducationnelles qui sont gratuites, dont les licences d’exploitation sont ouvertes et qui sont souvent évalués par les pairs. Bien que plusieurs études publiées aient étudié l’impact de l’adoption de manuels ouverts sur les résultats éducationnels, aucune n’a séparé les effets du caractère ouvert des manuels et du format et seulement deux études ont été menées au Canada (Hendricks, Reinsberg & Rieger, 2017; Jhangiani & Jhangiani, 2017. Cette étude examine les perceptions, l’emploi et les résultats des

  14. Disability in physical education textbooks: an analysis of image content.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Táboas-Pais, María Inés; Rey-Cao, Ana

    2012-10-01

    The aim of this paper is to show how images of disability are portrayed in physical education textbooks for secondary schools in Spain. The sample was composed of 3,316 images published in 36 textbooks by 10 publishing houses. A content analysis was carried out using a coding scheme based on categories employed in other similar studies and adapted to the requirements of this study with additional categories. The variables were camera angle, gender, type of physical activity, field of practice, space, and level. Univariate and bivariate descriptive analyses were also carried out. The Pearson chi-square statistic was used to identify associations between the variables. Results showed a noticeable imbalance between people with disabilities and people without disabilities, and women with disabilities were less frequently represented than men with disabilities. People with disabilities were depicted as participating in a very limited variety of segregated, competitive, and elite sports activities.

  15. Chapter 1. Traditional marketing revisited

    OpenAIRE

    Lambin, Jean-Jacques

    2013-01-01

    The objective of this chapter is to review the traditional marketing concept and to analyse its main ambiguities as presented in popular textbooks. The traditional marketing management model placing heavy emphasis of the marketing mix is in fact a supply-driven approach of the market, using the understanding of consumers’ needs to mould demand to the requirements of supply, instead of adapting supply to the expectations of demand. To clarify the true role of marketing, a distinction is made b...

  16. Making an Interactive Calculus Textbook.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Larson, Timothy R.

    1995-01-01

    Presents a case study of the design and production of "Interactive Calculus," an interactive multimedia textbook. Discusses reasons for using multimedia textbooks; what an interactive textbook is; content, organization, graphic design, authoring and composition; and work flow. (AEF)

  17. Sex Education Representations in Spanish Combined Biology and Geology Textbooks

    Science.gov (United States)

    García-Cabeza, Belén; Sánchez-Bello, Ana

    2013-07-01

    Sex education is principally dealt with as part of the combined subject of Biology and Geology in the Spanish school curriculum. Teachers of this subject are not specifically trained to teach sex education, and thus the contents of their assigned textbooks are the main source of information available to them in this field. The main goal of this study was to determine what information Biology and Geology textbooks provide with regard to sex education and the vision of sexuality they give, but above all to reveal which perspectives of sex education they legitimise and which they silence. We analysed the textbooks in question by interpreting both visual and text representations, as a means of enabling us to investigate the nature of the discourse on sex education. With this aim, we have used a qualitative methodology, based on the content analysis. The main analytical tool was an in-house grid constructed to allow us to analyse the visual and textual representations. Our analysis of the combined Biology and Geology textbooks for Secondary Year 3 revealed that there is a tendency to reproduce models of sex education that take place within a framework of the more traditional discourses. Besides, the results suggested that the most of the sample chosen for this study makes a superficial, incomplete, incorrect or biased approach to sex education.

  18. Compulsory Education in Italian Middle School Music Departments and the Music Education Act : Textbooks Associated with the 1963 Program and Guide to Music Education

    OpenAIRE

    大野内, 愛

    2015-01-01

    This paper aims to clarify the requirements for music education as part of general education in Italy through an assessment of the 1963 program, the music textbooks published by Ricordi during the implementation of that program, and the Guide to Music Education textbooks. I found that the textbooks focused on music theory, although the 1963 program emphasized practical training of students with a love of music. Further, the Guide to Music Education series was published specifically for use in...

  19. There is a strong need for a single unified textbook even though education in disaster mitigation covers many fields

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sugimoto, M.; Song, Y.

    2015-12-01

    Areas of scientific specialties have been segmentalized nowadays. Each natural hazard are researched by scientific researchers. A huge variety of textbooks on one or few natural hazard are published by a single researcher in the world. There are possibilities are several natural disaster in one place. People have to learn from each hazard. However such disaster textbook is not unified education publish. Education in disaster mitigation covers many fields. There is a strong need for a single unified textbook. When I teach disaster education to children in kindergartens and schools, I understand students are confused by each different direction in such textbooks. "Doctor, which is right when a earthquake happens, cover my head or go out of a building? " I would like to discuss what the most valuable disaster textbook is as my following disatser handbook with audiences. This is publisehd for developping countries. You can freely download UNESCO disaster handbook following URL:http://www.icharm.pwri.go.jp/publication/pdf/handbook_on_local_disaster_management_experiences.pdf

  20. Resisting Official Knowledge: The Incorporation and Abjection of Race and Poverty in High School American History Textbooks, 1960s-2000s

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kearl, Benjamin Kelsey

    2014-01-01

    Through an interpretive analysis of how high school American history textbooks depict the urban-riots of the late-1960s, in this article the author discusses how textbooks incorporate and abject official knowledge related to the intersections of race and poverty. Incorporation is related with Raymond Williams' theory of the selective tradition and…

  1. Connecting: the Semantic HCI Textbook and Cross-Institutional Learning Analytics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alan Dix

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available Open education materials related to the author's HCI textbook were released in 2013 as a MOOC, published on interactiondesign. org, and used for flipped classroom teaching. Work is in progress to link these free open educational resources including substantial video and quizzes (some tutor-only together with the (paid-for but open-to-all book, to create a 'semantic textbook'. The author is also interested in the way learning-analytics can be used to create actionable insights, at the appropriate time for the academic. Bringing these together offers the potential for analytics using rich relationships across different educators and institutions use of the same material.

  2. The first 50 textbooks of Aesthetics in Spain

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ignasi ROVIRÓ ALEMANY

    2013-11-01

    Full Text Available The article presents the manuals that introduced the study of aesthe - tics in Spanish classrooms. These books are designed for the student. Generally were class notes, corrected and augmented. Since the 40s of the XIX century, textbooks began to create a new publishing market. The research focuses on which, under a variety of disciplines, normalized the study of aesthetics.

  3. Concepts of modern science: the textbook for undergraduate academic / under total. ed. by S.A. Lebedev. 4th ed. M.: Publisher Yurayt, 2015. 374 pp.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nikolai I. Gubanov

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available The article review the 4th edition of the well-proven in teaching in local high schools textbook concepts of modern education. The book is written by a group of philosophers and natural scientists of Moscow State University named after M.V. Lomonosov. Lead Author and editor of a textbook made by well-known Russian specialist in the history and philosophy of science Lebedev S.A. Textbook prepared in accordance with the relevant requirements of the Federal state educational standard of higher education. Revealed the following topics: the unity of science and the humanities, the physical picture of the world in its development, the concept of space, time and determinism, the main content of synergy, the concept of modern chemistry, biology, ecology, geography, geology, systematic approach. The content of the textbook is based on an analysis of the dynamics and the current state of natural science and its methodological and philosophical problems. The authors relied on the evaluation and interpretation of the concepts of modern science outstanding foreign and domestic scientists. In the presentation of all the above concepts in the textbook of modern science permeates thought complex, contradictory and historically volatile nature of natural science, the close relationship between the natural sciences to the needs, demands and potential of spiritual and material culture of his time.

  4. Episodic cluster headache from a textbook of 1745: van Swieten's classic description.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Isler, H

    1993-06-01

    The first description of cluster headache is usually attributed to authors who published between 1867 and 1939, but lately several researchers have found accounts dating back to the 18th or even the 17th century which are incomplete or do not account for cluster headache in the strict sense. However, Gerhard van Swieten gave a full description of a case of episodic cluster headache meeting the IHS criteria in 1745, in his textbook of clinical medicine, the mainstream textbook of Continental medicine in those years, since van Swieten was the founder of the then leading medical centre, the Vienna School. That the case was found again only in 1992 is due to the circumstance that it was published in Latin. It is presented here in an English translation facing the original Latin text.

  5. A visual analysis of gender bias in contemporary anatomy textbooks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parker, Rhiannon; Larkin, Theresa; Cockburn, Jon

    2017-05-01

    Empirical research has linked gender bias in medical education with negative attitudes and behaviors in healthcare providers. Yet it has been more than 20 years since research has considered the degree to which women and men are equally represented in anatomy textbooks. Furthermore, previous research has not explored beyond quantity of representation to also examine visual gender stereotypes and, in light of theoretical advancements in the area of intersectional research, the relationship between representations of gender and representations of ethnicity, body type, health, and age. This study aimed to determine the existence and representation of gender bias in the major anatomy textbooks used at Australian Medical Schools. A systematic visual content analysis was conducted on 6044 images in which sex/gender could be identified, sourced from 17 major anatomy textbooks published from 2008 to 2013. Further content analysis was performed on the 521 narrative images, which represent an unfolding story, found within the same textbooks. Results indicate that the representation of gender in images from anatomy textbooks remain predominantly male except within sex-specific sections. Further, other forms of bias were found to exist in: the visualization of stereotypical gendered emotions, roles and settings; the lack of ethnic, age, and body type diversity; and in the almost complete adherence to a sex/gender binary. Despite increased attention to gender issues in medicine, the visual representation of gender in medical curricula continues to be biased. The biased construction of gender in anatomy textbooks designed for medical education provides future healthcare providers with inadequate and unrealistic information about patients. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Compulsory Education in Italian Middle School Music Departments and the Music Education Act : Textbooks Associated with the 1963 Program and Guide to Music Education

    OpenAIRE

    Onouchi, Ai

    2015-01-01

    This paper aims to clarify the requirements for music education as part of general education in Italy through an assessment of the 1963 program, the music textbooks published by Ricordi during the implementation of that program, and the Guide to Music Education textbooks. I found that the textbooks focused on music theory, although the 1963 program emphasized practical training of students with a love of music. Further, the Guide to Music Education series was published specifically for use in...

  7. Students' Intentions to Purchase Electronic Textbooks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stone, Robert W.; Baker-Eveleth, Lori J.

    2013-01-01

    Textbooks have played an important role in education for decades. Given the significant number of technology applications in education, it is not surprising that at least one such application is the electronic textbook (e-textbook). There are a variety of motivations to adopt an e-textbook, including frequent content updates and low costs. The…

  8. Approach to mathematics in textbooks at tertiary level - exploring authors' views about their texts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Randahl, Mira

    2012-10-01

    The aim of this article is to present and discuss some results from an inquiry into mathematics textbooks authors' visions about their texts and approaches they choose when new concepts are introduced. Authors' responses are discussed in relation to results about students' difficulties with approaching calculus reported by previous research. A questionnaire has been designed and sent to seven authors of the most used calculus textbooks in Norway and four authors have responded. The responses show that the authors mainly view teaching in terms of transmission so they focus mainly on getting the mathematical content correct and 'clear'. The dominant view is that the textbook is intended to help the students to learn by explaining and clarifying. The authors prefer the approach to introduce new concepts based on the traditional way of perceiving mathematics as a system of definitions, examples and exercises. The results of this study may enhance our understanding of the role of the textbook at tertiary level. They may also form a foundation for further research.

  9. Teachers' preferences towards textbook

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stanojević Darko D.

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available In this paper, using the method named Conjoint analysis, and with the goal of determining teacher's preferences in the process of textbook selection, and also defining the prototype of quality textbook which will could be used in the classroom. With consideration of criteria defined in the previous researches on this topic, an continuing the work on those results, we will create clear hypothetical prototype of the textbook which will satisfy the teacher's preference.

  10. A REVIEW AND CONTENT ANALYSIS OF MATHEMATICS TEXTBOOKS IN EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cheng Chieh Chang

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Research collected and reviewed a number of empirical studies in the field of educational research regarding the analysis of mathematics textbooks to provide summary and overview the information there in. The questions were identified via Google Scholar and collected from different data sources. A total of 44 papers published from 1953 to 2015 were selected based specific criteria, with 24 articles include in the SSCI database. Descriptive statistics were used to evaluate and interpret the results. A perspective on the learning analysis methods was used to collect studies and showed the mathematics textbooks analyzed were investigated under four themes: The analysis of standards, distributive property, language in mathematics, and others. School’s level which is investigated textbooks: Kindergarten, elementary, junior school, and senior school. Subjects covered in the mathematics textbooks included algebra and arithmetic, geometry, measurement, data analysis and probability, number and operations, among others. Research found the most frequently discussed in perspective on learning was the analysis of the standards and the distributive property (15 studies, the most common subject was number and operations (16 studies, and the highest number in school’s level was elementary school (18 studies. Nevertheless, fewer studies have been found to analyzing mathematics textbooks. Future research can pay attention for the relevant theoretical issues and collaborate studies in more perspective learning analysis.

  11. A REVIEW OF ENGLISH TEXTBOOK ENTITLED "SKILLFUL: READING AND WRITING, STUDENT'S BOOK 1" BY DAVID BOHLKE AND DOROTHY ZEMACH

    OpenAIRE

    Thunyalak Polsuk; Nutprapha K. Dennis, Ph.D

    2017-01-01

    This study aims to evaluate the usefulness of a commercial textbook entitle “Skillful: Reading & Writing, Student’s Book 1”, written by David Bohlke with Dorothy E. Zemach as a series consultant, published by Macmillan publisher. The study also explores the appropriateness for considering to teaching university EFL students. The result of this study assists English teachers in choosing textbooks which will be most appropriate to the learners at various level to develop their reading and writi...

  12. Racial Representation in Physical Education Textbooks for Secondary Schools

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    María Inés Táboas-Pais

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this article is to examine the representation of race through images that are published in Spanish physical education textbooks for secondary schools and to offer an insight into students’ beliefs related to racial stereotypes in physical education. The sample was composed of 2,583 images and 87 secondary school pupils. The analysis was carried out through the elaboration of an ad hoc coding scheme. The results showed that people whose appearance is similar to the in-group predominate. The kind of physical activity, the field, space, and level of competence vary according to race. The textbooks analyzed in this study engender a stigmatized vision of racial diversity, and the images reproduce and reinforce racial prejudice.

  13. Evaluation of Two ESP Textbooks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al Fraidan, Abdullah

    2012-01-01

    This paper evaluated two ESP textbooks using the evaluation of McDonough and Shaw (2003) based on external and internal evaluation. The first textbook is "Business Objectives" (1996) by Vicki Hollett, and the second textbook is "Business Studies, Second Edition" (2002) by Alain Anderton. To avoid repetition, I will use BO and…

  14. Scholarship, Textbooks, and Mythology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Noell, Laura K.

    2004-01-01

    A new textbook designed for first- or second-year courses in mythology as an introduction to literature shows that a community college faculty member who writes a textbook adds teaching experience to scholarship.

  15. The role of movies in Norwegian textbooks. A study of film as artefact in religious education

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jon Magne Vestøl

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available Drawing on perspectives on educational design, this article investigates the role of movies in Norwegian secondary school textbooks on religious education, including teachers’ handbooks and textbook websites. All passages containing references to films or movies have been included in the analysis. The distribution of references indicates that a film is an optional artefact and that movies are drawn mainly from a Western cinematic tradition and are related to topics such as Christianity and ethics. When textbook assignments introduce movies as artefacts mediating the understanding of religious issues, information about the message and the artistic role of the film seems to be downplayed. This indicates a need for reflection on how artefacts such as films are introduced into educational activity.

  16. A Textbook Example of International Price Discrimination

    OpenAIRE

    Christos Cabolis; Sofronis Clerides; Ioannis Ioannou; Daniel Senft

    2005-01-01

    We investigate differences in book prices between the United States and other countries. We find that general audience books are similarly priced internationally, but textbooks are substantially more expensive in the United States (often more than double the price). This disparity is much more pronounced for commercial publishers than for university presses. We argue that supply-side factors like cost and market structure can not explain this phenomenon. We discuss several demand-side explana...

  17. Problems with traditional science publishing and finding a wider niche for post-publication peer review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Teixeira da Silva, Jaime A; Dobránszki, Judit

    2015-01-01

    Science affects multiple basic sectors of society. Therefore, the findings made in science impact what takes place at a commercial level. More specifically, errors in the literature, incorrect findings, fraudulent data, poorly written scientific reports, or studies that cannot be reproduced not only serve as a burden on tax-payers' money, but they also serve to diminish public trust in science and its findings. Therefore, there is every need to fortify the validity of data that exists in the science literature, not only to build trust among peers, and to sustain that trust, but to reestablish trust in the public and private academic sectors that are witnessing a veritable battle-ground in the world of science publishing, in some ways spurred by the rapid evolution of the open access (OA) movement. Even though many science journals, traditional and OA, claim to be peer reviewed, the truth is that different levels of peer review occur, and in some cases no, insufficient, or pseudo-peer review takes place. This ultimately leads to the erosion of quality and importance of science, allowing essentially anything to become published, provided that an outlet can be found. In some cases, predatory OA journals serve this purpose, allowing papers to be published, often without any peer review or quality control. In the light of an explosion of such cases in predatory OA publishing, and in severe inefficiencies and possible bias in the peer review of even respectable science journals, as evidenced by the increasing attention given to retractions, there is an urgent need to reform the way in which authors, editors, and publishers conduct the first line of quality control, the peer review. One way to address the problem is through post-publication peer review (PPPR), an efficient complement to traditional peer-review that allows for the continuous improvement and strengthening of the quality of science publishing. PPPR may also serve as a way to renew trust in scientific

  18. Investigating textbooks as crucial interfaces between culture, policy and teacher curricular practice : two contrasted case studies in France and Norway

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Pepin, B.; Gueudet, G.; Trouche, L.

    2013-01-01

    This paper reports on an investigation of mathematics curriculum documents, commonly used textbooks and teacher ‘curricular practice’ with respect to educational traditions in France and Norway. The study has helped to develop a deeper understanding of (1) educational traditions in France and

  19. Migrations in Slovenian geography textbooks

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jurij Senegačnik

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available In Slovenia, the migrations are treated in almost all geographical textbooks for different levels of education. In the textbooks for the elementary school from the sixth to ninth grade, students acquire knowledge of the migrations by the inductive approach. Difficulty level of treatment and quantity of information are increasing by the age level. In the grammar school program a trail of gaining knowledge on migration is deductive. Most attention is dedicated to migrations in general geography textbooks. The textbooks for vocational and technical school programs deal with migrations to a lesser extent and with different approaches.

  20. Provocative Opinion: Elephantiasis of the Textbook.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kerber, Robert C.

    1988-01-01

    Addresses the growing size of college organic chemistry textbooks. Notes that at the current rate of growth, average textbooks will be 1544 pages long in year 2000. Suggests methods to reduce textbook size. (ML)

  1. The Great Depression: A Textbook Case of Problems with American History Textbooks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miller, Steven L.; Rose, Stephen A.

    1983-01-01

    The 16 US history textbooks reviewed failed to incorporate economists' research on the causes of the Great Depression and consistently presented information that the economics profession has rejected. Strategies that social studies educators might adopt to improve the quality of economic analysis in textbooks is suggested. (Author/RM)

  2. The Changing Social Content of ESL Textbooks in the USA.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adams, Thomas W.

    An analysis of English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) textbooks published in the United States from the 1950s through the 1980s focuses on incidental but pervasive social messages contained in their content, including restriction to middle class populations and values, stereotyped sex roles, lack of visibility of minorities, negative messages about…

  3. The New Paradox of the College Textbook.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lichtenberg, James

    1992-01-01

    As college textbooks have become more attractive, sophisticated, and useful, the textbook industry is suffering from high costs, increased popularity of used books, effects of rapidly advancing information and instructional technology, the atypical business structure of the college textbook market, and changing textbook development processes. (MSE)

  4. Implementing Recommendations for Introductory Biology by Writing a New Textbook

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barsoum, Mark J.; Sellers, Patrick J.; Campbell, A. Malcolm; Heyer, Laurie J.; Paradise, Christopher J.

    2013-01-01

    We redesigned the undergraduate introductory biology course by writing a new textbook (Integrating Concepts in Biology [ICB]) that follows first principles of learning. Our approach emphasizes primary data interpretation and the utility of mathematics in biology, while de-emphasizing memorization. This redesign divides biology into five big ideas (information, evolution, cells, emergent properties, homeostasis), addressing each at five levels of organization (molecules, cells, organisms, populations, ecological systems). We compared our course outcomes with two sections that used a traditional textbook and were taught by different instructors. On data interpretation assessments administered periodically during the semester, our students performed better than students in the traditional sections (p = 0.046) and exhibited greater improvement over the course of the semester (p = 0.015). On factual content assessments, our students performed similarly to students in the other sections (p = 0.737). Pre- and postsemester assessment of disciplinary perceptions and self-appraisal indicate that our students acquired a more accurate perception of biology as a discipline and may have developed a more realistic evaluation of their scientific abilities than did the control students (p < 0.05). We conclude that ICB improves critical thinking, metacognition, and disciplinary perceptions without compromising content knowledge in introductory biology. PMID:23463233

  5. The normal vulva in medical textbooks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Andrikopoulou, M; Michala, L; Creighton, S M; Liao, L-M

    2013-10-01

    When a healthy woman expresses concerns about her vulva, the doctor's response should be informed by clinical knowledge. For many doctors, accumulation of such knowledge would have begun with undergraduate teaching and medical textbooks. The aim of this study is to examine the information on female genital morphology in medical textbooks. A total of 59 gynaecology and anatomy textbooks were searched for information on the dimensions of vulval constitutent parts. No textbook gave measurements for all vulval structures. Vaginal length was reported in 21/59 textbooks, clitoral size in 15/59 and labia minora in 1/59. Where measurements appear, they suggest narrower ranges than recent reports. Information of vulval morphology is scanty and inaccurate in medical textbooks. The general lack of professional resources means that doctors may consciously or non-consciously rely upon personal experiences and popular culture to form their opinions, as do their patients.

  6. Aging in community nutrition, diet therapy, and nutrition and aging textbooks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Neill, Peggy Schafer; Wellman, Nancy S; Himburg, Susan P; Johnson, Paulette; Elfenbien, Pamela

    2005-01-01

    Using content analysis, this study evaluated the aging content and context in 11 nutrition sub-specialty textbooks: community nutrition (n = 3), diet therapy (n = 4), and nutrition and aging (n = 4). Pages with paragraphs on aging were identified in community nutrition and diet therapy textbooks, and 10% random samples of pages were evaluated in nutrition and aging textbooks. Paragraphs were assigned to one of four categories: gerontology, nutrition as primary, nutrition as secondary, or tertiary prevention. A total of 310 pages was qualitatively analyzed using NUD*IST 5 software and quantitatively with percentages. Only 7% of community nutrition and 2% of diet therapy pages were devoted to aging. There was little integration of aging beyond the chapters on aging. Community nutrition had the most gerontology (30%) and primary prevention (43%) content. Diet therapy and nutrition and aging had more secondary prevention (33% and 42%, respectively) and tertiary prevention (27% each) content. Some important databases and studies were absent. Of the 1,239 ageism words, 10% were positive, 53% neutral, and 36% negative. Photographs were generally positive. Women, but not minorities, reflected current older adult demographics. Future textbook editions should address aging more comprehensively and positively to better prepare dietitians for the job market. Recommendations for authors, course instructors, and publishers are given.

  7. Psychology Ethics in Introductory Psychology Textbooks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zucchero, Renee' A.

    2011-01-01

    Previous research revealed that introductory psychology textbooks included limited information about psychology ethics. This study reviewed 48 current introductory psychology textbooks for research and other APA ethics content. These textbooks included slightly more total ethics content and were more thorough in their review of research ethics…

  8. Qualitative methods textbooks

    OpenAIRE

    Barndt, William

    2003-01-01

    Over the past few years, the number of political science departments offering qualitative methods courses has grown substantially. The number of qualitative methods textbooks has kept pace, providing instructors with an overwhelming array of choices. But how to decide which text to choose from this exhortatory smorgasbord? The scholarship desperately needs evaluated. Yet the task is not entirely straightforward: qualitative methods textbooks reflect the diversity inherent in qualitative metho...

  9. Management Textbooks as Propaganda.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cameron, Kim S.; Ireland, R. Duane; Lussier, Robert N.; New, J. Randolph; Robbins, Stephen P.

    2003-01-01

    Four management textbook authors react to the metaphor of textbooks as propaganda. All write to support managerial ideology and are aware of the market, but believe their role in shaping the field is limited. Includes two responses: "Propaganda, Trusteeship, and Artifact" (Daniel R. Gilbert) and "The Hegemonic Discourse of…

  10. Contested Identities: Nationalism, Regionalism, and Patriotism in Early American Textbooks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nash, Margaret A.

    2009-01-01

    This article reexamines texts published during the period of the initial formation of the nation, from 1783 to 1815, or from the end of the American Revolution through the War of 1812. This examination of thirty-one textbooks (sixteen geographies and history texts, and fifteen readers and grammar books), most written by New Englanders but also…

  11. Explaining Teachers' Use of Textbooks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reichenberg, Monica

    2016-01-01

    In educational systems without comprehensive systems for regulating textbooks, teachers can exert considerable influence on the use of textbooks. However, existing research has not yet identified the mechanisms of this use. Accordingly, the aim of this article is to examine and explain teachers' strategic use of textbooks. I administered a…

  12. What's Wrong with Economics Textbooks?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Culyer, A. J.

    1985-01-01

    Many things are wrong with college level economics textbooks. For example, they are too ahistorical, too particularist, or unsystematically eclectic. The requirements of a good college economics textbook are examined. (RM)

  13. Do E-Textbooks Impact Learning Outcomes?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fike, David; Fike, Renea

    2016-01-01

    The primary focus of this study was to determine if student learning outcomes in an undergraduate Statistics course differed based upon the type of textbook used (e-textbook or hardcopy). Fifty-six students enrolled in the course were allowed to choose textbook type. After controlling for student demographics and academic preparedness, student…

  14. "World Religions" in Introductory Sociology Textbooks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carroll, Michael P.

    2017-01-01

    A section on "world religions" (WRs) is now routinely included in the religion chapters of introductory sociology textbooks. Looking carefully at these WR sections, however, two things seem puzzling. The first is that the criteria for defining a WR varies considerably from textbook to textbook; the second is that these WRs sections…

  15. My Tryst of Writing and Publishing a Comprehensive Medical Textbook in Vernacular Hindi and New Hindi Medical Terminology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goel, Trilok Chandra; Goel, Apul; Kumar, Sandeep

    2018-04-01

    In India, although the native language is not English but the medical education is imparted in English. The authors have written a textbook of surgery in Hindi with the intention of promoting the understanding of surgery and encouraging reflective and deep learning for students whose native language is Hindi. In this article, the authors share experiences of writing such a book, the reasons for the same and also discuss the creation of new medical nomenclature in Hindi.

  16. A Corpus-Based Evaluation of Metaphors in a Business English Textbook

    Science.gov (United States)

    Skorczynska Sznajder, Hanna

    2010-01-01

    This study aims to evaluate the selection of metaphors in a published business English textbook using findings from a specialised corpus of written business English. While most scholars agree that metaphors should be included in English for Specific Purposes (ESP) syllabuses as a potentially problematic area in successful language learning, it is…

  17. The Evolution of International Business Textbooks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sagafi-nejad, Tagi; Limaye, Aditya

    2014-01-01

    As a field of study, international business (IB) has evolved with accelerated tempo in the last four decades. The subject has brought with it an increasing plethora of textbooks. We analyze the contents of major textbooks, both classic and new, to find the extent to which these textbooks cover the various components of the common body of knowledge…

  18. Do You Need a Textbook to Teach Astro 101?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rudolph, Alexander L.; Collaboration of Astronomy Teaching Scholars CATS

    2011-01-01

    During educational sessions at astronomy meetings, especially during Center for Astronomy Education (CAE) Teaching Excellence workshops, which I have attended and now help present, one of the questions everyone wants to discuss is which textbook to use to teach Astro 101 classes (general education astronomy courses for non-science majors). Some instructors have a favorite. Others will claim that they are all the same and that it doesn't matter. Increasingly, however, the discussions turn to the question of whether any textbook is needed at all. Some of this discussion has been driven by the increase in the use of interactive learning strategies such as Think-Pair-Share questions, Lecture-Tutorials, and Ranking Tasks. These activities provide students a learning modality very different from the traditional lecture supplemented by homework, and raises the question of whether the learning that takes place during such interactive activities is enough to teach students what we wish them to know about astronomy. I had been teaching an Astro 101 class for almost three years using a full suite of interactive learning strategies, when I decided to teach it without requiring the students to purchase a textbook. Comparison of test scores before and after this change shows that there is no statistical difference in student achievement whether a textbook is required or not. Details on the course and methodology used to reach this conclusion will be presented. This work is supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 0847170, a PAARE Grant for the Calfornia-Arizona Minority Partnership for Astronomy Research and Education (CAMPARE), and Grant No. 0715517, a CCLI Phase III Grant for the Collaboration of Astronomy Teaching Scholars (CATS). Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

  19. Introductory Biology Textbooks Under-Represent Scientific Process

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dara B. Duncan

    2011-08-01

    Full Text Available Attrition of undergraduates from Biology majors is a long-standing problem. Introductory courses that fail to engage students or spark their curiosity by emphasizing the open-ended and creative nature of biological investigation and discovery could contribute to student detachment from the field. Our hypothesis was that introductory biology books devote relatively few figures to illustration of the design and interpretation of experiments or field studies, thereby de-emphasizing the scientific process.To investigate this possibility, we examined figures in six Introductory Biology textbooks published in 2008. On average, multistep scientific investigations were presented in fewer than 5% of the hundreds of figures in each book. Devoting such a small percentage of figures to the processes by which discoveries are made discourages an emphasis on scientific thinking. We suggest that by increasing significantly the illustration of scientific investigations, textbooks could support undergraduates’ early interest in biology, stimulate the development of design and analytical skills, and inspire some students to participate in investigations of their own.

  20. "Fratricidal Warfare": English-Canadian Textbook Publishers Take on the Americans, 1970-1980

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clark, Penney; Knights, Wayne

    2013-01-01

    Educational publishing sits at the intersection of industry, culture and education. Pedagogical aims must be balanced with the need for publishers to make a profit, while also acknowledging Canadian national identity and culture. The events of central interest are related to the tensions between two publishers' associations in the wake of the…

  1. Conjunctions in Malaysian Secondary School English Language Textbooks

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alicia Philip

    2012-05-01

    Full Text Available The present research aims to investigate the distribution pattern of conjunctions and their ranking in two different corpora, namely the Malaysian school English language Textbook Corpus (Textbook Corpus and the British National Corpus (BNC. An additional objective of the study was to find out how conjunctions had been presented in the Malaysian school English language textbooks (Forms 1-5. The method applied was qualitative content analysis. The findings indicated that coordinating conjunctions were the most frequent conjunctions that occurred in the five textbooks followed by subordinating and correlative conjunctions. The ranking of the different types of conjunctions in the Textbook Corpus was similar to that of the reference corpus, BNC. The results also indicated that the textbooks failed to present conjunctions effectively. The findings are expected to help textbook developers or language teachers in developing or adapting learning materials. Keywords: Conjunctions, Textbook evaluation, Distribution patterns

  2. Gender Representation in Elementary Level, African Language Textbooks

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Antonia Folarin Schleicher

    2004-01-01

    Full Text Available Foreign language learners' perceptions and understanding of a target culture(s are affected by the infonnation presented by their teacher(s, textbooks and other instructional materials. This paper focuses on an analysis of gender representation in elementary level, African language textbooks, with a specific concentration on Hausa, Swahili, Yoruba, and Zulu textbooks. Although the study of gender representation in textbooks is not new (see Blankenship, 1984; Clausen, 1982; Neussel, 1977 and others, relatively few authors have focused on gender representation in foreign language textbooks (Graci, 1989; Rifkin, 1998. This study seeks to extend the work of these scholars into the field of African languages. As a result, the present analysis focuses on (1 establishing criteria for evaluating African language textbooks for gender representation; (2 applying these criteria to seventeen different, elementary level, African language textbooks to create a basis for a comparative case study; (3 presenting the findings of a detailed analysis; and ( 4 utilizing the findings to formulate guidelines for future textbook writers.

  3. Sociology of health textbooks and narratives: historical significance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nunes, Everardo Duarte

    2016-03-01

    This article has as its starting point two central ideas: textbooks as a means of production and dissemination of knowledge and narrative as an approach. After a brief review of studies on health/medical sociology textbooks, I analyze a few of these textbooks from the 1900-2012 period, produced in the United States and England. I have selected eleven textbooks which I thought were representative. In addition to a content analysis, the textbooks are located within the process of constitution of the health/medical sociology with brief references to the biographies of the authors. The textbooks analyzed were classified according to the main narrative features: doctor-centered; interdisciplinary; pedagogical; analytical; almost autobiographical; critical; and synthetic-reflective. In the final remarks, some points about the textbooks, limits and possibilities are presented.

  4. Tendency of description of nuclear and radiation-related matters in recent textbooks used at senior high schools in Japan

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Matsuura, Tatsuo; Iiri, Yuichi; Sekimoto, Junko; Takagi, Shinji

    2001-01-01

    This report describes results of reviewing the description concerning to nuclear power or radiation found in about 90 volumes of textbooks of science (general science, physics, chemistry, etc.) and social studies (current social studies, politics and economics), geography and history, and health and athletics, published in the fiscal year 1997 through 1999. Considerable improvement, especially in the textbooks of science studies, was found in comparison with the previous review carried out for the 236 textbooks which were published before, during 1991 through 1996. In these books, scientifically correct and appropriate descriptions are being made for the fundamental knowledge nuclear energy, radiation units, natural radiation and radioactivity, radiation effects for human bodies, and radiation utilization. On the other hand, however, it was found that fear for nuclear or radiation safety still prevails in several textbooks of social studies. For example, nuclear accident of Chernobyl nuclear power station is cited in 70% of the books reviewed, as the large demerit of nuclear power as an energy source, and some description are made based on incorrect scientific data and biased information. The authors analyzed the present situation from various educational standpoints, and presented several proposals for improving the situation. (author)

  5. Tendency of description of nuclear and radiation-related matters in recent textbooks used at senior high schools in Japan

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Matsuura, Tatsuo [Radiation Education Forum (Japan); Iiri, Yuichi; Sekimoto, Junko [Japan Atomic Industrial Forum, Inc., Tokyo (Japan); Takagi, Shinji [Faculty of Science, Kanagawa University, Yokohama, Kanagawa (Japan)

    2001-05-01

    This report describes results of reviewing the description concerning to nuclear power or radiation found in about 90 volumes of textbooks of science (general science, physics, chemistry, etc.) and social studies (current social studies, politics and economics), geography and history, and health and athletics, published in the fiscal year 1997 through 1999. Considerable improvement, especially in the textbooks of science studies, was found in comparison with the previous review carried out for the 236 textbooks which were published before, during 1991 through 1996. In these books, scientifically correct and appropriate descriptions are being made for the fundamental knowledge nuclear energy, radiation units, natural radiation and radioactivity, radiation effects for human bodies, and radiation utilization. On the other hand, however, it was found that fear for nuclear or radiation safety still prevails in several textbooks of social studies. For example, nuclear accident of Chernobyl nuclear power station is cited in 70% of the books reviewed, as the large demerit of nuclear power as an energy source, and some description are made based on incorrect scientific data and biased information. The authors analyzed the present situation from various educational standpoints, and presented several proposals for improving the situation. (author)

  6. The Adoption of Tablet and E-Textbooks: First Grade Core Curriculum and School Administration Attitude

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al-Mashaqbeh, Ibtesam; Al Shurman, Muneera

    2015-01-01

    This study aimed to investigate the effect of using e-textbooks, activities, games, and worksheets that loaded onto students tablets on first grade students' achievement on their core curriculum (science, math, English, Arabic) compared to the use of the traditional teaching method. It also, investigated the school administration reflection toward…

  7. History of Science and Medicine in Turkish History Secondary School Textbooks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karabag, S. Gulin

    2015-01-01

    In this paper, it is aimed to analyze the acquirements and topics in Turkish secondary school history textbooks that are published by the Ministry of National Education (MEB) and by the private sector to determine to what extend the place given to history of science and history of medicine. In the study, the document and content analysis…

  8. The discourse markers in basic education: a need for systematization in textbooks

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bougleux Bomjardim da Silva Carmo

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available In this article, we will discuss the need for a systematization of discourse markers in Basic Education. This proposal emerges from the following ongoing research: “The systematization of contrastive connectors when devising textbooks”, which departs from the pragmatic theories by Portolés (1998, Alomba Ribeiro (2005, and others. Markers are linguistic units with a prominent role in the functioning of language use. However, it is known that textbooks do not show the pragmatic function of certain traditional grammatical categories. So, we selected one out of the textbook collections approved by PNLD 2014, namely, the Perspective: Portuguese collection by Discini and Teixeira (2012 to verify these premises. As a result of the description and analysis we present a illustrative source activity with the discourse marker “but” and its uses in written texts.

  9. Gender stereotypes and education: A comparative content analysis of Malaysian, Indonesian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi school textbooks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Islam, Kazi Md Mukitul; Asadullah, M Niaz

    2018-01-01

    Using government secondary school English language textbooks from Malaysia, Indonesia, Pakistan and Bangladesh, we conducted a quantitative content analysis in order to identify gender stereotypes in school education. In total, 21 categories of exclusion and quality of representation were used to study gender stereotypes. Our analysis confirms a pro-male bias in textbooks: the aggregate female share is 40.4% in textual and pictorial indicators combined. Female occupations are mostly traditional and less prestigious while the characters are predominantly introverted and passive in terms of personality traits. Women are also shown to be mostly involved in domestic and in-door activities while men have a higher presence in professional roles. Systematic underrepresentation of females is evident regardless of whether we look at the text or pictures. A cross-country analysis shows that the female share in picture content is only 35.2% in Malaysia and Bangladesh. Overall, the proportion of female to male characters (text and pictures combined) is balanced in Malaysia and Indonesia (44.4% and 44.1% respectively) while this share is only 24.4% and 37.3% in Pakistani and Bangladeshi textbooks respectively. The finding of underrepresentation of women in Pakistani textbooks, in terms of quality and quantity, is robust to the selection of province-, grade- and subject-specific textbooks, as well as the range and type of categories used.

  10. Gender stereotypes and education: A comparative content analysis of Malaysian, Indonesian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi school textbooks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Islam, Kazi Md. Mukitul

    2018-01-01

    Using government secondary school English language textbooks from Malaysia, Indonesia, Pakistan and Bangladesh, we conducted a quantitative content analysis in order to identify gender stereotypes in school education. In total, 21 categories of exclusion and quality of representation were used to study gender stereotypes. Our analysis confirms a pro-male bias in textbooks: the aggregate female share is 40.4% in textual and pictorial indicators combined. Female occupations are mostly traditional and less prestigious while the characters are predominantly introverted and passive in terms of personality traits. Women are also shown to be mostly involved in domestic and in-door activities while men have a higher presence in professional roles. Systematic underrepresentation of females is evident regardless of whether we look at the text or pictures. A cross-country analysis shows that the female share in picture content is only 35.2% in Malaysia and Bangladesh. Overall, the proportion of female to male characters (text and pictures combined) is balanced in Malaysia and Indonesia (44.4% and 44.1% respectively) while this share is only 24.4% and 37.3% in Pakistani and Bangladeshi textbooks respectively. The finding of underrepresentation of women in Pakistani textbooks, in terms of quality and quantity, is robust to the selection of province-, grade- and subject-specific textbooks, as well as the range and type of categories used. PMID:29351305

  11. Textbook piracy : exploring the decision to pirate or not

    OpenAIRE

    Rebelo, Maria Francisca Vieira de Matos Tavares

    2014-01-01

    While much has been written about the consequences of the digitization of entertainment media (music, movies, etc.) and the best strategies to cope with copyright infringement, there is still little research on the effect of the digitization of books. This raises the question of how the publishing industry can learn from the experience of the entertainment industry. As tablets and e-readers become more prevalent, increasing the attractiveness of digital copies of textbooks and oth...

  12. A Study of Four Textbook Distribution Models

    Science.gov (United States)

    Graydon, Benjamin; Urbach-Buholz, Blake; Kohen, Cheryl

    2011-01-01

    Textbooks too often hinder rather than help students because of their prohibitively expensive prices. Colleges and universities facing intense pressure to lower education expenses while increasing access, retention, and achievement now find addressing the textbook problem more and more urgent. Used textbook sales have grown dramatically over the…

  13. (Re)Presentations of Islam in Albanian History Textbooks from 1990 to 2013

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sulstarova, Enis

    2017-01-01

    This article investigates the role of Islam in representations of the self and the other in the contemporary Albanian national discourse, on the basis of an analysis of history textbooks published in postcommunist Albania between 1990 and 2013, focusing specifcally on texts used in pre-university education. Even after the dissolution of the…

  14. Do mathematics textbooks cultivate shallow teaching? Applying the TIMSS Video Study criteria to Australian eighth-grade mathematics textbooks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vincent, Jill; Stacey, Kaye

    2008-04-01

    Australian eighth-grade mathematics lessons were shown by the 1999 TIMSS Video Study to use a high proportion of problems of low procedural complexity, with considerable repetition, and an absence of deductive reasoning. Using definitions from the Video Study, this study re-investigated this `shallow teaching syndrome' by examining the problems on three topics in nine eighth-grade textbooks from four Australian states for procedural complexity, type of solving processes, degree of repetition, proportion of `application' problems and proportion of problems requiring deductive reasoning. Overall, there was broad similarity between the characteristics of problems in the textbooks and in the Australian Video Study lessons. There were, however, considerable differences between textbooks and between topics within textbooks. In some books, including the best-selling textbooks in several states, the balance is too far towards repetitive problems of low procedural complexity.

  15. Pragmatic Content in Global and Local ELT Textbooks

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hussein Meihami

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available This study is an attempt to explore the frequency of pragmatic content occurrence represented as three speech acts of requesting, refusing, and apologizing in global and local English Language Teaching (ELT textbooks. Three global elementary ELT textbooks, namely Interchange, Top Notch, and American English File along with the local elementary textbooks of Iran Language Institute (ILI Series, were examined for their pragmatic content. To analyze the pragmatic content of these textbooks, the researchers used three different frameworks. The results indicated that while both global and local ELT textbooks shared a sufficient number of speech acts of request and refusal, they failed to pay enough attention to the speech act of apology regarding its frequency and the strategies through which it is performed. To sum, the findings of this study highlight the differences in the frequency of different speech acts and the strategies used to perform them in global and local elementary ELT textbooks, which bear some implications for ELT textbook developers and language instructors.

  16. Textbook Graphics and Maps: Keys to Learning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Danzer, Gerald A.

    1980-01-01

    Explains how social studies pupils can use an awareness of textbook design to become better students. Suggestions include reproducing the collage on an American history textbook as a large poster for classroom use and directing students to design a graphic unit opener in the same style as the ones in their textbooks. (DB)

  17. Development of Open Textbooks Learning Analytics System

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prasad, Deepak; Totaram, Rajneel; Usagawa, Tsuyoshi

    2016-01-01

    Textbook costs have skyrocketed in recent years, putting them beyond the reach of many students, but there are options which can mitigate this problem. Open textbooks, an open educational resource, have proven capable of making textbooks affordable to students. There have been few educational development as promising as the development of open…

  18. Textbook-Caused Misconceptions, Inconsistencies, and Experimental Safety Risks of a Grade 8 Physics Textbook

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zajkov, Oliver; Gegovska-Zajkova, Sonja; Mitrevski, Boce

    2017-01-01

    A physics textbook for the 8th grade was analyzed, in particular the section on the interaction between electric current and magnetic field. The textbook is written in the Macedonian language, but is translated into Albanian, Serbian, and Turkish, which provides an opportunity to influence a larger population of children, in a larger ethnic area.…

  19. An Investigation of the Communicative Approach Teaching in Primary English Textbooks in Hong Kong and Malaysia: A Search into Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) Textbooks, and How CLT Is Applied in Textbooks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ko, Charles

    2014-01-01

    In the present research, it will be shown how grammar activities in textbooks still retain the structural method of teaching grammar. The results found by previous scholars' research will be covered, and illustrated by excerpts of textbooks, including comparison of Hong Kong and Malaysian textbooks. Communicative Language Teaching (CLT)…

  20. Textbooks evaluations in the National Textbook Commission: the school knowledge conformation in the 1940’s

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Juliana Miranda Filgueiras

    2013-05-01

    Full Text Available This article analyzes the textbooks evaluations, performed during the 1940’s, and the relationship with the school knowledge conformation. The schoolbook policy was promulgated by Law n. 1.006/38, which created the National Textbook Commission (CNLD, responsible for examining and authorizing the textbooks to be adopted across the country. We tried to discuss the Commission constitution, understand who its members were and the work those people developed, focusing on the study of the textbooks evaluations. The analysis highlighted the conflicts between the people involved in those evaluations, who were trying to update the contents and teaching methods in accordance with the official programs and scientific research areas, as well as seeking an official spelling conform for the whole country.

  1. Family and delinquency: Textbooks analysis of family influence on the juvenile delinquency

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ljubičić Milana

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available In this paper we are dealing with analysis of the typology of crime causes, with particular reference to the position of the family in the etiology of juvenile delinquency. Our intention was to, by using the so-called mixed content analysis of criminology textbooks; determine the topics of crime patterns, and the typical family characteristics of juveniles pushed into delinquency. On the other hand, the need to consider the influence of the ideas presented by some textbooks authors to their followers appeared to be of particularly importance in a longitudinal perspective. Analysed were 22 textbooks published between 1945-2010 in the former SFR of Yugoslavia and also the Republics that emerged after disintegration of the SFRY. The analysis showed that the significant number of textbooks follow identical pattern of etiological factors which reflects mutual influence of authors on one another. Also, considering the causes juvenile delinquency we noticed that the family takes up a special position. In addition, families of delinquents, regardless of the name under which it is recognized and almost without exception, carry a socially unacceptable ‘degraded’ character. These findings have opened a number of issues related to certain aspects of the scientific base for the existing typologies (e.g., objectivity and verifiability, and the implications that ‘scientific image’ has had on the practical involvement of experts whose professions require knowledge of criminology.

  2. Syntactical Analysis of Economics Textbooks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilcox, George K.

    An analysis of the syntax of economics textbooks was undertaken to (1) provide real-language examples of the difficult grammatical structures being taught in an advanced economics reading course, and (2) construct a factual database of the nature of economics textbooks. Five texts representative of those typically used in introductory economics…

  3. Dementia Etiologies and Remedies in Traditional Persian Medicine; A Review of Medicinal Plants and Phytochemistry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shirbeigi, Laila; Dalfardi, Behnam; Abolhassanzadeh, Zohreh; Nejatbakhsh, Fatemeh

    2018-01-01

    Dementia is a chronic neurodegenerative disease causing progressive and gradual impairment of different brain's cognitive functions. The prevalence of dementia is about 3 to 7% in different parts of the world. The aim of this study was to determine the etiologies of dementia according to the Traditional Persian Medicine scientists' viewpoint and introduce their recommended herbal remedies for this disease. The authors explored six main Traditional Persian Medicine textbooks for the disease of dementia, its etiologies and related recommended herbal treatments. Two main keywords of "Lisarghes" and" Nesyan" were searched for this purpose. Medical databases, including PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, and Science Direct were searched for related articles published between 1966 and 2016 to review the pharmacological components and active ingredients of suggested herbal medicines. According to the Traditional Persian Medicine, dementia is resulted from brain dystemperament, a condition caused by cold and moist or cold and dry tempers. To treat this disease, Traditional Persian scientists recommended various herbal remedies. Current studies have demonstrated that some of these medicinal plants have beneficial effects for the aforementioned disease, including acetyl cholinesterase inhibitory function, neuroprotective effects, and memory enhancing role. The Traditional Persian Medicine literature suggested different herbal remedies for treating dementia. Modern studies support the usefulness of some of these medicines. However, the effect of a large number of these remedies has remained unexamined, a matter which needs to be investigated in future researches. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

  4. The Effects of Earth Science Textbook Contents on High School Students' Knowledge of, Attitude toward, and Behavior of Energy Saving and Carbon Reduction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chao, Yu-Long; Chou, Ying-Chyi; Yen, Hsin-Yi; Chen, Shr-Jya

    2017-01-01

    As science textbooks are considered as one of the major source of climate change information of students, this study aims to examine the differences in energy saving and carbon reduction knowledge, attitude, and behavior between two groups of Taiwan's high school students using earth science textbooks of two different publishers. Some items of…

  5. Publishers See Online Mega-Courses as Opportunity to Sell Textbooks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Howard, Jennifer

    2012-01-01

    Colleges are not the only enterprises interested in the possibilities of free, online courses. Publishers have begun to investigate whether so-called MOOC's, or massive open online courses, can help them reach new readers and sell more books. For the moment, providers of the classes encourage professors not to require students to buy texts, in…

  6. From Fertilization to Birth: Representing Development in High School Biology Textbooks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wellner, Karen L.

    Biology textbooks are everybody's business. In accepting the view that texts are created with specific social goals in mind, I examined 127 twentieth-century high school biology textbooks for representations of animal development. Paragraphs and visual representations were coded and placed in one of four scientific literacy categories: descriptive, investigative, nature of science, and human embryos, technology, and society (HETS). I then interpreted how embryos and fetuses have been socially constructed for students. I also examined the use of Haeckel's embryo drawings to support recapitulation and evolutionary theory. Textbooks revealed that publication of Haeckel's drawings was influenced by evolutionists and anti-evolutionists in the 1930s, 1960s, and the 1990s. Haeckel's embryos continue to persist in textbooks because they "safely" illustrate similarities between embryos and are rarely discussed in enough detail to understand comparative embryology's role in the support of evolution. Certain events coincided with changes in how embryos were presented: (a) the growth of the American Medical Association (AMA) and an increase in birth rates (1950s); (b) the Biological Sciences Curriculum Study (BSCS) and public acceptance of birth control methods (1960s); (c) Roe vs. Wade (1973); (d) in vitro fertilization and Lennart Nilsson's photographs (1970s); (e) prenatal technology and fetocentrism (1980s); and (f) genetic engineering and Science-Technology-Society (STS) curriculum (1980s and 1990s). By the end of the twentieth century, changing conceptions, research practices, and technologies all combined to transform the nature of biological development. Human embryos went from a highly descriptive, static, and private object to that of sometimes contentious public figure. I contend that an ignored source for helping move embryos into the public realm is schoolbooks. Throughout the 1900s, authors and publishers accomplished this by placing biology textbook embryos and

  7. Genocide in World History Textbooks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fleming, Dan

    1987-01-01

    Analyzes the treatment of genocide in secondary world history textbooks. Acknowledges that textbook space is limited, but argues that all should contain some reference to the subject. Concludes that the Armenian genocide, as well as the genocidal acts of Hitler, Stalin, and Mao Tse-tung should be presented in all survey texts. (GEA)

  8. Recent Trends in Japanese Mathematics Textbooks for Elementary Grades: Supporting Teachers to Teach Mathematics through Problem Solving

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takahashi, Akihiko

    2016-01-01

    Problem solving has been a major theme in Japanese mathematics curricula for nearly 50 years. Numerous teacher reference books and lesson plans using problem solving have been published since the 1960s. Government-authorized mathematics textbooks for elementary grades, published by six private companies, have had more and more problem solving over…

  9. TEXTBOOK ANALYSIS IN THE SERVICE OF CHEMISTRY TEACHING

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aija Ahtineva

    2005-06-01

    Full Text Available The authors of textbooks have their own visions of contents and teaching methods, which should lead to a high level of scientific thinking. However, the textbook alone does not guarantee good results because the personal and social relationships between the teacher and students have a major influence on teaching and learning. Therefore, the teacher’s study of the textbook before teaching facilitates the teaching process. This paper suggests one method of textbook analysis. In the analysis, one upper secondary level course of chemistry instruction involved the use of a learning strategy: classification of the central concepts and a classification of activities based on task difficulty. The study also attempted to find out the goodness of fit between the national curriculum and the textbook chemistry course. The national objectives concerned the content of knowledge, social significance, emphasis on experimental chemistry, and inspiring students for further study. The majority of the textbook tasks fall into higher order categories characterized by knowledge structures assuming application of knowledge or making inferences. Good textbook activities also have social significance, and a number of experimental tasks are included. The textbook quality is further enhanced by up-to-date content. All of the above qualities are related to high study motivation.

  10. Textbook Religion and Lived Religion: A Comparison of the Christian Faith as Expressed in Textbooks and by Young Church Members

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vestøl, Jon Magne

    2016-01-01

    Drawing on perspectives from sociocultural theory, this article investigates how Christian denominations are represented in Norwegian textbooks of religious education and by young believers. The main finding is that textbooks and young adherents present religion in substantially different ways. While textbooks relate religion to global and…

  11. Libraries Leading the Way on the Textbook Problem

    OpenAIRE

    Billings, Marilyn; Cross, William M; O'Connell, Brendan; Raschke, Gregory; Roh, Charlotte

    2015-01-01

    Escalating textbook costs and continually evolving technologies for delivering course content have combined to place the “textbook problem” at a boiling point ripe for systemic change. This article describes two efforts to address the “textbook problem” by offering incentive grants to faculty members who adopt, adapt, or create open educational resources (OERs) to replace costly textbooks. It describes programs at UMass Amherst and North Carolina State University and discusses the role of the...

  12. Pushing Traditional Publishing Boundaries in the Journal of Astronomy & Earth Science Education JAESE

    Science.gov (United States)

    Slater, T. F.

    2017-12-01

    Responding to the community's need for an archival journal to document program evaluation and educational impact of programs and innovations, the Journal of Astronomy & Earth Science Education (JAESE.org) is a scholarly, peer-reviewed journal designed to serve the discipline-based astronomy, planetary, and geosciences education research community. JAESE's first issue was published on December 31, 2014 and has published four volumes and seven issues since that time. By far, the median article topic has been focused on planetarium education research, while there have only been a few articles on conventional solid-Earth geosciences education research. Although there is not yet an even distribution of topics across the field, there is a relatively even distribution among author demographics. Authors include a range of both junior and senior members of the field. There have been significantly more female authors than male authors. Submissions are distributed as blind-copies to two or three peer reviewers with authors' names and identifying information redacted from the manuscript. The average time to complete the first round of peer-review reviewers is 6.2-weeks. There have been too few manuscripts to reliably publish a "percentage acceptance rate." Taken together, JAESE's guiding Editorial Advisory Board judges this to be a successful first few years. In a purposeful effort to make JAESE authors' scholarly works as widely accessible as possible, JAESE adopted an open-access business model. JAESE articles are available to read free-of-charge over the Internet, delivered as PDFs. To date, the most common way articles are downloaded by readers is through Google Scholar. Instead of charging readers and libraries recurring subscription fees, JAESE charges authors a nominal submission fee and a small open-access fee, averaging about $700 USD. These charges are far lower than the traditional page charges and gold-package open-access fees typically charged to authors or their

  13. Nursing Student Perceptions of Digital Textbooks: A Pilot Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mennenga, Heidi A

    2016-01-01

    Digital textbooks are increasing in popularity, often resulting from the perception that students demand the use of technology in academics. However, few studies have been done on student perceptions of digital textbooks. A pilot study was conducted with students enrolled in a nursing research course; 123 nursing students participated. This study found that students overwhelmingly preferred print textbooks over digital textbooks. More research needs to be done before assuming students would prefer digital textbooks over print.

  14. The place of surface anatomy in the medical literature and undergraduate anatomy textbooks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Azer, Samy A

    2013-01-01

    The aims of this review were to examine the place of surface anatomy in the medical literature, particularly the methods and approaches used in teaching surface and living anatomy and assess commonly used anatomy textbooks in regard to their surface anatomy contents. PubMed and MEDLINE databases were searched using the following keywords "surface anatomy," "living anatomy," "teaching surface anatomy," "bony landmarks," "peer examination" and "dermatomes". The percentage of pages covering surface anatomy in each textbook was calculated as well as the number of images covering surface anatomy. Clarity, quality and adequacy of surface anatomy contents was also examined. The search identified 22 research papers addressing methods used in teaching surface anatomy, 31 papers that can help in the improvement of surface anatomy curriculum, and 12 anatomy textbooks. These teaching methods included: body painting, peer volunteer surface anatomy, use of a living anatomy model, real time ultrasound, virtual (visible) human dissector (VHD), full body digital x-ray of cadavers (Lodox(®) Statscan(®) images) combined with palpating landmarks on peers and the cadaver, as well as the use of collaborative, contextual and self-directed learning. Nineteen of these studies were published in the period from 2006 to 2013. The 31 papers covered evidence-based and clinically-applied surface anatomy. The percentage of surface anatomy in textbooks' contents ranged from 0 to 6.2 with an average of 3.4%. The number of medical illustrations on surface anatomy varied from 0 to 135. In conclusion, although there has been a progressive increase in publications addressing methods used in teaching surface anatomy over the last six to seven years, most anatomy textbooks do not provide students with adequate information about surface anatomy. Only three textbooks provided a solid explanation and foundation of understanding surface anatomy. © 2013 American Association of Anatomists.

  15. Introductory Business Textbook Revision Cycles: Are They Getting Shorter?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zinser, Brian; Brunswick, Gary

    2010-01-01

    The rate of textbook revision cycles is examined in light of the recent trend towards more rapid revisions (and adoptions of textbooks). The authors conduct background research to better understand the context for textbook revision cycles and the environmental forces that have been influencing what appears to be more rapid textbook revisions. A…

  16. Developments in Publishing: The Potential of Digital Publishing

    OpenAIRE

    X. Tian

    2007-01-01

    This research aims to identify issues associated with the impact of digital technology on the publishing industry with a specific focus on aspects of the sustainability of existing business models in Australia. Based on the case studies, interviews and Australian-wide online surveys, the research presents a review of the traditional business models in book publishing for investigating their effectiveness in a digital environment. It speculates on how and what should be considered for construc...

  17. Breastfeeding information in pharmacology textbooks: a content analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amir, Lisa H; Raval, Manjri; Hussainy, Safeera Y

    2013-07-01

    Women often need to take medicines while breastfeeding and pharmacists need to provide accurate information in order to avoid undue caution about the compatibility of medicines and breastfeeding. The objective of this study was to review information provided about breastfeeding in commonly used pharmacology textbooks. We asked 15 Australian universities teaching pharmacy courses to provide a list of recommended pharmacology textbooks in 2011. Ten universities responded, generating a list of 11 textbooks that we analysed for content relating to breastfeeding. Pharmacology textbooks outline the mechanisms of actions of medicines and their use: however, only a small emphasis is placed on the safety/compatibility of medicines for women during breastfeeding. Current pharmacology textbooks recommended by Australian universities have significant gaps in their coverage of medicine use in breastfeeding. Authors of textbooks should address this gap, so academic staff can recommend texts with the best lactation content.

  18. Can Tech Transcend the Textbook?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Waters, John K.

    2011-01-01

    After traveling a long, tortuous road, the much-anticipated e-book revolution has finally arrived. So where is the revolution in the "e-textbook" market? According to the National Association of College Stores (NACS), digital books currently account for less than 3 percent of textbook sales. NACS expects that percentage to reach 10 to 15 percent…

  19. Evaluating Junior Secondary Science Textbook Usage in Australian Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    McDonald, Christine V.

    2016-08-01

    A large body of research has drawn attention to the importance of providing engaging learning experiences in junior secondary science classes, in an attempt to attract more students into post-compulsory science courses. The reality of time and resource constraints, and the high proportion of non-specialist science teachers teaching science, has resulted in an overreliance on more transmissive pedagogical tools, such as textbooks. This study sought to evaluate the usage of junior secondary science textbooks in Australian schools. Data were collected via surveys from 486 schools teaching junior secondary (years 7-10), representing all Australian states and territories. Results indicated that most Australian schools use a science textbook in the junior secondary years, and textbooks are used in the majority of science lessons. The most highly cited reason influencing choice of textbook was layout/colour/illustrations, and electronic technologies were found to be the dominant curricula material utilised, in addition to textbooks, in junior secondary science classes. Interestingly, the majority of respondents expressed high levels of satisfaction with their textbooks, although many were keen to stress the subsidiary role of textbooks in the classroom, emphasising the textbook was `one' component of their teaching repertoire. Importantly, respondents were also keen to stress the benefits of textbooks in supporting substitute teachers, beginning teachers, and non-specialist science teachers; in addition to facilitating continuity of programming and staff support in schools with high staff turnover. Implications from this study highlight the need for high quality textbooks to support teaching and learning in Australian junior secondary science classes.

  20. Customization of Curriculum Materials in Science: Motives, Challenges, and Opportunities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Romine, William L.; Banerjee, Tanvi

    2012-01-01

    Exemplary science instructors use inquiry to tailor content to student's learning needs; traditional textbooks treat science as a set of facts and a rigid curriculum. Publishers now allow instructors to compile pieces of published and/or self-authored text to make custom textbooks. This brings numerous advantages, including the ability to produce…

  1. Re-inventing the fiber-optic textbook: a proposal

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hecht, Jeff; Hecht, Deborah; Chowdary, Ahsan; Massa, Nicholas

    2016-09-01

    It's time to reinvent the textbook to meet the needs of today's students, educators, and self-study readers. Students aren't buying them, and authors and publishers have slowed or stopped revising them keep up with new technology and new pedagogy. We want to demonstrate new possibilities by completely overhauling Understanding Fiber Optics, an introduction to fiber optics originally written by J.H. for self-study and later republished as a textbook for technician training. After five editions that sold over 100,000 copies, its page count nearly doubled and its price soared more than tenfold from its original $16.95. We envision a modular structure to meet the needs of students and instructors. Basic concepts will be covered at an introductory level in a "core book" of some 200-250 pages, suitable for self-study, STEM programs at the high school level, and technician training. Additional separate modules primarily intended for instructors will cover details, such as how to install connectors. All materials will be distributed electronically at low cost, and will include interactive demonstrations, animations, simulations, and audio and video supplements explaining key concepts. Our goal is to keep the best aspects of a well-written and well-illustrated textbook, take advantage of new tools for presenting material to students, and make the whole package readily accessible and affordable to students, instructors, and anyone else wanting a working knowledge of fiber optics. We are developing a proposal to achieve these goals, and looking for partners to help us develop, test and evaluate instructional materials.

  2. E-Books or Textbooks: Students Prefer Textbooks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Woody, William Douglas; Daniel, David B.; Baker, Crystal A.

    2010-01-01

    Previous research has demonstrated that the experience of reading e-books is not equivalent to reading textbooks. This study examines factors influencing preference for e-books as well as reported use of e-book content. Although the present student cohort is the most technologically savvy to ever enter universities, students do not prefer e-books…

  3. Textbooks and citizenship education

    OpenAIRE

    Freitas, Maria Luísa Amaral Varela de

    2000-01-01

    This paper relates an investigation that tries to listen to children's voices about the social studies textbooks they would like to use the following year. It was developed in nine elementary classrooms. Children answered an open question, in a written form, about what they liked and disliked in their textbooks. They were then asked to select three pages they liked and three they did not like, and give reasons. The children loved this particular task. I did not have an explicit hypothesis but...

  4. Textbooks in the EFL classroom: Defining, assessing and analyzing

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Radić-Bojanić Biljana B.

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this paper is to define textbooks, analyze their advantages and disadvantages and to explicate the process of textbook selection and reasons for analyzing textbooks. The paper describes two reasons for performing a textbook analysis: evaluating for potential and evaluating for suitability, and further states various processes of textbook content analysis including the analysis of the stated aims and objectives, learner needs, their abilities and preferences, as well as the establishment of criteria in relation to previously set objectives. The paper concludes by stating that the task that teachers are faced with when selecting and evaluating textbooks is not that is an easy one, but it is crucial. With the assistance of clear guidelines and detailed criteria, they should be able to make an informed decision and choose a textbook that is most suitable for the requirements of their specific classroom context.

  5. Functional dyspepsia: A new approach from traditional Persian medicine

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pasalar, Mehdi; Nimrouzi, Majid; Choopani, Rasool; Mosaddegh, Mahmoud; Kamalinejad, Mohammad; Mohagheghzadeh, Abdolali; Bagheri Lankarani, Kamran

    2016-01-01

    Objective: One of the most common global disorders is related to gastrointestinal system. Functional dyspepsia (FD) defined as upper abdominal pain and discomfort in the absence of organic ailments is a prevalent disease without any confirmed medication. The purpose of this study was to find gastric disorders which might be coincidental to FD based on traditional Persian medicine (TPM). Materials and Methods: We searched the main textbooks of TPM including Al-Havi (by Rhazes), Canon of medicine (by Avicenna), ZakhireKhawrazmshahi (by Ismail Jorjani), Moalijat-e Aghili and Makhzan Al-adviya (by Mohammad Hosein AghiliShirazi), and ExirAzam (by Hakim Azam Khan). Also, we searched Pubmed, Scopus, Science Direct, Medline, scientific information database (SID), Iranmedex and Google Scholar from 1980 to 1 August 2014 for dyspepsia, gastrointestinal disease, traditional Persian medicine, and gastric dystemperaments. Results: There is no equivalent term for FD in traditional Persian medicine although similar signs and symptoms are visible in terms like simple cold dystemperament of stomach, indigestion, and digestion debility in TPM sources. Some treatments mentioned in TPM have shown promising results in the current experimental tests. Conclusion: Finding these similarities in complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) textbooks may lead to discovering new remedies for this widespread disease. PMID:27222829

  6. Functional dyspepsia: A new approach from traditional Persian medicine

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mehdi Pasalar

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Objective: One of the most common global disorders is related to gastrointestinal system. Functional dyspepsia (FD defined as upper abdominal pain and discomfort in the absence of organic ailments is a prevalent disease without any confirmed medication. The purpose of this study was to find gastric disorders which might be coincidental to FD based on traditional Persian medicine (TPM. Materials and Methods: We searched the main textbooks of TPM including Al-Havi (by Rhazes, Canon of medicine (by Avicenna, ZakhireKhawrazmshahi (by Ismail Jorjani, Moalijat-e Aghili and Makhzan Al-adviya (by Mohammad Hosein AghiliShirazi, and ExirAzam (by Hakim Azam Khan. Also, we searched Pubmed, Scopus, Science Direct, Medline, scientific information database (SID, Iranmedex and Google Scholar from 1980 to 1 August 2014 for dyspepsia, gastrointestinal disease, traditional Persian medicine, and gastric dystemperaments. Results: There is no equivalent term for FD in traditional Persian medicine although similar signs and symptoms are visible in terms like simple cold dystemperament of stomach, indigestion, and digestion debility in TPM sources. Some treatments mentioned in TPM have shown promising results in the current experimental tests. Conclusion: Finding these similarities in complementary and alternative medicine (CAM textbooks may lead to discovering new remedies for this widespread disease.

  7. English Textbooks in Parallel-Language Tertiary Education

    OpenAIRE

    Pecorari, D.; Shaw, P.; Irvine, Aileen; Malmstrom, H.

    2011-01-01

    Tertiary education in many countries is increasingly bilingual, with English used in parallel with the national language, particularly as a reading language. This article describes the results of a survey of student attitudes toward, and reading practices regarding, English language textbooks. Over 1,000 students at three Swedish universities responded to a questionnaire asking about their experiences with English textbooks. Textbooks written in English were generally unpopular, and the perce...

  8. High Textbook Reading Rates When Using an Interactive Textbook for a Material and Energy Balances Course

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liberatore, Matthew

    2017-01-01

    Textbooks are experiencing a 21st century makeover. The author has created a web-based electronic textbook, Material and Energy Balances zyBook, that records students' interactions. Animations and question sets create interactive and scaffolded content. The interactive format is adopted successfully in other engineering disciplines and is now…

  9. Learning by computer simulation does not lead to better test performance than textbook study in the diagnosis and treatment of dysrhythmias.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Jong Hoon; Kim, Won Oak; Min, Kyeong Tae; Yang, Jong Yoon; Nam, Yong Taek

    2002-08-01

    To compare computer-based learning with traditional learning methods in studying advanced cardiac life support (ACLS). Prospective, randomized study. University hospital. Senior medical students were randomized to perform computer simulation and textbook study. Each group studied ACLS for 150 minutes. Tests were performed 1 week before, immediately after, and 1 week after the study period. Testing consisted of 20 questions. All questions were formulated in such a way that there was a single best answer. Each student also completed a questionnaire designed to assess computer skills, as well as satisfaction with and benefit from the study materials. Test scores improved after both textbook study and computer simulation study in both groups, although the improvement in scores was significantly higher for the textbook group only immediately after the study. There was no significant difference between groups in their computer skill and satisfaction with the study materials. The textbook group reported greater benefit from study materials than did the computer simulation group. Studying ACLS with a hard-copy textbook may be more effective than computer simulation for acquiring simple information during a brief period. However, the difference in effectiveness is likely transient.

  10. A Critical Discourse Analysis of Family and Friends Textbooks: Representation of Genderism

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Saeed Esmaeili

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available The present study employed a Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA approach to investigate the linguistic representation of male and female social actors in Family and Friends 4, 5 and 6. To this end, van Leeuwen’s (1996 representational framework and Halliday and Matthiessen’s (2004 Transitivity Theory Model were adopted to reveal the ideology behind the constructions. The findings indicated a “sexist attitude” in favor of male social actors in which males were portrayed more than females and also had high activity. In addition, it was revealed that there was attempt to avoid traditional stereotypes of females in most parts of textbooks and women were not portrayed at home as housewives engaged in child care, however, it can be claimed that they suffered most obviously from low visibility. The findings may help EFL teachers, material developers and policy makers to be aware of equality/inequality issues in textbooks in order to make an equality perspective to learners.

  11. Learning English with Electronic Textbooks on Tablet PCs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Chih-cheng

    2017-01-01

    Previous studies on electronic textbooks were all survey studies of college students in the U.S.A. Their main findings revealed that using electronic textbooks and using print textbooks showed no statistical differences in learning achievements. As mobile devices became popular in classrooms, the present study was intended to confirm the…

  12. Manufacturing Visions of Society and History in Textbooks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Perlmutter, David D.

    1997-01-01

    Finds that the secondary-school textbook vision of society is homogenized and sanitized to reduce the risk of controversy. Reveals three domains of control that influence textbook visual content: industrial (how the image world of a textbook is created); commercial (marketing pressures); and social (interest groups that influence the visual…

  13. The Spanish Language textbook in Chile and Cuba

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jorge Marcelo Ayzum Echeverría

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available The paper presents a description and analysis of the content of textbook of Language and Communication (Spanish in Cuba considering the indispensable tasks for fostering a developmental learning. A comparative analysis of fourth year Cuban and Chilean textbook contents was carried following certain criteria that normally promote good learning practices. Once the textbooks were compared, the findings suggest that school textbooks should be selected on the basis of the criteria taken as reference, in the meantime, such criteria may lead teacher to design complementary tasks.

  14. Representations of race and skin tone in medical textbook imagery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Louie, Patricia; Wilkes, Rima

    2018-04-01

    Although a large literature has documented racial inequities in health care delivery, there continues to be debate about the potential sources of these inequities. Preliminary research suggests that racial inequities are embedded in the curricular edification of physicians and patients. We investigate this hypothesis by considering whether the race and skin tone depicted in images in textbooks assigned at top medical schools reflects the diversity of the U.S. We analyzed 4146 images from Atlas of Human Anatomy, Bates' Guide to Physical Examination & History Taking, Clinically Oriented Anatomy, and Gray's Anatomy for Students by coding race (White, Black, and Person of Color) and skin tone (light, medium, and dark) at the textbook, chapter, and topic level. While the textbooks approximate the racial distribution of the U.S. population - 62.5% White, 20.4% Black, and 17.0% Person of Color - the skin tones represented - 74.5% light, 21% medium, and 4.5% dark - overrepresent light skin tone and underrepresent dark skin tone. There is also an absence of skin tone diversity at the chapter and topic level. Even though medical texts often have overall proportional racial representation this is not the case for skin tone. Furthermore, racial minorities are still often absent at the topic level. These omissions may provide one route through which bias enters medical treatment. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  15. Coordinating Multiple Representations in a Reform Calculus Textbook

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chang, Briana L.; Cromley, Jennifer G.; Tran, Nhi

    2016-01-01

    Coordination of multiple representations (CMR) is widely recognized as a critical skill in mathematics and is frequently demanded in reform calculus textbooks. However, little is known about the prevalence of coordination tasks in such textbooks. We coded 707 instances of CMR in a widely used reform calculus textbook and analyzed the distributions…

  16. Dematerialization and Deformalization of the EFL/ESL Textbook - Literature Review and Relevant Issues

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meurant, Robert C.

    Rapid development and critical convergence of Information Communication Technologies is radically impacting education, particularly in second language acquisition, where the sudden availability of multimedia content and immediacy of distance communication offer specific advantage. The language classroom is evolving to integrate computer-mediated learning and communication with traditional schooling; digitization and the Internet mean the textbook is evolving from inert hard copy that is consumed, to dynamic e-texts that students participate in. The emergence of English as a Global Language, with the primary role of English on the Internet, means that the transition from fixed hard copy to fluid online digital environment is particularly evident in EFL/ESL. I review research, trace ways in which this transition occurs, and speculate on how, under the impact of ICTs and their convergence, the EFL/ESL textbook will reform, and may even disappear as a stand-alone entity.

  17. Usability of PDF based Digital Textbooks to the Physically Disabled University Student.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oku, Hidehisa; Matsubara, Kayoko; Booka, Masayuki

    2015-01-01

    Digital textbooks have been expected for providing multimedia information that the print textbooks could not handle. The original digital textbook can be fabricated relatively easily by using Epub or DAISY. Print textbooks are, however, employed as textbooks in the most of lectures in universities. Therefore, it is considered necessary to convert the content of the print textbook to the digital textbook simply and in a short time. In this paper, the digital textbook using PDF files of the print textbook was suggested as one of simple and practical solution to provide an alternative textbook for the physically disabled university student who has difficulty handling the print textbook. Then usability of the suggested method was evaluated experimentally from the point of workload. Result of the experiment indicates that the digital textbook fabricated as the alternative one for the print textbook by the suggested method has a potential to reduce workload for the physically disabled university students. In addition, the digital textbook with larger LCD display needs less workload than the print textbook. Then, there are not so much difference in the workload between the print book which is smaller than the print textbook and the digital book made from the print book.

  18. Paper-Based Textbooks with Audio Support for Print-Disabled Students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fujiyoshi, Akio; Ohsawa, Akiko; Takaira, Takuya; Tani, Yoshiaki; Fujiyoshi, Mamoru; Ota, Yuko

    2015-01-01

    Utilizing invisible 2-dimensional codes and digital audio players with a 2-dimensional code scanner, we developed paper-based textbooks with audio support for students with print disabilities, called "multimodal textbooks." Multimodal textbooks can be read with the combination of the two modes: "reading printed text" and "listening to the speech of the text from a digital audio player with a 2-dimensional code scanner." Since multimodal textbooks look the same as regular textbooks and the price of a digital audio player is reasonable (about 30 euro), we think multimodal textbooks are suitable for students with print disabilities in ordinary classrooms.

  19. Teachers' Use of Textbooks in the Digital Age

    Science.gov (United States)

    Knight, Bruce Allen

    2015-01-01

    This paper explores teachers' use of textbooks in the digital age. After discussing student expectancies and needs, textbook use and the affordances of modern technology, the paper reports the results of a small-scale pilot study involving eight higher education teachers in Australia who discuss the use of textbooks in higher education in the…

  20. Textbook difference

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bennike, Rune Bolding

    2015-01-01

    space. However, it also highlights how this schooling concomitantly extended a language of ‘anthropological’ and ‘ecological’ difference with which to organise and negotiate this space. Below the textbook surface of unity-in-diversity, remnants of imperial caste and racial hierarchies remained. And...

  1. GRAMMATICAL SYLLABUS AND EFL TEXTBOOKS: THE NEED FOR CONSCIOUSNESS-RAISING ACTIVITIES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sasan Baleghizadeh

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available In this paper, the role of the grammatical syllabus in EFL settings is examined. To this end, the grammatical syllabus and its shortcomings are first explored. It is then argued that the grammatical syllabus is perhaps the best channel through which grammar instruction can take shape, and hence the importance of grammar instruction is discussed. Finally, the concept of consciousness-raising activities is introduced and it is suggested that the explicit presentation of grammar in traditional EFL textbooks still used in certain settings be replaced by consciousness-raising activities.

  2. Consumer Economics and Consumer Mathematics Textbooks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eastern Michigan Univ., Ypsilanti. National Inst. for Consumer Education.

    This publication lists a selection of consumer economics and consumer mathematics textbooks available for review from the National Institute for Consumer Education. Twenty-six textbooks for the secondary level are cited. Nine advanced level texts are also listed. These texts are generally considered college level texts but could be adapted for…

  3. Learning by Computer Simulation Does Not Lead to Better Test Performance on Advanced Cardiac Life Support Than Textbook Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Jong Hoon; Kim, Won Oak; Min, Kyeong Tae; Yang, Jong Yoon; Nam, Yong Taek

    2002-01-01

    For an effective acquisition and the practical application of rapidly increasing amounts of information, computer-based learning has already been introduced in medical education. However, there have been few studies that compare this innovative method to traditional learning methods in studying advanced cardiac life support (ACLS). Senior medical students were randomized to computer simulation and a textbook study. Each group studied ACLS for 150 minutes. Tests were done one week before, immediately after, and one week after the study period. Testing consisted of 20 questions. All questions were formulated in such a way that there was a single best answer. Each student also completed a questionnaire designed to assess computer skills as well as satisfaction with and benefit from the study materials. Test scores improved after both textbook study and computer simulation study in both groups but the improvement in scores was significantly higher for the textbook group only immediately after the study. There was no significant difference between groups in their computer skill and satisfaction with the study materials. The textbook group reported greater benefit from study materials than did the computer simulation group. Studying ACLS with a hard copy textbook may be more effective than computer simulation for the acquisition of simple information during a brief period. However, the difference in effectiveness is likely transient.

  4. TREATMENT OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN VARIATION, CHANGE AND GRAMMAR IN TEXTBOOKS OF SECONDARY EDUCATION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eliete Figueira BATISTA DA SILVEIRA

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available The focus on variation and change is observed in sociolinguistic academic and scientific research and recommended in the guidelines of PCN. However, the negative valuation of the various standards and improper use of discoveries and linguistic terms are revealed in the textbooks examined. We treat this issue from a perspective of critical appreciation of the advances, inconsistencies and theoretical-descriptive deficiencies found in high school textbooks. We discuss the definition of the space of cultured norms and standard in the midst of a Brazilian reality of diverse discourses guided by various rules, and we have made explicit the contributions of sociolinguistic studies for teaching. Proved necessary to apply this knowledge to the development of teaching materials, regulated by an exploiter teaching of linguistic heterogeneity and deconstructing the discourse of monolithic and homogeneous language. The valuation of the various standards enable the citizen to the development of intellectual autonomy and critical by modifying the current reality of massive illiteracy. This will be possible with the dialogue between scientific knowledge and the authors/publishers of textbooks.

  5. The Introductory Psychology Textbook Market: Perceptions of Authors and Editors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Griggs, Richard A.; Jackson, Sherri L.

    1989-01-01

    Surveys psychology textbook authors and editors on their perceptions of the introductory psychology textbook market. Finds that the textbook market is divided into three levels according to quality, and that authors and editors are not familiar with most textbooks. Notes that the growth of used book companies has adversely affected the market.…

  6. Who's Who in Introductory Psychology Textbooks: A Citation Analysis Redux

    Science.gov (United States)

    Griggs, Richard A.; Christopher, Andrew N.

    2016-01-01

    It is important to assess periodically how introductory textbooks portray our discipline because introductory psychology is the most popular psychology course, almost all teachers use textbooks for it, and textbooks play a major role in defining the course for students. To do so, past studies have used textbook citation analyses. We analyzed…

  7. A Thorough Scrutiny of ELT Textbook Evaluations: A Review Inquiry

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Reza Gholami

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available It is thoroughly agreed that English language textbooks stand amongst the foremost components in any language classrooms worldwide, being referred to as valid, beneficial and labor-saving tools to fulfill an extensive range of needs. An ELT textbook is not merely a set of sheets of paper fastened together to hinge at one side, but is the beating heart of any education system whereupon the whole learning revolves. Notwithstanding their interminable benefits, it is admitted that still the compiled textbooks, especially the ones prescribed in Educational systems have to be evaluated and assessed to confirm whether they fulfil the objectives they are meant for or not, as it is said no perfect textbook exists. Having dealt with evaluation in general, this research meticulously elaborates on textbook evaluation more specifically concluding that there is a dearth of inquiry on textbook selection and evaluation. Afterwards, this research introduces the most common approaches for evaluating ELT textbooks and materials. The paper culminates with concluding remarks and implications, hoping to shed light on how textbook evaluation is practiced worldwide.

  8. Results of a Textbook Survey Given in Introductory Astronomy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Willoughby, Shannon

    2007-05-01

    Textbooks are required for virtually all college science courses taught around the country, but whether students use them and find them valuable is not clear. In order to get a better idea about what the students thought of the textbook and how they spent their time using it, an anonymous survey was taken by 305 (out of 400) students enrolled in Physics 101 during the Fall semester of 2005. Developed and administered by www.textrev.com, this is a free survey that college faculty may use for physics and chemistry textbooks. This survey revealed two interesting points. First, although 75% of the students found the textbook to be moderately to very challenging, only 38% of students reported spending 2 or more hours per week reading the text. Reading was assigned the majority of class periods, with the intention that they would read the material before it was covered in class. Second, 81% of the students found that the end of chapter problems were moderately to very challenging, but 62% reported spending one hour or less per week working on the assigned questions. Homework was assigned regularly from the textbook for the first half of the class, after which point we experimented with an online homework system. Next semester a new textbook is being adopted for this class, which has no color pictures and is significantly slimmer than the current textbook. This textbook survey will be given again at the end of next semester to look for any changes in textbook usage.

  9. Sex division of labour in Syrian school textbooks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alrabaa, Sami

    1985-12-01

    The sexist division of labour, particularly in the occupational sector, which is believed to be more eminent in developing countries than in the developed ones, is reinforced by school textbooks. This state of affairs is hampering sex-role equality on the way to emancipation. Various Syrian school textbooks have been scrutinized and proved to be malebiased in content and language. Despite quantitative growth of education, the emancipatory quality of the school textbooks leaves much to be desired. The government has had the chance since 1963 to produce textbooks conductive to its promise of sex-role equality in education. The textbooks portray males for a bustling world of decision making, while conditioning the females to seek fulfilment in the background where servitude and support are the only requirement. Females are derogated and victimized. These contents, which are internalized at school and reproduced in society, certainly do not serve development. The exclusion of one-half of the population from contributing to the tasks of development is a waste of human talent which no society can afford. Furthermore, the sexist portrayal of females in Syrian textbooks is a pale reflection of Arab women in Arab history and literature.

  10. Scientific explanations in Greek upper secondary physics textbooks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Velentzas, Athanasios; Halkia, Krystallia

    2018-01-01

    In this study, an analysis of the structure of scientific explanations included in physics textbooks of upper secondary schools in Greece was completed. In scientific explanations for specific phenomena found in the sample textbooks, the explanandum is a logical consequence of the explanans, which in all cases include at least one scientific law (and/or principle, model or rule) previously presented, as well as statements concerning a specific case or specific conditions. The same structure is also followed in most of the cases in which the textbook authors explain regularities (i.e. laws, rules) as consequences of one or more general law or principle of physics. Finally, a number of the physics laws and principles presented in textbooks are not deduced as consequences from other, more general laws, but they are formulated axiomatically or inductively derived and the authors argue for their validity. Since, as it was found, the scientific explanations presented in the textbooks used in the study have similar structures to the explanations in internationally known textbooks, the findings of the present work may be of interest not only to science educators in Greece, but also to the community of science educators in other countries.

  11. Motivating students to read the textbook before class

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pepper, Rachel E.

    2016-11-01

    Many faculty in STEM courses assign textbook reading in advance of lecture, yet evidence shows few students actually read the textbook. Those students that do read often do so only after the material has been presented in class. Preparing for class by reading the textbook beforehand improves student learning and is particularly critical for classes that employ active engagement strategies. Here I present strategies I have used to successfully motivate my students to read the textbook before class in physics classes ranging from introductory algebra-based physics to advanced courses for physics majors. In the introductory course, I used pre-class reading quizzes, a common strategy that has been shown effective in previous studies, but one that is somewhat time-consuming to implement. In my more advanced courses I used reading reflections, which required considerably less time. While it was typical for less than 25% of students to read the textbook before I implemented reading quizzes or reflections, after implementing these strategies 70-90% of students reported reading the textbook before class most of the time. Students also report finding both the readings themselves and the quizzes and reflections valuable for their learning.

  12. Student Perceptions of Textbook Layout and Learnability in Private Schools

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alefiyah Hoshangabadwala

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available This research is an exploratory study that investigates students’ perceptions pertinent to textbook layout and organization and their evaluation of the textbook ease of learning. The objective is to find out whether the layout dynamics of school textbooks make any difference in students’ interest in studying or subject understanding. 73 students from various private schools of Pakistan’s cosmopolitan city Karachi responded to a quantitative survey that gauged their perceptions regarding textbook components such as paper, print, color, and textbook pedagogical features. Findings indicate that students rank print and color above paper quality, and that there is no particular relationship between a book layout and the actual use of textbooks.

  13. Textbooks on the Move: Transforming a Textbook Collection

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferguson, Yoko Inagi; Riley-Reid, Trevar

    2017-01-01

    Recently, The City College of New York (CCNY) libraries engaged in a collaborative project to transfer the bibliographic holdings for textbook course reserves to a new module when their integrated library systems, the Ex Libris Aleph Integrated Library System, underwent a system upgrade. In this article, the Chief of Circulation and the Chief of…

  14. A content analysis of physical science textbooks with regard to the nature of science and ethnic diversity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brooks, Kristine M.

    nature of science and what is the balance of ethnic diversity in the participants in science (students and scientists) in physical science textbooks? To establish an answer to these questions, this investigation used content analysis. For the balance of the four aspects of the nature of science, the analysis was conducted on random page samples of five physical science textbooks. A random sampling of the pages within the physical science textbooks should be sufficient to represent the content of the textbooks (Garcia, 1985). For the balance of ethnic diversity of the participants in science, the analysis was conducted on all pictures or drawings of students and scientists within the content of the five textbooks. One of these IPC books is under current use in a large, local school district and the other four were published during the same, or similar, year. Coding procedures for the sample used two sets of coders. One set of coders have previously analyzed for the nature of science in a study on middle school science textbooks (Phillips, 2006) and the coders for ethnic diversity are public school teachers who have worked with ethnically diverse students for over ten years. Both sets of coders were trained and the reliability of their coding checked before coding the five textbooks. To check for inter-coder reliability, percent agreement, Cohen's kappa and Krippendorff's alpha were calculated. The results from this study indicate that science as a body of knowledge and science as a way of investigating are the prevalent themes of the nature of science in the five physical science textbooks. This investigation also found that there is an imbalance in the ethnic diversity of students and scientists portrayed within the chapters of the physical science textbooks studied. This imbalance reflects ratios that are neither equally balanced nor in align with the U.S. Census. Given that textbooks are the main sources of information in most classrooms, the imbalance of the nature of

  15. Waste management - textbook for secondary schools

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chmielewska, E.; Kuruc, J.

    2010-09-01

    This text-book consist of five parts: (I) Waste management; (II) Solid waste management; (III) Recovery and recycling of secondary raw materials; (IV) Radioactive waste management; Examples of verification knowledge and testing of the secondary students through the worksheet. (V) Suggestions for leisure time activities. This text-book is assigned for high school students.

  16. Gender bias in Islamic textbooks for Muslim children in Indonesia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Suwardi Suwardi

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Textbook has a strong influence on the formation of children’s attitudes and value system. Therefore, Islamic textbooks as the main learning source for Muslim children in Indonesia need to consider the gender equality. This is very important to note, because feminists often view that Islam contains teachings of gender inequality. Islam places men in the higher position, while women are placed in the lower position. For example, men can be imam for women in prayer, but women cannot be imam for men. It is easier for children to learn textbook material presented in pictures. Therefore, the pictures presented in Islamic textbooks ideally do not contain gender bias. So, a research is needed to know if there is gender bias in the pictures presented in Islamic textbooks taught to Muslim children in Indonesia. To prove it, a literary research is conducted on the Islamic textbooks taught to the first grade Muslim student of Islamic Elementary School/ Madrasah Ibtidaiyah (MI in Indonesia which includes pictures in their teaching materials. Islamic textbooks studied in the research include Fikih, Akidah Akhlak, and Arabic textbooks. The results of this study conclude that the pictures presented in Islamic textbooks taught in Muslim children in Indonesia contain gender bias. The man favor pictures are more than those of woman favor. Based on the conclusion, this study recommends an improvement of pictures presented in Islamic textbooks taught to Muslim children in Indonesia.

  17. Using the "Economics U$A" Telecourse within the Traditional Microeconomics Course.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alavi, Jafar; And Others

    1993-01-01

    A control group of 31 received traditional microeconomics instruction; 20 experimentals viewed the Economics U$A telecourse with lecture, discussion, and textbook. Pre/posttest data demonstrated no significant differences in comprehension of content or in cognitive level, although the video group did do better in the area of implicit application.…

  18. Good Bye Traditional Budgeting, Hello Rolling Forecast: Has the Time Come?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zeller, Thomas L.; Metzger, Lawrence M.

    2013-01-01

    This paper argues for a new approach to accounting textbook budgeting material. The business environment is not stable. Change is continuous, for large and small business alike. A business must act and react to generate shareholder value. The rolling forecast provides the necessary navigational insight. The traditional annual static budget does…

  19. RHETORIC AND IDEOLOGY IN ECONOMICS TEXTBOOKS: AN OVERVIEW

    OpenAIRE

    ABA, Anıl

    2018-01-01

    This paper reviews the somewhat disconnected studies on the introductory level economics textbooks. First, specifying the best-sellers, it is argued that there is visible standardization and concentration in the textbook market. Second, studies focusing on the rhetorical and ideological aspects of economics textbooks are reviewed. While the heterodoxy, with determination, asserts that economics is inherently political and ideological, the mainstream, understandably, tends to deny the ideologi...

  20. Textbook Forum: The Nernst Equation in High School Textbooks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Perrine, Daniel M.

    1984-01-01

    Presents a problem on nonstandard concentrations at nonstandard temperature modeled after an example problem on the Nernst equation found in a high school chemistry textbook. Discusses why the problem is incorrect, offering a second problem which is correctly solved. Implications for teaching the Nernst equation are considered. (JN)

  1. Reasoning and Proving Opportunities in Textbooks: A Comparative Analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hong, Dae S.; Choi, Kyong Mi

    2018-01-01

    In this study, we analyzed and compared reasoning and proving opportunities in geometry lessons from American standard-based textbooks and Korean textbooks to understand how these textbooks provide student opportunities to engage in reasoning and proving activities. Overall, around 40% of exercise problems in Core Plus Mathematics Project (CPMP)…

  2. Islam in the Classroom: What The Textbooks Tell Us

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sewall, Gilbert T.

    2008-01-01

    This review samples ten of the nation's most widely used junior and senior high school history textbooks comparing what respected historians say about Islam in authoritative histories to what is being said in textbooks. It assesses how today's history textbooks characterize Islam's foundations and creeds; changes and additions that have occurred…

  3. Evaluation of Malaysian English Language Teaching Textbooks

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jayakaran Mukundan

    2013-07-01

    Full Text Available Research in materials evaluation has been an important focus in ELT since the 1980s. The objective of the present study is to evaluate the general attributes of the textbooks and to evaluate the learning-teaching content. In this study, 944 male and female English teachers (Year 1 to Year 6 & Form 1 to Form 5 evaluated the English books using a valid and reliable checklist. In terms of general attributes and learning-teaching content of the textbooks, the results showed that Year 1 to Year 6 teachers reported that the current textbooks are ‘highly useful’ to the students, whereas Form 1 to Form 5 teachers contended that the school books are only ‘moderately useful’. The findings of this study can be useful for curricula designers and Ministry of Education as a reference for improving or modifying the textbooks.

  4. Secondary-school chemistry textbooks in the 19th century

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Milanović Vesna D.

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available The teaching of chemistry in Serbia as a separate subject dates from 1874. The first secondary-school chemistry textbooks appeared in the second half of the 19th century. The aim of this paper is to gain insight, by analysing two secondary-school chemistry textbooks, written by Sima Lozanić (1895 and Mita Petrović (1892, into what amount of scientific knowledge from the sphere of chemistry was presented to secondary school students in Serbia in the second half of the 19th century, and what principles textbooks written at the time were based on. Within the framework of the research conducted, we defined the criteria for assessing the quality of secondary-school chemistry textbooks in the context of the time they were written in. The most important difference between the two textbooks under analysis that we found pertained to the way in which their contents were organized. Sima Lozanić’s textbook is characterized by a greater degree of systematicness when it comes to the manner of presenting its contents and consistency of approach throughout the book. In both textbooks one can perceive the authors’ attempts to link chemistry-related subjects to everyday life, and to point out the practical significance of various substances, as well as their toxicness.

  5. ACADEMIC TEXTBOOKS AS A MEDIUM FOR STUDENTS’ INTELLECT DEVELOPMENT IN TEACHING MATHEMATICS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Emanuila G. Gelfman

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract. The aim of the publication is to demonstrate the implementation results of the “Mathematics, Psychology, Intellect” (MPI educational project used for selecting and devising the new textbook content for multipurpose learning activities and students’ intellect development in comprehensive schools.The methodology, based on the psycho-didactic approach, involves the analysis of the existing experience of textbooks development, including the traditional reference and narrative books, and the ones, organized as a dialogue with a student-reader and oriented toward the facts comprehension and reasoning. In the context of the reader-oriented theory, the author proves the advantages of special developmental materials complying with the enrichment model.Research results describe mathematical textbooks and learning materials development for secondary schools including students’ books, practicum and workbooks for independent study, and computer software for the 5 to 9th –year students. Secondly, the authors denote the psycho-didactic typology of and requirements for developmental texts.Scientific novelty is related to the specificity of the given academic texts, conveying the structure of the formal mathematical knowledge on the one hand, and on the other hand - developing the basic components of students’ mental experience (including cognitive, conceptual, metacognitive and intentional ones, and creating the conditions for exercising the individual cognitive styles.Practical significance results from activating the individual intellectual resources of school leavers, developing their learning ability and readiness for the future innovative professional and personal life.

  6. ACADEMIC TEXTBOOKS AS A MEDIUM FOR STUDENTS’ INTELLECT DEVELOPMENT IN TEACHING MATHEMATICS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Emanuila G. Gelfman

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract. The aim of the publication is to demonstrate the implementation results of the “Mathematics, Psychology, Intellect” (MPI educational project used for selecting and devising the new textbook content for multipurpose learning activities and students’ intellect development in comprehensive schools.The methodology, based on the psycho-didactic approach, involves the analysis of the existing experience of textbooks development, including the traditional reference and narrative books, and the ones, organized as a dialogue with a student-reader and oriented toward the facts comprehension and reasoning. In the context of the reader-oriented theory, the author proves the advantages of special developmental materials complying with the enrichment model.Research results describe mathematical textbooks and learning materials development for secondary schools including students’ books, practicum and workbooks for independent study, and computer software for the 5 to 9th –year students. Secondly, the authors denote the psycho-didactic typology of and requirements for developmental texts.Scientific novelty is related to the specificity of the given academic texts, conveying the structure of the formal mathematical knowledge on the one hand, and on the other hand - developing the basic components of students’ mental experience (including cognitive, conceptual, metacognitive and intentional ones, and creating the conditions for exercising the individual cognitive styles.Practical significance results from activating the individual intellectual resources of school leavers, developing their learning ability and readiness for the future innovative professional and personal life.

  7. Top Textbooks on Reserve: Creating, Promoting, and Assessing a Program to Help Meet Students' Need for Affordable Textbooks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thompson, Hilary H.; Cotton, Jennifer E. M.

    2017-01-01

    In Fall 2014 the University of Maryland Libraries launched a textbook reserves program to help relieve the burden of high textbook costs on students. Although its initial performance was lackluster, workflow refinements and expanded promotion greatly improved usage, resulting in a tenfold increase in circulation and expansion of the program. This…

  8. Emerging Technologies: E-Textbooks, One Piece of the Puzzle

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wiese, Melanie; Du Plessis, Giselle

    2017-01-01

    The Internet has not only brought about a new technological era, but also seen the introduction of a number of emerging technologies such as e-textbooks. However, the slow acceptance of e-textbooks is an issue of concern. The objective of this study is to investigate students' perceptions and use of e-textbooks. Data was collected by using a…

  9. Islam and Muslim Life in Current Bavarian Geography Textbooks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zecha, Stefanie; Popp, Stephan; Yasar, Aysun

    2016-01-01

    This paper investigates the Islam and Muslim life in German textbooks. The study is based on the analysis of current Geography textbooks in Bavarian secondary schools. As a first step, the authors developed a system for objective analysis of the textbooks that structures the content in categories. In a second step, the authors used the qualitative…

  10. "Essential Principles of Economics:" A Hypermedia Textbook.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McCain, Roger A.

    2000-01-01

    Discusses an electronic textbook called "Essential Principles of Economics." Explains that economic concepts are found by following links from the table of contents, while each chapter includes both expository information and interactive material including online multiple-choice drill questions. States that the textbook is a "work…

  11. Physics that Textbook Writers Usually Get Wrong: III.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bauman, Robert P.

    1992-01-01

    Examines inconsistencies in science textbook discussions of vector quantities and force. Provides illustrations of textbook inconsistencies related to Newton's laws of motion and the concepts of centrifugal and coriolis force. (MDH)

  12. Comparing the development of the multiplication of fractions in Turkish and American textbooks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kar, Tuğrul; Güler, Gürsel; Şen, Ceylan; Özdemir, Ercan

    2018-02-01

    This study analyzed the methods used to teach the multiplication of fractions in Turkish and American textbooks. Two Turkish textbooks and two American textbooks, Everyday Mathematics (EM) and Connected Mathematics 3 (CM), were analyzed. The analyses focused on the content and the nature of the mathematical problems presented in the textbooks. The findings of the study showed that the American textbooks aimed at developing conceptual understanding first and then procedural fluency, whereas the Turkish textbooks aimed at developing both concurrently. The American textbooks provided more opportunities for different computational strategies. The solutions to most problems in all textbooks required a single computational step, a numerical answer, and procedural knowledge. Furthermore, compared with the Turkish textbooks, the American textbooks contained a greater number of problems that required high-level cognitive skills such as mathematical reasoning.

  13. Assessing Prinary School; Second Cycle Social Science Textbooks ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Assessing Prinary School; Second Cycle Social Science Textbooks in ... second cycle primary level social science textbooks vis-à-vis the principles of multiculturalism. ... Biases were disclosed in gender, economic and occupational roles.

  14. The Findings and Activities of the Texas Commission on Braille Textbook Production. A Report from the State Board of Education, Submitted to the Governor, Lt. Governor, Speaker, and the Seventy-Third Texas Legislature. Excellence and Equity for All Students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Texas Education Agency, Austin.

    This report describes activities and recommendations of the Texas Commission on Braille Textbook Production, which monitors the acquisition Commission on Braille Textbook Production. The primary purpose of the commission is to monitor the expeditious acquisition of publisher computerized files in the form of textbook diskettes which are needed for…

  15. Good practice in reviewing and publishing studies on herbal medicine, with special emphasis on traditional Chinese medicine and Chinese materia medica.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chan, Kelvin; Shaw, Debbie; Simmonds, Monique S J; Leon, Christine J; Xu, Qihe; Lu, Aiping; Sutherland, Ian; Ignatova, Svetlana; Zhu, You-Ping; Verpoorte, Rob; Williamson, Elizabeth M; Duez, Pierre

    2012-04-10

    Studies on traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), like those of other systems of traditional medicine (TM), are very variable in their quality, content and focus, resulting in issues around their acceptability to the global scientific community. In an attempt to address these issues, an European Union funded FP7 consortium, composed of both Chinese and European scientists and named "Good practice in traditional Chinese medicine" (GP-TCM), has devised a series of guidelines and technical notes to facilitate good practice in collecting, assessing and publishing TCM literature as well as highlighting the scope of information that should be in future publications on TMs. This paper summarises these guidelines, together with what has been learned through GP-TCM collaborations, focusing on some common problems and proposing solutions. The recommendations also provide a template for the evaluation of other types of traditional medicine such as Ayurveda, Kampo and Unani. GP-TCM provided a means by which experts in different areas relating to TCM were able to collaborate in forming a literature review good practice panel which operated through e-mail exchanges, teleconferences and focused discussions at annual meetings. The panel involved coordinators and representatives of each GP-TCM work package (WP) with the latter managing the testing and refining of such guidelines within the context of their respective WPs and providing feedback. A Good Practice Handbook for Scientific Publications on TCM was drafted during the three years of the consortium, showing the value of such networks. A "deliverable - central questions - labour division" model had been established to guide the literature evaluation studies of each WP. The model investigated various scoring systems and their ability to provide consistent and reliable semi-quantitative assessments of the literature, notably in respect of the botanical ingredients involved and the scientific quality of the work described. This

  16. Representations of the Nature of Scientific Knowledge in Turkish Biology Textbooks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Irez, Serhat

    2016-01-01

    Considering the impact of textbooks on learning, this study set out to assess representations of the nature of scientific knowledge in Turkish 9th grade biology textbooks. To this end, the ten most commonly used 9th grade biology textbooks were analyzed. A qualitative research approach was utilized and the textbooks were analyzed using…

  17. Textbooks for Responsible Data Analysis in Excel

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garrett, Nathan

    2015-01-01

    With 27 million users, Excel (Microsoft Corporation, Seattle, WA) is the most common business data analysis software. However, audits show that almost all complex spreadsheets have errors. The author examined textbooks to understand why responsible data analysis is taught. A purposeful sample of 10 textbooks was coded, and then compared against…

  18. Principles of Economics Textbooks: Innovation and Product Differentiation--A Response.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sichel, Werner

    1988-01-01

    Focusing on areas of contention, the author responds to "Principles of Economics Textbooks: Innovation and Product Differentiation" by Stiglitz. Contends that Stiglitz's description of principles textbooks is insufficient, states that the textbook market is more oligopolistic than monopolistic, and cautions writers against deleting parts…

  19. Herbal Medicines: from Traditional Medicine to Modern Experimental Approaches

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bahram Rasoulian

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Academic writings indicate that the medicinal use of plants dates back to 4000 - 5000 B.C. (1. Utilization of medicinal herbs has indeed a long history not only in human's life, but also in animals and there are some interesting evidences about the animals' self-medication, in both the prevention and treatment of diseases (2-5. The World Health Organization (WHO has recognized the importance of traditional medicines and created strategies, guidelines and standards for botanical medicines (6, 7. A significant part of those traditional text dealing with medicine, which were appreciated by ancient scientific communities worldwide, such as The Canon of Medicine by Persian physician–philosopher Ibn Sina (or Avicenna, 980 to 1032 AD, is allocated to herbal medicines. The Canon explores nearly 500 medicinal plants and herbal drugs. It should be noted that this book was used as a medical textbook in Europe until the 17th century AD (8, 9. Although there are important evidences about using some kinds of experimental approaches in traditional medicine (8, the efficacy of such approaches is in doubt because it is generally agreed that they might have been part of physicians' personal experiences. Not only the demand for herbal drugs is growing in developing countries, but also there are some evidences that consumers in developed countries are becoming disillusioned with modern healthcare; hence, the demand for traditional alternatives including herbal medicines is increasing in developing countries (10. On the one hand, the increased interest in herbal medicines throughout the world (10, 11, on the other hand, the need for direct empirical evidence about the effectiveness of herbal medicines in the proper statistical society with the appropriate number and method, denote the significance of new studies about medicinal plants and publishing their results. Herbal Medicines Journal (eISSN: 2538-2144 reports valuable research results for researchers all

  20. Modern African Art: Getting beyond the Traditional To Recognize Contemporaneous Aesthetics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kader, Themina

    College students in art history courses study African art more frequently than in the past. Textbooks and videos, however, do not reflect the realities of creative expression today in Africa. Rather, African art dwells on the traditional arts of the west and southern regions of Africa. This paper focuses on eastern and southern sub-Saharan Africa…

  1. TECHNOLOGY FOR DEVELOPMENT OF ELECTRONIC TEXTBOOK ON HANDICRAFTS METHODOLOGY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Iryna V. Androshchuk

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available The main approaches to defining the concept of electronic textbook have been analyzed in the article. The main advantages of electronic textbooks in the context of future teachers’ training have been outlined. They are interactivity, feedback provision, availability of navigation and search engine. The author has presented and characterized the main stages in the technology of development of an electronic textbook on Handicraft and Technology Training Methodology: determination of its role and significance in the process of mastering the discipline; justification of its structure; outline of the stages of its development in accordance with the defined structure. The characteristic feature of the developed electronic textbook is availability of macro- and microstructure. Macrostructure is viewed as a sequence of components of the electronic textbook that are manifested in its content; microstructure is considered to be an internal pattern of each component of macrostructure.

  2. The Educational Design of Textbooks: A Text for Being Interdisciplinary

    Science.gov (United States)

    Golding, Clinton

    2014-01-01

    This paper provides insights into both the educational design of textbooks and interdisciplinary education. The author introduces two educational principles for textbook design--instructional alignment and balancing diversity and meaningful guidance for readers--and applies them to writing his own textbook chapter for being interdisciplinary. The…

  3. Marketing mix - project of a textbook for business academies

    OpenAIRE

    Zatloukalová, Zuzana

    2010-01-01

    The thesis deals with project of a textbook for business academies. The theme of the chapter of the textbook is marketing mix. The project is made in such a way the students get total information on these problems. The extant of the theme is intended for students of higher classes. The project consists of theoretical part (textbook, exercise book) and practical part (teaching at business academy).

  4. Domesticating Physics: Introductory Physics Textbooks for Women in Home Economics in the United States, 1914-1955

    Science.gov (United States)

    Behrman, Joanna

    2017-01-01

    Technologies such as electrical appliances entered American households on a large scale only after many decades of promotion to the public. The genre of "household physics" textbooks was one such form of promotion that was directed towards assumed white, female and largely middle-class home economics students. Published from the 1910s to…

  5. Open Introductory Psychology Textbooks: Prose and Qualms

    Science.gov (United States)

    Griggs, Richard A.; Jackson, Sherri L.

    2017-01-01

    Given their high cost, many students no longer buy textbooks for all of their courses, impacting their learning and performance in these courses. This is especially prevalent at community colleges. Open (digitally free) textbooks constitute one solution to this problem, but the latest national survey of college faculty found that 66% were not…

  6. 46 CFR 310.63 - Uniforms and textbooks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... 46 Shipping 8 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Uniforms and textbooks. 310.63 Section 310.63 Shipping MARITIME ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TRAINING MERCHANT MARINE TRAINING Admission and Training of Midshipmen at the United States Merchant Marine Academy § 310.63 Uniforms and textbooks. The Academy shall supply midshipmen uniforms an...

  7. Communicating Physics and the Design of Textbooks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barojas, Jorge; Trigueros, Maria

    1991-01-01

    The planning of an introductory calculus textbook in classical mechanics is shown as an example of an approach to textbook design that uses four main cognitive categories: sources of learning, instruments of learning, processes of knowing, and mechanisms of knowing. The aspects, domains, description, and elements of each section of the textbook…

  8. Textbook Evaluation and Selection: A Professional Responsibility.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kachaturoff, Grace

    1982-01-01

    Discusses why teachers must help to review and/or select textbooks on a regular basis and how they can participate in this process. A slightly revised edition of the criteria used by the State of Michigan Social Studies Review Steering Committee illustrates critical factors that must be considered in evaluating textbooks. (SR)

  9. A Textbook Argument: Definitions of Argument in Leading Composition Textbooks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Knoblauch, A. Abby

    2011-01-01

    This essay examines the definitions and practices of argument perpetuated by popular composition textbooks, illustrating how even those texts that appear to forward expansive notions of argument ultimately limit it to an intent to persuade. In doing so, they help perpetuate constricted practices of argument within undergraduate composition…

  10. Plutonium and textbooks

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Silver, G.L.

    2008-01-01

    Chemical equilibrium is not characterized by equilibrium constants alone. At least one conservation principle is necessary. Textbook descriptions of plutonium chemistry that are based on two-reaction-product disproportionation equations, or do not recognize the conservation principles, are incomplete and potentially misleading. (author)

  11. INSTRUCTIONAL MANUALS OF BOUNDARY‐WORK: PSYCHOLOGY TEXTBOOKS, STUDENT SUBJECTIVITIES, AND DISCIPLINARY HISTORIOGRAPHIES

    Science.gov (United States)

    FLIS, IVAN

    2016-01-01

    This article aims to provide an overview of the historiography of psychology textbooks. In the overview, I identify and describe in detail two strands of writing histories of introductory textbooks of psychology and juxtapose them to provide an integrated historiography of textbooks in psychology. One strand is developed by teachers of psychology—first as a general approach for investigating textbooks in a pedagogical setting, and then later upgraded into a full history of psychology textbooks in America. The other strand follows a more familiar perspective of historians of science and historians of psychology who build on various post‐Kuhnian and post‐Foucauldian perspectives on textbooks. I make an argument for integrating these two views for a more comprehensive historiography of textbooks in psychology, recasting textbooks as objects of research and sources that are interesting sui generis for historians of psychology in their investigations. PMID:27152736

  12. Supporting Classroom Instruction: The Textbook Navigator/Journal

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cogan, Leland S.; Burroughs, Nathan; Schmidt, William H.

    2015-01-01

    Researchers at the Center for the Study of Curriculum at Michigan State University have developed a tool to help teachers implement the Common Core State Standards in mathematics by letting standards, not textbooks, guide their instruction. Using the web-based Textbook Navigator/Journal, teachers can pick a standard and ask which portions of the…

  13. Introduction: The secret lives of textbooks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vicedo, Marga

    2012-03-01

    Textbooks have a low status in the history of science because they have been seen as mere repositories for scientific knowledge. But historians have recently shown how they play a number of roles that can illuminate different aspects of the history of science, from priority disputes to pedagogical practices. The essays in this Focus section aim to expand our vision of textbooks further by showing how they perform various hybrid functions in scientific development.

  14. Student Perceptions of Textbook Layout and Learnability in Private Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoshangabadwala, Alefiyah

    2015-01-01

    This research is an exploratory study that investigates students' perceptions pertinent to textbook layout and organization and their evaluation of the textbook ease of learning. The objective is to find out whether the layout dynamics of school textbooks make any difference in students' interest in studying or subject understanding. 73 students…

  15. Automated Text Markup for Information Retrieval from an Electronic Textbook of Infectious Disease

    Science.gov (United States)

    Berrios, Daniel C.; Kehler, Andrew; Kim, David K.; Yu, Victor L.; Fagan, Lawrence M.

    1998-01-01

    The information needs of practicing clinicians frequently require textbook or journal searches. Making these sources available in electronic form improves the speed of these searches, but precision (i.e., the fraction of relevant to total documents retrieved) remains low. Improving the traditional keyword search by transforming search terms into canonical concepts does not improve search precision greatly. Kim et al. have designed and built a prototype system (MYCIN II) for computer-based information retrieval from a forthcoming electronic textbook of infectious disease. The system requires manual indexing by experts in the form of complex text markup. However, this mark-up process is time consuming (about 3 person-hours to generate, review, and transcribe the index for each of 218 chapters). We have designed and implemented a system to semiautomate the markup process. The system, information extraction for semiautomated indexing of documents (ISAID), uses query models and existing information-extraction tools to provide support for any user, including the author of the source material, to mark up tertiary information sources quickly and accurately.

  16. Which Cultural Aspects do The Textbooks of Teaching Turkish to Foreigners Transfer?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sami BASKIN

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Teaching a foreign language aims at not only teaching the language and language skills, but transferring the culture of the target language. The main reason for that is people learn the target language as a standby in addition to learning the language. It is important that the more individuals learn the cultural features of the country the more they understand the language better. It is an undeniable fact that language and culture are inseparable parts, so culture should be learned simultaneously while learning that language. Because of that relationship between language and culture, language teaching also means teaching culture. Foreign language textbooks reflect the characteristics of the language-speaking community and make it a cultural product of that language. This study is to identify the place and importance of the textbooks used in teaching Turkish to foreigners in the target language teaching and to research which cultural items these books convey. Thus,  A1-A2 level textbooks of the Turkish teaching set for Gazi Foreigners were selected as a sample and done document analysis to identify what these sources include in terms of "daily life, interpersonal relations, values and education, literature-arts and music, traditions and folklore, social life, geography and space, foreign (universal cultural elements". It was observed that the elements of Turkish culture concentrated on the relation between daily life and interpersonal relations, and there was no balanced distribution among other cultural elements. Therefore, these books need to be reviewed so that they can raise cultural awareness of the students.

  17. Misrepresentations of evolutionary psychology in sex and gender textbooks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Winegard, Benjamin M; Winegard, Bo M; Deaner, Robert O

    2014-05-20

    Evolutionary psychology has provoked controversy, especially when applied to human sex differences. We hypothesize that this is partly due to misunderstandings of evolutionary psychology that are perpetuated by undergraduate sex and gender textbooks. As an initial test of this hypothesis, we develop a catalog of eight types of errors and document their occurrence in 15 widely used sex and gender textbooks. Consistent with our hypothesis, of the 12 textbooks that discussed evolutionary psychology, all contained at least one error, and the median number of errors was five. The most common types of errors were "Straw Man," "Biological Determinism," and "Species Selection." We conclude by suggesting improvements to undergraduate sex and gender textbooks.

  18. 25 CFR 36.41 - Standard XIV-Textbooks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 25 Indians 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Standard XIV-Textbooks. 36.41 Section 36.41 Indians BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR EDUCATION MINIMUM ACADEMIC STANDARDS FOR THE BASIC EDUCATION OF INDIAN CHILDREN AND NATIONAL CRITERIA FOR DORMITORY SITUATIONS Instructional Support § 36.41 Standard XIV—Textbooks. (a) Each school shal...

  19. Nursing textbooks need to inform about spirituality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-09-21

    Considering the spiritual needs of patients is an important aspect of holistic patient care. However, many nurses lack knowledge and awareness of the subject, and spirituality is not strongly featured as a key part of holistic care in core nursing textbooks. The author argues that guidance given by nursing textbooks needs to be more applicable to practice.

  20. Developing Employability Skills in Information System Graduates: Traditional vs. Innovative Teaching Methods

    Science.gov (United States)

    Osmani, Mohamad; Hindi, Nitham M.; Weerakkody, Vishanth

    2018-01-01

    It is widely acknowledged that traditional teaching methods such as lectures, textbooks and case study techniques on their own are not adequate to improving the most in-demand employability skills for graduates. The aim of this article is to explore the potential impact that novel learning and teaching methods can have on improving the…

  1. The Prospect and Challenge of Textbook Research in English Language Education

    OpenAIRE

    王, 林鋒

    2014-01-01

    This paper respectively illustrates the development of generic textbook research and English language textbook research. The review of generic textbook research starts with the establishment of the field, then moves to the emergence of New Sociology of Education, and finally describes its research methodology as well. The development of English language textbook research is traced back to teaching material development in English-speaking countries. Following that, a survey of English language...

  2. Can National History Be De-Provincialized? U.S. History Textbook Controversies in the 1940s and 1990s

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thomas Bender

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available Thomas Bender’s 2009 essay “Can National History Be De-Provincialized? U.S. History Textbook Controversies in the 1940s and 1990s,” originally published in Contexts: The Journal of Educational Media, Memory, and Society, asks the important question of how a nation-specific curriculum in history—that is, how “American” history itself—can be taught with the least influence of political factions and the least interference of commercial factors, in light of the fact that both elements, the political and the commercial, have played a role in the construction of the US history textbook. Bender’s essay demonstrates the complexity of the problem as multiple stakeholders seek to control, limit, or promote particular elements of the narratives of US history. Professional historians, Bender argues, like history itself, have “no responsibility to supply comfort”—that is, no role in promoting nationalism or American exceptionalism—yet he also warns that, due to changes in the textbook industry, they also may have little role in determining what is finally published. Bender’s essay, which specifically discusses the impact of political conditions—World War II, for example—on the daily practice of teaching and writing about history, serves as an insightful reminder of the complexity and vulnerability of a nation’s memory.

  3. The Living Textbook of Nuclear Chemistry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Loveland, W.; Gallant, A.; Joiner, C.

    2005-01-01

    The Living Textbook of Nuclear Chemistry (http://livingtextbook.orst.edu) is a website, which is a collection of supplemental materials for the teaching of nuclear and radiochemistry. It contains audio-video presentations of the history of nuclear chemistry, tutorial lectures by recognized experts on advanced topics in nuclear and radiochemistry, links to data compilations, articles, and monographs, an audio course on radiochemistry, on-line editions of textbooks, training videos, etc. All content has been refereed. (author)

  4. The Mediating Role of Textbooks in High-Stakes Assessment Reform

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leung, Ching Yin; Andrews, Stephen

    2012-01-01

    Whenever high-stakes assessment/curriculum reforms take place, new textbooks appear on the market. These textbooks inevitably play a significant mediating role in the implementation of any reform and on teaching and learning. This paper reports on a small-scale study which attempts to investigate the role of textbooks in the mediation of a…

  5. Critical analysis of science textbooks evaluating instructional effectiveness

    CERN Document Server

    2013-01-01

    The critical analysis of science textbooks is vital in improving teaching and learning at all levels in the subject, and this volume sets out a range of academic perspectives on how that analysis should be done. Each chapter focuses on an aspect of science textbook appraisal, with coverage of everything from theoretical and philosophical underpinnings, methodological issues, and conceptual frameworks for critical analysis, to practical techniques for evaluation. Contributions from many of the most distinguished scholars in the field give this collection its sure-footed contemporary relevance, reflecting the international standards of UNESCO as well as leading research organizations such as the American Association for the Advancement of Science (whose Project 2061 is an influential waypoint in developing protocols for textbook analysis). Thus the book shows how to gauge aspects of textbooks such as their treatment of controversial issues, graphical depictions, scientific historiography, vocabulary usage, acc...

  6. An innovative textbook: design and implementation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ortega, Rafael; Akhtar-Khavari, Vafa; Barash, Paul; Sharar, Sam; Stock, M Christine

    2017-12-01

    The 'flipped classroom' instructional strategy has gained much momentum in educational discourse, yet no single educational offering exists in postgraduate medical education (PME) to systematically replace the lecture element of didactic sessions. This article describes the design and implementation of Clinical Anesthesia Fundamentals, the first known textbook in PME addressing this gap in resources through the integration of full-length interactive multimedia-enhanced video lectures. The 'flipped classroom' instructional strategy has gained much momentum in educational discourse INNOVATION: The textbook was developed in alignment with the content outline for the specialty provided by the American Board of Anesthesiology. Its accompanying video lectures, produced at the Media Lab in the Department of Anesthesiology at Boston University Medical Center (BUMC), cover the topics in each chapter of the textbook and include review questions featuring explanatory feedback. Following a 5-month trial period at the BUMC Anesthesiology Residency Program, the complete resident class (25 of 25; 100%) participated in an anonymous, Institutional Review Board (IRB) -approved, five-point Likert-type scale survey assessing an underlying variable of preference for the use of multimedia learning tools. Survey results suggest that residents favour technology-enhanced learning environments in which textbooks are coupled with interactive multimedia, and the 'flipped classroom' approach is employed. Although the development of digital videos requires time and financial investment, the improved accessibility and uniform delivery of didactic content are two positive outcomes. This textbook provides an example for educators wishing to learn how to capitalise on advances in technology to further enhance learning and accessibility. Further studies could address the impact of this approach on the academic performance of residents. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd and The Association for the Study

  7. Trickle-down evolution: an approach to getting major evolutionary adaptive changes into textbooks and curricula.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Padian, Kevin

    2008-08-01

    Although contemporary high school and college textbooks of biology generally cover the principles and data of microevolution (genetic and populational change) and speciation rather well, coverage of what is known of the major changes in evolution (macroevolution), and how the evidence is understood is generally poor to nonexistent. It is critical to improve this because acceptance of evolution by the American public rests on the understanding of how we know what we know about the emergence of major new taxonomic groups, and about their adaptations, behaviors, and ecologies in geologic time. An efficient approach to this problem is to improve the illustrations in college textbooks to show the consilience of different lines of fossil, morphological, and molecular evidence mapped on phylogenies. Such "evograms" will markedly improve traditional illustrations of phylogenies, "menageries," and "companatomies." If "evograms" are installed at the college level, the basic principles and evidence of macroevolution will be more likely taught in K-12, thus providing an essential missing piece in biological education.

  8. « D’abord comprendre, puis apprendre ». À propos des manuels de FLE du point de vue de l’intertextualité // "First to understand, then to learn". french language textbooks form the point of view of intertextuality

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alena Prošková

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available The objective of the following contribution is to present an original point of view on language textbook analyses influenced by approaches commonly applied in the domain of literary science to describing complicated relations which exist between different types of literary texts. Firstly we mention traditional approaches to pedagogic research used in textbook analyses in the Czech education environment and their restrictions. The second part of the contribution focuses on the possible applications of the concept and typology of intertextual (transtextual relations formulated by Gérard Genette in his work Palimpsestes : la Littérature au second degré to the analysis of texts and intertextual relations comprised in language textbooks. Finally we try to show how this approach to textbook analysis can enrich existing textbook research by providing concrete examples from the French language textbook Alter Ego + A2.

  9. Sex Bias in Georgia High School Economics Textbooks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blankenship, Glen; Hahn, Carole L.

    1982-01-01

    Analyzes 17 secondary level economics textbooks for sex bias. All of the texts reviewed are on Georgia's approved textbook list. Without exception, each of the texts is guilty of sex bias, although to varying degrees. The method used in analyzing the texts is explained. (RM)

  10. The Financial Crisis and Principles of Economics Textbooks

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Madsen, Poul Thøis

    2013-01-01

    How have authors of widely used U.S. introductory economics textbooks responded to the traumatizing financial crisis? The answer interests textbook authors as well as the users. An encompassing quantitative and qualitative text analysis that applies new methods demonstrates that in general, the f...

  11. University students and faculty have positive perceptions of open/alternative resources and their utilization in a textbook replacement initiative

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nicole Delimont

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available This is contribution no. 16-114-J from the Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station.The Kansas State University Open/Alternative Textbook Initiative provides grants to faculty members to replace textbooks with open/alternative educational resources (OAERs that are available at no cost to students. Open educational resources are available for anyone to access, while alternative educational resources are not open. The objective of this study was to determine the perceptions towards OAERs and the initiative, of students enrolled in, and faculty members teaching, courses using OAERs. A survey was sent out to 2,074 students in 13 courses using the OAERs. A total of 524 (25.3% students completed the survey and a faculty member from each of the 13 courses using OAERs was interviewed. Students rated the OAERs as good quality, preferred using them instead of buying textbooks for their courses, and agreed that they would like OAERs used in other courses. Faculty felt that student learning was somewhat better and it was somewhat easier to teach using OAERs than when they used the traditional textbooks. Nearly all faculty members preferred teaching with OAERs and planned to continue to do so after the funding period. These results, combined with the tremendous savings to students, support the continued funding of the initiative and similar approaches at other institutions.

  12. [The brain in stereotaxic coordinates (a textbook for colleges)].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Budantsev, A Iu; Kisliuk, O S; Shul'govskiĭ, V V; Rykunov, D S; Iarkov, A V

    1993-01-01

    The present textbook is directed forward students of universities and medical colleges, young scientists and practicing doctors dealing with stereotaxic method. The Paxinos and Watson stereotaxic rat brain atlas (1982) is the basis of the textbook. The atlas has been transformed into computer educational program and seven laboratory works: insertion of the electrode into brain, microelectrophoresis, microinjection of drugs into brain, electrolytic destruction in the brain structures, local brain superfusion. The laboratory works are compiled so that they allow not only to study practical use of the stereotaxic method but to model simple problems involving stereotaxic surgery in the deep structures of brain. The textbook is intended for carrying by IBM PC/AT computers. The volume of the textbook is 1.7 Mbytes.

  13. Linking Contextual Factors with Rhetorical Pattern Shift: Direct and Indirect Strategies Recommended in English Business Communication Textbooks in China

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Junhua; Zhu, Pinfan

    2011-01-01

    Scholars have consistently claimed that rhetorical patterns are culturally bound, and indirectness is a defining characteristic of Chinese writing. Through examining how the rhetorical mechanism of directness and indirectness is presented in 29 English business communication textbooks published in China, we explore how English business…

  14. Teachers' selection and enactment of mathematical problems from textbooks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Son, Ji-Won; Kim, Ok-Kyeong

    2015-12-01

    In order to investigate how teachers' use of textbooks creates different kinds of opportunities for student learning, this study focused on teachers' selection and enactment of problems and tasks from the textbooks and their influence on the cognitive demand placed on students. By drawing on data from three elementary teachers in the USA, two of which used a reform-oriented textbook— Math Trailblazers and one a commercially developed textbook—this study examined kinds of problems the teachers chose and ways in which they enacted those problems in relation to the cognitive demand of the problems. In particular, we attended to the kinds of questions the teachers asked in enacting the problems and ways in which those questions influenced the cognitive demand of the textbook problems. This study also identified critical issues involved in teacher decision-making on task selection and enactment, such as the match between teachers' goals and those of the textbooks, and teachers' perception of textbook problems. Based on the results of the study, we discuss implications for teacher education and professional development.

  15. Indexing of Iranian Publications in Well-known Endodontic Textbooks: A Scientometric Analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kakooei, Sina; Mostafavi, Mahshid; Parirokh, Masoud; Asgary, Saeed

    2016-01-01

    Quoting an article in well-known textbooks is held as a credit for that paper. The numbers of Iranian publications mentioned in endodontic textbooks have increased during recent years. The aim of this investigation was to evaluate the number of Iranian articles quoted in eminent endodontic textbooks. Three known textbooks (Ingle's Endodontics, Seltzer and Bender's Dental Pulp and Cohen's Pathways of the Pulp) were chosen and all the editions of the textbooks since 2000 were investigated for quoted Iranian publications. Only Iranian authors with affiliations from a domestic university were chosen. All references at the end of each chapter were read by hand searching, and results were noted. The trend and percentage of Iranian publications in different editions of the textbooks were also calculated. The number of citations of these publications in Google Scholar and Scopus databases were also obtained. The number of Iranian publications in all well-known textbooks have notably increased since 2000. The number and percentage of Iranian publications in the latest edition of Cohen's Pathways of the Pulp was higher compared to other textbooks as well as the previous edition of the same text. Number and percentage of Iranian publications in the field of endodontics in all three textbooks have remarkably increased since 2000.

  16. Are History Textbooks More "Considerate" after 20 Years?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Berkeley, Sheri; King-Sears, Margaret E.; Hott, Brittany L.; Bradley-Black, Katherine

    2014-01-01

    Features of eighth-grade history textbooks were examined through replication of a 20-year-old study that investigated "considerateness" of textbooks. Considerate texts provide clear, coherent information and include features that promote students' comprehension, such as explicit use of organizational structures, a range of question types…

  17. An Analysis on Eight Grade Mathematics Textbook of New Indonesian Curriculum (K-13 Based on Pisa’s Framework

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sarlita Murdaningsih

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available This study aims to analyze and describe the mathematics problems in the eighth grade mathematics textbook of new Indonesian curriculum (K-13 based on The Programme for International Student Assesment (PISA frameworks. The object of this study was the the revised version textbooks of the eighth grade mathematics student’s book published by The Ministry of Education and Culture (Kemendikbud in 2014. The framework of the analysis in this study was the PISA components consisting of process, content, and context with its categories. The research method was descriptive quantitative. The data was collected by observing the contents of the textbook and interviewing the students and the teachers in SMP Negeri 2 Rembang. The analysis showed that the contents of the textbook were in accordance to the PISA components. The result also indicated that in both semester of the students’ book, the problems involving the process of employing mathematical concepts, facts, procedures, and reasoning were more dominant than others. Moreover, in the contexts, the problems were dominated by the personal context. Furthermore, the first semester students’ books were dominated by the change and relationships contents while the second semester books were dominated by the space and shape contents.

  18. Secondary Students' Perceptions of Open Science Textbooks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morales, Rebecca; Baker, Alesha

    2018-01-01

    In an attempt to align instructional resources with new state standards and to increase teacher awareness of these standards, one large suburban public school district piloted the development and adoption of open secondary science textbooks. Open textbooks created by teachers in grades six through nine replaced conventional science textbooks…

  19. Teaching with images: the graphic language used in presenting the experiment on photosynthesis in the elodea plant in Brazilian textbooks

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alice Garcia-Gomes

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Experimental activities reported in textbooks often have images that complement the verbal language, assisting in the demonstration of materials, steps and procedures. This article has used Michael Twyman’s writings on the theory of graphic language to analyze 13 images representing the same experiment on photosynthesis in the water plant elodea. All images were taken from Brazilian textbooks published during seven decades of the XX and XXI centuries. The article’s main goal was to contribute to the interaction between designers, teachers and other professionals involved in the creation of learning materials. The analysis of images allowed us to relate design choices with teaching strategies. One of the points observed, for example, was that the reason why some of the textbooks do not use images composed of different elements can originate from a pedagogical strategy legitimated by the theory of constructivist learning.

  20. Do textbooks address known learning challenges in area measurement? A comparative analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hong, Dae S.; Choi, Kyong Mi; Runnalls, Cristina; Hwang, Jihyun

    2018-02-01

    This study compared area lessons from Korean textbooks and US standard-based textbooks to understand differences and similarities among these textbooks, as well as how these textbooks address known learning challenges in area measurement. Several well-known challenges have been identified in previous studies, such as covering, array structure, and linking array structure to area formula. We were interested in knowing if textbooks addressed these issues in their treatments of area measurement and, in doing so, provided students with opportunities to overcome or become familiar with known challenges. The results show that both countries' textbooks demonstrated similar limitations; only few area and area-related lessons are covered and three important learning challenges in area measurement are not covered well, which need to be informed to practicing teachers.

  1. Student Selection of the Textbook for an Introductory Physics Course

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dake, L. S.

    2007-10-01

    Several years ago I had to select a new textbook for my calculus-based introductory physics class. I subscribe to Just-in-Time Teaching methods, which require students to read the book before the material is covered in class. Thus, the readability of the text by the students is critical. However, I did not feel that I was the best judge of this factor, so I turned the textbook selection into a class project. The students unanimously chose one textbook, which I have now successfully used for three years. The project was decidedly worthwhile, and I gained considerable insight into what students prefer in a textbook.

  2. Investigating the Conceptual Variation of Major Physics Textbooks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stewart, John; Campbell, Richard; Clanton, Jessica

    2008-04-01

    The conceptual problem content of the electricity and magnetism chapters of seven major physics textbooks was investigated. The textbooks presented a total of 1600 conceptual electricity and magnetism problems. The solution to each problem was decomposed into its fundamental reasoning steps. These fundamental steps are, then, used to quantify the distribution of conceptual content among the set of topics common to the texts. The variation of the distribution of conceptual coverage within each text is studied. The variation between the major groupings of the textbooks (conceptual, algebra-based, and calculus-based) is also studied. A measure of the conceptual complexity of the problems in each text is presented.

  3. Rating the Quality of Open Textbooks: How Reviewer and Text Characteristics Predict Ratings

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fischer, Lane; Ernst, David; Mason, Stacie

    2017-01-01

    Using data collected from peer reviews for Open Textbook Library titles, this paper explores questions about rating the quality of open textbooks. The five research questions addressed the relationship between textbook and reviewer characteristics and ratings. Although reviewers gave textbooks high ratings generally, reviewers identified…

  4. A Comparison of Textbooks' Presentation of Fractions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cady, Jo A.; Hodges, Thomas E.; Collins, R. Lee

    2015-01-01

    In the United States, fractions are an important part of the middle school curriculum, yet many middle school students struggle with fraction concepts. Teachers also have difficulty with the conceptual understanding needed to teach fractions and rely on textbooks when making instructional decisions. This reliance on textbooks, the idea that…

  5. Deconstruction of Cultural Dominance in Korean EFL Textbooks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Song, Heejin

    2013-01-01

    This article examines patterns of cultural representations embedded in Korean EFL textbooks, using a content analysis to investigate how different cultures are reflected in textbooks and whether or not cultural biases are present. In the revised Korean national English curriculum that has been implemented since 2009, English is viewed as a…

  6. Secondary Textbook Review: English, Grades Nine through Twelve.

    Science.gov (United States)

    California State Dept. of Education, Sacramento.

    This book is intended as a resource for teachers and curriculum developers who select textbooks for secondary English courses. It includes a compilation of 32 factual textbook reviews obtained from the application of a review instrument, which was based on the California "Model Curriculum Standards: Grades Nine through Twelve, English…

  7. Evaluation of Chemical Representations in Physical Chemistry Textbooks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nyachwaya, James M.; Wood, Nathan B.

    2014-01-01

    That different levels of representation are important for complete understanding of chemistry is an accepted fact in the chemistry education community. This study sought to uncover types of representations used in given physical chemistry textbooks. Textbooks play a central role in the teaching and learning of science (chemistry), and in some…

  8. Cohesion Features in ESL Reading: Comparing Beginning, Intermediate and Advanced Textbooks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Plakans, Lia; Bilki, Zeynep

    2016-01-01

    This study of English as a second language (ESL) reading textbooks investigates cohesion in reading passages from 27 textbooks. The guiding research questions were whether and how cohesion differs across textbooks written for beginning, intermediate, and advanced second language readers. Using a computational tool called Coh-Metrix, textual…

  9. Changing Text: A Social Semiotic Analysis of Textbooks

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jeff Bezemer

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available In this paper we provide a multimodal account of historical changes in secondary school textbooks in England and their social significance. Adopting a social semiotic approach to text and text making we review learning resources across core subjects of the English national curriculum, English, Science and Mathematics. Comparing textbooks from the 1930s, 1980s and 2000s, we show that a all modes operating in textbooks -typography, image, writing and layout- contribute to meaning and potential for learning b that the use of these modes has changed between 1930 and now, in ways significant for social relations between and across makers and users of textbooks. Designers and readers / learners now take responsibility for coherence, which was previously the exclusive domain of authors. Where previously reading paths were fixed by makers it may now be left to learners to establish these according to their interests. For users of textbooks the changes in design demand new forms of ‘literacy’; a fluency not only in ‘reading’ writing, image, typography and layout jointly, but in the overall design of learning environments. We place these changes against the backdrop of wider social changes and features of the contemporary media landscape, recognizing a shift from stability, canonicity and vertical power structures to ‘horizontal’, more open, participatory relations in the production of knowledge.

  10. Revision Cycles for Economics Textbooks: An Application of the Theory of Durable Goods Monopoly

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Xin

    2011-01-01

    In this dissertation, I study economics textbook markets as an example of durable goods monopoly. Textbooks are protected by copyrights, and from a student's point of view, different textbooks are not good substitutes because students wish to use the textbook adopted by their instructors. Therefore sellers have market power. Textbooks can be…

  11. Medicinal Properties of Adiantum capillus-veneris Linn. in Traditional Medicine and Modern Phytotherapy: A Review Article.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dehdari, Sahar; Hajimehdipoor, Homa

    2018-02-01

    Adiantum capillus-veneris Linn (Maidenhair fern) is an herb belonging to the family Pteridaceae. It is named as " Pare-siavashan " in medical and pharmaceutical textbooks of Iranian Traditional Medicine. The fronds of Maidenhair fern were mainly administrated by ancient physicians as single medicine or in combination with other plants in multi-herbal formulations for curing different diseases. Because of different chemical compositions, the herb fronds were also assessed for its numerous pharmacological effects. Therefore, the current study was done to review the traditional usage and modern pharmacological and toxicological effects of Maidenhair fern. Scientific databases and publications including Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, Science direct, Cochrane Library, SID (for Persian papers) and medical and pharmaceutical textbooks of traditional medicine as well were searched for " Adiantum capillus-veneris ", " Maidenhair fern " and " Pare-siavashan " without limitation up to 2016. Maidenhair fern exhibited to possess anti-diabetic, anticonvulsant, analgesic, hypocholesterolemic, goitrogenic, anti-thyroidal, antibacterial, antifungal, wound healing, antiobesity, anti hair loss, anti-asthmatic, anti-inflammatory, antidiarrheal and antispasmodic, antioxidant as well as diuretic, anti-urolithiatic and detoxifying effects in modern medicine. Ancient physicians declared some of the confirmed pharmacological effects. Maidenhair fern frond can be a good candidate for clinical purpose. Therefore, future researches on the other mentioned effects in traditional medicine are recommended.

  12. What comes first? Publishing business or publishing studies?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Josipa Selthofer

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this paper is to analyze and compare publishing studies, their programmes at the undergraduate and graduate levels and scholars involved in the teaching of publishing courses at the top universities around the world and in Croatia. Since traditional publishing business is rapidly changing, new skills and new jobs are involved in it. The main research question is: Can modern publishing studies produce a modern publisher? Or, is it the other way around? The hypothesis of the paper is that scholars involved in the teaching of publishing courses at the top universities around the world have a background in publishing business. So, can they prepare their students for the future and can their students gain competencies they need to compete in a confusing world of digital authors and electronic books? The research methods used were content analysis and comparison. Research sample included 36 university publishing programmes at the undergraduate and graduate level worldwide (24 MA, 12 BA. The research sample was limited mainly to the English-speaking countries. In most non-English-speaking countries, it was difficult to analyse the programme curriculum in the native language because the programme and course description did not exit. In the data gathering phase, a customized web application was used for content analysis. The application has three main sections: a list of websites to evaluate, a visual representation of the uploaded website and a list of characteristics grouped by categories for quantifying data. About twenty years ago, publishing was not considered a separate scientific branch in Croatia. Publishing studies are therefore a new phenomenon to both scholars and publishers in Croatia. To create a new, ideal publishing course, can we simply copy global trends or is it better to create something of our own?

  13. E-Textbooks and Connectivity: Proposing an Analytical Framework

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gueudet, Ghislaine; Pepin, Birgit; Restrepo, Angela; Sabra, Hussein; Trouche, Luc

    2018-01-01

    This paper is concerned with the development of e-textbooks. We claim that analysis (and design) of e-textbooks requires the development of a specific frame. Digital affordances provide particular opportunities (e.g. in terms of interactions between users) that require specific considerations for their analysis, as teachers and students use them…

  14. Study on Problems and Countermeasures of Textbook Management in China Universities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Geng, Lihua

    2011-01-01

    Textbook management in universities is an integral component of teaching management. With gradual development of university education teaching, textbook management in China universities can no longer keep pace with the steps of the teaching management, and the work of textbook management is faced up with new challenges. This article makes an…

  15. Student Perceptions of Textbook Layout and Learnability in Private Schools

    OpenAIRE

    Alefiyah Hoshangabadwala

    2015-01-01

    This research is an exploratory study that investigates students’ perceptions pertinent to textbook layout and organization and their evaluation of the textbook ease of learning. The objective is to find out whether the layout dynamics of school textbooks make any difference in students’ interest in studying or subject understanding. 73 students from various private schools of Pakistan’s cosmopolitan city Karachi responded to a quantitative survey that gauged their percep...

  16. Lithuanian language textbook for schools: what should it be like?

    OpenAIRE

    Salienė, Vilija

    2007-01-01

    Constant renewal of educational content and abundance of information always prove a challenge when preparing textbooks and other teaching materials. Changing aims of education, values, attitudes towards developing general and specific skills, formation of competencies and exam procedures determine the requirements of textbooks. The textbook still remains one of the key, yet not the only, teaching/learning resource: from being the key source of subject knowledge at general education schools, i...

  17. Management by Textbook: The Role of Textbooks in Developing Critical Thinking

    Science.gov (United States)

    Errington, Alison; Bubna-Litic, David

    2015-01-01

    Critical thinking is widely regarded as a crucial capability for competent management and also for any leadership role in society. In this article, we ask, "How do textbooks play a role in the weakness of many management graduates' critical thinking skills?" Management teachers can find plentiful advice about best teaching practices, yet…

  18. Spanish Migrants in Basque Social Science Textbooks from the Late Franco Era to the Transition to Democracy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Delgado, Ander

    2017-01-01

    In this article I explore the ways in which migrants from other parts of Spain to the Basque Country are portrayed in Basque social science textbooks published in the Basque Country between the end of Franco's dictatorship and the period of the transition to democracy. I elucidate the role attributed to immigrants, who were culturally and…

  19. Opportunities to Learn: Inverse Relations in U.S. and Chinese Textbooks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ding, Meixia

    2016-01-01

    This study, focusing on inverse relations, examines how representative U.S. and Chinese elementary textbooks may provide opportunities to learn fundamental mathematical ideas. Findings from this study indicate that both of the U.S. textbook series (grades K-6) in comparison to the Chinese textbook samples (grades 1-6), presented more instances of…

  20. Teaching Economics with Spanish Primary School Textbooks during the Franco Dictatorship and the Transition to Democracy (1962-1982)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Angulo, Kira Mahamud; Hernández Laina, Yovana

    2017-01-01

    In this article we analyze knowledge about economics conveyed via primary school textbooks published during the late Franco dictatorship and the years of transition to democracy in Spain. Starting from the premise that the process of political socialization and identity construction is based partly on economic factors, we examine the evolution of…

  1. Multiple Intelligences Theory and Iranian Textbooks: An Analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taase, Yoones

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to investigate locally designed ELT textbooks in the light of multiple intelligences theory. Three textbooks (grade 1.2.3) used in guidance school of Iranian educational system were analyzed using MI checklist developed by Botelho, Mario do Rozarioand. Catered for kinds of intelligences in the activities and exercises…

  2. 10 CFR 5.455 - Textbooks and curricular material.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 10 Energy 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Textbooks and curricular material. 5.455 Section 5.455 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION NONDISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF SEX IN EDUCATION PROGRAMS OR ACTIVITIES RECEIVING FEDERAL FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE Discrimination on the Basis of Sex in Education Programs or Activities Prohibited § 5.455 Textbooks an...

  3. Antipsychotic discontinuation syndromes: a narrative review of the evidence and its integration into Australian mental health nursing textbooks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Salomon, Carmela; Hamilton, Bridget

    2014-02-01

    In light of the high number of people discontinuing antipsychotics each year, it is essential that nurses develop a robust understanding of all aspects of the discontinuation experience. While there is a large body of published work documenting post-discontinuation relapse rates, less is known about other aspects of the discontinuation experience. This paper presents the results of a narrative review of international studies of antipsychotic discontinuation syndromes and their relevance to nursing practice. Four key mental health nursing textbooks used in student nurse education in Australia are examined to assess how this evidence has been incorporated into clinical recommendations. This review finds that the evidence for discontinuation syndromes could be more widely disseminated and applied than it is at present. Strikingly, this evidence has not been incorporated into key mental health nursing textbooks in Australia at all. Slow integration into nursing published work may be influenced by a number of clinical and research uncertainties. We consider the impact of this silence on key nursing roles of psycho-education and adverse event monitoring during antipsychotic discontinuation periods. Further robust research should be conducted into discontinuation syndromes as a matter of urgency. Given the high number of consumers potentially impacted upon by discontinuation syndromes, nurse authors and educators should consider revising key nursing textbooks to include the currently available information about discontinuation syndromes. © 2012 The Authors; International Journal of Mental Health Nursing © 2012 Australian College of Mental Health Nurses Inc.

  4. Medicinal Plants for the Treatment of Asthma: A Traditional Persian Medicine Perspective.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Javadi, Behjat; Sahebkar, Amirhossein; Emami, Seyed Ahmad

    2017-01-01

    To search major Traditional Persian Medicine (TPM) textbooks for medicinal plants used to treat asthma. The conformity of the TPM findings on the anti-asthmatic efficacy of plants with the findings of pharmacological studies was also explored. Major TPM textbooks were hand searched to find medicinal plants used for the treatment of asthma. Scientific names of TPM-suggested plants were determined using botanical databases and were used for a multidatabase electronic search in PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect and Google Scholar databases. Then, the antiasthmatic effectiveness of TPM-recommended plants was verified in view of the findings from modern pharmacological investigations. According to the main TPM texts, Adianthum capillus-veneris, Boswellia oleogumresin, Crocus sativus, Glycyrrhiza glabra, Hyssopus officinalis and Ruta graveolens were the most efficacious medicinal plants for the treatment of asthma. This finding was confirmed by pharmacological studies which showed counterbalancing effects of the above-mentioned plants on inflammation, oxidative stress, allergic response, tracheal smooth muscle cell constriction and airway remodeling. The strong ethnobotanical background of plants used in TPM could be a valuable tool to find new anti-asthmatic medications. In this review, TPM-suggested anti-asthmatic plants were found to possess several mechanisms relevant to the treatment of respiratory diseases according to the information retrieved from modern pharmacological studies. This high degree of conformity suggested further proof-of-concept trials to ascertain the role of these plants in the routine management of asthmatic patients. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

  5. Identifying and Combating Sexism in EFL Textbooks--With a Case Study into China

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tao, Baiqiang

    2008-01-01

    This paper explores methodologies of identifying and combating sexism in EFL (English as a Foreign Language) textbooks. The writer of this paper has found out there exists sexism or gender inequality in the Chinese high school EFL textbooks. The writer hopes that future EFL curriculum designers, EFL textbook writers, textbook censors in textbook…

  6. Retrotext- E 1.0: The Beginnings of Computer-based ELT Textbook Evaluation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jayakaran Mukundan

    2010-07-01

    Full Text Available There are two main reasons why textbooks are evaluated; the first which is associated to the task of textbook selection (predictive evaluation and the second to the need to evaluate it while in use (retrospective evaluation so that teachers can implement adaptation procedures later. Predictive evaluation is almost nonexistent in most developing countries as textbooks are usually provided free or through a textbook loan scheme. There is however hope for getting teachers involved in while-use/post use or retrospective evaluation of textbooks as they no only help teachers with adaptation but help teachers in their overall professional development. Since textbooks are an essential part of the teacher’s professional  life any form of out-of-class work that involves the teacher’s own knowledge building can become an integral part of the teacher’s professional development.

  7. Survey of Intermediate Microeconomic Textbooks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goulet, Janet C.

    1986-01-01

    Surveys nine undergraduate microeconomic theory textbooks comprising a representing sample those available. Criteria used were quantity and quality of examples, mathematical rigor, and level of abstraction. (JDH)

  8. Positioning genomics in biology education: content mapping of undergraduate biology textbooks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wernick, Naomi L B; Ndung'u, Eric; Haughton, Dominique; Ledley, Fred D

    2014-12-01

    Biological thought increasingly recognizes the centrality of the genome in constituting and regulating processes ranging from cellular systems to ecology and evolution. In this paper, we ask whether genomics is similarly positioned as a core concept in the instructional sequence for undergraduate biology. Using quantitative methods, we analyzed the order in which core biological concepts were introduced in textbooks for first-year general and human biology. Statistical analysis was performed using self-organizing map algorithms and conventional methods to identify clusters of terms and their relative position in the books. General biology textbooks for both majors and nonmajors introduced genome-related content after text related to cell biology and biological chemistry, but before content describing higher-order biological processes. However, human biology textbooks most often introduced genomic content near the end of the books. These results suggest that genomics is not yet positioned as a core concept in commonly used textbooks for first-year biology and raises questions about whether such textbooks, or courses based on the outline of these textbooks, provide an appropriate foundation for understanding contemporary biological science.

  9. Eliminating the Textbook: Learning Science with Cell Phones

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tessier, Jack T.

    2014-01-01

    College faculty have myriad choices of resources for their students when designing courses. The rising prices of textbooks and the availability of cell phones with internet access open the question of using cell phones in the classroom. In this study, I compared student learning in an ecology course between a semester in which a textbook was used…

  10. 29 CFR 36.455 - Textbooks and curricular material.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 29 Labor 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 true Textbooks and curricular material. 36.455 Section 36.455 Labor Office of the Secretary of Labor NONDISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF SEX IN EDUCATION PROGRAMS OR ACTIVITIES RECEIVING FEDERAL FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE Discrimination on the Basis of Sex in Education Programs or Activities Prohibited § 36.455 Textbooks...

  11. EVALUATING GENDER-BIAS IN THE IRANIAN PRE-UNIVERSITY ENGLISH TEXTBOOKS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ali Roohani

    2013-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract: Textbooks can affect learners’ attitudes, viewpoints, and their choice of language in second/foreign language (L2 communication. The various ways in which the people are displayed in communication may affect students’ viewpoints. This study was an attempt to examine several potential areas of gender-bias in the representation of women and men in the pre-university English textbook, an English language teaching (ELT textbook with two volumes taught in the high schools of Iran. To evaluate this textbook, content analysis was done in terms of gender-bias, gender-neutral, male-generics, and the firstness in the reading texts, instructions, exercises and illustrations. The frequency and percentages of names, nouns, pronouns and pictures attributed to each gender (i.e., males and females were obtained and chi-square tests were carried out. In general, names, nouns and pictures pertinent to males outnumbered those attributed to females. Besides, there was a statistically significant difference between males and females in the two volumes of the pre-university textbook in terms of the above features. Also, male-oriented terms came first more frequently. However, there was not a statistically significant difference between male and female pronouns between the two volumes, though the percentage of male pronouns was higher. Moreover, the textbook included many gender-neutral nouns and pronouns not having any gender orientations. Findings indicated that the Iranian pre-university English textbook was somehow male-oriented and gender-biased as regards names, nouns, firstness and pictures associated with them though great efforts were made to avoid specific gender orientations.

  12. SOCIOLINGUISTICS AND TEXTBOOK: AN EXPLORATORY ANALYSIS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abdelhak RAZKY

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available This study aims to examine the treatment of linguistic variation in Brazilian Portuguese textbooks for High School and prompts a debate about concepts like right and wrong, language variation, language change and language prejudice. In this sense, it considers whether the textbook discusses the linguistic variation, understanding it as a result of a variety of sociocultural factors of a linguistic community. Our corpus consists of a collection of Portuguese Language for High School, prepared by Carlos Alberto Faraco, approved by the National Textbook Program (PNLD 2015. The research is part of the dialogue between Sociolinguistics and mother tongue teaching, more specifically, in theoretical and methodological studies of Bortoni-Ricardo (2004, Faraco (2004, Alkmim (2005, Labov (2008, among others, in addition to the National Curriculum Parameters of High School Portuguese Language – PCN (BRASIL, 2000. The methodology is based on descriptive, bibliographical and documentary research and a qualitative approach. The results show, that the current development, in that collection highlights a concern to incorporate linguistic studies in the heterogeneity and linguistic diversity from sociolinguistic perspective.

  13. A Data Set of Portuguese Traditional Recipes Based on Published Cookery Books

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alexandra Soveral Dias

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents a data set resulting from the abstraction of books of traditional recipes for Portuguese cuisine. Only starters, main courses, side dishes, and soups were considered. Desserts, cakes, sweets, puddings, and pastries were not included. Recipes were characterized by the province and ingredients regardless of quantities or preparation. An exploratory characterization of recipes and ingredients is presented. Results show that Portuguese traditional recipes organize differently among the eleven provinces considered, setting up the basis for more detailed analyses of the 1382 recipes and 421 ingredients inventoried.

  14. Realization of Culture in English Textbooks in Chinese High School Level

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aliakbari, Mohammad; Jamalvandi, Behrouz

    2012-01-01

    This study reflects on the presentation of culture in the English textbooks adopted in Chinese high school level. The categorization by Ramirez and Hall (1990) shaped the basis of the textbook analysis. The main objectives of the inquiry were to examine the quality of representation of source, target and other cultures in the ELT textbooks.…

  15. Topical Coverage in Introductory Textbooks from the 1980s through the 2000s

    Science.gov (United States)

    Griggs, Richard A.

    2014-01-01

    To determine how topical coverage in introductory textbooks may have changed from the 1980s to the present, the author examined topic coverage in full-length and brief introductory textbooks from this time period. Because 98% of the teachers use textbooks for the introductory course and the majority do not assign reading beyond the textbook, the…

  16. The Reflection of Social Values in Public School Reading Textbooks in the United States: A Critical Content Analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stockdale, Christopher L.

    2015-01-01

    In light of the recently published Common Core State Standards Initiative, public school curriculum has once again come under scrutiny. While curriculum debates have taken place since the very beginnings of public schooling in the United States, too few have taken more than a passing notice of the textbooks that, in many cases, comprise the…

  17. Textbook Factor Demand Curves.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davis, Joe C.

    1994-01-01

    Maintains that teachers and textbook graphics follow the same basic pattern in illustrating changes in demand curves when product prices increase. Asserts that the use of computer graphics will enable teachers to be more precise in their graphic presentation of price elasticity. (CFR)

  18. Textbook of medical radiobiology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bueno Ponce, Cesar

    2003-01-01

    The author intends to transmit to students clearly about basic knowledge on molecular cell biology, alive tissue and its interaction with radiations and the consequences derived from it. It compiles a bibliographical review on modern radiotherapy principles. This textbook contains five chapters

  19. Papers published from 1995 to 2012 by six Traditional Chinese Medicine universities in China: a bibliometric analysis based on science citation index.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gao, Kuo; Tian, Guihua; Ye, Qing; Zhai, Xing; Chen, Jianxin; Liu, Tiegang; Liu, Kaifeng; Zhao, Jingyi; Ding, Shengyun

    2013-12-01

    The quality and quantity of published research papers are important in both scientific and technology fields. Although there are several bibliometric studies based on citation analysis, very few have focused on research related to Traditional Chinese Medicine in China. The bibliometric method used in this study included the following focuses: publication outputs for each year, paper type, language of publication, distribution of internationally collaborative countries, sources of funding, authorization number, distribution of institutes regarding collaborative publications, research fields, distribution of outputs in journals, citation, data, and h-index. A total of 3809 papers published from 1995 to 2012 were extracted from the science citation index (SCI). The cumulative number of papers from all six universities is constantly increasing. The United States attained the dominant position regarding complementary and alternative medicine research. The Chinese Academy of Sciences was the greatest participator in collaborative efforts. Research field analysis showed that the research mainly focused on pharmacology pharmacy, chemistry, integrative complementary medicine, plant sciences, and biochemistry molecular biology. The Shanghai University of Chinese Medicine had the most citations. In recent years, in terms of SCI papers, the six Traditional Chinese Medicine universities studied here have made great advances in scientific research.

  20. Textbook animal breeding : animal breeding andgenetics for BSc students

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Oldenbroek, Kor; Waaij, van der Liesbeth

    2014-01-01

    This textbook contains teaching material on animal breeding and genetics for BSc students. The text book started as an initiative of the Dutch Universities for Applied (Agricultural) Sciences. The textbook is made available by the Animal Breeding and Genomics Centre (ABGC) of Wageningen UR

  1. Do Elementary Science Methods Textbooks Promote Understanding of Shadows?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lloyd H. Barrow

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available Elementary science methods textbooks can be an important resource for future elementary teachers of science. Since shadows are a common topic in elementary school and Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS Lead States, 2013. A series of ten shadows concepts were formed into a learning progression by Wizman and Fortus (2007. For this research, ten science methods textbook were read and analyzed about how each of the shadow concepts were addressed. These methods textbooks focused on a limited number of shadow concepts. Consequently, as a future reference, they are very limited in addressing all ten shadow concepts.

  2. Draft of textbook focused on indirect taxes

    OpenAIRE

    Nováková, Hana

    2012-01-01

    The diploma thesis is about draft of textbook which is focused on indirect taxes for business school. The thesis is divided into theoretical and practical part. The theoretical part is focused on teaching tax issues at business school. Readers are introduced with basic studying documents, for example framework educational program and school educational program. In the following part I have conducted didactic analysis of curriculum and textbook of economics for business schools. The draft of t...

  3. Instructional Manuals of Boundary-Work : Psychology textbooks, student subjectivities, and disciplinary historiographies

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Flis, I.

    2016-01-01

    This article aims to provide an overview of the historiography of psychology textbooks. In the overview, I identify and describe in detail two strands of writing histories of introductory textbooks of psychology and juxtapose them to provide an integrated historiography of textbooks in psychology.

  4. AN EVALUATION OF SELECTED MOROCCAN ELT TEXTBOOKS: A STANDARDS-BASED APPROACH PERSPECTIVE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hassan Ait Bouzid

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Standards-Based Approach to textbook evaluation has been blooming in recent decades. Nevertheless, this practice has received very little attention in Morocco.  The present study aims to bridge a gap in the literature of the Moroccan context by investigating the extent to which three locally designed ELT textbooks conform to the theoretical principles of the Standards-Based Approach which defines the teaching of English as a foreign language in the country (Ministry of National Education, 2007. Its objective is to examine whether and how these textbooks present contents that enable learners to meet the content standards included in the goal areas of Communications, Cultures, Connections and Comparisons. The study is informed by the theoretical framework of the Standards-Based Approach. It adopts a mixed-methods design that uses content analysis as a mixed data analysis method combining both quantitative and qualitative techniques. The findings reveal a number of shortcomings relevant to the representation of the content standards as several standards are not sufficiently addressed in the activities included in these textbooks. Eventually, some suggestions are addressed to policy makers, textbook designers and teachers to overcome the identified problems in current and future textbooks. The study is expected to sensitize ELT practitioners about the viability of using textbook evaluation in boosting both the quality of ELT textbooks and the quality of the teaching learning outcomes.

  5. Comparative analysis of knowledge representation and reasoning requirements across a range of life sciences textbooks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chaudhri, Vinay K; Elenius, Daniel; Goldenkranz, Andrew; Gong, Allison; Martone, Maryann E; Webb, William; Yorke-Smith, Neil

    2014-01-01

    Using knowledge representation for biomedical projects is now commonplace. In previous work, we represented the knowledge found in a college-level biology textbook in a fashion useful for answering questions. We showed that embedding the knowledge representation and question-answering abilities in an electronic textbook helped to engage student interest and improve learning. A natural question that arises from this success, and this paper's primary focus, is whether a similar approach is applicable across a range of life science textbooks. To answer that question, we considered four different textbooks, ranging from a below-introductory college biology text to an advanced, graduate-level neuroscience textbook. For these textbooks, we investigated the following questions: (1) To what extent is knowledge shared between the different textbooks? (2) To what extent can the same upper ontology be used to represent the knowledge found in different textbooks? (3) To what extent can the questions of interest for a range of textbooks be answered by using the same reasoning mechanisms? Our existing modeling and reasoning methods apply especially well both to a textbook that is comparable in level to the text studied in our previous work (i.e., an introductory-level text) and to a textbook at a lower level, suggesting potential for a high degree of portability. Even for the overlapping knowledge found across the textbooks, the level of detail covered in each textbook was different, which requires that the representations must be customized for each textbook. We also found that for advanced textbooks, representing models and scientific reasoning processes was particularly important. With some additional work, our representation methodology would be applicable to a range of textbooks. The requirements for knowledge representation are common across textbooks, suggesting that a shared semantic infrastructure for the life sciences is feasible. Because our representation overlaps

  6. Interactive Digital Textbooks and Engagement: A Learning Strategies Framework

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bikowski, Dawn; Casal, J. Elliott

    2018-01-01

    This mixed-methods study explored non-native English speaking students' learning processes and engagement as they used a customized interactive digital textbook housed on a mobile device. Think aloud protocols, surveys of anticipated and actual engagement with the digital textbook, reflective journals, and member checking constituted data…

  7. Visual Representations of the Water Cycle in Science Textbooks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vinisha, K.; Ramadas, J.

    2013-01-01

    Visual representations, including photographs, sketches and schematic diagrams, are a valuable yet often neglected aspect of textbooks. Visual means of communication are particularly helpful in introducing abstract concepts in science. For effective communication, visuals and text need to be appropriately integrated within the textbook. This study…

  8. Investigating the adequacy of physics textbooks used in Nigeria ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    This study investigated the adequacy of the physics textbooks in use in Senior Secondary Schools in Nigeria using Owerri municipal as case study. Five research questions guided the study. The sampled textual materials were the three recommended physics textbooks. Twenty six physics teachers from ten public ...

  9. Understanding Linear Function: A Comparison of Selected Textbooks from England and Shanghai

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Yuqian; Barmby, Patrick; Bolden, David

    2017-01-01

    This study describes a comparison of how worked examples in selected textbooks from England and Shanghai presented possible learning trajectories towards understanding linear function. Six selected English textbooks and one Shanghai compulsory textbook were analysed with regards to the understanding required for pure mathematics knowledge in…

  10. A gender analysis of secondary school physics textbooks and laboratory manuals

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kostas, Nancy Ann

    Secondary school physics textbooks and laboratory manuals were evaluated for gender balance. The textbooks and manuals evaluated were all current editions available at the time of the study with copyrights of 1988 to 1992. Illustrations, drawings and photographs were judged gender balanced based on the number of men and women, boys and girls shown in both active and passive roles. Illustrations, drawings and photographs were also evaluated by the number of male and female scientists identified by name. The curricular content of the textbooks was analyzed for gender balance by three criteria: the number of named male and female scientists whose accomplishments were described in the text; the number of careers assigned to men and women; and the number of verbal analogies assigned to girls interests, boys interests or neutral interests. The laboratory activities in the manuals were categorized as demonstrations, experiments and observations. Three of each of these types of activities from each manual were analyzed for skills and motivating factors important to girls as identified by Potter and Rosser (1992). Data were analyzed by use of descriptive statistics of frequencies, means and chi-square goodness of fit. The.05 level of significance was applied to all analyses based upon an expected frequency of 50 - 50 percentage of men and women and a 4.5 percent for women scientists to 95.5 percent for men scientists. The findings were as follows. None of the textbooks had a balance of men/women, boys/girls in the illustrations, drawings and photographs. The Hewitt (Scott-Foresman, 1989) textbook was the only textbook with no significant difference. Using the expected frequency for male and female scientists, two textbooks were gender balanced for illustrations, drawings and photographs while all textbooks were gender balanced for described accomplishments of scientists. The Hewitt (Scott Foresman, 1989) textbook had the only gender balanced representation of careers

  11. Bryophytes as Teaching Materials on the Textbook of Botany (The Latter Term of Meiji to the Beginning of Showa) and Suggestions for Development of New Teaching Material

    OpenAIRE

    Sato, Takayuki; Muko, Heiwa; Ohshika, Kiyoyuki

    2007-01-01

    Bryophytes have some characteristics as teaching material, but it is very difficult to use them in secondary education. Nevertheless, from the latter term of Meiji to the beginning of Showa, there are many teaching materials for natural history.Therefore, we analyzed teaching materials on the textbook of botany that was published at the period, take suggestions for newly development of teaching material. We analyzed composition of textbooks and species of Bryophytes, and compared them to a ma...

  12. Is Higher Education Ready to Switch to Digital Course Materials? The Cost of Textbooks Is Driving Electronic Solutions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nelson, Mark A.

    2008-01-01

    Each year one of the biggest debates in higher education seems to be: Is this the year that electronic textbooks take off? E-reader devices are getting better. The inventory of digital content is expanding. Business models are emerging to support the needs of students, faculty members, and publishers. People are getting more comfortable with new…

  13. An Investigation into the Use of Cohesive Devises in Iranian High School EFL Textbooks

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mansour Shabani

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available The present study aimed at probing into the use of grammatical and lexical cohesive subdevices in Iranian high school EFL textbooks. To this end, the reading sections of three high school EFL textbooks and one pre-university EFL textbook were analyzed in terms of the distribution of grammatical and lexical cohesive subdevices. The results of One-way ANOVA illustrated that: athere are no significant differences among the frequencies of grammatical cohesive subdevices across grade 1 high school EFL textbook and the pre-university EFL textbook, bthere are significant differences among the frequencies of grammatical cohesive subdevices across grades 2 and 3 high school EFL textbooks. Moreover, the results of Chi-Square test showed that the significant values of all of the lexical cohesive subdevices were higher than .05 across each of the Iranian EFL high school textbooks. These findings can be beneficial for textbook writers, materials developers and EFL teachers.

  14. A Praxeological Study of Proportionality in Mathematics Lower Secondary Textbooks

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wijayanti, Dyana

    Research on the uses and contents of mathematics textbooks has expanded over the past decades, due to the central role textbooks occupy in mathematics teaching worldwide. However, the methodology of analysing the texts themselves often appears underdeveloped or even naïve, especially when it comes...... to specific mathematical content. The central idea of this thesis is to deploy the anthropological theory of the didactic, and especially the notion of praxeology, to analyse how textbooks treat three specific and related areas (or more precisely, sectors) of mathematical contents for lower secondary school......, namely "proportion and ratio" (in Arithmetic), "similar plane figures" (in Geometry), and "linear functions" (in Algebra). This leads to a new and very precise methodological tool for analysing the practices (types of tasks, techniques) supported by the textbooks through examples, explanations...

  15. The Greening of Marketing: An Analysis of Introductory Textbooks

    Science.gov (United States)

    DeMoss, Michelle; Nicholson, Carolyn Y.

    2005-01-01

    In this study, the authors examined whether introductory marketing textbooks contain the information that is needed to educate future business leaders about the important role of environmentally sustainable practices. We content-analyzed the 21 current introductory marketing textbooks for coverage of these practices. The results showed limited,…

  16. Complex Text in ESL Grammar Textbooks: Barriers or Gateways?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lesikin, Joan

    2000-01-01

    Suggests that English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) teachers assess prospective textbooks by comparing real-life user's actual knowledge of the author's assumed student knowledge. Through examination of charts and page excerpts of two ESL grammar textbooks, demonstrates that access to the pedagogical knowledge demands sophisticated formal knowledge,…

  17. An Analytical Evaluation of Iranian High School ELT Textbooks from 1970 to 2010

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Akbar Azizifar

    2009-10-01

    Full Text Available Textbooks play a very crucial role in the process of language teaching and learning. The present study carries out an evaluation of two series of ELT textbooks used for teaching English language in Iranian high schools since 1970 to 2010. For this purpose, Tucker’s (1975 textbook evaluation model (see Appendix has been employed. The results suggest that one of the main factors for the students’ achievement in English language is the ELT textbooks. The researcher suggests that in the textbooks, there should be enough opportunity for the learners to communicatively practice the language they are learning.

  18. Survey of Labor Economics Textbooks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maxwell, Nan L.

    1985-01-01

    Labor economics textbooks for use with college students were surveyed. Information concerning intended audience, content, and teaching aids is provided for each text. Criteria used in evaluating the texts is provided. (RM)

  19. Incoming dental students' expectations and acceptance of an electronic textbook program.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brunet, Darlene P; Bates, Michael L; Gallo, John R; Strother, Elizabeth A

    2011-05-01

    Since 2005, the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center School of Dentistry has required the VitalSource Technologies, Inc. Bookshelf as the textbook program for all dental students. In a 2008 survey, four classes of dental students expressed dissatisfaction with most features of the bookshelf. With the expectation that incoming students would be more accustomed and amenable to digital textbooks and to further determine student attitudes toward electronic textbooks, we developed two surveys for first-year dental students in the class of 2013. The sixty-five first-year students received a survey (S1) one week before they were introduced to the e-textbook program. Questions centered on their undergraduate experience with e-books and their expectations of studying with an electronic textbook collection. In the second survey (S2), sent nine months later, the questions focused on students' opinion of the VitalSource Bookshelf. Forty-five students (69.2 percent) completed the S1 survey. Of those, thirty-six (80 percent) responded that they never used e-textbooks in college. Of the nine students who responded that they used e-books, only two liked them without reservations. The response rate to S2 increased to fifty students (77 percent). After using VitalSource for nine months, thirty-three students (66 percent) indicated a preference for reading print textbooks, compared to forty-seven students (57.3 percent) of the four classes surveyed in 2008. Although we expected incoming dental students to have had previous experience with e-textbooks, only nine students had used e-books in college courses. Few students indicated preference for e-textbooks, and over half of the group was undecided. After experience with VitalSource for first-year courses, students indicated that they like VitalSource for the ability to search for specific topics across the entire collection of dental books, but not for reading large amounts of text.

  20. Book Review: Khine Swe, M. (Ed., Critical Analysis of Science Textbooks: Evaluating instructional effectiveness

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Miha Slapničar

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available Science educators agree that textbooks play a crucial role in teaching and learning processes (Clement, 2008; Koppal & Caldwell, 2004; consequently, numerous research studies have been conducted in the analysis of science textbooks. In 1941, Graham noted that ‘The textbook is an old instrument in learning and teaching processes’ and traced the origin of the textbook back to the classical Greek era. With the invention of the printing press, textbooks became omnipresent in every school. Since textbooks are being used as a major source of information in teaching a particular subject, the quality and accuracy of the content is crucial for their educational effectiveness. Critical Analysis of Science Textbooks: Evaluating instructional effectiveness includes contributions by authors from various backgrounds, theorists and practitioners. In analysing science textbooks, researchers look into the balance between theoretical and practical knowledge, the portrayal of minorities, women and gender fairness, the treatment of socio-scientific and controversial issues, and the depiction of graphical information, vocabulary load, comprehensibility and readability at the intended level, the representation of indigenous knowledge, the role of textbook questions, and cultural and religious sensibility

  1. American Nursing's First Textbooks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Flaumenhaft, Eugene; Flaumenhaft, Carol

    1989-01-01

    Discusses the four textbooks, written in the last quarter of the 19th century, that shaped nursing in the United States. They provided technical information in a systematic fashion, established an autonomous literature that guided nurses in school and beyond, and defined the training school curriculum. (JOW)

  2. [The traveling image in neurological textbooks (1850-1920)].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rosselet, Patricia

    2015-07-01

    Images have always played an important part in neurology. From the early days of the discipline, images, in the form of drawings and photographs, are included in textbooks and travel all around the Western world. They have a role to play in the diffusion, authority and standardization of the neurological discipline. This paper describes the world-wide circulation of a medical image through textbooks.

  3. Interpretive versus noninterpretive content in top-selling radiology textbooks: what are we teaching medical students?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Webb, Emily M; Vella, Maya; Straus, Christopher M; Phelps, Andrew; Naeger, David M

    2015-04-01

    There are little data as to whether appropriate, cost effective, and safe ordering of imaging examinations are adequately taught in US medical school curricula. We sought to determine the proportion of noninterpretive content (such as appropriate ordering) versus interpretive content (such as reading a chest x-ray) in the top-selling medical student radiology textbooks. We performed an online search to identify a ranked list of the six top-selling general radiology textbooks for medical students. Each textbook was reviewed including content in the text, tables, images, figures, appendices, practice questions, question explanations, and glossaries. Individual pages of text and individual images were semiquantitatively scored on a six-level scale as to the percentage of material that was interpretive versus noninterpretive. The predominant imaging modality addressed in each was also recorded. Descriptive statistical analysis was performed. All six books had more interpretive content. On average, 1.4 pages of text focused on interpretation for every one page focused on noninterpretive content. Seventeen images/figures were dedicated to interpretive skills for every one focused on noninterpretive skills. In all books, the largest proportion of text and image content was dedicated to plain films (51.2%), with computed tomography (CT) a distant second (16%). The content on radiographs (3.1:1) and CT (1.6:1) was more interpretive than not. The current six top-selling medical student radiology textbooks contain a preponderance of material teaching image interpretation compared to material teaching noninterpretive skills, such as appropriate imaging examination selection, rational utilization, and patient safety. Copyright © 2015 AUR. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Designing a Tool for History Textbook Analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Katalin Eszter Morgan

    2012-11-01

    Full Text Available This article describes the process by which a five-dimensional tool for history textbook analysis was conceptualized and developed in three stages. The first stage consisted of a grounded theory approach to code the content of the sampled chapters of the books inductively. After that the findings from this coding process were combined with principles of text analysis as derived from the literature, specifically focusing on the notion of semiotic mediation as theorized by Lev VYGOTSKY. We explain how we then entered the third stage of the development of the tool, comprising five dimensions. Towards the end of the article we show how the tool could be adapted to serve other disciplines as well. The argument we forward in the article is for systematic and well theorized tools with which to investigate textbooks as semiotic mediators in education. By implication, textbook authors can also use these as guidelines. URN: http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs130170

  5. Peer-review: An IOP Publishing Perspective

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, Timothy

    2015-03-01

    Online publishing is challenging, and potentially changing, the role of publishers in both managing the peer-review process and disseminating the work that they publish in meeting contrasting needs from diverse groups of research communities. Recognizing the value of peer-review as a fundamental service to authors and the research community, the underlying principles of managing the process for journals published by IOP Publishing remain unchanged and yet the potential and demand for alternative models exists. This talk will discuss the traditional approach to peer-review placed in the context of this changing demand.

  6. Women and Minorities in Introductory Economics Textbooks: 1974 to 1984.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feiner, Susan F.; Morgan, Barbara A.

    1987-01-01

    Reviews widely-used introductory economics textbooks, examining how issues relating to race and gender are treated. Suggests how stereotypical roles could be avoided in the future. Includes a table summarizing data from 21 textbooks. (Author/DH)

  7. Gender sensitive language policies and deconstruction of gender stereotypes in textbooks of Spanish as a foreign language

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ana Kuzmanović Jovanović

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available This paper examines the impact of gender representations in Spanish/L2 textbooks on perpetuation or deconstruction of gender stereotypes in the classroom. Although the results of numerous studies of gender representation in such books performed in the past two decades suggest that teaching materials have been an important instrument in perpetuating gender stereotypes, recent researches have revealed certain changes in this area. The present analysis supports these findings. The research corpus consists of eleven textbooks of Spanish/L2 (level A1 and A2 by different Spanish publishers, all of them published in the last four years. The gender roles in which women and men appear are critically analyzed. The results of the analysis suggest that there has been a conscious effort by both authors and editors in order to change the stereotypical gender representation in these didactic materials. We offer an explanation for these changes suggesting that they can be accounted for by the action of a different model of gender sensitive language policies, the bottom-up model, where the crucial factors of change are not the activities of the official institutions but rather are to be found in different communities of practice, i.e., all people involved in creating, publishing and distributing teaching materials, as well as linguists who investigate the relationship between language and gender.

  8. On the Market for Principles of Economics Textbooks: Innovation and Product Differentiation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stiglitz, Joseph E.

    1988-01-01

    Discusses the problems presented by current principles of economics textbooks, proposing two theses: that the market for principles textbooks is one of monopolistic competition, and that it reflects certain market failures. Examines changes that are needed so that textbooks will reflect more adequately important changes in the economy and economic…

  9. Operant Conditioning Concepts in Introductory Psychology Textbooks and Their Companion Web Sites

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sheldon, Jane P.

    2002-01-01

    Psychology instructors and textbook authors rate operant conditioning as one of the most essential concepts for students to learn, yet textbook writers, as well as students, can fall prey to misconceptions. This study is a content analysis of the presentation of operant conditioning in introductory psychology textbooks and their companion Web…

  10. Attitudes toward, and Use of, Textbooks among Marketing Undergraduates: An Exploratory Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vafeas, Mario

    2013-01-01

    While textbooks remain a key part of the teaching and learning process, evidence suggests that student completion of reading assignments is lower than teacher expectations. Although there is a small body of literature examining textbook use, studies relating specifically to marketing textbooks are sparse. This article seeks to explore how…

  11. Hprints - Licence to publish

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rabow, Ingegerd; Sikström, Marjatta; Drachen, Thea Marie

    2010-01-01

    realised the potential advantages for them. The universities have a role here as well as the libraries that manage the archives and support scholars in various aspects of the publishing processes. Libraries are traditionally service providers with a mission to facilitate the knowledge production...

  12. Medicinal Properties of Adiantum capillus-veneris Linn. in Traditional Medicine and Modern Phytotherapy: A Review Article

    Science.gov (United States)

    DEHDARI, Sahar; HAJIMEHDIPOOR, Homa

    2018-01-01

    Background: Adiantum capillus-veneris Linn (Maidenhair fern) is an herb belonging to the family Pteridaceae. It is named as “Pare-siavashan” in medical and pharmaceutical textbooks of Iranian Traditional Medicine. The fronds of Maidenhair fern were mainly administrated by ancient physicians as single medicine or in combination with other plants in multi-herbal formulations for curing different diseases. Because of different chemical compositions, the herb fronds were also assessed for its numerous pharmacological effects. Therefore, the current study was done to review the traditional usage and modern pharmacological and toxicological effects of Maidenhair fern. Methods: Scientific databases and publications including Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, Science direct, Cochrane Library, SID (for Persian papers) and medical and pharmaceutical textbooks of traditional medicine as well were searched for “Adiantum capillus-veneris”, “Maidenhair fern” and “Pare-siavashan” without limitation up to 2016. Results: Maidenhair fern exhibited to possess anti-diabetic, anticonvulsant, analgesic, hypocholesterolemic, goitrogenic, anti-thyroidal, antibacterial, antifungal, wound healing, antiobesity, anti hair loss, anti-asthmatic, anti-inflammatory, antidiarrheal and antispasmodic, antioxidant as well as diuretic, anti-urolithiatic and detoxifying effects in modern medicine. Ancient physicians declared some of the confirmed pharmacological effects. Conclusion: Maidenhair fern frond can be a good candidate for clinical purpose. Therefore, future researches on the other mentioned effects in traditional medicine are recommended. PMID:29445628

  13. First-Year University Chemistry Textbooks' Misrepresentation of Gibbs Energy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Quilez, Juan

    2012-01-01

    This study analyzes the misrepresentation of Gibbs energy by college chemistry textbooks. The article reports the way first-year university chemistry textbooks handle the concepts of spontaneity and equilibrium. Problems with terminology are found; confusion arises in the meaning given to [delta]G, [delta][subscript r]G, [delta]G[degrees], and…

  14. Research and pedagogy a history of quantum physics through its textbooks

    CERN Document Server

    Navarro, Jaume

    2013-01-01

    Historians of quantum physics and early quantum mechanics have seldom paid attention to the ways the new theory was integrated in physics textbooks, perhaps taking for granted that novelties in science can only be taught once they are fully understood and generally accepted. The essays in this volume challenge this view by studying some of the early books and textbooks in which quantum theory was first introduced. By so doing, the authors show the many ways books and textbooks embody pedagogical and research practices in certain local environments (geographical, disciplinary, in terms of expertise, etc.), as well as the circular feedback between research and pedagogy. Textbooks can become the subject of a history of early quantum physics since the very process of writing a textbook, (i.e., of trying to organise a new doctrine to the newcomer in an accessible way), together with its life as an object that is issued, used, changed, and abandoned, incorporates many of the tensions between research and pedagogy....

  15. Insomnia in Iranian Traditional Medicine

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feyzabadi, Zohre; Jafari, Farhad; Feizabadi, Parvin Sadat; Ashayeri, Hassan; Esfahani, Mohammad Mahdi; Badiee Aval, Shapour

    2014-01-01

    Context: Insomnia is one of the most prevalent sleep disorders characterized by sleep difficulty that impairs daily functioning and reduces quality of life. The burden of medical, psychiatric, interpersonal, and societal consequences of insomnia expresses the importance of diagnosing and treatment of insomnia. The aim of study was to investigate causes of insomnia from the viewpoint of Iranian traditional medicine. Evidence Acquisition: In this review study, we searched insomnia in a few of the most famous ancient textbooks of Iranian traditional medicine from different centuries. This books includeThe Canon of Medicine by Avicenna (the first version of Beirut), Zakhire Kharazmshahi by Jurjani (the scanned version of Bonyade Farhang-e Iran), Malfaregh by Razes (the first version of Iran University of Medical Sciences), and Aqili’s cure by Aqili (the first version of Iran University of Medical Sciences). Results: This study found that in Iranian traditional medicine manuscripts, insomnia was called sahar and even though many factors induce insomnia, most of them act through causing brain dystemperament. Conclusions: The brain dystemperament is considered one of the main causes of insomnia and insomnia can be well managed with an organized line of treatment, by correcting the brain dystemperament through elimination of causes. This study helps to find new solutions to treat insomnia. PMID:24829786

  16. The Disappearance of Independence in Textbook Coverage of Asch's Social Pressure Experiments

    Science.gov (United States)

    Griggs, Richard A.

    2015-01-01

    Asch's classic social pressure experiments are discussed in almost all introductory and social psychology textbooks. However, the results of these experiments have been shown to be misrepresented in textbooks. An analysis of textbooks from 1953 to 1984 revealed that although most of the responses on critical trials were independent correct ones,…

  17. Conceptual understanding of electrical circuits in secondary vocational engineering education: combining traditional instruction with inquiry learning in a virtual lab

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kolloffel, Bas Jan; de Jong, Anthonius J.M.

    2013-01-01

    Background: Traditionally, engineering curricula about electrical circuits use textbook instruction and hands-on lessons, which are effective approaches for teaching terms and definitions, the procedural use of formulas, and how to build circuits. Nonetheless, students often lack conceptual

  18. Evaluating Environmental Chemistry Textbooks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hites, Ronald A.

    2001-01-01

    A director of the Indiana University Center for Environmental Science Research reviews textbooks on environmental chemistry. Highlights clear writing, intellectual depth, presence of problem sets covering both the qualitative and quantitative aspects of the material, and full coverage of the topics of concern. Discusses the director's own approach…

  19. Digital Textbooks. Research Brief

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnston, Howard

    2011-01-01

    Despite their growing popularity, digital alternatives to conventional textbooks are stirring up controversy. With the introduction of tablet computers, and the growing trend toward "cloud computing" and "open source" software, the trend is accelerating because costs are coming down and free or inexpensive materials are becoming more available.…

  20. What Johnny Shouldn't Read: Textbook Censorship in America.

    Science.gov (United States)

    DelFattore, Joan

    This book discusses ways in which special-interest groups influence the content of textbooks used in public and private schools throughout the United States. The book focuses on recent federal lawsuits involving attempts to censor or ban reading, literature, science, and social studies textbooks. Recreating the story behind each lawsuit, the book…

  1. History of College Zoology Textbooks in the United States.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Staud, Margaret Crespo

    Studied were the characteristics and changes of textbooks used in college zoology instruction in the United States and the relationship of these findings to the development of college zoology instruction. The authors' professional backgrounds, the textbook audience, and the status of zoology and college education at the time each book was written…

  2. Historical Evolution of the Field View and Textbook Accounts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pocovi, M. Cecilia; Finley, Fred N.

    2003-01-01

    Analyzes how two electromagnetism textbooks approach the concept of electric field. Uses historical evolution of the field representation. Indicates that one textbook mixes up the historical and pedagogical reasons for the introduction of the concept of field while the other one presents a sketch that might lead students to understand the field…

  3. Is Acceptance of E-Textbooks Discipline-Dependent? Comparing Business and Non-Business Student Perceptions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ciampa, Mark; Thrasher, Evelyn; Marston, Sean; Revels, Mark

    2013-01-01

    Researchers have looked extensively into the adoption and satisfaction level of academic electronic textbooks (e-textbooks) by students. The majority of research to date has indicated that either students prefer print textbooks to e-textbooks or the results are inconclusive. In this study a survey consisting of questions related to the use of an…

  4. First-Year Engineering Students' Use of Their Mathematics Textbook--Opportunities and Constraints

    Science.gov (United States)

    Randahl, Mira

    2012-01-01

    The role of the mathematics textbook at tertiary level has received limited exposure in previous research although it is likely that students work individually and that some of this work depends on the use of the textbook. The aim of this study was to investigate the process of approaching the textbook from epistemological, cognitive, and…

  5. Textbook Inspection and Censorship in Korea during the Protectorate Period: A Study of Inspection Copies of Textbooks Compiled by the Young Korean Academy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Soyoung Kim

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available Established during the Japanese protectorate period, the censorship system lasted throughout the colonial period as well. Therefore it is necessary to examine such censorship system as part of Japan’s colonization policy and shed light on the historical and current significance of the censorship system as well as its effects. Recently, copies of textbook provided to the Ministry of Education (Hakbu for inspection in the protectorate period were newly discovered. Materials that have been inspected by the Japanese Residency-General of Korea—inspection copies of textbooks from the Young Korean Academy (Heungsadan—were included in the “Collection of new materials related to Yu Kilchun”. Using these newly discovered copies of textbooks that had been subject to inspection, this study is the first in a series of research that attempted to examine actual cases of textbook inspection and censorship during the protectorate period and shed light on the historical significance of such activities. This study therefore review legislations on inspection and censorship in this period and studied the early stages in the establishment process of a censorship system in modern Korea. Secondly, this study attempted to provide a bibliographical analysis of the inspection copies of textbooks from the protectorate period, as these are new documents that had never been analyzed or used in research.

  6. The design of geometry teaching: learning from the geometry textbooks of Godfrey and Siddons

    OpenAIRE

    Fujita, Taro; Jones, Keith

    2002-01-01

    Deciding how to teach geometry remains a demanding task with one of major arguments being about how to combine the intuitive and deductive aspects of geometry into an effective teaching design. In order to try to obtain an insight into tackling this issue, this paper reports an analysis of innovative geometry textbooks which were published in the early part of the 20th Century, a time when significant efforts were being made to improve the teaching and learning of geometry. The analysis sugge...

  7. [Comparison of the compilation features of Science of Meridians and Acupoints among different editions].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Xiaojun

    The compilation features of Jingluo Shuxue Xue ( Science of Meridians and Acupoints ) among different editions were summarized and analyzed. Jingluo Xue ( Science of Meridians ) and Shuxue Xue ( Science of Acupoints ) published by Shanghai Scientific and Technical Publishers in 1984 are the pioneer as the textbook for the education of acupuncture discipline for the bachelor degree, but there is the big controversy for the editions in 1996. These two books were combined as one, titled Science of Meridians and Acupoints , 2013 edition, published by China Press of Traditional Chinese Medicine. It is concise and coherent in content and is regarded as the milestone in the history of textbook compilation. This book was re-edited in 2007 without major changes in content. The one in 2009 was revised a lot on the basis of the original several editions, published by Shanghai Scientific and Technical Publishers. But unfortunately, it did not bring the big impacts in China. The edition in 2012, published by China Press of Traditional Chinese Medicine had made the innovations besides integrating the achievements of the previous editions, characterized as preciseness and conciseness. By contrast, the edition in 2012, published by People's Medical Publishing House was accomplished by simple modification on the basis of the editions in 2003 and in 2007, without great innovation. Regarding the on-going publication of the textbooks in "the 13th five-year plan", it is viewed that the new edition of textbook should maintain the general framework of "the 12th five-year plan", based on which, a few questions should be revised appropriately. Additionally, "less words, more illustration" should be the basic principle for the revision of the new edition.

  8. Textbook Images: How Do They Invite Students into Physics?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bungum, Berit

    2013-01-01

    This paper presents a study of images in Norwegian physics textbooks for upper secondary school, and how they invite students into physics by means of visual communication. The concept of "framing" is used to investigate how the perspective in the image provides a sense of participation. It is found that older textbooks, where objects…

  9. Mathematics Textbooks and Their Potential Role in Supporting Misconceptions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kajander, Ann; Lovric, Miroslav

    2009-01-01

    As a fundamental resource, textbooks shape the way we teach and learn mathematics. Based on examination of secondary school and university textbooks, we describe to what extent, and how, the presentation of mathematics material--in our case study, the concept of the line tangent to the graph of a function--could contribute to creation and…

  10. Marketing Professors' Perspectives on the Cost of College Textbooks: A Pilot Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Silver, Lawrence S.; Stevens, Robert E.; Clow, Kenneth E.

    2012-01-01

    Textbooks are an integral component of the higher education process. However, a great deal of concern about the high costs of college textbooks has been expressed by those inside and outside of higher education. The authors focus on the results of a pilot study of a survey of marketing professors' criteria and use of textbooks and their reactions…

  11. An Analysis of Science Textbooks for Grade 6: The Electric Circuit Lesson

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sothayapetch, Pavinee; Lavonen, Jari; Juuti, Kalle

    2013-01-01

    Textbooks are a major tool in the teaching and learning process. This paper presents the results of an analysis of the Finnish and Thai 6th grade science textbooks: electric circuit lesson. Textual and pictorial information from the textbooks were analyzed under four main categories: 1) introduction of the concepts, 2) type of knowledge, 3)…

  12. Mathematical Practice in Textbooks Analysis: Praxeological Reference Models, the Case of Proportion

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wijayanti, Dyana; Winsløw, Carl

    2017-01-01

    We present a new method in textbook analysis, based on so-called praxeological reference models focused on specific content at task level. This method implies that the mathematical contents of a textbook (or textbook part) is analyzed in terms of the tasks and techniques which are exposed to or demanded from readers; this can then be interpreted…

  13. Gender Representation in Contemporary Grade 10 Business Studies Textbooks in South Africa

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maistry, Suriamurthee Moonsamy; Pillay, Preya

    2014-01-01

    There is a distinct attempt on the part of the state to reposition the textbook as a key teaching and learning resource in South African schools. While the textbook industry has responded to the growing demand for better quality textbooks and attempted to embrace the tenets of the country's Constitution, especially as it relates to the issue of…

  14. [Traditional medicine under Japanese rule after 1930s].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shin, Dong-won

    2003-12-01

    Japan, which occupied Korea from 1910 through the end of World War II, transformed traditional medicine. Japanese colonialists propagandized the "benefits of modern civilization such as western medicine" and rejected the advantages of traditional medicine. This bias against Korean traditional medicine mirrored the government's rejection of its own traditional medicine. So, Korean traditional medicine was marginalized in the national health care system: traditional doctors were excluded from public institutions and references to traditional medicine were purged from school textbooks and newspapers. The wars that Japan waged between 1931 and 1944 effected a favorable change toward traditional medicines, however. The wars created a severe shortage of drugs and medical personnel. Thus the colonial government was eager for Koreans to cultivate and gather herbal drugs; it also built a large research institute for herbalism at the Keijo Imperial University in 1938. The colonial government made pharmacopoeia for traditional herbal drugs including plant and animal drugs from 1937 to 1942, independently from Japan. Under these conditions, the prestige of traditional medicine was greatly improved. Influential newspapers and magazines covered the traditional medicine and public lectures on traditional medicine drew large audiences. The wartime government abandoned its opposition to traditional medicine, and appointed a traditional practitioner to the staff of the public hospital in 1934. Moreover, the government allowed the association of the traditional medical doctors in Seoul to train three hundred more practitioners between 1937 and 1942. Japanese colonial policy toward traditional medicine reflected the contradiction between modernizing ideology and the reality of poor colonial medical care. Japanese propaganda promised that the colonial regime would provide more advanced medicine to Korea, but the promise was an empty one. In this situation, traditional medical doctors

  15. Health effects of digital textbooks on school-age children: a grounded theory approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seomun, Gyeongae; Lee, Jung-Ah; Kim, Eun-Young; Im, Meeyoung; Kim, Miran; Park, Sun-A; Lee, Youngjin

    2013-10-01

    This qualitative study used the grounded theory approach to analyze digital textbook-related health experiences of school-age children. In-depth interviews were held with 40 elementary school students who had used digital textbooks for at least a year. Data analysis revealed a total of 56 concepts, 20 subcategories, and 11 categories related to digital textbook health issues, the central phenomena being "health-related experiences." Students' health-related experiences were classified into "physical" and "psychological" symptoms. Adverse health effects related to digital textbook usage were addressed via both "student-led" and "instructor-led" coping strategies. Students' coping strategies were often inefficient, but instructor-led strategies seemed to prevent health problems. When health issues were well managed, students tended to accept digital textbooks as educational tools. Our findings suggest that students can form healthy computer habits if digital textbook usage is directed in a positive manner.

  16. Emergency medicine educational resource use in Cape Town: modern or traditional?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kleynhans, A C; Oosthuizen, A H; van Hoving, D J

    2017-05-01

    The integration of online resources and social media into higher education and continued professional development is an increasingly common phenomenon. To describe the usage of various traditional and modern educational resources by members of the divisions of emergency medicine at Stellenbosch University and the University of Cape Town. Members affiliated with the divisions during 2014 were invited to participate in an online survey. Participants were given 8 weeks to complete the questionnaire; with weekly reminders until they responded or the deadline expired. Summary statistics were used to describe the variables. Eighty-seven divisional members completed the survey (69.6% response rate). The resources most preferred were textbooks (n=78, 89.7%), open access educational resources (n=77, 88.5%) and journals (n=76, 87.4%). Emergency medicine trainees (n=31, 92.1%) and respondents ≤30 years (n=17, 94.4%) were more inclined to use social media. International Emergency Medicine and Critical Care blogs are frequently being used by 71% of respondents. YouTube (35%) and podcasts (21%) were the most commonly used multimedia resources. Computers (desktop and laptop) were most frequently used to access educational resources except for social media where smart phones were preferred. The use of modern and electronic resources is relatively common, but traditional educational resources are still preferred. This study illustrates an opportunity for greater integration of online resources and social media in educational activities to enhance multimodal and self-directed learning. Specific training in the use of these resources and how to appraise them may further improve their utility. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

  17. The role of business agreements in defining textbook affordability and digital materials: A document analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    John Raible

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Adopting digital materials such as eTextbooks and e-coursepacks is a potential strategy to address textbook affordability in the United States. However, university business relationships with bookstore vendors implicitly structure which instructional resources are available and in what manner. In this study, a document analysis was conducted on the bookstore contracts for the universities included in the State University System of Florida. Namely, issues of textbook affordability, digital material terminology and seller exclusivity were investigated. It was found that textbook affordability was generally conceived in terms of print rental textbooks and buyback programs, and that eTextbooks were priced higher than print textbooks (25% to 30% markup. Implications and recommendations for change are shared. DOI: 10.18870/hlrc.v5i4.284

  18. 7 CFR 15a.42 - Textbooks and curricular material.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Textbooks and curricular material. 15a.42 Section 15a.42 Agriculture Office of the Secretary of Agriculture EDUCATION PROGRAMS OR ACTIVITIES RECEIVING OR BENEFITTING FROM FEDERAL FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE Discrimination on the Basis of Sex in Education Programs and Activities Prohibited § 15a.42 Textbooks...

  19. The Representation of Islam in the Hungarian Geography Textbooks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Császár, Zsuzsu M.; Vati, Tamás

    2012-01-01

    This research has been seeking an answer to the question about what kind of image of the Islam is conveyed by the most popular and densely used textbooks to students. In the course of analysis, primary and secondary schools textbooks were examined via quantitative and qualitative methods. The objective demonstration of the research results aims to…

  20. Herbal Medicines for Leucorrhea According to Iranian Traditional Medicine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dehdari, Sahar; Hajimehdipoor, Homa

    2016-05-01

    Leucorrhea or vaginal discharge is a conventional complaint. It is generally whitish, yellowish, or greenish vaginal discharge in females that might be normal or a symptom of infection. It is almost mucus discharge, which exhibit exfoliation of vaginal epithelial cells due to estrogen influence on the vaginal mucosa. It is important to identify the differences between physiologic and pathologic discharges. Leucorrhea is a well-known disease in Iranian traditional medicine (ITM). In their manuscripts, the word "Sayalan-e rahem" was used by Avicenna and some other Iranian traditional practitioners to describe this condition. Ancient practitioners believed that excessive residue (kesrate fozool) and weakness of digestion (Za'afe hazm) were the main causes of leucorrhea, for which herbal therapy was the main proposed treatment. In the present study, medicinal plants used in ITM for leucorrhea are introduced. In this research, six Iranian traditional textbooks including Canon of Medicine (Avicena 980-1037 AD), A-Hawi (Razes 865-925 AD), Tuhfat ul-Momineen (Mo'men tonekaboni, 17th century), Makhzan-ul-Adwiah (Aghili 18th century), Ikhtiarat Badi'i (Ansari 1329-1404 AD), and al-jāmi li-mufradāt al-adwiyawa al-aghdhiy (Ibn al-Baitar 1197 AD) were studied and searched for anti-leucorrhea medicines. Then the herbal medicines were selected and scored depending on their frequency in the above-mentioned textbooks. Additional attention was paid to provide the most suitable scientific name for each plant. This study introduced many Materia Medica with anti-leucorrhea activity and among them seven herbs including Rubus fruticosus L., Rhus coriaria L., Phoenix dactylifera L., Pimpinella anisum L., Rumex acetosa L., Olea europaea L. and Quercus lusitanica Lam. showed the most repetition in ITM prescriptions. These herbs can be introduced as new anti-leucorrhea herbal medicines for clinical research.

  1. The Misrepresentation of School Psychology in Introduction to Psychology Textbooks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wise, Paula Sachs

    1981-01-01

    This study indicates that introductory psychology textbooks ignore the role of the psychologist in the schools. Out of 84 textbooks, only 26 described the school psychologist. When 12 students analyzed these available descriptions for five skill types, no coherent images of school psychologists emerged. (AM)

  2. Comparing the Development of the Multiplication of Fractions in Turkish and American Textbooks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kar, Tugrul; Güler, Gürsel; Sen, Ceylan; Özdemir, Ercan

    2018-01-01

    This study analyzed the methods used to teach the multiplication of fractions in Turkish and American textbooks. Two Turkish textbooks and two American textbooks, "Everyday Mathematics" (EM) and "Connected Mathematics 3" (CM), were analyzed. The analyses focused on the content and the nature of the mathematical problems…

  3. Equity for open-access journal publishing.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stuart M Shieber

    2009-08-01

    Full Text Available Open-access journals, which provide access to their scholarly articles freely and without limitations, are at a systematic disadvantage relative to traditional closed-access journal publishing and its subscription-based business model. A simple, cost-effective remedy to this inequity could put open-access publishing on a path to become a sustainable, efficient system.

  4. Medical Subspecialty Textbooks in the 21st Century. Essential or Headed for Extinction?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Broaddus, V Courtney; Grippi, Michael A

    2015-08-01

    In recent years, the role of medical subspecialty textbooks as sources of information for students, trainees, and practicing clinicians has been challenged. Although the structure of textbooks continues to evolve from standard, printed versions to digital formats, including e-books and online texts, we maintain that the authoritative compilation of clinical and scientific material by experts in the field (i.e., a modern-day textbook) remains central to the education, training, and practice of subspecialists. Regardless of format, an effective medical subspecialty textbook is authoritative, comprehensive, and integrated in its coverage of the subject. Textbook content represents a unique synthesis of clinical and scientific material of real educational and clinical value. Incorporation of illustrations, including figures, tables, videos, and audios, bolsters the presentation and further solidifies the reader's understanding of the subject. The textbook, both printed and digital, reinforces the many widely available online resources and serves as a platform from which to evaluate other sources of information and to launch additional scientific and clinical inquiry.

  5. THE MAIN PSYCHOLOGICAL AND PEDAGOGICAL REQUIREMENTS OF INFORMATICS TEXTBOOKS FOR 6TH

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Popel M.

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available In the article the psychological characteristics of pupils 6th grade: rapid psychophysical development and crises inherent in early adolescence. For a comparative analysis of knowledge of pupils as the fifth and sixth grades by training years (2013-2014, 2014-2015 the dependence of quality of knowledge from the problems of adolescence. The specifics of semantic informatics textbooks for 6th grade is taking into account the age and characteristics of pupils need reflected on the psychological and educational requirements. Presents the basic functions performed by the textbook as a teaching tool, particularly in informatics. Considered the requirements set by the modern informatics textbook T. P. Sokolowski. Analysis of current informatics textbooks for 6th grade on the example of studying the topic "Algorithms and their performers' and found some problems in their content. Considering completed research were summarized and singled the basic psychological and pedagogical requirements to be met by informatics textbooks for 6th grade. As the prospects for further research appears analysis electronic editions of informatics and refinement requirements for defined existing textbooks considering psychological characteristics of young adolescents.

  6. Depictions of females and males in Mozambican and Victorian (Australia primary mathematics textbooks

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adelino Evaristo Murimo

    2007-10-01

    Full Text Available The depiction of females and males in Mozambican Primary Mathematics textbooks for grades 6 and 7 were examined, and comparisons made with Victorian  (Australia textbooks for years 5 and 6. It was found that mathematics learning was portrayed as a  male domain in the Mozambican textbooks, reflecting what used to be the case with Australian texts of the 1970s, although there are some differences between the two countries that may be culturally based. The Victorian textbooks depicted mathematics learning as a domain for all children, and in the majority of categories examined, females and males were distributed fairly evenly. Compared to earlier reported findings, there was a general improvement in the portrayal of females in Victorian textbooks.

  7. A Comparative Analysis of Quadratics Unit in Singaporean, Turkish and IBDP Mathematics Textbooks

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Reyhan Sağlam

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to analyze and compare the contents of the chapters on quadratics in three mathematics textbooks selected from Turkey, Singapore, and the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program (IBDP through content analysis. The analysis of mathematical content showed that the three textbooks have different approaches and priorities in terms of the positions of chapters and weights of the quadratics units, and the time allocated to them within the respective curricular programs. It was also found that the Turkish textbook covers a greater number of learning outcomes targeted for quadratics among the three mathematics syllabi, showing a detailed treatment of the topic compared to the other two textbooks.Key Words: Content analysis, international comparative studies, mathematics textbooks

  8. Technical Services in the Age of Electronic Publishing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brownrigg, Edwin; And Others

    1984-01-01

    Examination of the traditional library technical services functions and how they may change with the advent of widespread computer-based electronic publishing emphasizes ways in which technical services will have to adapt in electronic publishing environment. Implications of electronic publishing for library management and budgeting are explored.…

  9. What Can We Learn from Mainstream Education Textbook Research?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harwood, Nigel

    2017-01-01

    Although there is an ever-growing volume of research focused on TESOL textbooks (or coursebooks, as they are sometimes known), I argue that the TESOL research community should pay more attention to textbook research in mainstream education, that is, to the work of those scholars who focus on L1 rather than L2 education, given that there is a rich,…

  10. Inside France: Three Missing Pages from Your Students' Textbook.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Conniffe, Patricia, Ed.

    This mini-unit seeks to fill the gap in textbooks that exists when teaching about modern France. Many textbooks end their coverage of France with the chapter on World War II. This unit offers high school students a unique introduction to France in the mid-1990s. The mini-unit includes a two-sided poster, teaching tips, and student pages. Student…

  11. Louis's Lightbulb Lesson (and Other Advice for Textbook Writers)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sheinkin, Steve

    2009-01-01

    In this article, the author reflects on his work as a textbook writer. Given that knowledge is memorable when it is related to engaging stories, the author wonders if it is possible to turn the history of our great nation into such tales to motivate children's learning. Attempts to make his textbook writing more vivid, however, are met with a…

  12. The equity premium in finance and valuation textbooks

    OpenAIRE

    Fernandez, Pablo

    2008-01-01

    This paper is a review of the recommendations about the equity premium found in the main finance and valuation textbooks. We review several editions of books written by authors such as Brealey and Myers; Copeland, Koller and Murrin (McKinsey); Ross, Westerfield and Jaffe; Bodie, Kane and Marcus; Damodaran; Copeland and Weston; Van Horne; Bodie and Merton; Stowe et al.; Pratt; Penman; Bruner; Weston & Brigham; and Arzac. We highlight the confusing message the textbooks convey regarding the equ...

  13. Finally, nuclear engineering textbooks with a Canadian flavour!

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bonin, H.W.

    2002-01-01

    The need for nuclear engineering textbooks more appropriate to the Canadian nuclear industry context and the CANDU nuclear reactor program has long been felt not only among the universities offering nuclear engineering programs at the graduate level, but also within the Canadian nuclear industry itself. Coverage of the CANDU reactor system in the textbooks presently supporting teaching is limited to a brief description of the concept. Course instructors usually complement these textbooks with course notes written from their personal experience from past employment within the nuclear industry and from their research interests In the last ten years, the Canadian nuclear industry has been involved on an increasing basis with the issue of the technology transfer to foreign countries which have purchased CANDU reactors or have been in the process of purchasing one or several CANDUs. For some of these countries, the 'turn key' approach is required, in which the Canadian nuclear industry looks after everything up to the commissioning of the nuclear power plant, including the education and training of local nuclear engineers and plant personnel. Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL) in particular has dispatched some personnel tasked to prepare and give short courses on some specific aspects of CANDU design and operation, but a lack of consistency was observed as different persons prepared and gave the courses rather independently. To address the many problems tied with nuclear engineering education, the CANTEACH program was set up involving major partners of the Canadian nuclear industry. Parts of the activities foreseen by CANTEACH consist in the writing of nuclear engineering textbooks and associated computer-based pedagogical material. The present paper discusses the main parts of two textbooks being produced, one in reactor physics at steady state and the other on nuclear fuel management. (author)

  14. A Biologist in Wonderland: The Texas Biology Textbook Adoption Hearings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McInerney, Joseph D.

    1991-01-01

    Examines Texas adoption process, described by author as having an inordinate impact on textbook market. Creationist opposition to evolution content in biological textbooks is well organized. Author presents 10 arguments made at hearing by creationists that he describes as a monument to scientific illiteracy. Asserts that creationists' confusion of…

  15. Health education in primary school textbooks in iran in school year 2010-2011.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Reza Kazemian

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available Health education in schools is one of the most effective ways of promoting health in a society. Studies have shown the effectiveness of health interventions aimed at improving students' knowledge, attitude, and behaviors about health issues. The aim of this study was to evaluate health issues in primary school textbooks in Iran.In school year 2010-2011, the contents of all primary school textbooks in Iran were assessed in accordance to their health-related teachings. Health lessons of these 27 textbooks in the form of picture and text were retrieved and analyzed using content analysis method.In total, 502 health-related lessons were found. The textbooks of the third grade contained the highest (144 and those of the fourth grade had the lowest (26 number of health lessons. Among health-related issues, the largest number (87 of lessons were about personal hygiene, while prevention of high risk behaviors comprised the least number (8. Some important health issues such as nutrition, oral health, and prevention of high-risk behaviors were not adequately discussed in the textbooks.The potential of primary school textbooks in delivering health messages has been neglected in Iran. Taking the critical importance of school ages into account, incorporating health issues in textbooks should be more strongly emphasized.

  16. Health education in primary school textbooks in iran in school year 2010-2011.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kazemian, Reza; Ghasemi, Hadi; Movahhed, Taraneh; Kazemian, Ali

    2014-09-01

    Health education in schools is one of the most effective ways of promoting health in a society. Studies have shown the effectiveness of health interventions aimed at improving students' knowledge, attitude, and behaviors about health issues. The aim of this study was to evaluate health issues in primary school textbooks in Iran. In school year 2010-2011, the contents of all primary school textbooks in Iran were assessed in accordance to their health-related teachings. Health lessons of these 27 textbooks in the form of picture and text were retrieved and analyzed using content analysis method. In total, 502 health-related lessons were found. The textbooks of the third grade contained the highest (144) and those of the fourth grade had the lowest (26) number of health lessons. Among health-related issues, the largest number (87) of lessons were about personal hygiene, while prevention of high risk behaviors comprised the least number (8). Some important health issues such as nutrition, oral health, and prevention of high-risk behaviors were not adequately discussed in the textbooks. The potential of primary school textbooks in delivering health messages has been neglected in Iran. Taking the critical importance of school ages into account, incorporating health issues in textbooks should be more strongly emphasized.

  17. Evaluating the SAMT English Textbook for BSc Students of Physics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mina Sajjadi

    2011-11-01

    Full Text Available English for Academic Purposes (EAP and English for Specific Purposes (ESP are developing branches of English as a Foreign Language (EFL instruction in Iran. These branches have a marginal status in the tertiary education, and the Ministry of Science, Research, and Technology’s high commission offers no clear guidance for selecting and developing basic academic instructional materials related to the linguistic or communicative standards expected by teachers (Mazdayasna & Tahririan, 2008. This paper tries to evaluate an ESP textbook written for BSc students of physics entitled, ‘English for the students of physics’, which is prepared by the Center for Studying and Compiling University Books in Humanities (SAMT. The present research was based on qualitative and quantitative research techniques and included two steps. First, internal, external and overall evaluation of the book was carried out based on McDonough & Shaw (1993 model. While conducting the external evaluation of the book, the intended audience, the proficiency level, the context of use, the language, the author's views on language and methodology, the inclusion of a vocabulary list/index, visual features, and the cultural aspects were examined. The internal evaluation included the presentation of the skills, grading and sequencing, discourse skills, listening section, the representation of different learning styles. And in overall evaluation, general suitability of the textbook was assessed. In the second step, six teachers each responded to a 22-item textbook evaluation questionnaire to express their perceptions concerning various aspects of the textbooks. The results revealed the extent of appropriateness of the textbook used by BSc students of physics. Suggestions are offered for the future revision and/or designing the textbooks.

  18. First-year engineering students' use of their mathematics textbook - opportunities and constraints

    Science.gov (United States)

    Randahl, Mira

    2012-09-01

    The role of the mathematics textbook at tertiary level has received limited exposure in previous research although it is likely that students work individually and that some of this work depends on the use of the textbook. The aim of this study was to investigate the process of approaching the textbook from epistemological, cognitive, and didactical perspectives. The focus was on identifying and discussing the opportunities and constraints in the process. The study was an explorative case study and the participants were first-year engineering students taking a basic calculus course. The data were collected through questionnaires, observations, and interviews. Results showed that the textbook was used to a very low degree and mainly perceived as a source of tasks. Different opportunities and constraints are pointed out and some didactical implications are suggested. The results and discussion indicate that a need for greater awareness about the use of mathematical textbooks in meaningful ways at tertiary level.

  19. Teaching of Literature through Textbooks

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Skyggebjerg, Anna Karlskov

    This paper represents an interest in texbooks as an educational tool in the teaching of literature in lower secondary school in Denmark. Four influential and representative textbooks from different decades are analyzed with concepts from discourse analysis, positioning theory and theory about...

  20. Developing a Textbook for the Students of the Diploma III Program in Hotel Management

    OpenAIRE

    Aniroh, Kun

    2011-01-01

    The current study aims at developing a textbook. For the purpose, Borg and Gall's R@D design is adopted with three main phases: a preliminary study realized through needs assessment, textbook development, and validation. The textbook as the final product is intended for those with minimum English mastery of the intermediate level. Further steps are needed for improvement of the textbook if it is intended to be available for more commercial use in the market.

  1. Customization of Curriculum Materials in Science: Motives, Challenges, and Opportunities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Romine, William L.; Banerjee, Tanvi

    2012-02-01

    Exemplary science instructors use inquiry to tailor content to student's learning needs; traditional textbooks treat science as a set of facts and a rigid curriculum. Publishers now allow instructors to compile pieces of published and/or self-authored text to make custom textbooks. This brings numerous advantages, including the ability to produce smaller, cheaper text and added flexibility on the teaching models used. Moreover, the internet allows instructors to decentralize textbooks through easy access to educational objects such as audiovisual simulations, individual textbook chapters, and scholarly research articles. However, these new opportunities bring with them new problems. With educational materials easy to access, manipulate and duplicate, it is necessary to define intellectual property boundaries, and the need to secure documents against unlawful copying and use is paramount. Engineers are developing and enhancing information embedding technologies, including steganography, cryptography, watermarking, and fingerprinting, to label and protect intellectual property. While these are showing their utility in securing information, hackers continue to find loop holes in these protection schemes, forcing engineers to constantly assess the algorithms to make them as secure as possible. As newer technologies rise, people still question whether custom publishing is desirable. Many instructors see the process as complex, costly, and substandard in comparison to using traditional text. Publishing companies are working to improve attitudes through advertising. What lacks is peer reviewed evidence showing that custom publishing improves learning. Studies exploring the effect of custom course materials on student attitude and learning outcomes are a necessary next step.

  2. Investigating the Representation of Multiple Intelligences Theory in TPSOL Textbooks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ebadi, Saman; Beigzadeh, Maryam

    2016-01-01

    As the main applicable language resources in classrooms, textbooks provide the primary source of information, and they serve the foundation of instruction and transfer the curriculum objectives. Therefore, teachers should be conscious in choosing the right textbooks and activities for their students. The purpose of this study is to investigate one…

  3. Textbooks as a Possible Influence on Unscientific Ideas about Evolution

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tshuma, Tholani; Sanders, Martie

    2015-01-01

    While school textbooks are assumed to be written for and used by students, it is widely acknowledged that they also serve a vital support function for teachers, particularly in times of curriculum change. A basic assumption is that biology textbooks are scientifically accurate. Furthermore, because of the negative impact of…

  4. An Analysis of Global Problems Issues in Sixth and Seventh Grade Science Textbooks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hamm, Mary; Adams, Dennis

    The study examines the extent to which the global issues of population growth, world hunger, air quality and atmosphere, and water resources were treated in sixth and seventh grade science textbooks. Ten textbooks were examined by five raters to determine the amount of content presented by different textbooks on global issues, the number of pages…

  5. An Analysis of Misconceptions in Science Textbooks: Earth Science in England and Wales

    Science.gov (United States)

    King, Chris John Henry

    2010-01-01

    Surveys of the earth science content of all secondary (high school) science textbooks and related publications used in England and Wales have revealed high levels of error/misconception. The 29 science textbooks or textbook series surveyed (51 texts in all) showed poor coverage of National Curriculum earth science and contained a mean level of one…

  6. ELECTRONIC TEXTBOOK AS AN EFFECTIVE TOOL FOR IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yuliia M. Shepetko

    2011-02-01

    Full Text Available The urgency of the material stated in article, is caused by requirements for use of information and communication technologies for educational process, in particular the electronic textbook which can facilitate perception of the information, diversify work forms, interest by technical possibilities. The article aims to proof the necessity of  electronic textbooks use as effective tool for improving the quality of education. Use of the electronic textbook at training will effectively and positively affect process of preparation of students taking into account the means of organization of educational process, structure, methodological requirements. Application of the electronic textbook at training will promote the further development of informative motivation of students.

  7. Toward textbook multigrid efficiency for fully implicit resistive magnetohydrodynamics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Adams, Mark F.; Samtaney, Ravi; Brandt, Achi

    2010-01-01

    Multigrid methods can solve some classes of elliptic and parabolic equations to accuracy below the truncation error with a work-cost equivalent to a few residual calculations - so-called 'textbook' multigrid efficiency. We investigate methods to solve the system of equations that arise in time dependent magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) simulations with textbook multigrid efficiency. We apply multigrid techniques such as geometric interpolation, full approximate storage, Gauss-Seidel smoothers, and defect correction for fully implicit, nonlinear, second-order finite volume discretizations of MHD. We apply these methods to a standard resistive MHD benchmark problem, the GEM reconnection problem, and add a strong magnetic guide field, which is a critical characteristic of magnetically confined fusion plasmas. We show that our multigrid methods can achieve near textbook efficiency on fully implicit resistive MHD simulations.

  8. Toward textbook multigrid efficiency for fully implicit resistive magnetohydrodynamics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Adams, Mark F.; Samtaney, Ravi; Brandt, Achi

    2013-01-01

    Multigrid methods can solve some classes of elliptic and parabolic equations to accuracy below the truncation error with a work-cost equivalent to a few residual calculations so-called textbook multigrid efficiency. We investigate methods to solve the system of equations that arise in time dependent magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) simulations with textbook multigrid efficiency. We apply multigrid techniques such as geometric interpolation, full approximate storage, Gauss-Seidel smoothers, and defect correction for fully implicit, nonlinear, second-order finite volume discretizations of MHD. We apply these methods to a standard resistive MHD benchmark problem, the GEM reconnection problem, and add a strong magnetic guide field, which is a critical characteristic of magnetically confined fusion plasmas. We show that our multigrid methods can achieve near textbook efficiency on fully implicit resistive MHD simulations.

  9. Textbook of radiology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Putman, C.E.; Ravin, C.E.

    1987-01-01

    This book is presented in two volumes, standard textbook of imaging, conclusive and totally up-to-date. This provides information organized by major topics covering the state-of-the-art for all imaging procedures. The volume 1 presents radiologic physics and technology by discussing roentgenography, ultrasound, CT, nuclear medicine, MRI, and positron emission tomography. The volume 2 studies pulmonary radiology, imaging of the skeletal and central nervous systems, uroradiology, abdominal and cardiac imaging, and imaging of the pelvis

  10. Teachers', Pupils', and Parents' Opinions on Primary Textbooks: Their Selection, Quality and Use

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lalau, Elena

    2014-01-01

    Textbooks' importance and usefulness in primary education is emphasized in the literature. Our interest for this subject was determined by the opinion that, if the textbooks are well-chosen, being taken into account the users' opinions, then the textbook achieves its goal: it becomes not only a source of information and a tool for pupils, but also…

  11. Explaining Dimensions of Middle School Mathematics Teachers’ Use of Textbooks

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Meric ÖZGELDİ

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract The purpose of the study was to describe middle school mathematics teachers’ use of textbooks. For this purpose, the Use of Mathematics Textbooks Questionnaire was distributed to 531 middle school mathematics teachers. The results of the study showed that teachers used the student edition textbook during the class and prior to class; and mostly read it for the topic, but rarely for problems and examples. Teachers frequently selected questions from the workbook that were not included in the student edition textbook. They frequently used questions in the workbook similar to the ones in the high school entrance exam questions. They used the teacher edition textbook to read the curriculum objectives and to prepare for the class but they very rarely tended to look up the answers of the questions from the teacher edition textbook. They frequently used auxiliary books to select questions that were not included in the student edition textbook. Key words: mathematics textbooks, mathematics teachers’ use of textbooks, middle school Özet Bu çalışmanın amacı, ilköğretim matematik öğretmenlerinin ders kitabı kullanımlarını tanımlamaktır. Bu amaçla, Matematik Öğretmenlerinin Ders Kitabı Kullanım Ölçeği, 531 ilköğretim matematik öğretmenine dağıtılmıştır. Çalışmanın sonuçları göstermektedir ki, öğretmenler ders kitabını sıklıkla derse hazırlık sürecinde ve ders sırasında kullanırken nadiren problemler ve örnekler için kullanmaktadır. Öğretmenler özellikle konunun günlük hayatla ilişkilendirilmesi, diğer derslerle bağlantı kurulması, konu sırasının takibi için ders kitabından faydalanmaktadır. Öğretmenler, çoğunlukla çalışma kitabında bulunan merkezi sınav sorularına benzer soruları kullanmaktadır. Öğretmen kılavuzunu ise kazanımlara bakmak ve derse hazırlık yapmak için kullanmaktadır. Bununla beraber, öğretmenler yardımcı kitapları merkezi s

  12. Enfoques historiográficos y representaciones sociales en los libros de texto. Un estudiocomparativo, España - Francia - Inglaterra = Historiographical approaches and social representations in textbooks. A comparative study, Spain - France - England

    OpenAIRE

    Gómez Carrasco, C. J.; Chapman, A. J.

    2017-01-01

    This paper analyzes the historiographical approaches and national, European and extra-European social representations on textbooks of Secondary Education in Spain, France and England. We have chosen for the sample 18 textbooks of the first two years of secondary education in the three countries. We have selected three publishers of big presence in classrooms in each of the territories (Anaya, Oxford and VicensVives for Spain; Belin, Bordas and Lelivrescolaire for France, and Collins, Heineman...

  13. Evaluation Study for Secondary Stage EFL Textbook: EFL Teachers' Perspectives

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al Harbi, Abdullah Abdul Muhsen

    2017-01-01

    This study aimed at evaluating EFL textbook for secondary stage in Saudi Public schools. Participants consisted of (100) male teachers and (73) female teachers teaching secondary stage students in two cities: Madinah and Dowadmi. The tool of the study designed to cover five dimensions: layout and design, the objectives of the textbook, teaching…

  14. Core References in Introductory Social Psychology and Developmental Psychology Textbooks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Whitehead, George I., III; Smith, Stephanie H.; Losonczy-Marshall, Marta

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of the present study was to identify the core references in introductory textbooks in two sub-disciplines of psychology: social psychology and developmental psychology. One research question was the extent to which the common references in these textbooks present the trends in contemporary research in each sub-discipline. An analysis…

  15. Didactic Transposition in Mathematics Textbooks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kang, Wan; Kilpatrick, Jeremy

    1992-01-01

    Didactic transposition theory asserts that bodies of knowledge are designed not to be taught but to be used. Discusses didactic transposition, the transposition of knowledge regarded as a tool to be used to knowledge as something to be learned in mathematics textbooks. (14 references) (MDH)

  16. Conceptualizing reasoning-and-proving opportunities in textbook expositions : Cases from secondary calculus

    OpenAIRE

    Bergwall, Andreas

    2017-01-01

    Several recent textbook studies focus on opportunities to learn reasoning-and-proving. They typically investigate the extent to which justifications are general proofs and what opportunities exist for learning important elements of mathematical reasoning. In this paper, I discuss how a particular analytical framework for this might be refined. Based on an in-depth analysis of certain textbook passages in upper secondary calculus textbooks, I make an account for analytical issues encountered d...

  17. ELECTRONIC TEXTBOOK AS AN EFFECTIVE TOOL FOR IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION

    OpenAIRE

    Yuliia M. Shepetko

    2011-01-01

    The urgency of the material stated in article, is caused by requirements for use of information and communication technologies for educational process, in particular the electronic textbook which can facilitate perception of the information, diversify work forms, interest by technical possibilities. The article aims to proof the necessity of  electronic textbooks use as effective tool for improving the quality of education. Use of the electronic textbook at training will effectively and posit...

  18. Evaluating Views of Lecturers on the Consistency of Teaching Content with Teaching Approach: Traditional versus Reform Calculus

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sevimli, Eyup

    2016-01-01

    This study aims to evaluate the consistency of teaching content with teaching approaches in calculus on the basis of lecturers' views. In this sense, the structures of the examples given in two commonly used calculus textbooks, both in traditional and reform classrooms, are compared. The content analysis findings show that the examples in both…

  19. Sight-Singing Pedagogy: A Content Analysis of Choral Methods Textbooks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Floyd, Eva G.; Haning, Marshall A.

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine the sight-singing pedagogy content of choral methods textbooks, with the intent of determining what elements of sight-singing pedagogy are most commonly included in these resources. A content analysis was conducted to analyze information related to sight-singing pedagogy in 10 textbooks that are commonly…

  20. Textbook Analysis: Comparing the Recent and the Old First Grade High School English Textbooks, Teachers and Learners’ Perspective in Focus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nazila Mirzaei

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract The present study was an attempt to investigate and compare the efficiency of the new and the old first grade high school English textbooks by focusing on thirty teachers and three hundred learners’ attitudes through a textbook evaluation checklist and a questionnaire. The analysis of the results revealed that, with regard to teachers' attitude toward the two books compared with each other, these books were nearly the same with regard to pronunciation and exercises. The old book was considered more efficient regarding grammar. Regarding the rest of the items, the new book was more efficient. Taking the learners perspective into account toward these two books compared with each other, there were no noteworthy difference between the books regarding vocabulary. Regarding the other items, the new book was considered more efficient. The findings of this study can assist decision-makers to pay more attention to the evaluation of textbooks and consequently the selection of an appropriate book according to the teachers and learners’ expectations, needs and interests.