Abstract

In this study, we sampled science writing tasks and investigated their frequency of use shown in the chemistry domain from two sets of 18 middle school science textbooks developed under the 2007 Revised National Curriculum(RNC) and the 2009 RNC, respectively. In addition, we categorized the sampled science writing tasks depending on the cognitive process and type of writing and compared with the results obtained from analysis of global issues presented in the science writings. From the textbooks developed under the 2007 RNC, a total of 183 science writing tasks were identified in which 10.17 tasks per textbook and 1.32 tasks per 10 pages were used averagely. A total of 168 were identified from the textbooks for the 2009 RNC. Among them, 9.33 tasks per textbook and 1.23 tasks per 10 pages were used on average. Comparing with these results, the average frequency of use of the tasks per textbook and per ten pages were decreased, respectively. Moreover, the number of science writing tasks were found in each curriculum varied considerably depending on the units and the publishers, and that the writing tasks were mainly arranged in the finale, wrapping up stage. In the analysis of science writing tasks according to the cognitive process, the highest and lowest frequency of use were observed in the category of 'understand' and 'remember', respectively. According to the classification of science writing tasks based on the types of writing, the writings for the information delivery were most used and the highest frequency of use was observed in the category of 'understand' of the cognitive process belonging to 'information delivery'. As for the results of the analysis of global issues, the number of science writing tasks including global issues increased from 21(11.48%) in the 2007 RNC to 33(19.64%) in the 2009 RNC. Furthermore, science writing tasks associated with protection of environment showed the highest frequency of use in the both curriculums, and it was analyzed that the materials of global issues used in the 2009 RNC were much more diverse.

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