A Comparative Study of Science Textbooks in Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan - Focus on the field of Biology -

Abstract

This study analyzed the characteristics of organization scheme and the levels of core concepts in science textbooks used in Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan, which have shown superior achievement according to the TIMSS 2007. Science textbooks in Korea clearly divide the fields of Energy, Matter, Biology, and Earth, presenting the fields in nearly equal proportion in each grade. In the case of Singapore, science textbooks take an integrated content approach, combining concepts from several fields under a single theme. Science textbooks in Taiwan present a single content field in each unit. Also, because each grade engages in a specific field intensively, there are many cases in which concepts related to a single field are studied in a single grade. In view of levels of core concepts, Singapore or Taiwan showed higher achievement than Korea in themes of 'Cell and their Functions', 'Ecosystems', and 'Human Health' under the TIMSS 2007 biology field. Singapore introduces core concepts for these themes in lower grades compared to Korea and presents them repeatedly in several grades. In Taiwan, there are many cases in which these core concepts are taught only once during the course of to grade, but the explanations are presented at a level that is suitable to TIMSS 2007 assessment objectives. Considering the results of this analysis, there is a need to reconsider the division of content fields and methods of presenting core concepts in the science textbooks of Korea.