An Analysis of Standards-Based High School Physics Textbooks of Finland and the United States

Abstract

This study examines how the curriculum is in alignment with the reform standards using the questioning style and level of inquiry activities, which are key components of the National Science Education Standards [NSES], in terms of the inquiry milieu (National Research Council [NRC], 1996). Two countries’ textbooks were chosen for analysis in this study: Physica (meaning physics in Greek) of Finland and Active Physics of the United States’ high school physics, which are products of reform efforts in science education. In 2003, Finland undertook a major change in the curriculum at the national level, which produced the “National Core Curriculum” (FNBE, 2003), whereas the United States went through a major reform in science education in the past decade, which produced the “National Science Education Standards” (NRC, 1996). Physica of Finland was developed as a high school physics textbook based on the National Core Curriculum for Science Education, and Active Physics of the US high school curriculum was developed based on the National Science Education Standards. The United States developed a new curriculum based on the national standards as an alternative to the traditional curriculum. Finnish Physica was developed based on a “traditional” national level curriculum, which includes aims for upper secondary physics and short descriptions of core content (FNBE, 2003). However, a study of how those particular curriculums have met the visions espoused by the National Science Education Standards is yet to be studied.