The role of the school textbook integrating function in developing holistic view on the scientific picture of the world

Abstract

The article analyzes a spectrum of school science textbooks and determines the need to create a modern textbook that shows the achievements in natural science disciplines, which are mentioned in the Federation State Educational Standard, UNESCO report and the results of the PISA. The study is primarily based on the theory of a school textbook developed by Russian scientists, V.G. Beilenson, D.D. Zuev, V.V. Kraevsky, S.G. Shapovalenko plus other authors. Based on the criteria put forward for the selection of textbooks, a comparative study of current Russian and British textbooks is carried out on natural science subjects for the final grades of secondary school to identify ways to implement the integrating function. It is shown that the integrating function manifests itself in the relationship between the internal components of the textbook as intra-structural integration, as intra-forms connecting school progress and the textbook with additional material as integration between related subjects. The article highlights principal components interrelated with the textbook, obtained during this research: modules and sections of the textbook; line of textbook series; and the national examination programme for the combined science subjects. It is shown that the integrating function in the school textbook contributes to the formation of a complete worldview of the natural science picture for the development of combined natural science competence.