Biology Textbooks Research Articles

Transitivity analysis of practical instructions in selected Nigerian senior secondary schools biology textbooks

This study is concerned with transitivity analysis of selected Nigerian senior high school biology textbooks. The aims of this research were to describe and to find out the dominant process types of transitivity occurrence, reason behind the choice of dominant process, and its effect in the biology practical instructions. This study was descriptive qualitative. The data were obtained from the selected two Nigerian biology textbooks entitle Essential Biology for Senior Secondary Schools, and Modern Biology for Senior Secondary Schools by M. C Michael, and Ramalingam respectively. The result of the research was four types of process that occurred in the textbooks. There was material process (90.83%), mental process (4.59%), relational process (3.67%), and existential process (0.92%). The dominant type of transitivity is material process. It means that biology practical instructions textbooks contained action and physically. Furthermore, the benefit that can be gained from analysing the transitivity in the text could stimulate the reading skills to comprehend the idea and information in a text that could be applied in spoken and written texts. Based on the finding of the transitivity analysis, it was recommended that, serving teachers be trained through workshops, seminars, conference s and in-service programmes.

Development of learning video on sub materials interaction in the ecosystem based on functional feeding group of macrobenthos

Each organism has a different role as an integral part of an ecosystem. Nevertheless, this concept tends to be random and inaccurate in building a complete understanding of ecosystem interaction pattern. This research aims to develop learning video on ecosytem interaction, specifically on functional feeding group of macrobenthos. The feasibility of video as a learning medium was seen from five aspects of simplicity, audio, integration, balance, and effectiveness. The development of learning video is divided into two stages of the preliminary and the formative evaluation stage. In the preliminary stage, a field survey was conducted in the examples of interaction forms presented in 3 commonly used Biology textbooks. The formative evaluation stage was conducted to test the effectiveness of the learning product through self-evaluation and expert review. 5 validators of 2 lecturers and 3 high school biology teachers were assign. Data analysis was done with Lawshe method. An ICC (Interclass Correlation Coefficient) reliability test was carried out to determine the reliability of the validation instrument. The results of the reliability test using the ICC yielded an ICC value of 0.758 which puts it in the excellent category. All criteria from the aspects of the learning video media validation sheet are declared valid with CVR and CVI values ​​of 1. Therefore, this learning video can be considered valid to be tested in limited trials.

THE STRUCTURES AND FUNCTIONS OF LEXICAL BUNDLES IN PAKISTANI BIOLOGY TEXTBOOKS

This study investigated and explored the structures and functions of 100 common lexical bundles of four-word, considering the structural and functional classification of lexical bundles, defined by (Biber, 2004 , p. 381 - 384), which was used as the theoretical framework also. This study is a corpus-based study of the four-word lexical bundles taken from biology textbooks which are being taught at the Pakistani Higher Secondary School Certificate level (HSSC) in KPK. The specified corpus of these textbooks was run in the AntConc software to perceive and detached LBs in the corpus. The bundles were then analyzed and classified according to (Biber et al., 2004) structural and functional taxonomy of lexical bundles. Structural analysis showed that lexical bundles incorporating dependent clause fragments, verb phrase with passive verb and preposition phrase were the most corporate type of bundles produced by biology textbooks. In terms of the functions, the majority of the bundles served as discourse organizers and referential expressions. These discoveries have educational endeavors and can be utilized in English for academic and special purposes. Keywords: Lexical bundles, Corpus-based study, Pakistani academic textbooks, English language teaching, English for academic purpose.

Virology in Schoolbooks—A Comprehensive Analysis of Austrian Biology Textbooks for Secondary School and Implications for Improvement

Virology has gained much attention in recent years due to the COVID-19 pandemic and other recurrent epidemics/pandemics such as Ebola, zika, or now, monkeypox. We have analysed all recent biology schoolbooks for secondary school approved for the Austrian market. Our aim was to find out whether virological content was presented comprehensively, comprehensibly, and in an error-free manner. This also relates to visual representations of viruses, processes related to virology (e.g., replication), and references to daily life. Furthermore, we looked for tasks related to virology that may help students to deepen their newly acquired knowledge and/or to put it into practice, either by hands-on experimentation or transfer tasks. We examined 97 books (76 books for lower secondary and 21 books for upper secondary school). For this analysis, we developed and tested a coding matrix accompanied with a comprehensive coding guide to facilitate reproducible and reliable ratings. Since inter-rater reliability was found to be very high, both the coding matrix and guide can be recommended for further studies in this field. Overall, the virological content provided was free of errors, with the text and illustrations being mostly comprehensive and comprehensible. This was expected, since all Austrian school books must be approved by a governmental commission. However, individual books even for the same target (age) group differed widely in content and detail. In particular, few books clearly differentiated between viruses and bacteria, clarified that viruses are non-living and emphasized that antibiotics are ineffective against viruses. Yet precisely such knowledge is essential to enable students to make scientifically based decisions in health-related situations, especially for the prevention and treatment of viral diseases (e.g., whether to take antibiotics when suffering from a viral disease).

Alignment between biology curriculum standards and five textbook editions: a content analysis

ABSTRACT This study investigates the alignment between curriculum standards and textbooks, based on a standards-based science education context. The analysis sample includes the High School Biology Curriculum Standards and five editions of biology textbooks in China. Porter's alignment model is used to construct a two-dimensional (content areas and cognitive levels) matrix of curriculum standards and textbooks to calculate alignment indices and marginal discrepancies between the two dimensions. The results show that 1) alignment between curriculum standards and textbooks has not been achieved; 2) textbooks are highly consistent and statistically significant, but independent of curriculum standards; 3) the distribution of curriculum standards and textbooks across various core concepts and cognitive levels is unbalanced; 4) both curriculum standards and textbooks overemphasise the cognitive levels of remembering and understanding, while minimally representing the applying, analysing, evaluating, and creating levels. This study examines the development of curriculum alignment in the context of current worldwide standards-based science education reforms and provides a framework for alignment research based on content analysis.

The DNA Landscape: Development and Application of a New Framework for Visual Communication about DNA.

Learning molecular biology involves using visual representations to communicate ideas about largely unobservable biological processes and molecules. Genes and gene expression cannot be directly visualized, but students are expected to learn and understand these and related concepts. Theoretically, textbook illustrations should help learners master such concepts, but how are genes and other DNA-linked concepts illustrated for learners? We examined all DNA-related images found in 12 undergraduate biology textbooks to better understand what biology students encounter when learning concepts related to DNA. Our analysis revealed a wide array of DNA images that were used to design a new visual framework, the DNA Landscape, which we applied to more than 2000 images from common introductory and advanced biology textbooks. All DNA illustrations could be placed on the landscape framework, but certain positions were more common than others. We mapped figures about "gene expression" and "meiosis" onto the landscape framework to explore how these challenging topics are illustrated for learners, aligning these outcomes with the research literature to showcase how the overuse of certain representations may hinder, instead of help, learning. The DNA Landscape is a tool to promote research on visual literacy and to guide new learning activities for molecular biology.

Representation of Aspects of Science Process Skills in the High School Biology Textbook Ecosystem Materials

Background: Science Process Skills (SPS) is a skill that facilitates students to find realities, decide on ideas and apply theory to daily existence. Textbooks in North Sumatra are assorted, and the availability of SPS aspects is not widely known. This study aims to determine the availability of SPS aspects in the most widely used high school textbooks in senior high school in one of city in North Sumatera. Methods: This study used content analysis research. The samples were purposive sampling using the most widely used books in state high schools in Binjai City. The data analysis technique in this study includes quantitative and qualitative. Qualitative data analysis was carried out by identifying the emergence of SPS aspects in the analyzed textbooks. Meanwhile, quantitative data analysis is carried out by calculating the frequency and Percentage of occurrences of SPS aspects in biology textbooks. Results: The results showed that the high school biology textbook class 10 was appropriate in providing aspects of science process skills in Ecosystem material. Book A provides 80% of all aspects of science process skills and book B provides 60% of all aspects of observed science process skills. Conclusions: of this study can be used as a reference for teachers in choosing textbooks that will be used as learning resources in facilitating SPS. Furthermore, continuous efforts are needed from the government,

Visual Representation of Biology Books on Circulatory System Material

Background: Representation is a tool to improve students' communication, interpreting, and problem-solving skills. Visual representation (RV) can provide information about understanding the object/phenomenon observed about the concept under study. This study aimed to determine the relationship between visual representations and material content and the relationship between visual representations and the reality of images contained in the Circulation System material. Methods: This study used a content analysis method with a qualitative data analysis technique. Results: The analysis results show a relationship compared to the category of significant relationships on the circulation system's material and the relationship of symbolic visual representations. Conclusions: The analysis that has been carried out on the visual representation of SMA/MA biology books in the city of Stabat for the circulation system material, it can be concluded that the Visual Representation relationship contained in SMA/MA biology books was found to be more dominant for the category of no relationship compared to the category of a significant relationship in circulation system material presented. In addition, when analyzed concerning the reality of the image, the visual representation displays the relationship of symbolic visual representations in the analyzed biology textbooks. In addition to choosing a textbook, the teacher should pay attention not only to the content of the learning material but also to look at the components in the book, one of which is the picture in the textbook. This will later be useful to support students' understanding of the concepts being taught.

EXERCISE SCIENCE IN HIGH SCHOOL BIOLOGY TEXTBOOKS

ABSTRACT The content of high school textbooks related to physical activity and exercise is of utmost importance because physical activity and exercise are considered important tools in maintaining and improving health. Our objective was to analyze the presence and quality of exercise science content in high school biology textbooks approved by the National Textbook Plan. A guiding document was developed to enable the analysis of the textbooks. The topics investigated were: I) the extent of content related to exercise science; II) misconceptions about exercise science; III) health benefits attributed to exercise. The academic qualifications of the textbook authors were also analyzed. All analyzed textbooks (n = 9) featured some degree of exercise science content. In addition, ~67% of textbooks analyzed had at least one misconception regarding exercise science, the most common being related to biochemistry and muscle physiology. Also, 93.8% of the authors had undergraduate degrees in biological sciences; 43.8% had doctoral degrees. In conclusion, all high school biology textbooks presented content related to exercise science; however, most of them presented at least one misconception regarding exercise science. Thus, we suggest that the Brazilian National Textbook Plan should improve the criteria for analyzing biology textbooks. Level of Evidence III; Economic and decision analyses - Development of an economic or decision model.

Website-Based Module Design on Virus Materials for Class X High School

This study aims to produce a website-based module on Virus material for class X high school students. This research was conducted at PGRI University, West Sumatra, in the 2022/2023 academic year. The method used in this research is ADDIE, where the stages of this ADDIE consist of analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation. However, considering the limited time in this research process, the researchers conducted research only up to the design stage. The instrument used in data collection used a student analysis questionnaire. Data analysis techniques in this study are descriptive data and qualitative data. Based on the results of the analysis of the teaching materials used in the learning process in the form of high school biology textbooks, it shows that the books analyzed still have several shortcomings that do not describe one of the core competencies and basic competencies. Based on the results of the analysis of students, it was found that students still have difficulty in understanding biology learning resources, especially on virus material because the material is abstract and cannot be observed directly, besides that there are many terms that are not understood by students, and the most The main reason is the lack of availability of good learning resources. Thus, it is necessary to develop modules so that students better understand virus learning.

Content analysis of cell division concepts in Senior High School Biology textbooks

Content and accuracy evaluation of textbooks is important as it provides quality assurance to both teachers and learners, especially in the new normal where modular instruction is used. This research aimed at evaluating the biology textbooks used by Senior High School STEM Science teachers (n=15) in content, presentation, and learning strategies. Content analysis and Collaizzi’s descriptive phenomenology approach were employed in this study. The results showed that all evaluated textbooks have unique, distinct content, presentation, and learning strategies. Most topics were also aligned with the minimum curriculum requirement for SHS STEM, but topics such as cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) and control checkpoints were not discussed in some books. Learning outcomes were not indicated in some books, and few textbooks did not reach synthesis and evaluation level. However, a comparative approach of cell division across the 5-kingdom system is observed but not explained well, and some misleading statements in the cell division mechanism were present. Considering that cell division precedes the discussion of cancer cell division and metastasis, content enrichment through learner-friendly visuals and diagrams is recommended to facilitate learning, improve retention, and avoid misconceptions.

Semantic network analysis of the biotechnology domain in Iranian high school biology textbooks

Textbooks can have a fundamental and positive effect on both learning and teaching. As such, in order to understand how students structure concepts in their minds, it is necessary to analyze the structure in which those concepts presented in textbooks are described. This study examined a network of concepts used in the domain of biotechnology in the Iranian 12th grade biology textbook and investigated the alignment of science concepts used in its sub-domains. The findings of this study suggest that too many concepts, as well as unconnected ones, were used in biotechnology domain, which led to a complicated conceptual network. Therefore, this paper recommends that the number of biology concepts described in the later text books in the biotechnology domain at Iranian high schools should be reduced in order to facilitate a better formation of connections between concepts and their descriptions.

Must Introductory Genetics Start with Mendel?

It is 157 years since Mendel presented his results on hybridisation in peas to the Brünn Society for Natural Science. The discipline of genetics has dramatically changed since then, with technological advancements revealing multifactorial causation and trait variability. Whilst none of this complexity featured in the discovery of classical genetics, Mendel and his peas still dominate teaching today. Must genetics always start from such a simplistic, determinist perspective? A number of recent studies (e.g. Donovan, 2021; Dougherty, 2010; Jamieson & Radick, 2013) have made the case for emphasising the complexity of genetics from the beginning. In this study, I will examine the origins and fate of two earlier attempts at reform, from the 1970s and 1980s. One was from Steven Rose, a biochemist in London and founder of the British Society for Social Responsibility in Science, who developed a genetics course for distance teaching at the Open University. The other was from Garland Allen, a historian of science and influential writer of biology textbooks, including four editions of Study of Biology. Both tried to depart from the standard start-with-Mendel script, in ways that aimed to help students better appreciate not only the complexities of genetics but also embedding genetics—and genetic knowledge—in society. Both met significant resistance, with concerns varying from the creation of unrealistic demands on students to the time and cost of making large-scale changes to textbooks. In closing, I will suggest that the experiences of Rose and Allen hold valuable lessons for reformers of the genetics curriculum today.

Analisis Konten Pengetahuan Terkait Virus dalam Buku Teks Biologi Sekolah Menengah untuk Penguatan Literasi Covid-19

This study aims to compare the presentation of the main content related to viruses in Biology textbooks from high schools in the Panai Hulu sub-district, Labuhan Batu district. The sample in this study is the Biology textbook used in high school class X based on the 2013 curriculum used by Senior High School/Islamic Senior High School. The research method used in this research is called “content analysis.” It is a research method taken strictly from the text through special coding and thematic classification. The data analysis technique used in this research is Thematic Content Analysis with inductive reasoning. It involves withdrawing information from an object intended to be transported optimally during observation. The results showed that the book analysis was carried out in terms of description, structure, replication, and virus prevention presented in the textbook. In terms of description, structure, replication, and prevention are still lacking in strengthening Covid-19 literacy. However, in some materials, only a few sub-sections can be used to strengthen Covid-19 literacy.

Development of Basic Biology Textbook Based Integration of Science and Islam

<p>Lecturers have the opportunity to spread the values of science and Islam to biology students at PTKIN. One of the efforts is to make a basic biology book that integrates it into Islamic teachings. The aim of this study was to test the validity and practicality of the Biology book which is integrated with Islam (Alquran). In addition to the identification of Surahs and verses of the Alquran that explain basic biological material in semester 1. This research is R&D. The validity and practicality of the data were analyzed using a Likert scale. The technique of collecting data by means of FGD as many as 9 students and 4 lecturers. The results showed that the basic biology textbooks based on the integration of science and Islam at IAIN Kudus were declared valid with very good criteria and practical with very good criteria. The content of this book consists of 12 chapters, namely biology as a science, cells and viruses, tissue structure of animals and plants, biological diversity, metabolism, nervous and endocrine systems, digestive systems, reproductive systems, circulatory systems, principles of genetics, evolution, and biotechnology. The material was then inserted verses scattered in the Alquran.</p>

Nature of Science in Greek Secondary School Biology Textbooks

The nature of science describes what science is, how it works, and its interactions with society under the perspectives of philosophy, history, sociology, and psychology of science. Understanding it is an essential aspect of scientific literacy. Given the critical role that school textbooks hold, considering what is taught and how it is taught in schools, we find the presence of the nature of science in school science textbooks to be significant. In this research paper, all Greek biology textbooks of lower secondary education are analysed to evaluate whether principal elements of the nature of science can be found in them. The whole array of educational resources available (textbooks, workbooks, lab guides, teachers’ books) was analysed as well as the corresponding official biology curricula. Content analysis was the method of choice, and the ‘meaning unit’ was the unit of analysis. We found that most of the nature of science references in the material that students were taught in 2021/22 was implicit and not especially designed by the curriculum. Some nature of science aspects were more commonly found (e.g., evidence is vital in science) than others (e.g., science has limits). The most opportunities for the nature of science to be introduced were found in history of science vignettes, laboratory activities, and some optional inquiry activities. However, without a structured design from the curriculum, it is the teachers’ responsibility to design and facilitate nature of science instruction (or not). We conclude that lacking explicit references, the nature of science falls into the hidden curriculum and becomes falsely depicted, enforcing a positivist image of science.

تقويم الاسئلة في كتب علم الاحياء للمرحلة الاعدادية وفق انموذج السيطرة الدماغية لهيرمان

This study aimed to evaluate the questions in biology books for the middle stage according to Herman's brain Dominance model. To achieve this goal, the researcher used the descriptive approach and applied the study to a sample consisting of three textbooks, which are biology textbooks for the middle stage. (180) Paragraphs, and according to the criteria specified in this study, the researcher concluded that the biology textbooks did not take into account the stage middle stage combined by distributing the contents of the Herman's brain Dominance model compared to the spoken ratios, but some questions in the biology textbooks of the middle stage included good ratios for some types of the Herman's brain Dominance model. such as the objective and the executive type, while the proportions of the emotional and creative patterns were low. Keywords : Brain Dominance

Inventing Tomorrow: H.G. Wells and the Twentieth Century by Sarah Cole

<i>Inventing Tomorrow: H.G. Wells and the Twentieth Century</i> by Sarah Cole

Broadening a nature of science conceptualization: Using school biology textbooks to differentiate the family resemblance approach

AbstractPrevious research about the presence of nature of science (NOS) within science textbooks has been found to be lacking in sufficient coverage. However, given the shift in how scholars conceive of NOS, the shortcomings may not be present in the textbooks but rather in the NOS frameworks used to analyze textbooks. Whereas traditional NOS has taken a more generalized approach to describing scientific practices, the family resemblance approach (FRA) to NOS recognizes variability in the scientific disciplines as reported by practicing scientists as well as philosophers and historians of science. Instead of suggesting that NOS can be applied equally in educational settings to all scientific disciplines, the FRA accounts for cognitive‐epistemic and social‐instructional conceptual elements which more authentically represent science. This study sought to evaluate textbooks using this more recent NOS conceptualization to explore the potential range of NOS aspects. Using the proposed FRA categories, seven German biology textbooks were analyzed with qualitative content analysis. The combination of cognitive‐epistemic and social‐institutional systems of science revealed that the FRA was a suitable mechanism for analyzing textbooks' coverage of NOS. Notably, FRA's distinct attention to modeling (absent from the discipline‐general NOS approach) revealed its presence in textbooks that would have gone unnoticed. Another finding was that the textbooks tended to emphasize the cognitive‐epistemic systems over the social‐institutional. Finally, this study found that even with a broader set of categories and subcategories to the FRA, the application to analyze was reliable.

Analisis Buku Ajar Biologi SMA Kelas XI Materi Sistem Peredaran Darah dan Sistem Endokrin

The majority of textbooks are used as the main source of learning in the classroom. The National Education Standards Agency and the Book Center require that every textbook has met certain standards that it has set in accordance with the needs, curriculum, and developments in science and technology. The purpose of the study was to determine the suitability of the material on the circulatory system and endocrine system in biology textbooks with the demands of competence in the curriculum. This study uses a descriptive method with a qualitative approach. The results showed that the material on the circulatory system and endocrine system was sufficient to meet the Basic Competencies (KD) contained in the curriculum and in accordance with the standards of the National Education Standards Agency (BSNP). There are some inaccuracies in the material presented. In the material on the endocrine system, several deficiencies were found in the presentation of concepts such as the explanation of the hormones ADH, FSH, LH, the pancreas gland, the thymus gland, and abnormalities due to certain hormone deficiencies. There are three typos, and in the supporting image there is a lack of image clarity and color.