Textbook Selection Process Research Articles

A Descriptive Qualitative Summary Analysis of an Important Correlation among Factors in Textbook Selection

Selecting the proper textbook to be used during the teaching-learning process is a quite complicated process. The selection process is taken not only by teachers but also by other possible people, for instance the government or the curriculum committee of the education institution. Therefore, whoever finalize the decision on choosing the textbook, then its selection process must acquire the fit or the balance correlation between the textbooks and these three factors: the students, the teachers, and the curriculum. In this paper, the author will focus on describing the important correlation between these three factors with the textbook during the textbook selection process. Shortly, this descriptive qualitative analysis summary article may also help the teachers or the educators, especially, to give full attention to these factors to select the perfect textbooks to be used as the sources during the teaching-learning processes. In addition, it is also hoped that the students will be eased and have a better understanding of the lesson material and the source of information when the teachers succeed in selecting the textbooks by keeping these three factors in mind.Selecting the proper textbook to be used during the teaching-learning process is a quite complicated process. The selection process is taken not only by teachers but also by other possible people, for instance the government or the curriculum committee of the education institution. Therefore, whoever finalize the decision on choosing the textbook, then its selection process must acquire the fit or the balance correlation between the textbooks and these three factors: the students, the teachers, and the curriculum. In this paper, the author will focus on describing the important correlation between these three factors with the textbook during the textbook selection process. Shortly, this descriptive qualitative analysis summary article may also help the teachers or the educators, especially, to give full attention to these factors to select the perfect textbooks to be used as the sources during the teaching-learning processes. In addition, it is also hoped that the students will be eased and have a better understanding of the lesson material and the source of information when the teachers succeed in selecting the textbooks by keeping these three factors in mind.

초등교사의 사회 검정교과서 선정 과정 탐색: 기준과 현실의 모순

This study sought to understand the gap between the ideal selection criteria and the reality of selection by exploring the selection process of elementary school teachers and to seek alternatives to the realistic selection criteria. The following research results could be derived through questionnaires and FGI interviews with 62 students from 90 elementary schools in Incheon. First, the standard for selecting certified textbooks for elementary school teachers was almost the same as the example standard presented in the manual of the Ministry of Education. Second, apart from the standard proposal for selecting certified textbooks, there was a tendency to prioritize adopted textbooks based on individual teachers’ subjective standards. Third, the Textbook Selection Committee was hurt by receiving negative feedback from fellow teachers about their choices during the textbook selection process. The task became more difficult and stressful, offering fewer rewards in the process of selecting textbooks. Fourth, the proposal for an alternative test textbook standard was presented, encompassing a total of eight questions in three areas: appropriateness, diversity, and usefulness.

The disconnect between textbook and research: Inductive versus deductive approaches to grammar in first-year German college textbooks

Foreign language teaching methodologies have changed noticeably in the last hundred years. The emphasis on grammar has decreased, while the focus on communication has increased. Rather than quantitative in nature, these changes concern themselves more with the qualitative question of how grammar is taught. Two common approaches to grammar teaching are the inductive and deductive approach. While they both fall under the explicit grammar-teaching umbrella, research strongly points toward an advantage of the inductive grammar teaching approach. Therefore, a principal question that this article seeks to answer is which approach is more commonly found in current first-year German college textbooks. A detailed analysis of how eleven relevant textbooks present their grammar lessons reveals that the overwhelming majority (N=8) of the textbooks use the deductive approach. These findings indicate a significant disconnect between grammar presentation in textbooks and recent research on successful and effective foreign language teaching. It is strongly recommended that textbook authors and colleagues involved in the textbook selection process be more informed with the research findings in SLA and be instrumental in seeing that these changes are reflected in textbooks and language teaching curricula.

Evaluation of Year 6 KSSR English (SK) Textbook: Teachers’ Perspectives

Textbook evaluation is the process for ensuring that the right textbook is selected for use in the teaching and learning scenario. During educational reforms, such as the adoption of the Common European Framework of Reference for the ELT scenario, textbook evaluation should be a crucial part of the textbook selection process. In Malaysia, with the adoption of CEFR, new books such as the Super Minds and Get Smart, which are imported textbooks, have replaced locally produced books. The Year 6 KSSR (SK) English textbook is currently still in use but would be phased out in the near future as part of the CEFR reform. Since the introduction of the ‘global’ textbooks, there have been mixed concerns amongst teachers and researchers about the suitability of the imported textbooks. This study investigated the effectiveness and suitability of the currently-in-use KSSR Year 6 English (SK) textbook, which was locally produced. It looked at the perceptions of teachers on the general attributes of the textbook, such as syllabus and curriculum, the methodology, the book’s suitability to learners, as well as the learning-teaching content such as skills, grammar, vocabulary, exercises, and pronunciation, etc. Adopting a mixed method design, Nimehchisalem & Mukundan’s (2015) revised textbook evaluation checklist was used as the instrument for the quantitiative part, where twenty, Year 6 English teachers, from three primary schools in the Kulai district (in Johor) evaluated the textbook. For the qualitative part, five teachers were involved in semi-structured interviews. The findings showed that the teachers perceived the Year 6 KSSR English SK Textbook that is currently used in primary (SK) schools, as highly useful for the learners, in terms of both the general attributes as well as learning-teaching content. Our findings highlight that locally produced textbooks are better suited for our learners, and if imported ‘global’ textbooks replace the local ones, they should first be customized (custom textbooks) that would be infused with local cultures, etc, to be better suited to local learner needs.

LIVROS DIDÁTICOS EM PUBLICAÇÕES NA ÁREA DE ENSINO: CONTRIBUIÇÕES PARA ANÁLISE E ESCOLHA

A partir da consolidação do Programa Nacional do Livro Didático (PNLD) cabe aos professores escolher as obras didáticas que serão utilizadas nas escolas. No entanto, esse processo de escolha tem apresentado problemas e estudos apontam escolhas pouco criteriosas por parte dos professores. O presente trabalho busca analisar as publicações sobre Livros Didáticos (LD) em periódicos e eventos da área de Ensino de Ciências e de Física do país e caracterizar estes trabalhos com intuito de identificar subsídios que auxiliem professores na escolha do LD. Os resultados apontam uma predominância de trabalhos sobre aspectos conceituais e sobre diagnósticos da situação de análise, escolha e uso, enquanto são poucas as proposições e discussões sobre ações que possam contribuir efetivamente para aperfeiçoar esses processos.

A Descriptive Study of Institutional Characteristics of the Introductory Accounting Course

ABSTRACTIntroductory accounting has historically been a foundational course in most undergraduate business curriculums. In many cases, the course serves as a prerequisite for all upper-level business and accounting courses. However, no current public data exist on the structure and characteristics of introductory accounting across a large sample of institutions. This study begins to fill this void by providing descriptive data on institutional characteristics of the introductory accounting course. Data are collected on seven different dimensions of the course suggested by the recommendations of the Accounting Education Change Commission (AECC) and recent trends in higher education: course size and staffing, pedagogical orientation/teaching approach, standardization of course elements across instructors, the textbook selection process, use of technology-based course management tools, off-site course delivery, and transfer credit acceptance. In some cases, the current data can be compared to previous research that examined similar characteristics. The resulting data can provide instructors, administrators, and researchers with a useful benchmark for developing teaching plans, curriculum, and future academic research.

Improving the Textbook Adoption Process in Taiwan

Textbooks were centrally selected in Taiwan until 1996 when the government commissioned its Textbook Liberalization Reform. Although this policy received complements from scholars and the general public, it encounters many unexpected problems in its implementation. The aims of this research are thus to identify the major criteria used by elementary school teachers for textbook selection, to calculate the relative weights of the criteria, and to map the relative market positions of the major textbook publishers. Survey questionnaires were administered to 504 elementary school teachers. AHP, ANOVA, and correspondence analysis were adopted for analyses. The results show that accuracy of content and instruction methodologies are the two most emphasized criteria. Moreover, teachers of different backgrounds rank the criteria differently. Suggestions are given to teachers and textbook publishers for improving the textbook selection process in Taiwan.

Thinking of the Textbook in the ESL/EFL Classroom

Textbooks provide novice teachers with guidance in course and activity design; it assures a measure of structure, consistency, and logical progression in a class; It meets a learner’s needs or expectations of having something concrete to work from and take home for further study; It may provide multiple resources: tapes, CDs, videos, self-study workbooks etc. While the quality of ESL reading textbooks has improved dramatically in recent years, the process of selecting an appropriate text has not become any easier for most teachers and administrators. Thus, the paper discusses for evaluating reading textbooks for use in ESL/EFL classrooms. Classroom teachers spend much time using textbooks in class, so choosing an appropriate one is important. And the paper describes the role of the textbook. Using this will make the textbook selection process more efficient and more reliable.

A student-inclusive pharmacotherapeutics textbook selection process

Objectives We set out to (1) develop a learner-centered approach to pharmacotherapeutics textbook evaluation and selection and (2) describe potential differences among students and instructors in their textbook selection preferences. Design Pharmacy practice faculty created the Textbook Evaluation and Selection Tool (TEST) to evaluate pharmacotherapeutics textbooks. Evaluator subgroups were PharmD students (third-year, fourth-year, and teaching assistants) and instructors (residents and clinical faculty). Although each evaluator used the same therapeutic topic for all four textbooks, the range of evaluators reviewed a variety of disease state topics. The Many-Facet Rasch Model (MFRM) was used to transform evaluation responses into measures of textbook preference. Results Thirty-two participants completed 241 TEST evaluations. Regarding construct validity, the TEST rating scale functioned well, while textbooks and items clearly fit the unidimensional model. The TEST separation was 4.91, with a measurement error of 0.07 for the textbooks. The TEST reliability was 0.96. Textbook preferences varied among subgroups of students and instructors. Because the number of participants/evaluations varied among subgroups, a consensus was achieved by summating subgroup preference measures from the MFRM. Conclusion This study fostered textbook evaluation and included student, resident, and faculty input. Using the TEST measure, differences were observed among evaluator subgroups. This inclusive decision-making design provided feedback in our pharmacotherapeutics textbook selection process.

Thinking Globally, Acting Locally: Selecting Textbooks for College‐Level Language Programs

Abstract: This article examines the process by which college‐level foreign language programs evaluate and select instructional materials for beginning level courses. A review of the relevant literature reveals an ambivalent relationship with textbooks, often the default curriculum for language courses. Despite textbooks' apparent key role in language programs, there is a surprising lack of cohesive recommendations from the field on evaluating and selecting textbooks. Results of an informal survey illustrate how the textbook selection process, individuals involved, and individuals' satisfaction with the selection process varied across programs. Respondents with established selection processes involving more stakeholders tended to be more content with process and selection. The authors conclude that there is a need for greater transparency and a broader professional discussion of this critical matter in language learning and teaching.

DIFFERENCES IN QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE PROFESSORS CRITERIA FOR TEXTBOOK ADOPTIONS: A PILOT STUDY

Textbooks are an integral component of the higher education process. This pilot study examined the differences in quantitative faculty and qualitative faculty’s ratings on factors influencing the textbook selection process and various marketing techniques used by publishers to encourage adoption. A total of 1398 faculty responded to the Internet survey-681 were quantitative faculty and 717 were qualitative faculty. Overall results indicate that content, ancillary materials, edition of text, and textbook costs are the primary drivers of adoption. Examination copies and contact by book reps were the best methods of encouraging faculty to examine a new textbook. However, there were significant differences between quantitative faculty and qualitative faculty on selection criteria.

US World Geography Textbooks: Their Role in Education Reform

Textbooks play a central role in the US education system. High school level World Geography textbooks are an important tool in the campaign to reform geography education in the United States, particularly through the introduction of the National Geography Standards. The status of the Standards in US schools is appraised. Five factors (authority, power, prescriptiveness, consistency, and internal issues) influence the adoption of education reform efforts like the Standards. These factors can be used to assess implementation. The textbook selection process is described and previous research in tracking implementation of the Standards in geography textbooks is presented. A preliminary analysis of four high school World Geography textbooks is conducted to measure change over time.

The Organization and Function of School Management Councils in South Korea : Focusing on the Textbook Selection Process

The Organization and Function of School Management Councils in South Korea : Focusing on the Textbook Selection Process

More Than Texts Need Reform in Middle Schools

In his Physics Today article May 2003, page 50, John Hubisz discusses the results of a review of middle-school science texts. I read the Hubisz report 1 1. J. L. Hubisz, Review of Middle School Physical Science Texts, available online at http://www.psrc-online.org/curriculum/book.html. when it first came out. The basic premise was accurate; opening a random textbook to a random page was about all it took to find several mistakes.But has Hubisz done recent homework to check for signs of change? In particular, has he looked for improvement in the textbook selection process in large, influential states? In 2000, California made significant strides toward improving texts.Hubisz writes, “Publishers aim to satisfy the committees that select texts, even though the members of those committees typically have little knowledge of physical science.” My husband, an excellent chemistry teacher, chaired the California Curriculum Commission’s science subcommittee and oversaw California’s last science book adoption. Every submitted textbook was read first by a content review panel composed of three people, each with a terminal degree in science. Texts were then reviewed more thoroughly by committees of teachers and others. Although a few errors remain in the books that survived to adoption, those errors are much fewer than in previous texts. Some errors persist because of time demands on reviewers and the need to provide teachers and students with tools to meet California’s demanding content standards. For the review criteria used, see reference 22. California State Board of Education, Science Framework for California Public Schools, Kindergarten Through Grade Twelve, California Department of Education, Sacramento, Calif. (1990), p. 300. Relevant section is available online at http://www.cde.ca.gov/cdepress/science-framework/science-framework-pt7.pdf..Yes, texts need to be improved, to become more accurate, more interesting, and less disjointed. Yes, well-crafted laboratory activities need to be encouraged. But more has to happen before all children get a good science education. An important step is to make sure that students can read well enough to take meaning from those texts. Many can’t now, but research-based reading interventions are being developed and implemented. And then the education system will have to deal with pesky student deficiencies in math. These areas especially need improvement if students are to understand and appreciate science. Another reform that is badly needed, particularly at the middle-school level, is to improve teachers’ science content mastery. Even decent books can be undercut if science-ignorant teachers design their own “innovative” lessons. A couple of years ago, I watched students in an eighth-grade class, with their newly adopted textbooks pushed to the side, do an exercise about molecules. The assignment was to take a chemical formula—for example, Fe2O3—and design and color a fanciful molecule based only on the students’ artistic vision. One might argue that eighth grade is not the right time to introduce the details of bonding and molecular geometry, but a teacher who knew such things would never have caused students future confusion by assigning this counterproductive exercise.The problem is multidimensional, and yes, physicists and other scientists should get involved.REFERENCESSection:ChooseTop of pageREFERENCES <<1. J. L. Hubisz, Review of Middle School Physical Science Texts, available online at http://www.psrc-online.org/curriculum/book.html. Google Scholar2. California State Board of Education, Science Framework for California Public Schools, Kindergarten Through Grade Twelve, California Department of Education, Sacramento, Calif. (1990), p. 300. Relevant section is available online at http://www.cde.ca.gov/cdepress/science-framework/science-framework-pt7.pdf. Google Scholar© 2003 American Institute of Physics.

More Than Texts Need Reform in Middle Schools

Hubisz replies: I am quite pleased with the response to my article on middle-school texts. The large number of letters both supports my message and makes it clear that many others are concerned about the problem and are attempting to do something about it.Martha Schwartz asks if I have looked for signs of change in the textbook selection process. Admittedly I am most concerned about the end product—the adopted texts. But because of the publicity that my work on the textbook problem has received through print, radio, and television, I have responded to hundreds of requests (from a governor, several state senators, and a host of science curriculum supervisors and teachers) for my suggestions on a procedure for selecting science textbooks. Their replies suggest that changes are being attempted. After a radio interview in California, I received a blizzard of horror stories about the selection process. Schwartz’s description of the process is similar to my proposal, except that many excellent texts never get to the first stage. My article at http://www.johnlocke.org/policy_reports/2003012933.html describes why many publishers do not even bother to submit their texts. Richard Feynman once served in California on a textbook selection committee that graded a blank mathematics book higher than the two other books in the series. 1 1. R. Leighton, in Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman! Adventures of a Curious Character, E. Hutchings, ed., W. W. Norton, New York, 1989. That incident suggests that time and manpower can overwhelm even the most conscientious and expert reviewers. Schwartz’s reference 2 contains a discussion of how that can happen.Kimball Milton is correct to point out that we have to be precise, but we are not likely to change the historically sanctioned language. I have suggested that texts clarify the vocabulary and now suggest that when referring to such words used inappropriately, we include them in quotes as our grammar dictates.Richard Factor’s letter reminded me of the first time I heard “antipode” spoken aloud. I was glad that I had never needed to use it in conversation. Pronunciation guides for specialized vocabulary are generally a good idea, but box 1 of my article referred to standard English/American words. But, then, how do you pronounce “laboratory” and “apparatus”?I thank Norman R. Dotti and Borut Gogala for two practical examples of the importance of precision to add to my collection. I have just finished reading an informative forensic science book (they are great for demonstrating the scientific approach to solving problems). The book informed me that “7,000 volts of electricity jumped into the body of Theodore ‘Ted’ Bundy,” that one could “send 50,000 volts of electricity for 8 seconds into the wearer [of a shock belt used to control difficult prisoners],” and that “the current generated… could be detected and measured in millivolts.” Middle-school texts frequently confuse current and voltage.Jay Pasachoff and I have discussed these problems in e-mail exchanges. He would admit that what a writer produces for textbook publishers is out of the author’s hands once submitted, and the manuscripts do get edited to “simplify the science” and “adjust” the readability, as one editor told me. The original report did speak of some excellent material in one of the reviewed texts, but only because it was removed in the next edition. I am concerned that “emphasizing the good parts” as Pasachoff suggests may give readers the idea that the whole book is being recommended. There certainly are good parts, but the large number of people involved in developing these books militates against such a conclusion. Although my Web site http://www.science-house.org/ middle-school reports errors in textbooks, its main purpose is to point out good resources for the middle-school classroom and for teacher enrichment.Many years ago, I visited one of my son’s classes. After the students successfully identified biologists and chemists and were asked which scientists studied the stars, they answered in unison, “astrologers.” After class, I pointed out that they were astronomers and the teacher asked, “Aren’t they the same?” Perhaps now her next 20 years of students will not be led astray. We need more physicists to visit more classrooms and to attend more school board meetings and to volunteer to review new text offerings. Together we can accomplish much.REFERENCESection:ChooseTop of pageREFERENCE <<1. R. Leighton, in Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman! Adventures of a Curious Character, E. Hutchings, ed., W. W. Norton, New York, 1989. Google Scholar© 2003 American Institute of Physics.

Similarity of Introductory Psychology Textbooks: Reality or Illusion?

Because the perception of extensive similarity in introductory psychology textbooks is important in the textbook selection process, we examined whether this perception was accurate. We systematically reviewed extant research encompassing 6 textbook dimensions and found that perceived similarity is the product of 2 salient, easily accessible, global text variables: chapter topics and organization. Beyond these variables, textbook homogeneity disappears. We consider stereotyping due to the arduous, complex nature of the textbook selection process as an explanation for this misperception of similarity and urge teachers to consider introductory texts more thoroughly to make the best choices for their individual courses.

C Programming Textbooks: Selection Considerations

As would be expected, C programming textbooks have a great deal of commonality. However, this analysis notes that there also are many points of variance that may escape the casual observer of a textbook table of contents. Some C textbooks lose sight of structured techniques, for example, whereas others cloud important distinctions, such as the difference between a definition and a declaration. In addition, the readability levels of each book vary widely. This analysis looks at reasons to compare, and methods for comparison, during the textbook selection process.

An examination of the conceptual structure and reading level of six sixth-grade science textbooks

Six current sixth-grade science textbooks were examined for conceptual structure and readabŸ One life, earth, and physical science topic common to all six textbooks was chosen. Hierarchical concept maps were composed on the text segments on the topics and the maps were scored. Reading analyses also were completed using the Fry readability method. Two trends were visually but not statistically evident in the concept maps. Fry readabflities were higher than sixth grade, but no relationship was found between them and total concept map scores. The findings suggest that concept mapping comparable text segments should be a part of the elementary science textbook selection process. Most elementary school science programs are structured around a textbook series. Textbooks are, in fact, used over 90% of the time by more than 90% of all science teachers (Harms & Yager, 1981). Textbooks are such ah integrar component of elementary science that it is important for elementary teachers, curriculum coordinators, and science educators to be well informed about current elementary science textbooks. In 1989, Staver and Bay analyzed the conceptual structure of 11 primary level (K-3) science textbooks. They found that the textbooks had well-defined conceptual structures, with few isolated concepts. However, the conceptual structures varied widely across the 11 textbooks. This study was partially patterned after the study by Staver and Bay, using current editions of six sixth-grade science textbooks.

Training preservice teachers to analyze and evaluate textbooks

Learning how to evaluate reading texts should be an important part of preservice training. This study used a simulated textbook selection process to compare differences in the consistency of experimental and control groups in evaluating textbooks. The experimental groups, who were required to define their criteria operationally, were more consistent in their evaluations than the control group, who used traditional checklists.

Guidelines for Improving the Textbook/Material Selection Process

This writer offers some suggestions for building a leadership structure and data base that will allow quality decisions to be made in the textbook selection process.