Content analysis for critical thinking skills in the lower Primary school science textbooks in Malaysia

Maria Saleh

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to analyse lower primary science textbooks (grade 1-3), which were implemented by the Ministry of Education in Malaysia, in terms of thinking skills. To achieve this, a tool for content analysis including thinking skill items will be constructed. Two science teachers have be trained to conduct the content analysis for grade 1-3 science textbooks, the reliability and validity of analysis have be verified using Cohen’s kappa statistic. From the results, it can be seen clearly that Prioritizing”, “Evaluation” and “Detecting Bias” thinking skills are not included at all in the science textbook from year one until year three. While, the most frequent critical thinking skills are “attributing”, “analysing”, “Grouping and Classifying” and “Sequencing” gradually. Most of the skills have been in the pictures for year one, and in the “text” and then within the “picture” and finally within the “activities” for both of year two and three. Such research help teachers and curriculum developers in the development and implementation of science curriculum to raise the level of achievement of thinking skills for students

References

[1] Al-Hudawi, Shafeeq and Fong, Rosy Lai Su and Musah, Mohammed and Tahir, Lokman Mohd, The Actualization of the Malaysian National Education Philosophy in Secondary Schools: Student and Teacher Perspectives (April 1, 2014). International Education Studies, 7(4); 2014, 57-68. Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2419489 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2419489

[2] Aslan, C., & Polat, D. (2008). Content Analysis on Primary Education Turkish Course Books from the Point of Acquiring Critical Thinking Skills. In G. T. Papanikos (Ed.), Issues on Education and Research (Vol. 1). Athens, Greece: Athens Institute for Education and Research.

[3] Curriculum Development Centre. (2002). Integrated Curriculum for Secondary Schools. Ministry of Education Malaysia.

[4] Howes, E. V. (2002). Learning to teach science for all in the elementary grades: What do preservice teachers bring? Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 39(9), 845–869. https://doi.org/10.1002/tea.10049

[5] Krippendorff, K. (2004). Content analysis: An introduction to its methodology (2nd ed.).

[6] Lai, E. R. (2011). Critical thinking: A literature review. Critical Thinking, (June), 1–49. Retrieved from http://images.pearsonassessments.com/images/tmrs/CriticalThinkingReviewFINAL.pdf

[7] Lewis, R. A. (2012). A Content Analysis of Inquiry in Third Grade Science Textbooks. Young University - Provo.

[8] Ling, A. Y. J. (1999). Primary Science Curriculum Implementation in Malaysia: Inquiry as Hope and Practice. Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand.

[9] Schweingruber, H. A., Duschl, R. A., & Shouse, A. W. (Eds. ). (2007). Taking Science to School: Learning and Teaching Science in Grades K-8. Teaching Science. Washington, D.C.: National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/11625

[10] Soleymanpour, J., & Kiadaliri, S. (2014). ANALYSIS OF SOCIAL SCIENCES TEXTBOOK IN FOURTH AND FIFTH GRADE OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS BASED ON INTEGRATED, 4(5), 13–22.

[11] Thompson, C. (2011). Critical Thinking across the Curriculum: Process over Output. International Journal of Humanities and Social Science, 1(9), p4.

[12] Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

[13] Williams, T. M. (1993). What is critical?, 1–46. https://doi.org/10.1016/0263-7863(93)90035-L