An Analysis of Data Activities in Middle School Science Textbooks

• In Event: Inquiry in Practice and in Policy

Abstract

A critical component of science and math education is reasoning with data. We conducted a descriptive study in which we examined how 20 Middle School science textbooks (specifically, in 731 activities) presented opportunities for reasoning. We had two objectives: (1) to examine opportunities for reasoning with data and (2) to examine to what extent these activities are aligned with principles of learning (e.g., distributed practice; Dunlosky et al, 2013). Our results demonstrate that although half of activities in textbooks included data, very few of these activities provide opportunities to learn how to record, analyze, and interpret data and rarely made use of well-established learning principles. Our analysis suggests that science textbooks provide little support for reasoning with data.

Authors

• Bradley Morris, Kent State University

• Katie Baker, Baker Educational Consulting

• Angela Junglen, Kent State University

• Amy M. Masnick, Hofstra University