Considering the Nature and History of Science in Secondary Science Textbook Resources

• In Event: 63.084 - Roundtable Session 22
  In Roundtable Session: 63.084-5 - Science Education Pedagogies 1

Abstract

The current high stakes assessment environment has changed the way science is taught in the U.S., and the resources teachers access to support their instruction simply reinforces focus on tested content. In this paper we share the findings of an analysis of fourteen secondary science textbooks to discern the extent to which they portray scientists and scientific discovery and include attention to the nature and history of science. Preliminary findings illustrated four major themes: (1) fading prominence of the nature and history of science after the introductory chapters, (2) a lack of progression and connection of scientific ideas, (3) disconnections between scientists, collaborators and communities, and (4) the recurring importance of national identity in the textbooks analyzed.

Authors

• Anthony Michael Pellegrino, George Mason University

• Erin E. Peters Burton, George Mason University

• Melissa Gallagher, George Mason University