"A Look at Africa": Framing Analysis of Curriculum Materials on Nigeria in U.S. Classrooms Context

• In Event: 47.060 - Using an Equity-Based Lens to Interrogate Curricula and Education Opportunities

Abstract

Situated in framing theory, this study analyzes how United States’ 9th grade world history and geography textbooks frame Nigeria as an example of African nations. The results provide insight about curricular orientations in U.S. classrooms about non-Western societies particularly regarding national narratives. Deficient perspectives are the dominant frames. Students are primed to construct social reality from inaccurate textual and visual information to which they are exposed in the classrooms. Results also demonstrate lack of research in contents of the texts and thus have the potential to negatively impact students’ own construction of narratives, and civic competence among others. This study contextualizes the results in visual literacy, cross-cultural relations, and global citizenship.

Authors

• O. Matthew Odebiyi, The University of Alabama

• Cynthia S. Sunal, The University of Alabama