Science and technology are constantly transforming our day-to-day living. Science education has become of vital importance to prepare learners for this everchanging world. Unfortunately, science education in South Africa is hampered by under-qualified and inexperienced teachers. Textbooks of good quality can assist teachers and learners and facilitate the development of science teachers. For this reason thorough assessment of textbooks is needed to inform the selection of good textbooks. An investigation revealed that the available textbook evaluation instruments are not suitable for the evaluation of the physical science textbooks in the South African context. An instrument is needed that focusses on science education textbooks and which prescribes the criteria, weights, evaluation procedure and rating scheme that can ensure justifiable, transparent, reliable and valid evaluation results. This study utilised elements from the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to develop such an instrument and verified the reliability and validity of the instrument’s evaluation results. Development of the Instrument for the Evaluation of Science Education Textbooks started with the formulation of criteria. Characteristics that influence the quality of textbooks were identified from literature, existing evaluation instruments and stakeholders’ concerns. In accordance with the AHP, these characteristics or criteria were divided into categories or branches to give a hierarchical structure. Subject experts verified the content validity of the hierarchy. Expert science teachers compared the importance of different criteria. The data were used to derive weights for the different criteria with the Expert Choice computer application. A rubric was formulated to act as rating-scheme and score sheet. During the textbook evaluation process the ratings were transferred to a spreadsheet that computed the scores for the quality of a textbook as a whole as well as for the different categories. The instrument was tested on small scale, adjusted and then applied on a larger scale. The results of different analysts were compared to verify the reliability of the instrument. Triangulation with the opinions of teachers who have used the textbooks confirmed the validity of the evaluation results obtained with the instrument. Future investigations on the evaluation instrument can include the use of different rating scales and limiting of criteria. / Thesis (M. Ed. (Didactics))

Abstract Since 2005, it has been government policy in Taiwan to introduce English in Grade 3 of primary schooling (when learners are generally age 9). The overall aim of this research project was to investigate some of the problems associated with the implementation of this policy by combining research involving teacher cognition with research involving the criterion-referenced analysis of a sample of textbooks produced in Taiwan for young learners and a sample of lessons taught in Taiwanese primary schools. A questionnaire-based survey of a sample of teachers of English in Taiwanese primary schools (166 respondents) was conducted, focusing on teacher background and training, views about national and local policies, approaches to course content, methodology and teaching resources, and perceptions of their own proficiency in English and of their own training needs. Only 46 (27%) of the respondents reported that they had a qualification specific to the teaching of English and 41 (25%) reported that they had neither a qualification in teaching English nor a general primary teaching qualification. Many expressed dissatisfaction with the implementation of policies relating to the teaching of English at national level (46/ 29%), local level (39/24%) and in their own school (28/17%). Although many reported that the availability of resources (125/ 75%) and/ or student interest (101/ 61%) played a role in determining what they taught, none reported that the national curriculum guidelines did so. Although official policy in Taiwan endorses the use of 'communicative language teaching', only 103 (62%) of respondents reported that their own approach was communicatively-oriented, with 18 (11%) observing that they preferred grammar-translation. A more in-depth survey relating to teacher perception of pre- and in-service training was conducted using a questionnaire and semi-structured interview. Although all 10 participants in this survey are officially classified as being trained to teach English in Taiwanese primary schools, the type and extent of their training varied widely and all of them expressed dissatisfaction with that training, noting that they had no confidence in the trainers' own competence in teaching English to young learners. All claimed that critical issues were either omitted altogether or dealt with in a superficial way. One contextual factor that has a significant impact on teacher performance in Taiwan is the quality of the textbooks that are generally available. A sample of textbooks (3 different series) produced in Taiwan was analysed and evaluated, the analysis revealing that the materials were often poorly organised, inappropriately selected and illustrated, contextually inappropriate. Finally, from a sample of twenty videotaped English lessons taught to students in primary schools in Taiwan, six that were considered to be typical were transcribed, analysed and evaluated in relation to criteria derived from a review of literature on teaching effectiveness. All of these lessons were found to be characterised by problems in a number of areas, including lesson focus, lesson staging, concept introduction, concept checking, and the setting up and conducting activities. It is concluded that the implementation of official policy on the teaching of English in primary schools in Taiwan is fraught with problems, problems that are evident at every stage in the process, from teacher education, through materials design to lesson planning and delivery.

<p>Det verkar råda stor konsensus om att matematikundervisningen är viktig för att Sverige skall kunna hävda sig och kunna konkurrera i en global värld. Samtidigt visar det sig att eleverna i allt större utsträckning har svårt att nå målen för undervisningen. En undervisning, som forskningen visar, är hårt styrd av den matematikbok som används.</p><p>I Finland har det visat sig att vilken lärobok som används i undervisningen får statistiskt signifikanta konsekvenser för elevernas resultat. I uppsatsen undersöks om samma statistiskt signifikanta samband även föreligger i Sverige. 149 skolor omfattande 13 408 elever ingår i den statistiska kvantitativa studien. Till skillnad från i Finland pekar resultaten på att det inte går att dra någon slutsats om samband mellan använd lärobok och elevernas resultat. En förklaring till att det inte går att påvisa någon skillnad kan vara att de två helt dominerande matematikböckerna i årskurs 9, i en kvalitativ utvärdering bedöms som likvärdiga.</p><p>För att göra den kvalitativa utvärderingen av matematikböckerna används en metod utvecklad av The American Association for the Advancement of Science, AAAS, i USA. I uppsatsen visas att metoden är tillämpbar i Sverige och kan fungera som det ”instrument för att bedöma läromedels kvalitet utifrån målen att sträva mot i grundskola och gymnasieskola samt motsvarande mål för annan matematikutbildning” som matematikdelegationen efterlyser (SOU 2004:97).</p><p>Den föreslagna metoden används för att granska de två dominerande matematikböckerna i årskurs 9, Matematikboken Z och Matte Direkt. Den begränsade granskningen visar att de båda böckerna är likvärdiga, men framförallt att de har samma svagheter. Båda böckerna får låga betyg i kategorierna ”Building on Student Ideas about Mathematics” och ”Enhancing the Mathematics Learning Environment”. Något som kan få negativa konsekvenser för elevernas inlärning och för sättet som undervisningen bedrivs på.</p> / <p>Education in mathematics is considered important for Sweden to be able to compete in a global world where knowledge and information is imperative. However, mathematics results are decreasing and students often fail to reach the stipulated educational goals.</p><p>Research shows that in mathematics, what is taught and how it is taught is very dependent on the textbook used. In Finland, it has been concluded that there is a statistically significant difference in students´ results depending on which textbook is used. The objective of this thesis is to evaluate if the same is true in Sweden, i.e. is there a statistically significant difference in students’ results in mathematics depending on which textbook is used in Swedish schools? The evaluation is based on responses from 149 schools comprising 13 408 students. The study indicates that the textbook used does not affect the outcome. One explanation is that when assessing the quality of the two textbooks most commonly used in Swedish schools they can be considered equivalent.</p><p>Since textbooks in mathematics have a large influence on what is taught and how it is taught it is important to be able to assess the quality of the textbooks. The thesis demonstrates that a method for assessing textbooks in mathematics, developed by the American Association for the Advancement of Science, AAAS, can be used in Sweden. The method would be appropriate as the tool the “Matematikdelegationen” (SOU 2004:97) is requesting for evaluation of the quality of textbooks in mathematics.</p><p>Following the method stipulated by the AAAS, a limited evaluation is made of the two textbooks that dominate in Swedish schools in year 9, Matematikboken Z and Matte Direkt. It is striking that both books perform poorly in the same areas, Building on Student Ideas about Mathematics and Enhancing the Mathematics Learning Environment. This can have a negative impact on the pupils´ ability to learn mathematics and might also have a negative effect on the way mathematics is taught.</p>

Det verkar råda stor konsensus om att matematikundervisningen är viktig för att Sverige skall kunna hävda sig och kunna konkurrera i en global värld. Samtidigt visar det sig att eleverna i allt större utsträckning har svårt att nå målen för undervisningen. En undervisning, som forskningen visar, är hårt styrd av den matematikbok som används. I Finland har det visat sig att vilken lärobok som används i undervisningen får statistiskt signifikanta konsekvenser för elevernas resultat. I uppsatsen undersöks om samma statistiskt signifikanta samband även föreligger i Sverige. 149 skolor omfattande 13 408 elever ingår i den statistiska kvantitativa studien. Till skillnad från i Finland pekar resultaten på att det inte går att dra någon slutsats om samband mellan använd lärobok och elevernas resultat. En förklaring till att det inte går att påvisa någon skillnad kan vara att de två helt dominerande matematikböckerna i årskurs 9, i en kvalitativ utvärdering bedöms som likvärdiga. För att göra den kvalitativa utvärderingen av matematikböckerna används en metod utvecklad av The American Association for the Advancement of Science, AAAS, i USA. I uppsatsen visas att metoden är tillämpbar i Sverige och kan fungera som det ”instrument för att bedöma läromedels kvalitet utifrån målen att sträva mot i grundskola och gymnasieskola samt motsvarande mål för annan matematikutbildning” som matematikdelegationen efterlyser (SOU 2004:97). Den föreslagna metoden används för att granska de två dominerande matematikböckerna i årskurs 9, Matematikboken Z och Matte Direkt. Den begränsade granskningen visar att de båda böckerna är likvärdiga, men framförallt att de har samma svagheter. Båda böckerna får låga betyg i kategorierna ”Building on Student Ideas about Mathematics” och ”Enhancing the Mathematics Learning Environment”. Något som kan få negativa konsekvenser för elevernas inlärning och för sättet som undervisningen bedrivs på. / Education in mathematics is considered important for Sweden to be able to compete in a global world where knowledge and information is imperative. However, mathematics results are decreasing and students often fail to reach the stipulated educational goals. Research shows that in mathematics, what is taught and how it is taught is very dependent on the textbook used. In Finland, it has been concluded that there is a statistically significant difference in students´ results depending on which textbook is used. The objective of this thesis is to evaluate if the same is true in Sweden, i.e. is there a statistically significant difference in students’ results in mathematics depending on which textbook is used in Swedish schools? The evaluation is based on responses from 149 schools comprising 13 408 students. The study indicates that the textbook used does not affect the outcome. One explanation is that when assessing the quality of the two textbooks most commonly used in Swedish schools they can be considered equivalent. Since textbooks in mathematics have a large influence on what is taught and how it is taught it is important to be able to assess the quality of the textbooks. The thesis demonstrates that a method for assessing textbooks in mathematics, developed by the American Association for the Advancement of Science, AAAS, can be used in Sweden. The method would be appropriate as the tool the “Matematikdelegationen” (SOU 2004:97) is requesting for evaluation of the quality of textbooks in mathematics. Following the method stipulated by the AAAS, a limited evaluation is made of the two textbooks that dominate in Swedish schools in year 9, Matematikboken Z and Matte Direkt. It is striking that both books perform poorly in the same areas, Building on Student Ideas about Mathematics and Enhancing the Mathematics Learning Environment. This can have a negative impact on the pupils´ ability to learn mathematics and might also have a negative effect on the way mathematics is taught.

This study analyses current and older Czech biology textbooks containing information and chapters about genetics. It also proposes suggestions for an update of textbooks content based on this analysis, and prepares methodical materials as help and possible inspiration for biology teachers.

Science and technology are constantly transforming our day-to-day living. Science education has become of vital importance to prepare learners for this everchanging world. Unfortunately, science education in South Africa is hampered by under-qualified and inexperienced teachers. Textbooks of good quality can assist teachers and learners and facilitate the development of science teachers. For this reason thorough assessment of textbooks is needed to inform the selection of good textbooks. An investigation revealed that the available textbook evaluation instruments are not suitable for the evaluation of the physical science textbooks in the South African context. An instrument is needed that focusses on science education textbooks and which prescribes the criteria, weights, evaluation procedure and rating scheme that can ensure justifiable, transparent, reliable and valid evaluation results. This study utilised elements from the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to develop such an instrument and verified the reliability and validity of the instrument’s evaluation results. Development of the Instrument for the Evaluation of Science Education Textbooks started with the formulation of criteria. Characteristics that influence the quality of textbooks were identified from literature, existing evaluation instruments and stakeholders’ concerns. In accordance with the AHP, these characteristics or criteria were divided into categories or branches to give a hierarchical structure. Subject experts verified the content validity of the hierarchy. Expert science teachers compared the importance of different criteria. The data were used to derive weights for the different criteria with the Expert Choice computer application. A rubric was formulated to act as rating-scheme and score sheet. During the textbook evaluation process the ratings were transferred to a spreadsheet that computed the scores for the quality of a textbook as a whole as well as for the different categories. The instrument was tested on small scale, adjusted and then applied on a larger scale. The results of different analysts were compared to verify the reliability of the instrument. Triangulation with the opinions of teachers who have used the textbooks confirmed the validity of the evaluation results obtained with the instrument. Future investigations on the evaluation instrument can include the use of different rating scales and limiting of criteria. / Thesis (M. Ed. (Didactics))

In this diploma thesis I look at the Analysis of selected textbook health education through the eyes of teachers who use it in their lessons. The theoretical part of this thesis serves as an introduction to the complex topic of textbooks and lays out the criteria according to which a textbook is chosen. In the practical part I carry out a didactic analysis of the textbook and I present a summary of experience of teachers who have worked with it. The practical part shows that teachers's experience does not differ significantly from the findings of the didactic analysis. The textbook's unusual approach to teaching health education is prominent in both surveys. This thesis aims to help junior health education teachers decide whether and how this particular textbook will benefit their own teaching method. KEYWORDS analysis of textbooks, teaching resources, textbooks, function and structure of textbooks, textbook evaluation

當談到外語教學時，教材具有相當重要性。其中，教科書更被視為重要的一環，是教師教學的主要資源，也是學生學習的重要指引。因此，教科書評鑑自然地受到重視。透過教科書評鑑，教師能對於教科書有適當認知並妥善利用教科書，另一方面，教科書評鑑能作為編撰者和出版商檢討與改進的參考。然而，文獻有許多有關教科書評鑑的研究，卻很少是從語言行為方面檢視臺灣高中生所使用的英文教科書。 本研究之主要目的為分析讚美、拒絕、請求三種語言行為如何呈現在三民、龍騰、遠東三套不同版本高中英文課本內的對話教材中。首先，統計三種語言行為在三套教科書內的對話中出現的頻率。接著，檢視這三種語言行為在三套教科書呈現的方式並判斷他們是否主要以美國觀點呈現。最後，探索三套教科書和教師手冊是否有提供相關語言行為的跨文化解釋。 研究結果顯示，三套教科書皆呈現三種語言行為，但是各版本著墨不一。另外，三種語言行為在三套教科書呈現的方式並不是完全採用美國觀點。更重要的是，三套教科書和教師手冊中幾乎沒有提供跨文化解釋。 本研究的發現能提供給對語言行為教學有興趣的老師和研究人員參考。研究結果希望激勵教科書編撰者、出版商以及教師重視語言行為教學，並期盼能協助教科書編撰者在未來補強三套教科書中對話教材不足之處。 / When it comes to foreign language teaching, teaching materials, without doubt, have been of vital importance. Textbooks, for teachers, serve as the major teaching resources. They are identified as important guidelines for students as well. Therefore, textbook evaluation has naturally received attention. Through textbook evaluation, for one thing, teachers can gain a proper understanding of textbooks, then making good use of them. For another thing, it enables textbook editors and publishers to examine and improve on textbooks. Although there have been many studies regarding textbook evaluation, few of them have been done on speech act behavior in senior high school English textbooks in Taiwan. The main goal of the current study is to analyze how the three speech acts, compliments, refusals, and requests, are presented in the conversation sections of the three series of the senior high school English textbooks, published by San Min, Lung Teng, and Far East. First of all, the frequency of compliments, refusals, and requests in the three series of the textbooks was examined. The next part was to look at how the three speech acts were presented in these textbooks and whether they showed American preference. Lastly, cross-cultural comparisons and contrasts in the textbooks and their corresponding teachers’ manuals were scrutinized. The results revealed that the three series of the textbooks examined presented the three speech acts in different proportion. Additionally, they were not completely presented in American ways. More importantly, there were few cross-cultural explanations found in the textbooks and their corresponding teachers’ manuals. The findings of the present study can work as reference for teachers and researchers interested in the teaching and learning of speech act behavior. They may motivate textbook editors and writers as well as teachers to place great emphasis on how to teach speech acts well. Last but not least, textbook compilers can compensate for the limitations of the conversation sections of senior high school textbooks in Taiwan in future materials development.

Swedish upper secondary schools are assigned the responsibility to promote cultural diversity and foster democratic global citizens according to Läroplanen för gymnasieskolan (Skolverket, 2022). Naturally, as English textbooks try to incorporate this, the potentially problematic outcome arises of the depictions of the Westerner and the non-Westerner. The present research examines to what extent and how the four dimensions of Western-centric ideologies through the analytical lens of Van Dijk’s ideological square are manifested in Blueprint A 3.0 (2017) and Solid Gold 1 (2014) for English 5 upper secondary schools. How the Western-centric ideologies are manifested is discussed through the theory of Orientalism (Said, 2003) and its complementary linguistic theories problematizing Native-speakerism (Holliday, 2006) and Euro-English (Philipson, 2003). The findings of the present study highlight how the majority of the texts placed in the ideological square are about the Western “Us” and that the West is portrayed as superior through depictions of being developed and progressive while the non-West “Them” is depicted as undeveloped, oppressed as well as stagnant and timeless. Thus, the findings are in accordance with the theories of the literature and previous research where the implied superiority of the West is found. Based on these findings, it can perhaps be argued that the textbooks Blueprint A 3.0 (2017) and Solid Gold 1 (2014) do not fulfill the expectations of Läroplanen för gymnasieskolan (Skolverket, 2022), leading to the pedagogical implications of this present study where teachers are encouraged to create complementary material or address the Western-centric ideologies of the respective textbooks.

本研究旨在探討台灣高中生副詞子句的使用，並且探究台灣高中生在副詞子句使用上所產生的錯誤。此外，為更進一步了解台灣高中生對於副詞子句的認知，本研究亦檢視了目前國內高中生普遍所使用的英語教科書，以了解英語副詞子句的呈現方式以及內容的編排。本研究受試者為兩班高二學生，一共43位。研究工具為學生高二上學期三篇指定英文作文寫作。 研究結果顯示，副詞子句為一高中生作文中常出現之句型結構。受試者能夠使用不同語意種類的副詞子句來補充說明主要子句的訊息。在各式不同種類副詞子句當中，時間副詞子句出現頻率最高。限定副詞子句(finite adverbial clauses)使用的頻率遠多於非限定副詞子句(non-finite adverbial clauses)。限定副詞子句使用當中，時間副詞子句、因果副詞子句、條件副詞子句、目的副詞子句以及讓步副詞子句，依序為最常使用的副詞子句；非限定副詞子句使用當中，目的副詞子句以及時間副詞子句為使用頻率最高的副詞子句。 雖然副詞子句是基本句型，但經錯誤分析的結果顯示，學生對於副詞子句沒有完整的了解，仍有不正確的使用。整體而言，句子不完整( sentence fragment)以及使用錯誤（不恰當）副詞連接詞使用(illogical subordinate conjunction)為最常發生的錯誤。在限定副詞子句使用上，最常犯的錯誤為不完整句子、錯誤或不恰當的副詞連接詞使用、重複連接詞標記(double marking)以及無主語(null subject)。在非限定副詞子句使用上，不連結修飾語(dangling modifier)為最常出現之錯誤。這些錯誤很可能是因為中文以及英文之間的差異以及對副詞子句沒有充分的理解所導致。 而教科書當中對副詞子句的介紹，也可以解釋學生學習使用副詞子句所犯的錯誤及遭遇的問題。從檢視教科書以及教師手冊當中的句型以及寫作兩個單元發現，在句型呈現上，副詞子句的介紹以及呈現主要著重在單句句型結構以及語意相近的句型結構替換。副詞子句的篇章功能以及副詞連接詞的使用則較被忽略。句型練習中，也較少有情境式的真實語言呈現。在寫作單元上，副詞子句也多半侷限於其句型結構上，而忽略了其詳細語用以及篇章功能概念。綜合研究結果，本研究提出較完善的教學建議，以幫助教學工作者以及學習者對副詞子句在教學上及學習上有更進一步的了解。 / The purpose of the present study is to investigate how adverbial clauses are used in Taiwanese senior high school students’ written production and what kinds of difficulties students encounter in employing the structure. In addition, to understand how Taiwanese EFL learners construct their knowledge of adverbial clauses, senior high school students’ English textbooks and teachers’ manuals are also examined to find out the presentation of adverbial clauses. Forty-three senior high school students from two different classes in their second year participated in the research. Three assigned compositions in one semester were collected for data analysis. The result showed that adverbial clauses are commonly utilized to express various types of circumstantial meanings in the learners’ writing. Temporal adverbial clauses are of the most use among different kinds of adverbial clauses. Adverbial clauses are further categorized into two types: finite and non-finite adverbial clauses. The use of finite adverbial clauses is far more frequent than the use of non-finite adverbial clauses. This may attribute to the amount of exposure to the finite adverbial clauses and syntactic complexities of non-finite clauses. In finite clauses, temporal adverbial clauses are the most frequently used, followed by causal, conditional, purpose and concessive adverbial clauses respectively. In non-finite adverbial clauses, adverbial clauses of purpose are the most used, then clauses of time. To identify Taiwanese senior high school students’ difficulties in using adverbial clauses, an error analysis was conducted. It was found that adverbial clauses are problematic to the learners. Overall, sentence fragment and illogical subordinate conjunction are the two main error types. Most of the errors occur in finite clauses, including sentence fragment, illogical subordinate conjunction, double marking and null subject. In non-finite clauses, error type is exclusively dangling modifier. The reasons for the errors may be due to learners’ incomprehensive understanding toward the use of adverbial clauses and the differences between Chinese and English. In addition, learners’ textbooks were evaluated to see how adverbial clauses were generally introduced and presented. An examination of grammar (sentence patterns) and writing sections revealed that in grammar section, the emphasis is mainly on the introduction of various linguistic forms of adverbial clauses and syntactic structures that bear similar semantic meanings. Moreover, they are presented mostly in isolation without meaningful and contextual presentations. The functional aspect of adverbial clauses and the contextual presentation of subordinate conjunctions are quite neglected. Likewise, in writing section, the focus is mostly limited to the introduction of various types of adverbial clauses and subordinate conjunctions. Clearer explanations of the conjunctions and the functional role of adverbial clauses in writing are relatively overlooked. Concluding from the previous findings, it is suggested that more explicit and contextual presentations are needed to help learners to develop a more complete understanding of the use of adverbial clauses.