Evaluation of Primary School Textbooks in Oromia Region
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Date
2001-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The essential and defining characteristics of textbooks are that they are
designed for students as written guides to the subject contents of a course of a
study. The basic task of a text is the presentation of data from the subject
field, facts, description ... etc. Textbook sets forth relationships In the
organization of knowledge in varying range and depth depending upon the
competence and maturity of the students. Textbook in contrast to other kinds of
books contains exercises, study questions and other materials for practice.
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the quality of primary school textbooks
of core subjects in Oromia Region, which have been prepared since 1995
based on the New Education and Training Policy of 1994.
Content Analysis was used as the research method. By using stratified and
random sample technique, 6 (14%) textbooks were selected. These six
textbooks were selected by sub grouping them into five (Languages,
Mathematics, Natural science, Social studies and Environmental science). The
sample of unit depended on the nature of textbooks' quality category selected
for this study. Accordingly, textbook as a whole was used for layout category,
while for the categories of objective-content relation, quality of illustrations,
learning exercises, readability and gender balance, 50 percent of each textbook
chapters were randomly selected
The coding units also vary depending on the character of the categories.
Accordingly, point size, of relation of objectives and contents, number of
syllables and sentences, clarity of illustrations, type of exercises and gender
features were coded and analyzed. An inter coder reliability index of 95
percent was agreed and achieved. Percentage and statistical test of T- test was
used to analyze the difference between the variables, particularly differences
between objectives and contents as well as gender difference.The result showed that textbooks are inadequate in layout, some contents are
not in harmony with objectives in the corresponding syllabus; the readability
level of the textbooks is not appropriate to the corresponding grade level; the
illustrations are related to the topics, but are not clear; and the textbooks
portrayed gender bias, and this favored male.
Hence, it is recommendable that there should be textbook policy both at
National and Regional level, which determines the standard and procedures of
textbook preparation and evaluation. At the same time, the Regional Education
Bureau has to revise the existing primary school textbooks in line with the
inadequacies observed in this study. Similarly, a thorough study has to be
conducted on the other aspects of textbook quality.
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Evaluation of Primary School Textbooks