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IARTEM e-Journal Volume 6 No 3 How teachers reflect on textbook materials and how they
utilize them Jana Stara and Tereza Krčmářová 67-87
IARTEM e-Journal Volume 6 No 3 How teachers reflect on textbook materials and how they
utilize them Jana Stara and Tereza Krčmářová 67-87
67
IARTEM e-Journal
Volume 6 No 3
Volume 6 Number 3
How teachers reflect on textbook materials
and how they utilise them
Jana Stará and Tereza Krčmářová
Charles University in Prague
Czech Republic
Abstract
This paper provides an overview of research findings and information in the
area of teachers’ use of textbook materials. Furthermore, it presents the results
of qualitative research dedicated to this issue, which was carried out with three
Czech primary school teachers. These results were acquired on the basis of
direct lesson observations as well as analysis of video recordings and
interviews. The results show what innovative textbook materials can bring to
teachers, who is open to thinking about subject matter and its didactic
transformations, and what they can bring to those who are less open or less
willing to dedicate their time and attention to this reflection. The results also
offer some findings regarding what textbook materials should look like if these
groups of teachers are to work with them effectively. The selected teachers see
themselves as the ones who decide on instructional content although they base
their decisions on textbook materials. Interpretation of the methodology
suggested in textbook materials and their subsequent utilisation depends
largely on the teaching approach adopted by individual teachers. All teachers
agreed that textbook materials should be concise and should contain
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inspirational methodology ideas. Not all of them wanted to use textbooks as a
source of their own learning.
Keywords: materials development, primary teaching, textbooks research.
Introduction
Research surveys (Grossman & Thompson 2008, Peacock & Gates 2000)
reveal that on the one hand, teachers are aware of the need to modify existing
textbook materials. On the other hand, their instruction depends on
commercially published textbook materials to a large extent, such as textbooks,
workbooks or worksheets for pupils as well as teachers’ books and teaching
software (Sikorová 2011, Peacock & Gates 2000, Lambert 1996, Grossman &
Thompson 2008).
Many professionals are of the opinion that teachers should be active designers
of the curriculum (Rodríguez & Mesa 2012, Spilková 2007). In their opinion,
teachers should be able to analyse state and district curriculum decisions, and
to a certain extent they should be able to decide about the content of education
and methodology, and select, utilise and elaborate their own textbook materials
to provide greater contextual appropriateness. In these times of curriculum
reforms, development of subject matter methodologies and individualised
teaching, these demands on teachers are very ambitious.
In our research we were therefore interested in how teachers reflect on
textbooks in this context. Do they see them as materials to get inspired from
when preparing their lessons? To what extent do teachers base their decisions
on textbooks when selecting content and instructional methods? How much do
teachers think about subject matter and instructional methods stated in
textbooks? How much do they change them? Are they influenced by the
concept of textbooks in the long term? How do they perceive their work with
textbook materials? Do they think they are failing or succeeding? What type of
textbook materials suit them?
Use of textbook materials by teachers
Based on research surveys, teachers put a serious amount of effort into
adaptation of curricular materials. In the research of perceptions of 383 primary
school teachers regarding printed textbook materials in Galicia (Spain), 71% of
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teachers reported that textbook materials are among the topics of discussion in
schools. According to 55.9% of them, the questions most frequently reported
were how to adapt textbook materials to the working context (Rodríguez &
Mesa 2012).
Longitudinal qualitative research of ten American English teachers showed that
it is mainly the less experienced teachers who feel overloaded by the
requirement to design their own textbook materials. They welcome materials
that offer specific tasks or teaching activities ideas. At the beginning of their
teaching practice, they devote an enormous effort to seeking appropriate
textbook materials that can be used in their lessons and in the course of lesson
planning. In the course of their search, they draw on recommendations from
more experienced colleagues, and library and internet resources. They
complain that during their teacher training period they learned how to critically
evaluate existing textbook materials, what they learned less though was how to
adapt and effectively utilise them. Commercially published textbook materials
enable them to try new teaching methods in practice and gain experience with
them (Grossman & Thompson 2008).
Especially at the beginning of their professional careers, teachers use existing
textbook materials to plan their lessons with relative consistency, even though
they think that the majority of commercially published textbook materials require
some adaptations and adjustments (Grossman & Thompson 2008, Peacock &
Gates 2000). These authors conclude that the researched teachers consider
their content knowledge to be insufficient and therefore need to fall back on
textbook materials. However, at the same time they don’t give up on their
endeavours to adapt and adjust these materials.
Do textbooks materials help teachers to navigate subject matter and its
structure? Qualitative studies of primary school math teachers, who were the
participants in the introduction of the Framework Curriculum of math teaching in
California (e.g. Cohen 1990, Wilson 1990), show that even though textbook
materials (mainly teachers’ books) contain texts explaining and defending
innovations, teachers still maintain their old concepts and stick to the old
content. This contradicts the concept of the designers of these materials, even
though the teachers may believe that they understand and fulfil their intention. A
similar conclusion was reached by Millard (2005), also on the basis of math
teachers research, as well as by the authors of the research conducted in
‘Basics of Humanities’ and natural science lessons (the Czech lower primary
school subject called “Prvouka“) (Stará et al 2010).
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Studies show that the level of understanding and implementation of a new
concept is influenced by the intricacy and complexity of the reform or
innovations reflected in the material (Dusenbury et al 2003). The more complex
the material the more time required to study it through (see also Wilson 1990,
Peacock & Gates 2000), and the less probable it is that it will be used as a
teaching resource by teachers in compliance with its author’s intentions. By
contrast, in the case of the materials with clearly defined goals and key features
that concentrate on a specific field, the content is more likely to be implemented
in lessons (see the results of the meta-analysis of fidelity research from the field
of drug abuse prevention in school settings: Dusenbury et al 2003. See also
Stará 2011).
The above-mentioned research concerning inexperienced teachers in the
course of science teaching (Peacock & Gates 2000) as well as research
focused on geography teachers in secondary school (Lambert 1996) shows that
teachers cannot and/or are not willing to devote too much time to the study of
textbook materials. They prefer materials that are easy and fast to navigate and
can provide answers to their questions. When selecting textbook materials, their
decision is based neither on the nature and depth of the content nor on the
quality of concept presentation.
The case of the teacher, Oublier (Cohen 1990), shows that the teachers’ own
journey in moving from what they are familiar with to new areas can result in a
curious combination of new and traditional topics and methods. This result can
be perceived by the teachers as a big change while for the observer this change
may seem minute or even unnoticeable.
According to many experts, commercially published textbooks can no longer be
perceived as materials that carry authority and will therefore be rigorously used
by teachers. Currently the concept of participation with the text coined by
Remillard (2005) is coming to the fore. In this concept, teachers and textbook
materials are in a mutually dynamic relationship. Teachers adapt and interpret
texts and in the process of working with texts they themselves undergo
changes. At the same time, the textbook texts are products of sociocultural
development and, as such, they are retrospectively formed by both teachers’
and pupils’ actions (Brown 1992, Dvořák et al 2008:83, DBRC 2003, Wang &
Hannafin 2005).
Pinar et al (2004:699-704) mention the approach they call curriculum
enactment, in which the implementation means a change in teachers’ thinking.
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In this approach, teachers individually develop themselves and change their
thinking as well as their behaviour while working with the curriculum. This
process can therefore be referred to as curriculum development rather than its
implementation.
Based on the above-stated research results, teachers (especially novices) rely
on textbook materials when planning their lessons, probably mainly due to the
fact that they are not fully confident when it comes to content knowledge. On
the other hand, they don’t find commercially published textbook materials fully
satisfying and think that they should be adapted. Teachers adapt textbook
materials (mainly the innovative ones) according to their existing knowledge and
experience. It often seems as if they did not understand the intention of the
authors of textbook materials. It is, however, possible that their process of
instruction is influenced by the textbook materials, even though this may not be
apparent to external observers.
Research goals and methodology
Our research intention was to gain insight into how Czech teachers think about
innovative textbook materials and how they use them. We aimed to find out if
teachers participate with textbook materials, if they are engaged in curriculum
enactment and how this is done, and how textbook materials influenced this
process. In other words, our aim was to find out if teachers are influenced by
textbooks, if textbooks are adapted by teachers, and the nature of this process.
We posed the following research questions: How do teachers think about new
textbook materials? How do they use them?
Selection of research participants
Due to the character of our research, we chose not to work with a big research
sample, similar to many other researchers of this type (e.g. Remillard 2000,
Sosniak & Stodolsky 1993, Stará et al 2010, Schneiderová, Krajcik &
Blumenfeld 2005). We sought participants for the study from amongst teachers
in schools that cooperate with the Faculty of Education. We chose three
teachers from the 1st grade of primary school, who were planning to teach a
selected thematic unit in the following semester for the first time in their
teaching practice. The teachers and the pupils’ parents consented to us making
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audio and video recordings during the lessons. Our researchers were also
present at the lessons dedicated to the selected thematic unit.
The first teacher we researched gained a lower primary education degree at the
Faculty of Education more than 20 years ago and has had many years of work
experience (Teacher A). We also intended to research how teaching is
implemented by a teacher with relatively little teaching experience, who gained
her degree later. Therefore, we approached a teacher who had graduated five
years earlier (Teacher B). When analysing the data regarding Teacher B we
were unsure whether this teacher was a typical representative of teachers with
relatively little work experience and decided to study another teacher in the
same situation. With the help of an insider – a long-term partner who
cooperates on students’ teaching practice at Prague’s primary schools – we
identified and approached a teacher with the same amount of teaching
experience as Teacher B (almost four years), but with a different teaching style
(Teacher C).
With all three teachers we observed four lessons focused on subject matter
from the thematic unit “Science – Scientist”, from the materials contained in the
textbook, Prvouka, published by Fraus publishing company for the lower levels
of primary school. It is suggested that the subject matter be taught over four
lessons. We assumed that the lessons were preceded by lesson planning,
where teachers consider and change the projected subject matter in relation to
themselves and to their pupils. We inferred the process and content of lesson
planning indirectly from the lesson observations and interviews.
Methodology
At first, we looked at relevant sections of the teacher’s book with the aim of
analysing the goals that the projected lessons explicitly and implicitly pursued.
Furthermore, we analysed methods, which were suggested as tools for
implementation of the given goals. We also analysed the “big ideas” (see e.g.
Harlen 2010) from the science field, to be conveyed to pupils for this topic
according to the authors of the teacher’s book. We later used the results of
these analyses to establish codes and their categorisation was used for the
analyses of observed lessons.
As an illustration of the collected data and to demonstrate how we organised it,
we offer examples of some “big ideas” that we identified in the course of our
analysis of textbook materials. These are the paraphrases of ideas, or groups of
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paraphrased ideas with similar meaning, which are to be found in the teacher’s
book and the textbook for pupils and which are in harmony with the goals
explicitly stated in the teacher’s book (Dvořáková, Stará & Dvořák 2007:70-8):
- Scientists discover characteristics of nature or the human world and try to
understand items and phenomena that surround us. When researching
these items and phenomena, scientists can discover useful things that
are important for human life and the development of society. Inventions
and discoveries made by scientists and inventors help us. Many things,
which we now take for granted, people didn’t know of in the past.
- Also we (pupils) can investigate qualities of materials. We can do simple
experiments. We plan them and record the results.
For the purpose of conveying these “big ideas”, textbook materials suggest
instructional methods and procedures. Below we give examples of some
instructional methods related to the above-stated ideas and their comparison
with methods used during lessons (table 1).
Together (in pairs) we visited the ‘Basics of Humanities’ and natural science
lessons (“Prvouka” lessons) led by the selected teachers and carried out direct
observations. Beforehand, it was agreed with teachers that they could use
textbook materials, which suggest how this thematic unit can be implemented in
the lesson. However, they were also asked to change (or omit) whatever they
wanted with regard to subject matter and methodology, if possible in the same
way as they would do if they weren’t participating in the research.
Immediately after the fourth (and last) observed lesson, we carried out a forty-
five minute semi-structured interview, which we also audio-recorded. From the
interviews we aimed to establish: what the teachers changed in their lessons
and why; what they did in the same way as suggested in textbook materials and
why; how textbook materials influenced their concept of the lesson, etc. We
transcribed all of the audio recordings.
We coded the transcribed lessons using the software MAXQDA, used for
qualitative analyses of texts. As previously mentioned, the source of the codes
we used were the goals, “big ideas” and teaching methods identified in the
course of the preceding analysis of the teacher’s book. Afterwards, we
performed additional analysis, at first individually with each of the three
teachers, and afterwards also comparatively between them.
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The list of the codes was gradually modified and supplemented. Based on their
meanings, the concepts were grouped in categories. Simultaneously with
coding we also used memoing to record ideas and relationships. Memoing
helped us:
…move easily from empirical data to conceptual level, refining and
expanding codes further, developing key categories and showing their
relationships, and building toward a more integrated understanding of
events, processes, and interactions in the case. (Lawrence & Tar
2013:33).
In the course of data analysis, we gradually unveiled relationships, which we
used as starting points to interpret the data.
Table 1: Instructional methods to convey “big ideas” and fidelity of approach
Instructional methods suggested in
textbook materials
Fidelity to the methods suggested in textbook
materials (yes/no), and methods used.
Teacher A
Teacher B
Teacher C
Discussion stimulated by the
photographs in the textbook (old and
modern kitchen)
Conveyed “big idea”:
Inventions and discoveries made by
scientists help us. Many things, which
we now take for granted, people didn’t
know of in the past.
Yes
+ comparison of
old and new
appliances
brought in by the
teacher.
Yes
Yes
+ reading a story
(found by the
teacher in the
children’s
encyclopaedia)
about Prokop
Diviš, the inventor
of the lightning rod.
Preparation of the research plan by
pupils.
Conveyed “big idea”:
Also we (pupils) can investigate
qualities of materials. We can do
simple experiments. We plan them and
Yes
+ adaptation of
the designed plan
to better suit the
developmental
specifications of
No
No
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record the results of our research.
younger children.
Experiments (qualities of materials)
carried out by pupils.
Conveyed “big idea”:
Same as previous.
No
Demonstration of
the experiment
carried out by the
teacher instead.
Yes
But
instructions
for pupils
not clear
Yes
But too fast, rather
perfunctory.
Organisation of the research data in a
table.
Conveyed “big idea”:
Same as previous.
Yes
Frontal and
systematic.
Yes
In groups,
mainly not
supervised
by the
teacher, no
feedback to
pupils.
Yes
In groups, mainly
not supervised by
the teacher,
feedback to pupils
rather perfunctory.
Research results
Our analysis enabled us to elaborate a number of findings in answer to our
basic research questions: How do teachers think about textbook materials?
How do they use them?
Finding 1: Teachers perceive themselves as decision makers regarding
instructional content. In the process of making their decisions, they draw
on curriculum materials.
The teachers adopted the basic concept of the current curriculum reform and
they perceive themselves as those who select the subject matter taught in
lessons. In their own words, they view textbook materials as just one of the
sources that influence instructional content. In the interview, none of the
teachers mentioned that textbook materials would influence her decision-
making when selecting subject matter. In interviews, they didn’t refer to the fact
that teaching (and textbook materials) should match the Framework or School
Education Programme (official state curricula programme and its application to
the specific school). On the contrary, they stated that their decisions regarding
the subject matter were based on their experience, beliefs, preferences and
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interests. They do not see the curriculum documents as the reference
framework, but themselves.
However, all of the teachers we researched were using teacher’s books as a
starting point when selecting the subject matter. Teachers A and C used them
as a starting point for lesson preparation and Teacher B automatically used
them to make her lesson plans:
Teacher A: I confess that I read the goals (in the teacher’s book), but
then I decide what is most important and do it accordingly… I adapt it to
my style of work and also to the group of children…
Teacher B: In fact, once I read that, it was ready, it’s all prepared…
Teacher C: You take out something, you add something …Everyone can
add what suits them, everyone can add, what they like.
Finding 2: Teachers differ in the extent to which they reflect on subject
matter and methodology.
As an integral part of her lesson preparation, Teacher A conducts
methodological analysis prior to lesson planning as well as engaging in
conscious reflection after the lesson implementation. Reflection on the goals set
by the designers of textbook materials is relatively deep. She pays significant
attention to the goals, which includes studying the texts in the teacher’s book.
To her, they serve as a source of content as well as methodological knowledge.
She prepares for lessons daily, which is also apparent from her exercise books
with detailed preparations. Understanding the subject matter and its structure
well is fundamental for her, and she actively participates with the texts
presented in textbook materials. She stresses that it is important to know where
the chosen strategies and methods lead: “…So it wasn’t an activity for the sake
of activity.” (Teacher A)
She is willing to invest her time to understand the content. In this connection,
Teacher A pointed out the purpose of the texts, which are used to further
teachers’ knowledge of subject matter and which are also part of the mentioned
teacher’s book: “The texts for teachers are of value. I can read them and don’t
have to search for it elsewhere.”(Teacher A).
On the contrary, Teacher B considers the texts in the teachers’ book to be a
ready-made lesson plan, which she can use immediately:
Interviewer: What was the work you had to invest into it?
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Teacher B: I just had to get the aids… that was the only thing I had to do.
Otherwise, it is done wonderfully, very well prepared. There is much
information, therefore I may have forgotten something, but I felt that it
was wonderfully prepared. There are set goals, aids, which you need, so
even without extra reading this… For example, it’s important if everyone
will need something, or if it’s for a group. This was the only thing I had to
search for. But, otherwise, it’s simply wonderful, a real bombshell, I was
over the moon, engulfed by it… once I read it, it was in fact all ready, I
had it all prepared… just to get these aids, think about it a bit and
organise it in my head… Because it’s in the teacher’s book all together, I
can plan the whole week beautifully (laughter).
Teacher B admitted in the interview that sometimes she finds it more difficult to
navigate the texts in textbook materials that determine instructional content and
methodology, and that this was reflected in her lessons. She admits that
lessons were a bit chaotic, which could have been caused by insufficient
planning and relying on “ready-made” plans. In spite of this, however, she
doesn’t conclude that she should spend more time on lesson planning and
reflection of subject matter and methodology:
Teacher B: I feel that it was somehow chaotic… I find it difficult to
navigate the structure… Maybe I didn’t think some things over enough, I
didn’t chew them over enough… In this sense it was more demanding for
me, but I like it (textbook materials) very much…
Interviewer: Now, when reflecting on the lesson, would you change
something?
Teacher B: Not really.
Teacher C chooses what suits her teaching concept from the suggestions of
subject matter and teaching methods. She changes, adjusts and adapts
suggestions made by the designers of textbook materials according to her
concepts. In this sense, she doesn’t strive to grasp the meaning and structure of
subject matter (qualities of materials), and she doesn’t utilise opportunities to
develop her knowledge with the help of the texts for teachers written in the
teacher’s book. On the contrary, she implements the subject matter that is
closer to her interests (she prefers teaching about natural resources at the
expense of physics subject matter), and this subject matter she creatively
adapts for her lessons. Teacher C is aware of the specifics that go hand in hand
with the education of lower primary school teachers, but she takes as a fact that
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she can’t have all the required professional knowledge. She is ready to ask for
help from the teachers, from parents or friends, who specialise in the given field,
or she is ready to seek the information in encyclopaedias or other materials:
I don’t have knowledge about these individual materials. Nor about the
laboratory aids… For sure, children could ask many questions that I
wouldn’t be able to answer. But again, I would search it out somewhere
or we would find it in an encyclopaedia… Or maybe I would visit a
chemistry teacher from the upper primary school… I’m more interested in
natural resources, I have better relationship towards them than I have to
these metals, plastics… (Teacher C)
Finding 3: Interpretation of the methodology suggested by textbook
materials and their utilisation depends on the teaching concepts adapted
by individual teachers.
Based on the lessons analysed, it became obvious that the system of
information that she wants to convey to her pupils is important for Teacher A.
The interview with her and the analysed lessons show that she laid stress on
the fact that pupils understood the subject matter. The methods were selected
with this goal in mind, and she gave preference to methods that she had
experience with and that she considered effective. For Teacher A these are
mainly explanation, and whole-class controlled discussions and demonstrations,
which are the methods used mainly in traditional concepts of education.
She treats instructional and methodological innovations with caution. For
example, as opposed to the suggestion in the teacher’s book that pupils
research the qualities of materials in groups, she demonstrated experiments
herself, which meant that pupils were in the role of observers. She explained
this:
I confess that I did this in front of the whole class. But when they do it in
groups, as described in the teachers’ book, it’s also relevant… I did it in
front of the whole class, because I don’t know the children that well, I
don’t know what they would do, so it was safer for me. (Teacher A)
She adapted teaching methods suggested in the teachers’ book (experiments in
groups, group discussions, less controlled discussions) with a sense of
reinforcing her control of lessons and knowledge acquired by pupils.
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The fact that for Teacher A it was important what pupils learn was also apparent
from the lessons. This teacher thoughtfully used advanced organisers,
summarised individual parts of subject matter, rigorously used concepts she
aimed to convey as well as control questions, and introduced some teaching
methods in phases. She used examples from the life of children and visual aids;
she finished activities once she was sure that pupils had acquired the
appropriate knowledge.
They were always confusing two things – how can I affect this, like when
I cut or sink it, with the activity, what will it do… But then again, I had a
feeling that they figured it out… It just took a long time before I finally
managed to squeeze it out of them… (laughter). (Teacher A)
Teachers B and C were, to a large extent, implementing methodological
suggestions utilising forms of social learning suggested in textbook materials.
They even managed and controlled pupils’ learning less than the designers of
the textbook materials proposed. In the interview, they didn’t mention any
problems encountered when applying these methods. They measured their
success not by the educational outcomes (knowledge and skills gained) as did
Teacher A, but by the children’s engagement:
I didn’t originally intend for the activity to take such a long time (study of
natural resources) but then I let them do it, they enjoyed it… Afterwards it
would be possible to study for example sugar, how it melts, changes its
state… They would surely enjoy it… (Teacher C)
They were excited by the laboratory, because it comes from the world of
adults. Suddenly, they had a chance to take a look into that world. The
world they will enter later on. Again, some yes, some no. But again, they
will concentrate on a different field. Some will want to become scientists,
some confectioners, so it would be good if they could take a look into this
environment. And this showed them the science world as it is. (Teacher
B)
The extent to which subject matter and teaching methods suggested by
textbook materials was modified differed with individual teachers. Teacher C,
especially, chose the information that she preferred and that she thought would
be of interest for children from the subject matter suggested in textbook
materials (natural resources subject matter), and she significantly reduced or
changed other subject matter (physics subject matter). Also, both younger
teachers (B and C) somehow simplified subject matter knowledge as well as the
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development of specific science skills and strengthened development of social
and communicative competences.
Finding 4: Teachers share the request that textbook materials should
contain inspiring teaching methods.
All three of the researched teachers stated that they would welcome the
inclusion of ideas suggesting activities for pupils in textbook materials from
which they could choose:
Teacher A: I also think that it’s good to have other ideas of what to do…
Even more of these ideas. So the teacher can choose.
Teacher B: I feel that there are many important activities that navigate
children towards their own thinking. That it isn’t just some kind of
colouring in.
Teacher C: …activities that can be used. To have many of these
practical ideas is a good thing…
Finding 5: Teachers differ in their evaluation of the texts that aim to
educate teachers.
It suits Teacher A when the texts in the teacher’s book offer her related
theoretical knowledge from relevant science subjects (for example, qualities of
materials and their examination) or from subject matter methodologies (for
example, the meaning of getting primary school pupils acquainted with scientific
methods of research). Teacher B admits that this information has a meaning,
but she doesn’t use it. Teacher C sees herself as a professional who is able to
determine and evaluate the effectiveness and suitability of suggested methods
and doesn’t need support in it.
Teacher A: The texts for teachers are good. So I can read it and don’t
have to search for it elsewhere.
Teacher B: …I admit I was skipping them. But I guess it has a value that
it’s in one place.
Teacher C: (I would appreciate) a less strict approach, more ideas, only
such activities that can be used. I like more practical stuff, less talk,
theory. Every (teacher) can choose what he is more familiar with.
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According to his interests, his opinions… I don´t need the explanations
why I should do anything, I am able to decide myself.
Finding 6: Teachers welcome short methodological texts that count on
their participation.
Teacher A pointed out that methodological materials which are too detailed and
dictatorial can stunt the teacher’s creativity and can restrict teachers to a certain
extent:
But the teacher should be able to choose. So (teachers) don’t feel that
they have to do all of it. But the way it is written it looks like a lesson plan,
so I had a bad feeling that I didn’t manage to finish it… But it shouldn’t be
treated by teachers simply as a manual – firstly, secondly, thirdly.
(Teacher A)
Teachers B and C didn’t feel bound by textbook materials, they saw themselves
as the ones who decided about the lesson design, even when using very
detailed materials. However, Teacher C mentioned that the style of
methodological materials should be “less strict”. Teacher B expressed that
overly detailed materials could have contributed to the fact that her lesson was
chaotic, because she found them difficult to navigate.
Discussion and conclusion
The teachers researched treat textbook materials with self-confident awareness
of their own professionalism. All three of them manifested their belief in the
importance of a teacher’s free will when selecting subject matter and
transforming it for pupils. Interestingly, none of them mentioned in the interview
that they should be guided by the School Education Programme. On the
contrary, they see it as an indisputable fact that they select the subject matter at
their discretion, according to their own preferences and experiences, which is
something they welcome.
Furthermore, the research showed that textbook materials played a significant
role in the selection of subject matter by teachers. All three teachers used
textbook materials as a basic source in the course of lesson planning. However,
the extent to which they changed subject matter and teaching methods
suggested by textbook materials varied. The possible degree of change of the
subject matter undertaken by a teacher leads us to question to what extent
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teachers’ decisions about educational content can be considered legitimate and
at what point they start to endanger the standard of pupils’ educations. In
addition, both of the younger teachers in our research talked about the
importance of some teaching methods without considering the subject matter.
This raises the question of whether the curriculum reform has put adequate
stress on the importance of the acquisition of key competencies at the expense
of subject matter taught within individual educational fields.
However, the so-called participation with textbook materials is desirable
(Remillard 2005). Teachers shouldn’t just adapt and interpret the textbook
materials, but they should also be changed by them. That means that they
should change the way they treat the subject matter, its selection and methods
used to convey it. Teachers should adapt textbook materials but they should do
so in a professional manner. We suppose the teachers’ support of this should
be given by textbook materials if the findings from the subject matter
methodologies are presented in the textbook materials in a way that teachers
could understand. They should be presented in a way teachers can and are
willing to take them into account when planning and implementing their lessons.
Individual teachers’ levels of attention to the process of reflection on subject
matter and teaching methods suggested in textbook materials varied. In our
research, it was the experienced teacher, who graduated before 1989 and had
more than 20 years of professional experience, who studied textbook materials
in detail in order to understand the meaning and structure of the subject matter
so she could convey it to pupils. She thought the subject matter through and
because of that she was able to adapt her methods so that they fulfilled their
role. With regard to innovations in teaching methods (mainly social forms of
learning and inquiry-based learning), this teacher thought about them and
partially used them. With this type of teacher, we think that in the longer term,
textbook materials can significantly play a part in changes in the process of
subject matter selection and its methodological transformations.
In comparison with the experienced teacher, one of the teachers with less
professional experience (Teacher C) had a relatively closed opinion concerning
what the content and methods of primary education should be. For this reason
she didn’t let textbook materials influence her significantly, but she adapted
them according to her beliefs. In the course of lesson planning, she used her
own creative approach, which wasn’t always in harmony with the goals
projected in textbook materials. For this type of teacher, textbook materials can
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probably play only a small role in the course of implementation of subject matter
innovations and probably also of their methodological treatment.
The second, less experienced teacher (Teacher B) used textbook materials as
a product to set out what her lessons should look like. She stuck to the plan
proposed by textbook materials, and she changed them only when
implementing the lesson on the basis of pupils’ reactions. According to her
words, she didn’t think the plan through much, which influenced her lessons.
The question is whether this teacher will be able to utilise the experience she
gained in the course of teaching this thematic unit in the future and if she will
build on this experience when teaching the same subject matter again.
Considering that she appreciates when textbook materials facilitate lesson
preparation, when they offer her a relatively ready-made lesson plan, we think
that she (and similar types of teachers) would benefit from textbook materials
that are easy to navigate, have a clear structure, enable easy navigation in main
science ideas, are concise and are comprehensible. In such cases, it is
probable that innovations of subject matter and methodological transformations
will influence teachers of this type by means of textbooks materials.
In our case study, it is the approach of Teacher A that manifested that quality
and well-designed textbook materials can without doubt serve as an important
support for the development of teachers’ content knowledge and
methodological content knowledge (Grossman & Thompson 2008:2015,
Peacock & Gates 2000:160, Squire et al 2003:472). On the other hand, some
teachers (Teacher C; see also Cohen 1990, Dusenbury et al 2003, Peacock &
Gates 2000, Wilson 1990) ascribe the most important role to initial professional
education. These teachers also deem important the knowledge of subject
matter methodologies that they learn in the programmes for continuing teacher
education, where professional content and its methodological transformations
can be conveyed and clarified to teachers.
The teachers researched appreciated mainly individual ideas for pupils’
activities. It seems that the requirement to have textbook materials from which
they can choose lesson ideas corresponds with their belief about the
professional abilities of a teacher, who is able to select from what is on offer. At
least one of them (Teacher B) pointed out that the ideas should be
comprehensible and clearly organised, so that it wouldn’t take her too much
effort to choose from them. All of the teachers said that the suggested activities
should engage children and encourage their activity. The requirement of the text
to engage pupils by attractive and activating activities was apparent mainly in
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the case of both teachers with shorter professional experience (B and C). The
teacher with longer professional experience (Teacher A) pointed out that the
suggested activities also have to agree with goals and instructional content.
In agreement with the mentioned research (Grossman & Thompson 2008,
Peacock & Gates 2000), our research also confirmed the significant role that
textbook materials play when planning how to methodologically process
untraditional subject matter. Another finding, also in agreement with other
research (e.g. Peacock & Gates 2000, Wilson 1990), showed that in spite of
that, some teachers may not understand textbook designers’ intentions, maybe
also due to the fact that they are not willing to devote much time and attention to
studying the materials (Sosniak & Stodolsky 1993, Wilson 1990) or because of
a lack of content or methodological knowledge (Cohen 1990). This can result in
the situation where teachers only formally observe the suggested plan, or they
more or less consciously change it and replace it with methods they are familiar
with, but which can be at odds with the innovation’s goals (Cohen 1990, Wilson
1990). The question is if teachers are motivated to continually learn new
information in the given field, reflect on it and use it to improve the quality of
their teaching, or if they are more likely to adjust the topic over the time to the
way of teaching they are used to (Cohen 1990, Wilson 1990, Zahorik 1991).
It seems that a new challenge for the designers of textbook materials is to
create materials that convey new subject matter methodological knowledge to
modern teachers, who are aware that textbook materials should be adapted to
reflect the needs of the community, school and region. Such materials should
be designed so as to convey content knowledge and didactical content
knowledge to teachers, and influence their teaching in a positive way. At the
same time, it should be possible for teachers to adapt these materials to reflect
the needs of their pupils and the context of specific lessons.
It is also apparent that the curriculum innovation should go hand in hand with
the systematic support of teachers, which shouldn’t be restricted to the
development of textbook materials, but involve various forms of professional
development.
We consider it desirable to conduct further research concerning if and to what
extent the teaching approaches and the related attitudes of the researched
teachers are characteristic of the teaching of science lessons in primary
schools, or of teaching at the beginning of primary education in general. Other
questions for further research relate to the extent to which teachers’ opinions
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with regard to subject matter selection and its transference depend on their
school and local community, length of professional experience or the date when
they finished their degrees.
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BIOGRPAHICAL NOTE
Jana Stara is an assistant professor of general didactics and didactic of social
sciences at Charles University, Faculty of Education, Prague, Czech Republic.
Her main research interest includes: teaching social sciences at primary
schools, setting goals, working with educational goals, using textbook materials
by teachers.
Tereza Krčmářová is an assistant professor at Charles University, Faculty of
Education, Prague, Czech Republic. Her main interest includes: personal and
social education, teacher mentoring and couching, gifted education.
Email: jana.stara jana.stara@pedf.cuni.cz
