Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1
Fatemeh Zahra Campus, Shahid Rajaee Higher Education Center, Isfahan, Iran
2
Education, Khorramabad, Lorestan
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Attention to creativity in curricula, especially in science education, is one of the necessities of contemporary educational systems. Guilford's structure of reason model, with its emphasis on different dimensions of thinking, provides a suitable framework for examining the degree of attention paid to creativity in educational content. Considering the role of secondary school biology textbooks in shaping students' thinking, this study aimed to determine the degree of conformity of the content of biology textbooks for grades 10, 11, and 12 based on Guilford's creativity factors in order to determine the degree of attention paid to different levels of thinking. Methods: The research method was a descriptive-survey type of content analysis. The statistical population included 10th, 11th, and 12th grade biology books, and the sample studied was the animal content of these books. The research tool was a researcher-made content analysis form based on Guilford's creativity factors model. Content analysis was conducted using a four-stage coding scheme, in which the content was divided into text and sentences, questions and activities, images, and tables, and then classified and counted based on four components: cognitive memory, convergent thinking, divergent thinking, and evaluative thinking. Findings: The results showed that the highest frequency was related to cognitive memory content with 59% and convergent thinking with 32.6%, while the share of divergent thinking and evaluative thinking was 4.6% and 3.8%, respectively. Conclusion: The findings indicate the dominance of memory-based and convergent content in secondary school biology textbooks. Although these levels are essential for learning basic concepts, the weakness of divergent and evaluative content can hinder the development of students' creativity and critical thinking. Accordingly, a review of the organization of animal content in these textbooks with an emphasis on strengthening divergent and evaluative thinking seems necessary.
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