Examines sex and geographic representation in two books: "History of Public School Music in the United States" (Birge, 1937), and "A History of American Music Education" (Mark and Gary, 1992). Finds that both display statistically significant inequitable representation of sex and region of the country, with little improvement…

Examines reader and text variables related to conceptual change learning from science textbooks. Shows it is difficult to change readers' prior knowledge by reading texts that are inconsistent with that knowledge, but refutation text was shown to impact students' prior knowledge when that knowledge contained naive scientific conceptions. Addresses…

Compares books used in the elementary schools of different regions of Imperial Germany around the turn of the century. Asks how regionally controlled schools contributed to building German national identity. Argues that identity-formation was based on shared values and loyalty to homeland while acknowledging the different parts of the nation. (DSK)

This research compared high-load and low-load versions of a text by manipulating text presentation, text organization, and example context on measures of fact and concept learning. The low-load text presentation variable enhanced fact and concept learning and post-reading ease of comprehension ratings. The low-load text organization variable led…

It would be a mistake to underestimate the challenge of any attempt to elevate the current status of textbook research. The negativity surrounding textbooks in terms of use and status as both literary objects and vehicles for pedagogy is profound. There is a very deep-seated "anti-textbook ethos" witnessed throughout the education business. This…

The authors used pre- and post-testing to determine if print workbooks helped to improve information literacy skills in 175 college freshmen. The results of the study demonstrate that workbooks remain a useful tool for academic libraries lacking resources or expertise to develop and maintain online tutorials.

A study examined literature-based stories found in first-grade student anthologies (basals), the adaptations made to those stories, and any award-winning stories found in that literature. Four current reading series were examined: Houghton Mifflin, Scott Foresman, Macmillan/McGraw Hill, and Harcourt Brace Jovanovich. The difference in the…

A study examined the research base for public speaking instruction. Persuasive speaking, informative speaking, and audience analysis and adaptation in five introductory public speaking textbooks were examined. Four of the texts were selected because they have survived in the marketplace through multiple editions; the fifth book was selected…

A study examined the role that an elaborate analogy can play when high school students learn a concept from a leading science textbook. The elaborate analogy had graphic and text components that integrated and mapped key features from the analogy (a factory) to the target concept (an animal cell). The target features were parts of the cell and, by…

A study examined first- and second-grade readers from the same basal reading series to determine if instructional flow could be identified from one level to another within a series. Three meaning-emphasis series and one word-recognition-emphasis series were selected because of their widespread use in public schools. Results indicated that: (1) two…

Many scholars have made recommendations about how to improve content area materials and instruction, but the recommendations have been made apart from the study of existing content area materials and instruction. A review of detailed studies describing elementary and secondary content area materials and the extent of their use indicate that:…

A study examined how many and what kind of questions appear in elementary science and social studies textbooks and teachers' manuals. Approximately 7500 questions from fourth and fifth grade science and social science textbooks from three major publishers were classified according to the following characteristics: (1) type of cognitive demand; (2)…

This study examines history and social science textbooks used in China to see how the United States is presented in order to make inferences about what Chinese students are learning about the United States. The report also reflects the U.S. examination of Chinese textbooks. As part of the same study, U.S. K-12 textbooks were sent to China. The…

Metadiscourse can be classified into two types: informational and attitudinal. Informational metadiscourse directs readers to an understanding of the primary message by referring to its content and structure or to the author's purposes or goals. Attitudinal metadiscourse directs readers to an understanding of the author's perspective toward the…

This study examined achievement differences between algebra students taught with the non-traditional textbook developed by Saxon and those taught with a "traditional" textbook by Dolciani. Student absences, rate of turning in homework, and ability level were considered, as well as teachers' comments. One Algebra I section in each of…