A Comparative Study Of Scientific Inquiry In Junior Middle School Science Textbooks Of United States,Taiwan And The Mainland

Through compare three versions of science textbooks of United States, Taiwan and Mainland, this thesis do a research about scientific inquiry of three different science textbooks, including "Science Explorer","Nature,Science and Technology" and "Science". Based on the theoretical knowledge and research of science inquiry in science textbook, this thesis has established the basic framework and related dimensions of the research. Six aspects including the statistics, content, object, activity type, task type, text rendering mode and openness level are used to compare and analyze the scientific inquiry activities in different textbooks.The main conclusions of this thesis are given as follwows:first, a plenty of scientific inquiry activities are set up in science textbooks of the mainland, but less than "Science Explorer". Second, all of the three science textbooks choose the application scientific knowledge as the main content. The number of science core knowledge in the three versions of science textbooks is almost the same, but, the mainland has the least number of scientific inquiry of scientific and engineering knowledge. Third, the experimental scientific inquiry activity is given priority to "Science Explorer"and "Science". The communication scientific inquiry takes the second place. However, the number of investigative scientific inquiry activities was the least in the three versions of science textbooks. Fourth, in three versions of science textbooks, logical reasoning task is the major, and the variable task takes the second place, while the number of measurement task is the least. Meanwhile, construction and physical task in the mainland has the least number. Fifth, the main presentation in three versions of science textbooks are based on physical pictures. Besides, the proportion of the forms and schematic diagrams is almost the same. Finally, the scientific inquiry activity in mainland science textbook has a lower opening level. The determined the scientific issues and new hypothesis involved have both a fewer number and a low level.Through comparative analysis of the scientific inquiry in three versions science textbooks, the specific suggestions are given as follows. First of all, there should be an increase in the quantity and quality of scientific inquiry activities in the science textbooks, and the story of the scientists of the related fields should be involved. Second, in science textbooks, construction or physical task of scientific inquiry should be increased. Third, scientific inquiry activities should be focused on a variety of task types with interpenetration.Fourth, more scientific inquiry activities should involves "problem" and "assume" as the core elements. Fifth, Provide students with activity handbook to record and analyze information. Finally, more open inquiry activities should be added in the science textbook.