Teachers' Use of Textbooks: Practice in Namibian science classrooms

Abstract

Incidences of prescnbed textbook usage in science classrooms in 1Vamzbia have been analysed using an approach adapted from linguistic analysis. Aspects of pedagogic purpose, text genre, and the social interaciions between teachers and learners were used to characterise teacher and Ieamer engagement with textbooks, and thus caregon' se their usage in relatioN to a national policy of learner-centred edu(anon. Results ind1cale a reacher dominated textbook use and a low Jr�qwuc_ 1' and resrncrt•d range of texrbook references per lesso11, u.1ith some 40% of the Semor Se(,mdwy dasws obsen•ed mahng no use of their uxtbook in class. The major uses of textbooks in class w.:re for diagrams and daw, and to venfy factual information Occasionall y, questwns m textbooks were used as homework to rest and/or co11solidate knowledge. Pupill-rarely mitiated a reference ro a rexrboa!?. It is suggesred that if lear11ers are ro benefit fully from the mvestment m textbooks then their teachers need to be helped to use the resource in more construaic;e ways.

Points de vue d’enseignants de sciences au premier cycle du secondaire sur les manuels scolaires dans le contexte de l’implantation des nouveaux programmes au Québec*

“…Les résultats montrent que les élèves n'acquièrent pas le même savoir au regard de cette notion dans les trois pays et que cet apprentissage est largement influencé par les manuels et les utilisations que les enseignants en font. Lubben et Campbell (2003) ont examiné certains aspects descriptifs de l'utilisation du manuel en classe : 1) type d'activités dans lesquelles le manuel est utilisé (explication, expérimentation, questions, argumentations, etc. ) ; 2) fréquence de référence au manuel dans le cours (et moyenne par cours) ; 3) type d'utilisation pédagogique (utilisation d'un diagramme pour supporter l'explication ou le questionnement, lecture pour consolider le savoir, exploitations des activités pratiques proposées, etc.)…”

What happens to textbooks in the classroom? Pupils’ access to literacy in an urban primary school in Ghana

“…Again, Lubben and Campbell (2003) report that in about 10% of lessons in junior secondary classrooms and 40% of lessons in senior secondary classrooms in Namibia, the teachers did not use textbooks even though they were available, leading them to lament: 'This is a disappointing and worrying observation … in view of the importance attached to the use of textbooks and their association with improvements in standards, as well as the financial investment associated with their purchase' (Lubben and Campbell 2003, 121).…”

“…On the other hand, retrospective studies underestimate the effect of textbooks if textbooks are provided to schools which are seen as particularly needy. (1998,(2)(3) The studies, largely based on surveys and experimental research, provide very little information about pupils' access to books and the actual interaction between teachers, pupils and texts and how such interactions contribute to learning (Lebrun et al 2002;Lubben and Campbell 2003;Moulton 1997). In addition, such studies fail to take into account the ecological and sociocultural conditions of economically disadvantaged communities and how such factors affect the use of the books and learning and literacy development (Knobel and Lankshear 2003;Neuman 1999;Neuman and Celano 2001).…”

“…Process-orientated research focuses on the lifecycle of schoolbooks; manuscript acquisition and authorship, the production processes, their selection, evaluation and approval, and distribution of books. Product-orientated research explores the textbook as a teaching medium and as a means of visual communication and includes research into gender and cultural sensitivity, and readability of textbooks (Lubben and Campbell 2003;Johnsen 1993;Weinbrenner 1992). The present paper, in contrast, is reception-orientated in that it explores ways in which textbooks are actually used in practice.…”

The Role of Everyday Contexts in Learner‐centred Teaching: The practice in Namibian secondary schools

“…The difference may be related to the differences in the textbooks prescribed for the different levels. As Lubben et al (2003) point out, the Senior Secondary texts are imported and therefore do not specifically include references to Namibian situations. Textbooks for the Junior Secondary level have been written after independence, and incorporate local contexts.…”