The inclusion of multicultural material in middle school science teachers' resource manuals

Abstract

We examined and categorized multicultural teaching information found in middle school science teachers' resource manuals to determine how multicultural information relates to guidelines for teaching in multicultural classrooms. A content analysis of 21 teachers' editions of middle school science textbooks determined: (a) the extent of multicultural content; (b) the distribution within foundational knowledge categories; and (c) the relationship to the science content. Data were identified through the use of ERIC descriptors. All data were analyzed by using frequency counts. The results indicate that support for multicultural education in middle school science teachers' resource manuals varies remarkably. The relationship of the multicultural information to the science content revealed that 11.7% was highly related, 49.2% was somewhat related, and 39.0% was not retained. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Sci Ed 82:181–195, 1998.

Twenty-five years of Multicultural Science Education: Looking backward, looking forward

“…Unfortunately, even when they are convinced of this, there continues to be little help for them in their implementation strategies. Heikkinen and Eide (1998) reviewed teacher resource manuals for twenty-one of the most popular middle school science textbooks in the US and found that:…”

Explanation in science trade books recommended for use with elementary students

“…Two types of science texts are most commonly found in elementary classroomstextbooks, created by the publishing industry, and trade books, generally the work of a single author, marketed to the general public. Although science textbooks have received criticisms for years on a host of topics (e.g., AAAS, 1989;Eide & Heikkinen, 1998;Hubisz, 2001;Mallinson, Sturm, & Patton, 1950;Wellington, 2001), the fact remains that they are used by the large majority of elementary school teachers (Weiss, Banilower, McMahon, & Smith, 2001). Thus, it was reasonable for Newton and colleagues to turn to textbooks as they sought to locate another source for explanations in science classrooms.…”

Science Literacy and Text Book Biases

“…Eide and Heikkinen 16 investigated the inclusion of multicultural material in middle school science teachers' resource texts. Noting that teacher resource texts (often referred to as teachers' editions) are highly used instructional resources, the authors analyzed the extent of multicultural content in twenty-one teachers' editions of middle school science texts.…”

“…They found that multicultural content was present in only small amounts in middle school teachers' editions. This finding led Eide and Heikkinen 16 to recommend additional inclusion of this important material in the science resource texts. They posited that it would be very difficult for teachers to teach multiculturally using their resource books given the sparse representation of this content.…”