Visual Representations of the Water Cycle in Science Textbooks

Abstract

Visual representations, including photographs, sketches and schematic diagrams, are a valuable yet often neglected aspect of textbooks. Visual means of communication are particularly helpful in introducing abstract concepts in science. For effective communication, visuals and text need to be appropriately integrated within the textbook.K. Vinisha has a master's degree in environmental science and a bachelor's degree in education from Bangalore University. She has taught at both the primary and secondary school levels in Mumbai and Bangalore. Her research interests are environmental and science education and gender studies. She has participated in research projects that analysed textbooks for content enrichment pertaining to the environment. At the Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education (HBCSE), Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Mumbai, she studied aspects of gender represented in school textbooks and prepared resource material for teachers at the primary level. Dialogue, 10, 1 (2013): 7-36 This study is based on an analysis of the science textbooks of the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) and the Maharashtra State Board (MSB) for Classes 3-10. We first assess these textbooks for the use of visual representations generally. Then we focus on the water cycle, looking at how this topic is treated in the school science curriculum, at the types of visual representations used, and how effectively text and visuals are integrated to teach the water cycle over the course of the school years. We conclude with some observations on the visual treatment of the water cycle in two exemplar textbooks, and examine the implications for the use of visualisation to understand the concept of the water cycle.

What We Know about Water: A Water Literacy Review

“…Some progressions of learning are documented, such as students moving from conceptualizing pollution as visible trash in younger grades to recognizing invisible chemical pollutants and some of the broader complexities, hydrosocial drivers and impacts of pollution (e.g., economic effects) in upper grades [56][57][58]. Without naming it as such, the authors also recognize in the literature the disconnect between water and local contexts such as students envisioning rivers as existing in rural areas [59] or watersheds in mountainous areas [60] and more representative of textbook figures than their own watershed, e.g., [61]. Finally, they highlight that learning interventions and instruction have been shown to "develop more connected, sophisticated, and systems-oriented ideas about water" [55] (p. 846).…”

Content Analysis of The Diagrammatic Representations of Primary Science Textbooks

“…Mayer and Gallini (1990) observed students learn more from illustrations in which both the elements of the diagram and the function of those elements are labelled. The above findings suggested that text and visual means of representations need to be appropriately integrated in introducing abstract concepts in science (Vinisha & Ramadas, 2013). © 2016 iSER, Eurasia J.…”

Penguasaan Mahasiswa Calon Guru Biologi Terhadap Representasi Visual Dalam Botani Phanerogamae

“…Vinisha & Ramadas (2013) mengemukakan jika representasi visual memudahkan dalam memahami konsep yang abstrak. Guru yang menggunakan representasi harus mempunyai kemampuan penguasaan konsep dan keterampilan literasi visual dengan baik agar dapat menyampaikan materi secara efektif dan efisien.…”