Abstract:

The aim of this study is to analyze the effect of changes in middle school science texbooks’ questions from 1926 to 2013. Middle school science textbooks’ questions analyzed and classified based on Bloom’s Taxonomy of Cognitive Domain. Textbooks were selected from declaration of Republic of Turkey to present day. Data obtained from seven different science curricula prepared in 1926, 1948, 1974, 1992, 2000, 2004 and 2013. The questions analyzed based on Bloom’s Taxonomy of Cognitive Domain levels including knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis and evaluation. As a result, since 1926 science curricula, regardless of changes in science curricula, questions in textbooks have been prepared to assess low level cognitive skills. It was concluded that 6th grade science textbooks’ questions which were prepared according to 1926 and 1948 science programs assess higher-order thinking skills. Among 7th grade science textbooks, programs of 1926 and 1948 were led to measure higher-order thinking skills while questions in 2004 program measured lower-level skills. While 8th grade science textbooks prepared according to 1926 program was found to have more qualified questions than the questions prepared according to 2004 and 2013 program which were assess the lower level thinking skills.

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