A content analysis of cognitive representations in a ninth-grade science textbook’s chemistry of matter unit: Evidence from Saudi Arabia

Abstract

This study analyzed cognitive representations of knowledge from the chemistry of matter unit in a ninth-grade science textbook—the only authorized textbook in Saudi Arabia. It examined textual and visual information from two lessons in order to identify the textbook’s introduction of concepts, linguistic context, integration of concepts, and the overall type of knowledge relayed to students. Results showed that Lesson 1 included more analogies than Lesson 2, while Lesson 2 included more relations than Lesson 1. Overall, scientific concepts were more often introduced through historical examples and context in Lesson 1 than in Lesson 2. In both lessons, concepts were integrated explicitly more often than implicitly. Finally, conceptual knowledge was presented more commonly than procedural knowledge in both lessons. I argue that enhancing certain aspects of cognitive representation—such as the use of analogies, linguistic context, relations among cognitive representations, and theological evidence in science textbooks—may reduce misconceptions and improve students’ abilities to learn scientific concepts, especially abstract concepts.