Assessment of innovative thinking skills in secondary school science books

The understanding prevailing in the age we live in changes and shapes the skills and attitudes expected from individuals. Thanks to the updates, the education system is involved in this change process at the point of supplying qualified manpower. Renewing the curriculum in accordance with the changing goals of education makes it inevitable to update the textbooks. Innovative thinking, one of the 21st century skills that our age expects from individuals, has taken its place in the Turkish education system with the change made by the Ministry of National Education in 2018. The aim of this research is to evaluate the secondary school science textbooks, which were updated according to the changed science course curriculum in 2018, in the context of innovative thinking skills from field-specific skills. In the research, 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th grade science textbooks distributed to secondary schools in Kırıkkale by the Ministry of National Education in 2020 were examined. Document analysis, one of the qualitative research methods, was used in the research. Nine key concepts (invention, thinking, idea generation, imagination, discovery, originality, discussion and design) were determined, which were finalized with the opinions of field experts. Key concepts are scanned in selected textbooks and their frequencies are calculated according to learning areas. In addition, four units at the level of 5th, 7th and 8th grades and the activities of these units, which aim to provide innovative thinking skills, were determined in the unit explanations of the Curriculum. The competencies of these activities according to the innovative thinking sub-dimensions (creativity, entrepreneurship, problem solving and curiosity) were examined. In conclusion; Innovative thinking skills are adequately represented in the context of key concepts in the contents of secondary school science textbooks. In the context of innovative thinking skills sub-dimensions, from the units and activities specified in the curriculum; It was determined that 5th grade 3rd unit activities were insufficient, 7th grade 5 unit activities were insufficient, 7th unit activities were sufficient, and 8th grade 5th unit activities were sufficient.