An examination on visual materials for internal organs in science education textbooks

The aim of this thesis study is to examine the visual materials of the internal organs in the science textbooks in terms of features that may prevent the constructing of anatomy context in the mind. It is discussed whether the knowledge about anatomy in the visual materials in question has features that may prevent it from being constructed in the mind or not. For this purpose, the images related to the internal organs in the textbooks prepared according to the 2013 and 2018 Science Education Curriculum were examined in terms of size, shape, color and the location of the relevant organ in the human body. Document analysis, one of the qualitative research methods, was used in the study. Content analysis technique was used in the analysis of the data. In the research, the textbooks prepared according to the 2013 and 2018 Science Education Curriculum and published from 2014 through 2019 were examined. In the process of evaluating the data, the contents in the images related to the internal organs, which are thought to cause problems in the context of anatomy in the learning and teaching process were determined. As a result of the research, 285 pieces of content that were found to include the analysis unit were determined from the visuals in the textbooks. In the related visual materials, it was determined that the lungs, stomach and kidneys from the internal organs were given a lot of space, and the gall bladder, spleen and pancreas were not included. More content was reached regarding coloring than other categories. The results are important for researchers, curriculum developers, textbook authors, and teachers.