Examination of middle school science textbooks in terms of values education

In this research, secondary school 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th grade science textbooks were examined in terms of values education. The root values in the Science Curriculum, which was renewed in 2018, formed the basis of the research. The root values in the science curriculum are as follows; justice, friendship, honesty, self-control, love, respect, responsibility, patience, helpfulness and patriotism. The aim of the research is to determine which root value is included in the science textbooks and to what extent the root values in the science curriculum are reflected in the textbooks. The sample of the research consisted of four science textbooks used in the 2020-2021 academic year. Document analysis method, one of the qualitative research methods, was used in the research. Science textbooks were examined using the values evaluation scale prepared by Koltaş (2020). The books were preread by the researcher and the texts containing value expressions in the books were determined. The identified text was associated with the root values using the values evaluation scale. In order to ensure the reliability of the research, the association of the texts with the root values was carried out simultaneously by two readers. When the 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th grade science textbooks accepted by the Ministry of National Education (MEB) were examined, a total of 716 value expressions were determined. 61 of these value expressions are repeating values. The highest value expression was included in the 5th grade textbook. The textbook with the least value expression is the 7th grade textbook. It has been observed that there are differences in the distribution of the values determined in the textbooks according to the units. When all of the examined books are taken into consideration, the values that take place the least in the books are the values of justice and honesty, while the value that takes place the most is the value of responsibility. Another result of the research is that each of the root values is found in each of the four textbooks examined. From this point of view, it can be stated that the root values in the textbooks reflect the root values in the curriculum. However, there is no homogeneous distribution among the values.