The situations of identity construction by classroom teachers in life sciences lessons and identities in textbooks

The concept of identity, which allows an individual to know and recognize themselves, corresponds to the answer to the questions of "Who am I?" and "Where do I come from?". The development of an individual's identity is shaped around the structural characteristics of the society in which they live and enables them to be characterized as a citizen by society. Raising citizens is among the aims of the life sciences course. Life sciences is a course taught in the first, second, and third grades of primary school, drawing its subject matter from life itself, aiming to help students recognize themselves, know the society they live in, and make sense of their environment. Ultimately, it is understood that the life sciences course plays a role in the construction of an individual's identity. For this purpose, the study aims to identify the identities constructed within the scope of the life sciences course, determine the identity profiles of classroom teachers, and reveal the types of identities present in life sciences textbooks. This research was conducted in three dimensions using case study and document analysis methods, which are qualitative research designs. Data collection techniques such as observation, interview, and document analysis were utilized, in other words, methodological triangulation was employed. In the first and second dimensions, where the case study design was used, classroom teachers determined by maximum variation sampling were worked with. In the first dimension, data were obtained through observation from classroom teachers responsible for teaching second graders. In the second dimension, the aim was to determine the thoughts of classroom teachers regarding identities, and interviews were conducted using a semi-structured interview form developed by the researcher with the classroom teachers who participated in the first dimension of the research. In the third dimension of the research, the document analysis method was utilized. Life sciences textbooks for second grade published by MEB Publishing and SDR Dikey Publishing, selected using criterion sampling method, were used as data sources. The data obtained in the research conducted in three dimensions were transferred to the MAXQDA 24 program. While content analysis technique was used for analyzing the data from the first and second dimensions, document analysis was used for the data from the third dimension. The data obtained in the three dimensions of the research were examined with a closed approach under the themes of "individual identity" and "collective identity", and within the theme of collective identity, the categories of "national identity", "digital identity", "environmental identity", "social identity", "global identity", and "political identity". As a result of the research, it was determined that classroom teachers responsible for teaching second graders construct the types of individual identity and collective identity; national identity, environmental identity, social identity, political identity, global identity, and digital identity during the teaching of the life sciences course. It was found that there are similarities and differences between the individual identities constructed by classroom teachers in the life sciences course and their individual identity profiles, that their constructions of national identity generally resemble their national identity profiles, that there are similarities and differences between environmental identity and environmental identity profiles, that some teachers hold negative views in their digital and global identity profiles but do not reflect these negativities in the construction of digital and global identities during the life sciences course, and that while social and political identities are minimally present in the identity profiles of teachers, they incorporate these identities into the life sciences course content due to the nature of the subject matter. Additionally, it was concluded that both individual identity and collective identity; national identity, environmental identity, social identity, political identity, global identity, and digital identities are present in the second-grade life sciences textbooks prepared by both official and private publishers. In this research, the identities constructed by classroom teachers in the life sciences course, which has the specific aim of raising effective citizens, were examined. Courses such as "social studies" and "human rights, citizenship, and democracy", which also aim to raise effective citizens, can similarly be subjects of research.