Examination of Turkish and singapore mathematics textbooks in terms of TIMSS cognitive domains and cognitive demands

The aim of this study is to examine and compare the tasks related to algebra learning in the 6th, 7th and 8th grade mathematics textbooks of Turkey and Singapore according to TIMSS cognitive domains, representation styles, response types, contextual features and cognitive demand levels. For this purpose, the tasks in the textbooks are classified according to TIMSS 2019 cognitive domains (knowing, applying, reasoning), representation styles (symbolic, verbal, visual, mixed), response types (open-ended, closed-ended), their contextual characteristics (application, non-application) and cognitive demand levels (memorization, procedures without connections mathematical method, procedures with connections mathematical method, doing mathematics). Qualitative research method was adopted in the research and analytical research model was chosen for the comparison of textbooks. At the end of the study, it was seen that the tasks in the cognitive field of knowing and reasoning at all grade levels were predominant in the Singapore textbooks, and the tasks in the application cognitive field were dominant in the Turkish textbooks. In terms of representation types, it was determined that in both countries, tasks in the symbolic representation type, closed-ended tasks in terms of response types, and non-context-based tasks in terms of contextual characteristics were determined. In terms of cognitive demand levels, it was concluded that the ratio of tasks requiring low-level cognitive demand was higher in both countries, and when the two countries were compared, the proportion of tasks requiring high-level cognitive demand was higher in Singapore textbooks than in Turkish textbooks.