Fact-value discourses in 19 analyses of genetics in biology textbooks: A critical review

This study analyses research reports on textbooks in genetics education regarding the fact-value distinction. From the perspective of four possible fact-value-related discourses, I have conducted a content analysis of 19 research reports on genetics in textbooks after 2002 (articles, book chapters,...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Jostein Saether
Format: Article
Language:Danish
Published: University of Oslo 2023-09-01
Series:Nordina: Nordic Studies in Science Education
Online Access:https://journals.uio.no/nordina/article/view/9620
_version_ 1797672281126731776
author Jostein Saether
author_facet Jostein Saether
author_sort Jostein Saether
collection DOAJ
description This study analyses research reports on textbooks in genetics education regarding the fact-value distinction. From the perspective of four possible fact-value-related discourses, I have conducted a content analysis of 19 research reports on genetics in textbooks after 2002 (articles, book chapters, and one paper based on a conference presentation.) The general background for this review is an underlying interest in combining and integrating academic achievements and value(s) education in the context of science education in the field of genetics and human beings, by, at the same time realizing the challenges in practicing the principle of interdisciplinarity. This “interest” has been illustrated both in the science education literature and in general educational theory during the last decades. Our study falls into two parts. First, we conducted a qualitative interpretative content analysis. Second, we used a quantitative approach by counting value-related words. We identified the discourses on a continuum, from single-academic-discipline-oriented discourse (based on the natural sciences) to interdisciplinary value-oriented discourse involving the social sciences and/or the humanities with their related concepts and debates. Based on our study we can recommend future researchers on textbooks to be aware of the discourses we have exemplified and therefore explicitly delimitate their study accordingly. In this context one research field could be to study what textbooks say about how to discuss value questions in the context of science and science education.
first_indexed 2024-03-11T21:27:40Z
format Article
id doaj.art-397382c2d44c46ba9c23ac7ce31f032f
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1504-4556
1894-1257
language Danish
last_indexed 2024-03-11T21:27:40Z
publishDate 2023-09-01
publisher University of Oslo
record_format Article
series Nordina: Nordic Studies in Science Education
spelling doaj.art-397382c2d44c46ba9c23ac7ce31f032f2023-09-27T14:51:20ZdanUniversity of OsloNordina: Nordic Studies in Science Education1504-45561894-12572023-09-01192Fact-value discourses in 19 analyses of genetics in biology textbooks: A critical reviewJostein Saether0NLA University College, Norway This study analyses research reports on textbooks in genetics education regarding the fact-value distinction. From the perspective of four possible fact-value-related discourses, I have conducted a content analysis of 19 research reports on genetics in textbooks after 2002 (articles, book chapters, and one paper based on a conference presentation.) The general background for this review is an underlying interest in combining and integrating academic achievements and value(s) education in the context of science education in the field of genetics and human beings, by, at the same time realizing the challenges in practicing the principle of interdisciplinarity. This “interest” has been illustrated both in the science education literature and in general educational theory during the last decades. Our study falls into two parts. First, we conducted a qualitative interpretative content analysis. Second, we used a quantitative approach by counting value-related words. We identified the discourses on a continuum, from single-academic-discipline-oriented discourse (based on the natural sciences) to interdisciplinary value-oriented discourse involving the social sciences and/or the humanities with their related concepts and debates. Based on our study we can recommend future researchers on textbooks to be aware of the discourses we have exemplified and therefore explicitly delimitate their study accordingly. In this context one research field could be to study what textbooks say about how to discuss value questions in the context of science and science education. https://journals.uio.no/nordina/article/view/9620
spellingShingle Jostein Saether
Fact-value discourses in 19 analyses of genetics in biology textbooks: A critical review
Nordina: Nordic Studies in Science Education
title Fact-value discourses in 19 analyses of genetics in biology textbooks: A critical review
title_full Fact-value discourses in 19 analyses of genetics in biology textbooks: A critical review
title_fullStr Fact-value discourses in 19 analyses of genetics in biology textbooks: A critical review
title_full_unstemmed Fact-value discourses in 19 analyses of genetics in biology textbooks: A critical review
title_short Fact-value discourses in 19 analyses of genetics in biology textbooks: A critical review
title_sort fact value discourses in 19 analyses of genetics in biology textbooks a critical review
url https://journals.uio.no/nordina/article/view/9620
work_keys_str_mv AT josteinsaether factvaluediscoursesin19analysesofgeneticsinbiologytextbooksacriticalreview