An evaluation of the physics textbook, grade Twelve at Secondary Schools in Somalia

Abstract EN

The purpose of this research was to evaluate the content of Grade 12 physics student textbook for Somali secondary schools.

The study was conducted based on the Ministry of Education Culture and Higher Education (MEC&HE) demands that textbooks currently in use as well as those that will be produced in the future will be greatly improved or revised.

The method of the research employed was content analysis.

The different categories of Grade 12 physics textbook; such as chapter objectives, activities, figures and diagrams, text narratives, chapter summaries, and end-of-chapter exercises were evaluated.

Quantitative analysis techniques were employed and index values for students’ involvement was calculated.

The data obtained from the textbook analyzed quantitatively and interpreted based on the index value interpretation guideline adapted from literature.

The results revealed that chapter objectives were stated in all the chapters in the textbook.

In addition, the figures, diagrams, other drawings, and points that demand emphasis were put in attractive colors that grasp students for reading.

However, the other aspects of the textbook were found to have limitations.

These aspects of the textbooks emphasized on memorization of facts, explanations, principles; the activities had immediate answers in the textbooks; figures and diagrams concentrated mainly for illustrative purpose; review questions and problems demanded simple memory and mere mathematical calculations based on previous learning of formulas; reflected main points in the text narratives.

Accordingly, conclusions were drawn and recommendations for further improvements and revisions were forwarded.