An Analysis of Subject Competencies Applied in the Activity Tasks of the ‘Home Life and Safety’ area in Middle School Technology-Home Economics Textbooks based on the 2015 Revised National Curriculum

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to analyze two subject competencies (practical problem-solving capability and independent life capability) reflected in the activity tasks included in the ‘home life and safety’ area of 12 middle school technology-home economics textbooks in accordance with the 2015 revised curriculum. The analysis criteria were sub-elements of two subject competencies. Seven sub-elements were derived from each competency. Frequency analysis was performed to determine how often the sub-elements were reflected in the activity tasks. The results were as follows. First, with regard to the sub-elements of ‘practical problem-solving capability’, ‘value judgment’ was reflected most frequently in the activity tasks followed by ‘exemplification of solution’, ‘logical thinking’, ‘critical thinking’, ‘decision-making’, ‘practical reasoning’, and ‘evaluation of solutions’. Secondly, the sub-elements of ‘independent life capability’ were unevenly distributed in the activity tasks. The ‘capability to perform conscious living’ was reflected most frequently followed by ‘development and self-identity’, ‘time, money, and leisure management’, and ‘reasonable consumption and resource utilization’. For teachers wanting to teach activity-oriented classes and student participatory classes, the results pinpoint the materials necessary to develop learners’ subject competencies by using textbooks from different publishing companies.