The consistency among curriculum, textbooks and placement tests in terms of elementary biology education in Turkey

Abstract

The educational reform movements in Turkey have been accelerating since the 1990s. In connection with this, 5-year compulsory education was changed to 8 years. Following this, primary education curriculum was renewed in 2000 and 2004. The important components of formal education are the curriculum, textbooks and the examinations for entering the next stage of education (such as Secondary Education Placement Examinations (SEPE) and Higher Education Placement Examinations (HEPE) exams). This study investigates the content congruity between primary education second stage (the 6th-8 grade) curriculum for the science and technology course and the SEPE exams and the textbooks from the perspective of biology. The research found, in consequence, no incongruity between the three elements in general. In SEPE exams (2008-2010), there were no questions on some issues in the textbooks and curriculum which, therefore, can be regarded as inconsistency among curriculum, textbooks and SEPE exams. In the last part of our study, several recommendations towards the innovations of the curriculum have been made for the future.