Examining Analogies in Science and Technology Textbooks and Science and Technology Curriculum

Abstract

The aim of this study was to compare analogies in Science and Technology Curriculum with
those in Science and Technology textbooks and to categorize them. Within document analysis research method,
16 Science and Technology textbooks for grades 4-8 were examined. Four principal categories, ―simple
analogy‖, ―enriched analogy‖, ―extended analogy‖ and ―metaphor‖, were used to label the data. As a result of
this study, it was found out that analogies suggested by the new Science and Technology Curriculum overlapped
with those exploited by the Science and Technology textbooks to some extent. But it can be deduced that both
the new Science and Technology Curriculum and textbooks had shortcomings in presenting un-compared
features, which is the most important component in analogical mapping and in explaining where the analogy
breaks up. Moreover, it was elicited that the number of analogies used showed a shift depending on the type of
textbook publisher. In light with the results, it is recommended that publishers or authors should use the
analogies in a planned manner and present their un-compared features or limitations.