• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.193-199
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• 2000

The textbook is a predominant feature of most classrooms. Because the textbook is an important aspect of educational experience, it is essential that the content of the texts be carefully scrutinized. The purpose of this study was to examine the visual portrayal of gender groups in elementary $"Chay{\tilde{o}}n"$ textbooks developed by the 6th National Science Curriculum. An instrument was developed to analyze the nature and type of activity engaged in by these groups as well as how often members of these groups were portrayed. Data were collected from 8 elementary $"Chay{\tilde{o}}n"$ textbooks. The results show the following two different features. While the elementary $"Chay{\tilde{o}}n"$ textbooks do not show gender-biases in representing science learning activities such as observing, experimenting, measuring, they show distinct gender-stereotyped roles and activities. It is expected that the results of this study are considered in developing the new elementary "Science" textbooks which show gender-fairness.