EVALUATION OF LIFE SCIENCES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES COURSE BOOKS IN TERM OF SOCIETAL SEXUALITY

Abstract

This study aims to evaluate primary school Life Sciences (1st, 2nd, and 3rd grades) and Social Sciences (4th, 5th, and 6th grades) course books in terms of gender discrimination. This study is a descriptive study aiming to evaluate the primary school Life Sciences (1st, 2nd, 3rd grades) and Social Sciences (4th, 5th, and 6th grades) course books recommended by the Ministry of National Education in terms of the indicators of gender discrimination in photographs, pictures and texts in the course books. For evaluation, content analysis was used. In light of the findings of the study, it can be claimed that the Life Sciences and Social Sciences course books are not prepared with sensitivities towards gender discrimination and there are many indicators of gender discrimination in the photographs, pictures and texts in the books. The findings show that more male pictures than female pictures are included in the books and the women are usually depicted while doing house chores or cooking, they are also presented while doing activities such as doing handy crafts or painting pictures. The women are mostly shown in some certain professions such as doctors, teachers, or nurses. On the other hand, men are presented in more various professions such as doctor, engineer, fire fighter, civil servants, soldier, and police officers. In the course books, scientists are chosen among the men and while pioneers in fields such as art, politics, sports etc. are presented, usually males are preferred and managerial positions are mostly occupied by men.