Textbook and Curriculum Alignment

Abstract

Although textbooks play important roles in shaping implemented physics curricula, there isn't a general agreement about theoretical frameworks and methodological approaches needed for research lines related to complex relationships between textbooks and curricula. To define roles played by textbooks in physics teaching and learning, a four-level view of curriculum is useful: Intended Curriculum, Potentially Implemented Curriculum, Enacted Curriculum and Learned Curriculum. Physics textbooks are a crucial part of the Potentially Implemented Curriculum. The first part of this literature review deals with the articles that analyze the alignment of textbook contents and a particular national physics curriculum. The second part brings the articles that analyze alignment of textbook contents with a meta-curriculum framework (i.e., National Science Education Standards). The third part considers those articles that pay attention to some intra-curricular processes that are influenced by physics textbook features. If students are supposed to read textbooks in an Enacted Curriculum, then their readability or cognitive demands influence Learned Curriculum. Before conclusions, which consider some issues related to needed research of fine processes of textbooks and curricula alignment, a brief look is given to digital learning materials that are textbook complements or that might replace them in the future.