Alignment between Mathematics Curriculum and Textbook of Grade VIII in Punjab Almas Shoaib, Dr. Aroona Hashmi and Ayesha Ashraf Institute of Education and Research University of the Punjab, Lahore.

Table of contents Sr. No Topic Slide No 1 Introduction 3 2 Review of Related Literature 5 Significance of the Study 8 4 Objectives of the Study 9 Research Methodology 10 6 Key findings 11 7 Conclusion 15 Recommendations 17 References 22

Introduction Text book is the most important device in teaching- learning process. It decided whether the content meets desired students’ needs on long-term basis. According to Mahmood (2010) “Textbook” is an authentic material to be presented in classroom. For the proper implementation of any curriculum, text book is an integral part of the education system and cannot be neglected.

Continuous Mathematics is often considers as a difficult subject to teach and learn. Students usually took the math as a boring and complex subject. Similarly teachers also took this subject challenging and complicated and need to acquire greater skills to teach.

Review of the Related Literature In this advanced era mathematics become essential to produce successful students and to cope with the challenging world outside. According to Venkataiah (1993) the curriculum being the main instrument of education, it cannot be static. As the frontiers of knowledge expand with time, the curriculum should be updated, restructured in such a way that it would enhance the quality and standard of education.

Continuous In Pakistan, the role of textbook development rests with the provincial or regional Textbook Boards, and private publishers have also started developing textbooks. These boards and private publishers publish the textbooks according to guidelines provided in the National Curriculum (Mahmood, 2010).

Continue. Aggarwal (2001) suggested some textbook features upon which the relevancy and adequacy of a textbook could be checked. Those are: Selection of Content Presentation of the content Verbal communication language Visual illustration

Significance of the study In Pakistan, unfortunately very little attention pays towards the reviews on curriculum as well as on textbooks once it is implemented. It is therefore, worth investigating to identify the gaps between the National Curriculum 2006 for Mathematics I- XII and the textbooks for Mathematics at 8th grade so that curriculum and textbook developers can base their decisions regarding the quality of both the curriculum and the textbook. So this state of affairs compelled the researchers to conduct this study to fill the gap.

Objectives of the Study The objectives of the research were to: What extent Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) of National Curriculum for Mathematics (2006) are aligned with the content of textbook of Mathematics (grade VIII). Identify the SLOs of National Curriculum for Mathematics (2006) measuring which level of Bloom’s taxonomy. What extent the feature of textbook are aligned with the guidelines given in the National Curriculum for Mathematics (2006).

Research Methodology This study was qualitative in nature. The textbook of Mathematics (grade VIII) during the school year 2016-2017 was aligned with the National Curriculum for Mathematics (2006). Unit wise checklist regarding curriculum textbook alignment was developed by researchers after reviewing the literature and validated through experts’ opinion.

Key Findings Findings about Textbook Style and Structure: The units have no outline which showed the list of headings and sub headings. No SLOs were given in the textbook. No short introduction which explain what the unit covers and why. Key terms are not bold in the content. Each unit contains features boxes which contain some more useful information regarding mathematical formula or working rules etc. But the issue is with the font size of feature boxes that are too small to view. The textbook contain a lot of illustrative examples which help to build conceptual understanding about the topic.

Continue.. Punctuation and spelling mistakes are also found in textbook. The textbook has learning review exercises which appropriate to check the students’ understanding. Summary of the units are also given at the end of each unit. Each unit has objective type items (i.e. multiple choice and short questions) along with each unit. The textbook of mathematics grade VIII has unit wise answers of the questions in the end of the book. Textbook has glossary and symbols table but neither bibliography nor index as described in National Curriculum 2006 for mathematics I-XII.

Continue.. Findings about units from curriculum and textbook National Curriculum 2006 for mathematics I-XII has 12 units and textbook have 10 units. Two units are missing in textbook i.e. Demonstrative Geometry and Introduction to Trigonometry. According to preface of textbook the committee found that these two units may be excluded from book being difficult for grade VIII students. The Board of Governor (BOG) of Punjab Curriculum and Textbook Board has approved these recommendations.

Findings about Comparison of Textbook Content with the SLOs mentioned in curriculum All the 10 units i.e. Operations on Sets, Real Numbers, Number Systems, Financial Arithmetic, Polynomials, Factorization, Simultaneous Equations, Fundamentals of Geometry, Practical Geometry, Areas and Volumes, Information Handling were aligned with the SLOs’ mentioned in the National Curriculum 2006 for Mathematics I to XII. The main focus of SLOs were on the three levels i.e. knowledge, understanding and application of the Blooms taxonomy.

Conclusion It is concluded that Focus of the textbooks is only on three levels of Bloom’s taxonomy i.e. knowledge, understanding and application and the rest of all are neglected. SLOs are aligned with the content but these SLOs are only written in National Curriculum 2006 for mathematics I-XII not in the textbooks used by the students as well as teachers.

Continue.. Textbook is aligned with the curriculum except two units i.e. “Demonstrative Geometry” and “Introduction to Trigonometry” that are missing but the reason to exclude those units is also mentioned in the preface of the textbook, that is somehow seems unreasonable. Textbook structure given in the National Curriculum 2006 for mathematics I-XII is also not following exactly, for example, bibliography and index are still missing even after various revision of the textbook.

Recommendations On the basis of conclusion the following recommendations are made: SLOs might be written in the textbook for the teachers as well as students guidance. As Ferguson (2010) explains that today in the advance age of inquiry students find it difficult to understand some times why they need to know it and when will they ever use this. So to answer these questions teachers as well as students need to be aware of the SLOs.

Continue.. Textbook content might be designed according to the all levels of Bloom’s taxonomy rather than focus only on two or three levels. Textbook is need to be more structures regarding guidelines given in the National Curriculum 2006 i.e. bibliography and index are missing from the textbook. Punctuation and spelling mistakes may also be correct.

Continue.. The two units that has been excluded from the textbook i.e. Introduction to Trigonometry and Demonstrative Geometry are very much important units. Understanding trigonometric functions is a requirement for understanding many branches of science and math so it is very important topic to be cover at elementary level so that it may be helpful to comprehend the higher concepts at secondary level.

Continue.. Moreover, according to Dündar (2015) most students who encounter the trigonometric concepts in their high schools for the first time in their lives they become unable to relate these ideas with real life and do not know where they come from. On the other hand, if the students are able to understand the concepts of “Areas and Volumes” and “Practical Geometry” then the trigonometry and the demonstrative geometry is not much difficult to understand at 8th grade level. So at least the introductory concepts regarding missing units should be included.

Continue.. Cover of the textbook is also need to be more appealing and interesting for the students. Colors might be add to the textbook as it seems quite boring to view. Font size of feature boxes might be large enough to sight. Mathematics Textbook for grade VIII in Punjab might be redesigned according to the curriculum.

References Aggarwal, J. C. (2001). Principles, methods and techniques of teaching. 2nded. New Delhi: VIKAS publishing. Dündar, S. (2015). Mathematics teacher-candidates’ performance in solving problems with different representation styles: The trigonometry example. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science & Technology Education, 11(6). Ferguson, K. (2010). Inquiry based mathematics instruction versus traditional mathematics instruction: The effect on student understanding and comprehension in an eighth grade pre-algebra classroom. Retrieved from http://digitalcommons.cedarville.edu/education_theses/26/

Continue.. Govt. of Pakistan (2006). National Curriculum for Mathematics Grade I-XII. Islamabad: Ministry of Education, Curriculum Wing. Mahmood, N. (2010). Educational development in Pakistan: Trends, issues, and policy concerns. Islamabad. Punjab curriculum and textbook board (2016). Mathematics 8. Lahore: Hamid book centre. Venkataiah, N. (Ed.). (1993). Curriculum Innovations for 2000 AD. New Dehli: Ashish Publishing House.