An examination of the activities in 8 th grade mathematics textbooks based on the levels of cognitive demand

Abstract

In this study, the cognitive demand levels of the activities in 8th grade mathematics textbookswere attempted to be identified and the distribution of these textbooks was compared based on thecognitive demand levels of the activities. The method used in the research was document analysis. In orderto collect the data, a total of 90 activities in two 8th grade mathematics textbooks approved by the EducationBoard of the Ministry of National Education were examined. A descriptive analysis method was used toanalyze the data. Findings of the study demonstrated that the number of activities in both textbooksapproximated to each other. Although the reviewed textbooks were approved by the Board of Education astextbooks, it was observed that the cognitive demands of the activities provided concentrated on levels thatare connected and are unconnected to procedures and that the textbooks demonstrated a differentiationbased on cognitive demand levels when compared to each other. In this respect, students educated withdifferent textbooks may have different learning outcomes.