The Content Analysis of Primary School Textbooks in regard to Concept of the “Other”

Abstract

In this article, the content of the primary school textbooks was analyzed in regard to the concept of the “other” which involved the disabled people and patients, child labor and different family styles components. The statistical population of the present research comprised all of the primary school textbooks (first to sixth grades) published in 1393 school year. The sampling method of the present research was a purposeful sampling. The data collection tool was checklist. The measure of data analysis comprised of the texts, questions and pictures. For data analysis and in order to gain the importance coefficient of each of the components, the Shannon Entropy method was used. The content analysis showed that attention to the other components and the distribution of these components in primary school textbooks are not accomplished equally and balanced and are not have regulated based on content analysis scientific principles. Moreover, the data analysis showed that the content of the above-mentioned textbooks can’t play an important role in improving the conception of the other in students. General education must cover everybody in any job and position including rich and poor, healthy and patient and etc., and it must also consider all of them equally. Therefore, the education system must do its best to fight against discrimination and bias in textbooks.

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