Does the ‘Atom and Periodic System’ Unit in the 9th Grade Turkish National Chemistry Textbook Promote Conceptual Understanding?

Abstract

Science education aims to foster students' conceptual understanding, yet studies reveal significant gaps, even among educators, particularly in chemistry. Textbooks play a critical role in addressing these gaps, making their evaluation essential. This study introduces a tool to assess chemistry textbooks based on principles that enhance conceptual understanding. The tool was applied to a Turkish 9th-grade chemistry textbook, focusing on the "Atom and Periodic System" chapter. Findings highlight the tool's validity and reliability for evaluating chemistry and interdisciplinary textbooks. The main findings showed that the Turkish textbook addresses prior knowledge but struggles with identifying and addressing alternative conceptions. Weaknesses include a lack of inquiry-based approaches, cause-effect reasoning, and Nature of Science integration, limiting its effectiveness. Simplified definitions and poorly connected concepts contribute to misconceptions, especially in atomic models and periodic trends. Enhancing the textbook with inquiry-based activities, interdisciplinary connections, and higher-order questions would better support scientific literacy and constructivist learning goals.