The Level of Including Common Skills in Mathematics Textbooks for Third Intermediate Grade in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

The study aimed to identify the level of including the common skills approved by Education and Training Evaluation Commission (ETEC) as a part of a set of standards followed by the general education curricula in mathematics books for the third intermediate grade in Saudi Arabia. This study adopted an analytical survey approach. The population and sample of the current study comprised all the mathematics package books assigned to grade 9 students in the country for the academic year 2019-2020. The package was 18 books, containing students' book, workbook, teacher's manual, evaluation manual, teachers' resources for curricula activities. The researchers used an analysis card in light of common skills matrix approved by ETEC. The level of including the common skills in the books has been analyzed as per two aspects: the degree and the quality of inclusion. The study revealed that the extent of including common skills in these books was low (16.9%). Moreover, the quality of inclusion was also low (M= 1.2). The level and the quality of sixth common skills inclusion were as follows ; "critical skills and problems solving" level was moderate (41.9%), and the quality was also moderate (M=1.9), "creative thinking skill" level was low (12.4%) and the quality was moderate (M=1.8), "communication skill" level was low (27.5%), and the quality was also low (M=1.5), "technology use" skill level was low (6.8%), and the quality was also low (M=0.73), "self-learning" level was low (9.7%), and the quality was also low (M=0.74), and finally the level of "community cooperation and participation” was low (3.4%), and the quality was also low (M=0.41). In light of these findings, the study provides several recommendations. Of these notable ones are making use of the findings of the current studies by curricula developers and including the common skills in mathematics books. Keywords: Common Skills; national standards; Mathematics Textbooks.