Content Analysis and Its Role in Educational Process and in Designing Textbooks

This paper is the result of a content analysis of textbooks. The objective of this analysis is to identify the advantages of content analysis in designing textbooks. We used this method by collecting information and library research method and note-taking technique. This was in fact a critical content analysis which included text-book analysis, defining the concepts, their application and dimensions, and principals and theories that are usually used to design text-books. We critically reviewed how textbook texts, pictures and modes of referencing are organized. To indicate the importance of content analysis of textbooks, it is worth mentioning that text-books are indeed the most important and valuable educational tools that have important role in educational systems. Researchers consider text-books to be one of the most efficient and effective educational tools that can provide a highly appropriate condition for learners. Content analysis helped us to analyze and evaluate concepts, principles, attitudes, believes, and all textbook components scientifically and we were able to compare the results to the curriculum goals. We believe information we have provided here can give the administrators, designers and authors an opportunity to make any possible modification of the content of the textbooks in accordance with the predetermined goals and scientific principles. Some of the findings indicate that not only content analysis plays a role in streamlining the process of designing textbooks but also it helped us to realize that picture in textbooks continue to play an important role in learning process.