Representation of Human Interaction with the Environment in the High School Curriculum (case study: social studies textbooks)

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Associate Professor, Department of Education, Faculty of Humanities, Arak University, Arak, Iran .

2 Assistant Professor, Department of Education, Arak University, Arak,, Iran.

3 MA in Curriculum Development, Department of Education, Faculty of Humanities, Arak University, Arak, Iran.

Abstract

Since the environmental issue is considered one of the fundamental issues of human society, how to raise awareness of society regarding interaction with the environment is considered a fundamental area in the education and research process. Accordingly, the present study was conducted with the aim of representing human interaction with the environment in the social studies curriculum of secondary school.The research method was content analysis, which was presented in the quantitative part as quantitative content analysis and in the qualitative part as content analysis. The statistical population of the study included textbooks of the first secondary school. The research sample was purposeful and included social studies books of secondary school. The data were examined in the quantitative part using a checklist and in the qualitative part using content analysis. Based on the results obtained, the level of attention paid to indicators of human interaction with the environment in the secondary school social studies textbook in the water and family consumption management component was considered with 53 cases each, the waste component with 37 cases, the soil with 35 cases, the energy with 30 cases, and the air component with 21 cases. Also, qualitative analysis of the studied content shows that most of the topics in the textbooks are descriptive and a critical look at the interaction between humans and the environment has been given less attention. Textbooks have paid more attention to the descriptive approach in relation to environmental education, and active understanding and action in relation to the environment requires a more active exposure to the curriculum and education. In addition to presenting the findings in a quantitative manner, the present study has attempted to consider how environmental themes are presented in textbooks.

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Main Subjects

References

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Journal of Society and the Environment
Volume 2, Issue 6
October 2025
Pages 47-76

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