Abstract

This study examined how middle science teachers perceive the textbooks they use and how their perceptions varied with their personal attributes and professional backgrounds. A questionnaire was sent to 79 middle school science teachers in Missouri, and 66 responded. The questionnaire was designed to determine the teachers ' perceptions about the quality, usability, and congruency of their respective textbooks. The data indicated a general positive acceptance by the teachers towards their textbooks. However, 30 percent did not feel that their current textbook was congruent with the state-mandated objectives. About 25 percent of respondents thought their text book did not provide activities that encouraged the student-as-the-worker or provided for active learning. It also appeared that teachers who had attended a national science conference within the previous 3 years approached their curriculum