Official Knowledge: Textbooks, State (corporate)

Curriculum, and Flawed Information

© 2014, John Wesley White, University of North Florida

Con-text

Textbooks are the dominant form of

curriculum/content in our schools

-In 1990, 70% of textbooks were controlled by ten largest

publishers (Apple, 1990)

-Since 1990, large publishers have ‘absorbed’ smaller

publishers

-Today, four (4) companies control 90+ percent of the textbook

market

Apple, M. (1990). The political economy of text publishing. Educational Theory 34(4), 307-319.

Crismore, A. (1989). Rhetorical form, selection, and use of textbooks. Technical Report 454. Accession Number:

ED 303798.

© 2014, John Wesley White, University of North Florida

Con-text

States (like Florida) have a centralized textbook adoption

system, a group of people who choose all books for all content

areas in all districts

- Districts MUST purchase new textbooks per state mandate,

regardless of their need for said textbooks- New standards require new texts

- Textbooks must appeal to widest audience- Widest audiences are state textbook adoption agencies (Texas, Califorina, and

FLORIDA = > 30+% of textbook sales)

- Publishers choose ‘appropriate’ or sanctioned textbooks for an entire state system

(Apple, 1990)

- Textbooks avoid controversy in order to appeal to those with purchasing power, who

themselves are—most often—appointed by high state officials

Apple, M. (1990). The political economy of text publishing. Educational Theory 34(4), 307-319.

Crismore, A. (1989). Rhetorical form, selection, and use of textbooks. Technical Report 454. Accession Number:

ED 303798.

© 2014, John Wesley White, University of North Florida

Con-text

*Districts are generally required to purchase textbooks that the state has selected through district

funds. This is a form of unfunded mandate.

To ensure compliance—aka “fidelity” to the state-approved curriculum—the state aligns its tests directly

to the content in that curriculum (teaching to the test)

With Value Added Accountability systems, teachers are held accountable to students knowing the

specific content that the state selected.

Textbooks are now more prescriptive than ever.

Districts are increasingly forced to purchase* “managed

learning systems” from four major publishers

- These ‘systems’ prescribe the exact content to be taught (curriculum),

the manner in which it is taught (pedagogy), the pace at which

teachers must teach (pacing guides), and the assessments teachers

must use to gauge student learning (embedded assessments)

- This is commonly referred to as “scripted curriculum”

© 2014, John Wesley White, University of North Florida

Con-textPrimary Questions

• Why is the business of textbooks and curricula problematic

for our students and us as teachers?

• Does the form of a curriculum—and especially its primary

driver, the textbook—discourage divergent thinking?

• Are students encouraged to critically examine

curricula/textbooks?

–What happens in textbooks themselves that discourages critical

questioning/examination?

–How does the form and style of the textbook limit critical thinking?

• What components of a textbook authorizes the text or makes

the information therein seem ‘official’ to students or to

teachers? © 2014, John Wesley White, University of North Florida

Con-text

Primary Questions

• Does the form of a curriculum—and especially its primary

driver, the textbook—discourage divergent thinking?

• Are students encouraged to critically examine

curricula/textbooks?

–What happens in textbooks themselves that discourages critical

questioning/examination?

–How does the form and style of the textbook limit critical thinking?

• What components of a textbook authorizes the text or makes

the information therein seem ‘official’ to students or to

teachers?

© 2014, John Wesley White, University of North Florida

The Infallible Official Curricula

The curricula we teach is generally presented—by

teachers, by authors, and by their publishers—as

unquestionable. Its content, however, ideological and

politically charged.

The fact that curricula is developed by “experts” and comes

from the state gives that material credibility that other sources

of information do not have.

The format of the curricula and the narrative form within the

curricula suggests that it is ‘official’ and not prone to question.

© 2014, John Wesley White, University of North Florida

Con-text

© 2014, John Wesley White, University of North Florida

Textbook MythsWhat myths have been perpetuated by textbooks and

have, subsequently, become ‘common knowledge’?

SCIENCE

Intelligence remains constant

Different people have radically different DNA (sexes, races, etc.).

The evidence of global warming in inconclusive.

Evolution and Creationism are both relevant scientific theories.

SCIENTISTS USE THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD? Not always and not fully. LAKES AND OCEANS

ARE BLUE BECAUSE THEY REFLECT THE BLUE SKY? No. CLOUDS REMAIN ALOFT

BECAUSE WATER DROPLETS ARE TINY? Wrong!

THE SKY IS BLUE BECAUSE OF COMPLICATED PHYSICS No, it's simple. SOUND TRAVELS

BETTER THROUGH SOLIDS & LIQUIDS? No, it doesn't. GRAVITY IN SPACE IS ZERO? It's

actually strong. GASES ALWAYS EXPAND TO FILL THEIR CONTAINERS? Not quite. FRICTION

IS CAUSED BY SURFACE ROUGHNESS? Obsolete idea!

See: http://www.amasci.com/miscon/miscon4.html#mis© 2014, John Wesley White, University of North Florida

Textbook Myths

What myths have been perpetuated by textbooks and

have, subsequently, become ‘common knowledge’?

ELA

- There are “correct” and specific interpretations of literature (that the experts

alone decide).

- Grammar and syntax consists of long-established rules that do not change.

- Spelling does not change with time, generations, or contexts.

- Black Vernacular English (‘Ebonics’) is a linguistically inferior form of speech

- Mark Twain was a racist.

- The five paragraph essay is the best form of expository writing.

- Technology is hurting how students write.

See: http://www.amasci.com/miscon/miscon4.html#mis

© 2014, John Wesley White, University of North Florida

Textbook Myths

ELA

A Drinking Song

WINE comes in at the mouth

And love comes in at the eye;

That’s all we shall know for truth

Before we grow old and die.

I lift the glass to my mouth,

I look at you, and I sigh.

- W. B. Yeats

– How are students supposed to interpret this poem?

– What is it’s ‘official’ meaning?

© 2014, John Wesley White, University of North Florida

Textbook Myths

ELA

– How are students supposed to interpret this poem?

– What is it’s ‘official’ meaning?

My Papa’s Waltz

- Theodore Roethke

© 2014, John Wesley White, University of North Florida

Textbook Myths

ELAThe ‘one best’ answer (FCAT example)

© 2014, John Wesley White, University of North Florida

Textbook MythsWhat myths have been perpetuated by textbooks and

have, subsequently, become ‘common knowledge’?

Social Studies

-Columbus “discovered” new world.

-Europeans brought farming and agriculture to a hunter-gatherer people.

-Native Americans and African Americans fought for American freedom in

the Revolutionary War.

-The “founding fathers” were deeply religious people who wanted the U.S. to

be a Christian nation.

-Slaves were relatively content with their situation and not prone to

resistance.

-Woodrow Wilson was a great, progressive, and visionary leader.

-Helen Keller was notable solely for overcoming her disabilities.

Loewen, J. (1995). Lies my teacher told me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong. New Yokr: Touchstone.

© 2014, John Wesley White, University of North Florida

Textbook Myth & BiasOfficial “view” of the world

The Mercator map (above) is the most common world map

used in American textbooks and Social Studies Classrooms© 2014, John Wesley White, University of North Florida

Textbook Myth & BiasOur “view” of the world

Question:

What are the ‘hidden’

messages conveyed by

the map?

© 2014, John Wesley White, University of North Florida

Textbook Myth & BiasOur “view” of the world

Question:

What are the ‘hidden’

messages conveyed by

the map?

1) U.S. is at the ‘center’ of the world.

2) Distortion of the sphere (the world) makes Greenland look as large

or larger than Africa (Africa is 14 times larger)

3) Antarctica is cropped from many maps or deleted altogether, thus

giving far greater weight to the northern hemisphere.

4) In many mercator maps, Alaska looks almost as large as South

America when, in fact, South America is much larger.

© 2014, John Wesley White, University of North Florida

Textbook Myth & BiasOther Ways to View the World

© 2014, John Wesley White, University of North Florida

See: http://historymatters.gmu.edu/mse/maps/question4.html

Textbook Myth & BiasOther Ways to View the World

© 2014, John Wesley White, University of North Florida

See: http://www.softpedia.com/progScreenshots/Alternative-World-Map-Creator-Screenshot-91596.html

Textbook Myth & BiasOther Ways to View the World

© 2014, John Wesley White, University of North Florida

World Population

Textbook Myth & BiasOther Ways to View the World

© 2014, John Wesley White, University of North Florida

Control of Wealth (2015)

Living Wage Animation

Textbook Myth & BiasOther Ways to View the World

© 2014, John Wesley White, University of North Florida

Prevalence of Obesity

Textbook Myth & BiasOther Ways to View the World

© 2014, John Wesley White, University of North Florida

World Nations NOT Using the Metric System

Textbook Myth & BiasOther Ways to View the World

© 2014, John Wesley White, University of North Florida

Textbook Myth & BiasIf we are to teach students ‘truth’

(when/if there is such a thing), we

must move beyond textbooks

and official curricula if we are to

get them to critically examine

their world and the ideas they’ve

been told/sold.

© 2014, John Wesley White, University of North Florida

Textbook Myth & Bias

Greatest Nation Myth (officially sanctioned ethnocentrism and nationalism)

-Citizens of the United States have many things to be proud of historically and

currently. One of the purposes of education should be to teach these things.

-But, teaching only ‘one side’ of an issue—either overtly or through omission:

- Promotes ethnocentrism and nationalism

- Shields students from truths that can inform and foster change

- Inhibits critical thinking skills

- Supports the status quo (why change something that is perfect?)

Scene from “The Newsroom”© 2014, John Wesley White, University of North Florida

Greatest Nation Myth

Within school and in society more generally, we promote both

the ‘greatest nation’ idea and the following beliefs/cliches:

- Knowledge is power

- The truth will set you free

- The more you know…

- “Knowledge is love and light and vision”

- “To know what you know and what you do not know, that is true

knowledge”

- Think outside the box

© 2014, John Wesley White, University of North Florida

Greatest Nation Myth

Within school and in society more generally, we promote both

the ‘greatest nation’ idea and the following beliefs/cliches:

- Knowledge is power

- The truth will set you free

- The more you know…

- “Knowledge is love and light and vision”

- “To know what you know and what you do not know, that is true

knowledge”

- Think outside the box

Why, while claiming to value knowledge and creative thinking, do

those in charge of curricula fear nuance, context, alternative points of

view, nuance, and complexity?

Similarly, if we are ‘the greatest nation,’ what do we have to fear from

additional and equally ‘truthful’ information?

© 2014, John Wesley White, University of North Florida

Moving Beyond Textbooks &

Official Curricula

Critical theorists (including advocates for ‘liberation

theology’ such as Freire) believe that teachers have an

ethical duty to present students with a variety of

information from which they can—with scaffolding and

support—construct new truths.

In an era of corporately-produced hegemonic textbooks

and curricula, teaching complexity means

supplementing—or even deviating from—the official

curricula whenever doing so best serves their students.

Evidence shows that more in-depth time exploring an issue/concept in detail

results in higher test scores than does covering a wide range of material more

superficially. Similarly, when students’ test scores are ‘proficient’ or above,

administrators are loathe to question teachers’ methods.

© 2014, John Wesley White, University of North Florida

Other Texts & Sources of

InformationPutting Information into Context

• “Revisionist” history

• Matching Fiction with History/Science

• Interactive Maps

• Newspapers/Magazines

• Original Source Material

• Graphic Novels

• Plays/Movies

• Picture Books

•Art & Music from the Period

• Electronic Sources (to include social networking)

© 2014, John Wesley White, University of North Florida

Trade Books

You can use texts—often relatively short texts—to help make the

information you are teaching “come alive” for students

Using trade books encourages reading and promotes better

reading

Using trade books promotes deeper content understanding

Reading Trade books yourself offers you insights into a) the

ways the younger generation thinks & b) ways to be creative with

lessons.

© 2014, John Wesley White, University of North Florida

Trade Books

© 2014, John Wesley White, University of North Florida

Propaganda

© 2014, John Wesley White, University of North Florida

Iconic Photographs: History

© 2014, John Wesley White, University of North Florida

Iconic Photographs: War

© 2014, John Wesley White, University of North Florida

Iconic Photographs: Suffering

© 2014, John Wesley White, University of North Florida

Photographic Reality: How

People Live

© 2014, John Wesley White, University of North Florida

Supplementing with Technology

In addition to the basic internet search:

-Mapping wars (World War II in the Pacific for example)

-Lewis and Clark’s trek across the west

-Shakelton’s misadventure in the Antarctic

-Spread of a real or imagined pandemic

-Huck’s ride down the Mississippi

-Underground Railroad

-Stanley and Livingstone

-Distance, Direction, Geometry (math)

-City Planning (grids)

-Real-world science and math problems (e.g., suspension bridges,

the “Chunnel”)

-GAMING

© 2014, John Wesley White, University of North Florida

Electronic Sources of Information

Joshua Slocum & His Voyage on Spray

Click HERE for YouTube video of how the creator made this site

© 2014, John Wesley White, University of North Florida

Website Bias

Find out who “owns” or created the site: http://www.whois.net/

Do a simple Google search with the URL address and see what other

topics or links come about (check out their content)

Look closely at a Web site's URL. Does it contain a tilde (~)?- these tiny changes to a URL web address mislead; they often seem to come

from reputable places, such as a university or government site

(http://www.unf.edu/~coehs/), but are not reputable. Often universities and

other organizations give students or outsiders web space (hosting) but they do

not control the content of the site.

Help students make objective searchers (vs. highly subjective searches

that result in biased information, e.g., “why dogs are better pets than

cats” or “government sucks”

© 2014, John Wesley White, University of North Florida

Supplementing Textbooks

BRAINSTORM—now and more importantly in the coming

weeks—ways that you might deviate from or add

supplements to textbooks:

– What materials could you use in your content area to supplement

textbooks and the “official” curricula?

• What information might you find that puts the information into context?

• What kinds of questions can you pose that might prompt critical thinking?

• What might be the result—positive and negative—of creating ‘disequilibrium’ in

your students?

© 2014, John Wesley White, University of North Florida