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Presence and Absence of Social-Institutional Dimensions of Science in Secondary Education

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Abstract

In recent years, increasing attention to the nature of science (NOS) alongside a growing interest in understanding how social-institutional dimensions of science are represented in educational materials has become a fundamental objective in science education curricula. The present study aims to contribute to this research field by examining the presence and absence of these dimensions within Iranian high school science textbooks. The thirteen science textbooks were analyzed within the social-institutional parameters of the expanded Family Resemblance Approach (FRA), utilizing content analysis as the research design. The results revealed, while not extensively represented, there are discernible traces of the social-institutional dimensions of science in Iranian high school science textbooks; however, these elements appear to be somewhat narrow in some categories. The results also indicated a significant imbalance in the representation of the dimensions across the science textbooks. In particular, the findings showed that most social-institutional aspects of science are predominantly associated with the components of “professional activities” and “organizations and social interactions.” Conversely, the least representation was observed in the “social certification and dissemination” categories and “political power structures.” In more detail, critical sub-categories such as freedom, social quality control, and race were absent, highlighting a gap in the educational discourse surrounding the social dimensions of science. The paper wraps up by discussing the practical implications for the field and offering recommendations for future research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Education, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran

    Asghar Soltani

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Correspondence to Asghar Soltani.

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Soltani, A. Presence and Absence of Social-Institutional Dimensions of Science in Secondary Education. Sci & Educ (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11191-025-00659-8

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  • DOI https://doi.org/10.1007/s11191-025-00659-8

Keywords

  • Nature of science
  • Family resemblance approach
  • Science textbooks
  • Content analysis

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