Comparing biodiversity-related contents in secondary biology textbooks from Korea, Indonesia, and the United States of America

ABSTRACT

Representative biology textbooks for secondary school students from Korea, Indonesia, and the USA were compared to explain the differences among each country’s biodiversity-related contents. For comparison, a specialised technical book was added as a reference book. Textbooks from Korea, Indonesia, and the USA have similar main sub-sections of biodiversity contents. However, both Indonesian and American biological textbooks have special additional sub-sections that differed from Korean textbook. However, none of these biological textbooks presented fully similar explanation with the reference book as a standard. Since there were several differences in explaining major topics of biodiversity in each country, we suggest that curricula compilers adapt provided biodiversity related-contents for presenting them better in the future. In addition, we also suggest biology textbook authors in Korea to add more native biological diversity examples in biodiversity content especially in conservation sub-section. With this, we hope students can learn and know more their countries’ biodiversity richness through biological textbook.

KEYWORDS:

• Biodiversity
• biology textbook
• conservation
• curriculum
• native species
• non-native species

Acknowledgment

This study was supported by the Indonesian Endowment Fund of Education (LPDP) with awardee number of 201712120812136.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.