Investigation and analysis of human rights’ components in primary school textbooks

Authors

1 (PhD), Shahid Beheshti University

2 MA student on Curriculum Planning at Shahid Beheshti University

3 PhD candidate on Curriculum Planning at Shahid Beheshti University

Abstract

The present research was carried out with the aim of examining and analysing the human rights’ components in the primary school textbooks. The components were selected based on the mentioned lists in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and with reference to the sources and literature in this field. The units of analysis were words, pictures, phrases, and activities and the content analysis was done using Shannon Entropy Method. The research population comprised all the primary school textbooks of 36 volumes in1389-1390 academic year in eight titles: Let’s read Persian, Let’s write Persian, science, divine gifts, divine gifts (workbook), Qur’an, mathematics and social studies textbooks. The research sample of this study included five titles: Let’s read Persian, Let’s write Persian, divine gifts, social studies, and Qur’an. The results indicated that in the Qur’an textbook, the highest importance is devoted to the elements of the right for education and freedom of religion. In the social studies textbook, the highest importance is attached to the element of the right for a job and fair payment. In the divine gifts textbook, the highest importance is devoted to freedom of religion, contemplation and conscience. In the Let’s read Persian and let’s write Persian textbooks, the highest importance is attached to the elements of the right for a job and fair payment.The results have shown that although these components have been considered in the related textbooks, but they are not considered more or less equally in the mentioned textbooks.

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