Evaluating the Content of Iraqi Secondary-School Physics Textbooks Based on Total Quality Criteria: A Content Analysis and Teachers' Perspectives

Shorouq  Qasim Mohammad; Adel Zahed; Hossein  Taghavi; Ali  Khaleghkhah

doi:10.61838/mzngz367

Authors

Shorouq Qasim Mohammad PhD Candidate, Department of Educational Management, Faculty of Educational Sciences and Psychology, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran Author https://orcid.org/0009-0007-8078-726X
Adel Zahed Professor, Department of Educational Management, Faculty of Educational Sciences and Psychology, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran Author https://orcid.org/0009-0005-6321-0114
Hossein Taghavi Associate Professor, Department of Educational Management, Faculty of Educational Sciences and Psychology, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran Author https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9489-4396
Ali Khaleghkhah Professor, Department of Educational Management, Faculty of Educational Sciences and Psychology, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran Author https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9651-1320

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.61838/mzngz367

Keywords:

Physics Textbooks, Total Quality, Content Analysis, Educational Content Evaluation, Secondary Education, Iraq

Abstract

Purpose: This study aimed to identify the total quality criteria required for Iraqi secondary-school physics textbooks, assess the extent to which these criteria are fulfilled, examine physics teachers’ evaluations, and determine whether their perspectives differ according to gender and years of teaching experience.

Methods and Materials: This descriptive-analytical study combined quantitative content analysis with a questionnaire survey. The content-analysis population comprised all six physics textbooks approved by the Iraqi Ministry of Education for the 2025–2026 academic year, totaling 999 pages, all of which were examined through census sampling. The analysis instrument consisted of 10 main criteria and 100 sub-indicators developed based on Crosby and Baldrige quality frameworks and validated by an expert panel with an 80% agreement ratio. In the survey phase, 63 physics teachers, including 35 men and 28 women, were selected through simple random sampling from a population of 90 secondary-school physics teachers in Al-Muthanna Province. Data were collected using a researcher-developed questionnaire and analyzed using independent-samples t-tests and one-way analysis of variance.

Findings: The overall conformity of the textbooks with Ministry of Education quality criteria was 74%, exceeding the 70% benchmark established by the expert panel. Educational and experimental activities showed the lowest level of criterion fulfillment at 61.3%. Teachers rated educational objectives highest, with a mean score of 3.96 out of 5, whereas scientific content received a mean score of 3.58. Gender differences were statistically significant only for educational activities, with male teachers reporting higher evaluations. Significant differences were also observed according to teaching experience, with teachers having more than 10 years of experience providing more critical evaluations than their less-experienced counterparts.

Conclusion: The findings indicate that Iraqi secondary-school physics textbooks generally satisfy established total quality criteria; however, instructional and experimental activities represent a notable area of weakness. The convergence between content-analysis results and teachers’ assessments highlights the need for systematic revision of textbook content and structure, particularly through strengthening laboratory work, practical exercises, inquiry-oriented tasks, and experiential learning opportunities.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Adolph, K. E., & Berger, S. E. (2018). Physical and motor development. Psychology Press/Taylor & Francis. https://www.taylorfrancis.com

Al Hashami, K. N. S. (2022). Exploring the Application of Total Quality Management (TQM) in Curriculum Development and Evaluation in the Ministry of Education in the Sultanate of Oman School of Education, University of Glasgow]. Glasgow, U.K.

Karimi Bioki, H. (2023). Content Analysis of Second Secondary Biology Textbooks from the Perspective of Horizontal Connection with Chemistry and Physics Shahid Sharafat Higher Education Center, Tehran].

Kerekes, J. (2024). The Impact of the Lack of Chemistry and Physics Laboratories in Schools. Educatia 21 Journal(28), 333-341. https://doi.org/10.24193/ed21.2024.28.36

Li, Y., & Singh, C. (2023). Impact of Perceived Recognition by Physics Instructors on Women's Self-Efficacy and Interest. Physical Review Physics Education Research, 19, 020125. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevPhysEducRes.19.020125

Mangarin, R. A., & Macayana, L. B. (2024). Why Schools Lack Laboratory and Equipment in Science? Through the Lense of Research Studies. International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, 8(10), 2835-2840. https://doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2024.8100238

Nonaka, D., Jimba, M., Mizoue, T., Kobayashi, J., Yasuoka, J., Ayi, I., Jayatilleke, A. C., Shrestha, S., Kikuchi, K., Haque, S. E., & Yi, S. (2012). Content Analysis of Primary and Secondary School Textbooks Regarding Malaria Control: A Multi-Country Study. PLoS One, 7(5), e36629. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0036629

Podolsky, A., & Darling-Hammond, L. (2025). Think Again: Do the Returns to Teacher Experience Fizzle Out?

Putra, D. J., Algiranto, Ekasari, A., & Inyang, F. (2024). Analysis of the Quality of Physics Textbooks in the 2013 Curriculum and the Independent Curriculum. EduFisika: Jurnal Pendidikan Fisika, 9(2), 226-238. https://doi.org/10.59052/edufisika.v9i2.36876

Seddighi, H., Yousefzadeh, S., & López López, M. (2021). Qualitative Content Analysis as a Research Method to Investigate Hazards Information in School Textbooks. MethodsX, 8, 101559. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mex.2021.101559

Stephanie, F. (2024). Total Quality Standards for English Language Curriculum: Evaluating 'English for Iraq' Curriculum.

Yousefi, S., & Asghari, Z. (2024). Conceptualizing physical mobility in textbooks for elementary students with intellectual disabilities. Majles and Strategy(118), 511-546. https://brill.com/downloadpdf/display/title/37874.pdf#page=295

Zargani, H., Hashemi, S., & Sayed, H. (2018). Analysis of the content status of textbooks for the second cycle of physical education vocational schools in Iran. Studies in Psychology and Educational Sciences, 11(4), 1-9.