Title: IMAGES OF FEMALES: CONTENT ANALYSIS OF GRADE NINE TEXTBOOKS
Authors: SHITAYE, MINALE
Abstract: The study was designed to analyze the verbal and visual content of Grade Nine Textbooks with respect to the portrayal of gender. The method employed was content analysis. Stratified random sampling techniques were used. In this technique, 40.6 percent (888 pages) from the total 2183 pages were used for the analysis. Additional information were gathered through questionnaire. Based on the main categories developed, frequencies were counted and changed into percentages. Chi-square statistical test was employed to analyse the data and to see whether significant difference exists between the two sexes or not. The study revealed the following results. In the verbal and visual coverage of all textbooks (nouns, pronouns and adjectives) of the two sexes, male were covered more frequently than females. To see order of appearance of verbal expressions, first, middle, and last appearances were counted, male was more presented than female in the first appearance, while females were absent in the first and few in the middle appearance. There was balanced treatment of both sexes in visual order of appearances. There is also observed a significant difference between male, and female in verbal and visual representation of different activities and work role in which male was dominant. One of the category was character traits or personal attributes. The result indicates that, male were more portrayed than female in the studied textbooks of verbal representation. But in visual representation particularly in character there was no significant difference between male and female. Vll As the study result indicates, there is gender bias in textbooks and it is recommendable that textbook writers in particular, and curriculum developers in general have give attention to gender issues in the preparation of school textbooks.
Authors: SHITAYE, MINALE
Abstract: The study was designed to analyze the verbal and visual content of Grade Nine Textbooks with respect to the portrayal of gender. The method employed was content analysis. Stratified random sampling techniques were used. In this technique, 40.6 percent (888 pages) from the total 2183 pages were used for the analysis. Additional information were gathered through questionnaire. Based on the main categories developed, frequencies were counted and changed into percentages. Chi-square statistical test was employed to analyse the data and to see whether significant difference exists between the two sexes or not. The study revealed the following results. In the verbal and visual coverage of all textbooks (nouns, pronouns and adjectives) of the two sexes, male were covered more frequently than females. To see order of appearance of verbal expressions, first, middle, and last appearances were counted, male was more presented than female in the first appearance, while females were absent in the first and few in the middle appearance. There was balanced treatment of both sexes in visual order of appearances. There is also observed a significant difference between male, and female in verbal and visual representation of different activities and work role in which male was dominant. One of the category was character traits or personal attributes. The result indicates that, male were more portrayed than female in the studied textbooks of verbal representation. But in visual representation particularly in character there was no significant difference between male and female. Vll As the study result indicates, there is gender bias in textbooks and it is recommendable that textbook writers in particular, and curriculum developers in general have give attention to gender issues in the preparation of school textbooks.
