REGARDING

TEXTBOOK DEVELOPMENT PROCESS

By
Prof. M.A. Shahid (Izaz – i – Fazeelat)
Programme Officer/GTZ Coordinator
Ex--Director Technical
Ex
Punjab Textbook Board, Lahore
 Curriculum – Syllabus – Textbook

•Curriculum: is a plan for providing set of learning opportunities to achieve

broad goals and related specific objectives for an identifiable population.

•Syllabus: an outline of a specific course proposed for that level. It includes

topics to be covered, their order, resources and other relevant information.

•Textbook: a manual of teaching and learning, collection of contents,

activities and assessments in a branch of study. It is infact a translation of
Curriculum demands.

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 UNDERSTANDING THE CURRICULUM

 Standards: they define the competencies by descriptive statements

specifying broadly, the knowledge, skills and attitudes that students will
acquire, shall know and be able to do in a particular key area during the course
of study
study.. These are qualitative in nature and sets out the learning targets
targets.. They
may not be subject specific.
specific.

 Benchmarks: they elaborate the standards indicating that the students will
accomplish at the end of each development level
level.. They are subject specific.
specific.

 SLOs: they are detailed statements describing what students are supposed to
learn and be able to do at each grade level to achieve the specified
benchmarks.. They
benchmarks are activity specific and generally observable and
measurable..
measurable

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 A Paradigm Shift
S f

From TO
Traditional approaches Standard based approaches
1. Based on contents & topics 1. Based on standards
2. Focus on objectives 2. Focus on SLOs
3. Focus on teaching 3. Focus on learning
4. Teacher centered 4. Student centered
5. One way approach 5. Variety of approaches
6. Assessment of content knowledge & 6. Assessment of content ,skills and attitudes,
simple understanding deeper understanding, reasoning and application
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7. Promote memorization 7 Promote thinking
7.

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 What is new in a Textbook

From descriptive and reading approach

To
Information mapping
mapping, Interactive elements,
elements life skills
activities, gender equity, brain teasers for initiating
discussions, diagrams, illustrations, worked
examples,
l Interesting
I t ti information
i f ti ini Boxes,
B critical
iti l
thinking problems and FAQ’s
For
Effective Learning

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 Envisage
g Textbooks
 Providing knowledge which is useful for a developing
society..
society
 Inculcating problems-
problems-solving approach to create
independent / critical thinking.
thinking.
 Creating
i skills
kill and d attitudes
i d relevant
l with
i h reall life
lif
situation..
situation
 Reflecting innovative writing/modern production
processes..
processes
 Containing upto date & age appropriate [Link].
 Based on conceptual assessment, thinking based
exercises instead of fact/ memory questions oriented
only..
only
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 TEXTBOOK DEVELOPMENT
PROCESS

1. IDENTIFICATION OF NEEDS
Data collection Input sources
R i d Curriculum
Revised C i l Resource mobilization
Feedback Panel of authors
Survey
Data analysis
DEVELOPING THE LEARNING MATRIAL
Planning
Writing
Determine layout of the material
Editing
Reviewing

PILOTING

REVISION
IMPLEMENTATION
PRODUCTION /
PRINTING
EVALUATION
Revision
Review
 Identification of Needs

This is the planning stage where the developer is required to:

Establish the need for the learning material;

Evaluate the existing materials;

compare the existing materials with identified outcomes of learning

reflected in the curriculum/programme/module;

Id tif gaps b

Identify between
t th
the ttwo;

Understand quality principles for developing learning materials;

Ensure that a system for managing material development quality is in place;
Outline activities or project plan for developing learning materials;
Identify constraints; and
Consider the needs of the target group

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WHO SHOULD WRITE A TEXTBOOK

A coordinated panel of:

i Authors

ii Editor/Editors

iii Psychologist

iv Sociologist

V Language
g g Experts

vi Designers/Illustrators

vii Technical Editor

(Contd…….)
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 DEVELOPING THE LEARNING
MATERIAL
This is the most important section in the learning material
development
p process.
p It includes:-

1. Research & Planning 2. Curriculum mapping

[Link]/Drafting [Link] Layout

Interactive elements of the material

[Link]
[Link]

[Link] learning
activities

[Link] self assessment/thinking base question/tasks/additional information

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 Curriculum mapping
 It helps to identify gaps, missings and
repetitions in a curriculum and provides
linkages, progression and logical
sequences of contents
contents.. It requirees
requirees::
A. Curriculum review
B Concepts/ topics / activities /skills/
B.
assessment / resources
C Fixing common concepts/topics/ subtopics of
C.
the curriculum for the textbooks.
D Development of conceptual framework /
D.
template
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For the book
Bring writing team together under the leadership of the
Editor(s) Review Curricula document to ensure decision are in line
with the objectives of National Curriculum, standards and
benchmarks and decide how and where SLOs could best be met.
Develop an outline of the textbook
Agree on a common format, writing style, terminology and units
etc.
Develop a timeline for publication include dates for receipt of 1)
Outline, 2) First draft and 3) Final draft
Periodic weekend meetings to review progress of each
other.

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For a chapter

Develop an outline
Determine topics and subtopics that will be included
Decide on key idea, facts, concepts, skills, values that will
be developed
Develop potential illustrations
Decide on likely activities / interactive elements.
Decide on end-of-the-chapter exercises
Move from lower to higher order thinking
Develop multiple intelligences
Contextually relevant
In keeping with local teaching and learning

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Writing

It is a dynamic process of diversified approaches.

Good writing certainly requires passion, time and
commitment.
commitment
Ensure content is up-to-date and accurate and
developmentally appropriate
Ensure culturally and contextually appropriate
Ensure language is
Age
g appropriate
pp p
Culturally appropriate
Fair to all groups
Grammatically correct

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Writing

Aim to engage and hold readers attention

Keep sentences small and simple.
Paragraphs to deal with single idea etc.
etc
Identify illustrations required
Diversity of illustrations and in kinds of illustrations
Ensure illustrations are purposeful – add to text, explain
text or replace text.
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Bring in a design expert to determine how
best to layout the material

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Ensure the textbook is in line with the objectives of National
Curriculum, meets benchmarks and learning outcomes

Ensure accuracy and authenticity

Ensure similar language across the textbook

Footnotes and side notes may be inserted wherever necessary

Ensure the text material is free from ambiguities and errors (both
mathematical and typographical)
Use the textbook review format to critically
review the book
Piloting is done to determine the suitability, strengths
and weaknesses of the developed material in order to
take necessary remedial actions prior to its full
implementation. The developer is expected to:
Develop monitoring instruments for piloting;
Identify institutions and/or learners for piloting;
Use a variety of learning methods;
Encourage and receive feedback from the learners &
teachers on structure and content, approaches, duration
and assessment strategies;
Provide frequent feedback to the learners and teachers;
and
Use feedback for ongoing adjustments in the learning
process/material.
P f
Professional
i l Artist/computer
A ti t/ t graphichi expertt to
t draw
d
attractive and eye catching illustrations, layout designing
and title covers.

They contribute to the effectiveness of textbooks and

reading materials by conveying and enhancing the author’s
Intentions through visual means.
An experienced person who should be responsible for
over all physical presentation, layout, page designing,
line spacing, style, and size of font, optimum use of
available space, coherence, paper selection/binding
and cost effectiveness etc.
etc
TEXTBOOK ELEMENTS OTHER THAN
TEXTUAL MATTER
Physical Format Internal Aspects
 Paper  Title & Back cover
 Spine & Spine Label
 Size  Inner Title Page
 Paperback
P b k  Verso Page &Contents
&C Page
 Foreword, Preface
 Binding Introduction
 Lamination  Prologue,
Prologue Acknowledgments
 Dust Cover  Name & Subject Index &
Glossary
 Annexure & Bibliography
 Epilogue, Appendices, Tables
 Maps, Diagrams ,Pictures &
Photo
 Implementation
Production and printing
Evaluation / feedback
F th revision
Further i i
SELECTION OF AUTHORS
 Who should be an Author

Subject Experts/Working Teachers

Who can minimize barriers to comprehension using

their teaching, field and research experience.

Who simply enjoy writing and personal satisfaction of

helping learners.

Who have the commitment to share knowledge with

other teachers and learners.

Who have the skills and aptitude to present ideas and

information best suited to their target audience.

Who are committed, dedicated, devoted and sincere to

 Who should be an Editor

 A person with vision and expertise.

A person having knowledge of the subject and the skill

of editing to shape the material into most suitable and
and interesting for the intended audience.

Experienced author/authors may act as editor/editors

for symmetrical and harmonized arrangement of
textual matter reflecting unity and coherence.
coherence
Psychologist to look into aspects of comprehension
Level and cognitive stage of learning.
learning.
Sociologist to look into cultural,
cultural social,
social gender,
gender ethnic,
ethnic
religious aspects of textual matter and photographs
so that they do not offend any section of the society
or doesn
doesn’tt look alien
alien..
Language expert to look into linguistic aspect off textual
matter confining the text to consists of short sentences
and simple words with in a range of predetermined
graded vocabulary