The technological, economic, and social transformations of the 21st century have made it imperative for education systems to shift from a traditional knowledge transfer model to a skills-based approach. In this transition, textbooks remain the main resource for equipping students with the abilities outlined in the curricula. This study aims to analyze activities in Turkish textbooks for basic education grades 1, 2, 3, and 4 used during the 2023-2024 academic year through the lens of learning and innovation skills based on the P21 (Partnership for 21st Century Learning) skill framework. The research employed document analysis design—a qualitative research method—and utilized Ministry of National Education-approved textbooks as data sources. The collected data were interpreted descriptively under themes falling under “critical thinking and problem-solving”, “communication”, “collaboration”, and “creativity & innovation” as defined in P21. Research findings revealed a significant imbalance in the distribution of activities in the examined Turkish textbooks at all grade levels according to skill areas. As a result of the analyses, it was determined that the vast majority of the activities focused on critical thinking and problem-solving skills, followed by communication, and creativity and innovation skills, respectively. The most striking result of the study is that activities aimed at collaboration skills, which are one of the basic requirements of modern business and social life, are negligible or non-existent at all grade levels. This study is original in that it presents concrete data on the extent to which current Turkish textbooks cover 21st-century skills and offers specific suggestions for curriculum and material development processes, particularly for the development of collaboration and creativity skills.
The technological, economic, and social transformations of the 21st century have made it imperative for education systems to shift from a traditional knowledge transfer model to a skills-based approach. In this transition, textbooks remain the main resource for equipping students with the abilities outlined in the curricula. This study aims to analyze activities in Turkish textbooks for basic education grades 1, 2, 3, and 4 used during the 2023-2024 academic year through the lens of learning and innovation skills based on the P21 (Partnership for 21st Century Learning) skill framework. The research employed document analysis design—a qualitative research method—and utilized Ministry of National Education-approved textbooks as data sources. The collected data were interpreted descriptively under themes falling under “critical thinking and problem-solving”, “communication”, “collaboration”, and “creativity & innovation” as defined in P21. Research findings revealed a significant imbalance in the distribution of activities in the examined Turkish textbooks at all grade levels according to skill areas. As a result of the analyses, it was determined that the vast majority of the activities focused on critical thinking and problem-solving skills, followed by communication, and creativity and innovation skills, respectively. The most striking result of the study is that activities aimed at collaboration skills, which are one of the basic requirements of modern business and social life, are negligible or non-existent at all grade levels. This study is original in that it presents concrete data on the extent to which current Turkish textbooks cover 21st-century skills and offers specific suggestions for curriculum and material development processes, particularly for the development of collaboration and creativity skills.
