Children’s books with aquatic characters: Content analysis of environmental and value education themes
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.29329/pedper.2024.83Keywords:
Preschool, Primary school, Environmental education, Values educationAbstract
Children’s books offer important developmental support for children. Illustrated children’s books play an important role in the formation of permanent and effective learning in children by supporting information about environments, situations and assets that are difficult or impossible to access with visual elements. This study examines the topics of aquatic creatures in preschool and primary school books. In 2024, we conducted the study using document review, a qualitative research model. The sample comprises illustrated children’s books in a public library and two public kindergartens in Burdur province.The researcher developed a form to collect the data. The researcher scanned a total of 5300 books. The criteria list guided the examination of books on freshwater and marine organisms among the scanned ones. The necessary information was recorded manually and using a computer. The data were analyzed bythe contentt analysis method. According to the findings, 25 books dealt with aquatic creatures. The analyzed books are for children ages 3-6 and 7-12. Seventeen of the books were published in Turkey and eight in other countries. The books were published between 2006 and 2023. The books' main characters and side characters that are analyzed are mostly aquatic creatures. In a small number of books, child characters were also included. The book's characters are fish, crab, octopus, snail, starfish, oyster, whale. The books deal with the environment, values education, the way of living things, and daily life relations. The messages given by the books are related to raising awareness about the environment, the living spaces of other living things, the way of life of these living things, their needs, cooperation, communication, etc. within the framework of the subject they deal with. The findings demonstrate that children's books encompass a diverse range of living organisms. However, it is important for sustainable life that these publications increase, environmental awareness increases, and that children respect nature and the living space of other living things in nature.
References
Akto, A. (2020). Early childhood and values education. International Journal of Social Studies, 13 (74), 202-339. http://dx.doi.org/10.17719/jisr.11281
Alsudairi, N. M. (2000). Children’s books of saudi arabia literary and cultural analysis. (Unpublished Doctoral Dissertation), The University of Arizona, USA. https://repository.arizona.edu/handle/10150/ 284298
Altheide, D. (1996). Process of document analysis. D. Altheide (Edt.) Qualitative media analysis. Thousand Oaks: Sage Pub. Inc. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781412985536
Aslan, C. (2015). Çocuk edebiyatı yapıtlarının çevre sorunlarını yansıtışı bağlamında incelenmesi. [The analysis of children’s books in the context of how they reflect environmental issues]. Journal of Human Sciences,12(2),1818-1852.https://www.j-humansciences.com/ojs/index.php/IJHS/article/view/3482
Aydın, İ.& Öksüz, A. (2021). Çocuk kitaplarının değerler eğitimi açısından incelenmesi. [Analysis of children’s books in terms of values education.]. Rumeli Dil ve Edebiyat Araştırmaları Dergisi, (25), 579-619. https://doi.org/10.29000/rumelide.1036589.
Baldwin, K., & Wilson, A. (2017). Acting Like Rain: PreK students engage in science talk and head outside to build Earth science knowledge and process skills. Science and Children, 54(6), 29–35. http://www.jstor.org/stable/26387123
Baldwin, K., & Wilson, A. (2020). Teaching Teachers: Early Childhood Engineering and Natural Resources Preservice teachers utilize the Project Approach for planning, reflection, and practice. Science and Children, 57(9), 74–79. https://www.jstor.org/stable/27045281
Bay, D. N. (2020). Resimli Çocuk Kitaplarının MEB Okul Öncesi Eğitim Programındaki Temel Kavramlar Açısından İncelenmesi. [Analysis of Illustrated Children’s Books in Terms of Basic Concepts in the NEM Pre-School Education Program]. International Primary Education Research Journal, 4(1), 12-24. doi: 10.38089/iperj.2020.21
Başaran Y. (2017). Sosyal Bilimlerde Örnekleme Kuramı. [ Sampling Theory in Social Sciences]. Akademik Sosyal Araştırmalar Dergisi. 2017; 5(47):480-495. http://dx.doi.org/10.16992/ASOS. 12368
Bedford, A. W. (2012). Children’s Books: Animal Antics. Childhood Education, 88(3), 195–198. https://doi.org/10.1080/00094056.2012.682555
Boggs, G. L., Wilson, N. S., Ackland, R. T., Danna, S., & Grant, K. B. (2016). Beyond the Lorax: Examining children’s books on climate change. The Reading Teacher, 69(6), 665–675. http://www.jstor.org/stable/44001394
Bolongaro, E. (2009) “Calvino’s Encounter with the Animal: Anthropomorphism, Cognition and Ethics in Palomar”. Quaderni d’italianistica, 30 (2), 105-127. http://dx.doi.org/10.33137/q.i.v 30i2.11905
Burke, C., L. (2004). Animals as people in children’s literature. Language Arts. 81 (3), 205–213. https://www.jstor.org/stable/i40072314
Comardoğlu, Ç., Ültay, E. & Dönmez Usta, N. (2021). İlkokullarda çevre eğitimi ile ilgili yapılan çalışmaların betimsel içerik analizi. Atlas Journal, 7, (42), 2014-2029. http://dx.doi.org/10.31568/atlas.722
Corbin, J., & Strauss, A. (2008). Basics of qualitative research: Techniques and procedures for developing grounded theory (3th ed.). Sage Publications, Inc. https://doi.org/10.4135/97814522 30153
Çelik, N. (2016). Resimli Çocuk Kitaplarında Atatürk ve Cumhuriyet Değerlerinin İncelenmesi (1950- 1997). Analysis of Atatürk and Republic Values in Illustrated Children’s Books (1950- 1997). (Publication No. 447743) [Unpublished Master’s Thesis] https://tez.yok.gov.tr/UlusalTezMerkezi
Denkova, J. (2011). Enviromental education in Macedonian literature for children and juvenils as a way of humanization of children’s personality. Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences 15, 3158–3162 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2011.04.264
Dunn, E. A. (2011). Talking animals: A literature review of anthropomorphism in children’s books. A master’s paper for the M.S. in L.S. degree. Advisor: Rebecca Vargh. https://nevt.org/344777.pdf
Erdal, K. (2008). Okul Öncesi Dönem Çocuk Kitaplarında Temizlik. [Cleanliness in Preschool Children’s Books] Uludağ Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, 21 (2),339-356. https://dergipark.org.tr/en/ download/article-file/153343
Ersoy, Ö., A. & Bayraktar, V. (2017). The concept of children’s literature in pre-school period and the characteristics of children’s books. In A. Turla (Ed.), Children’s Literature in Pre-School Period, (pp. 10-40). Ankara: Matsa Printing House.
Geray, H. (2006). Toplumsal araştırmalarda nicel ve nitel yöntemlere giriş iletişim alanından örneklerle. [An introduction to quantitative and qualitative methods in social research with examples from the field of communication]. Ankara: Siyasal Kitabevi
Gill, T. (2014). The Benefits of Children’s Engagement with Nature: A Systematic Literature Review. Children, Youth and Environments, 24(2), 10–34. https://doi.org/10.7721/chilyoutenvi.24.2.0010
Gönen, M. (2000). Okul öncesi çocuk kitaplarının özellikleri nelerdir? [What are the Characteristics of Preschool Children’s Books?] In M. R. Şirin (Ed.), Children’s Literature in 99 Questions (pp. 156-160)]. İstanbul: Çocuk Vakfı
Güzelyurt T, & Özkan Ö (2019). Okul öncesi dönemde çevre eğitimi: çocuk kitaplarına yönelik bir inceleme. [Environmental education in preschool: a review of children’s books]. İlköğretim Online, 18 (1), 20- 30. https://doi.org/10.17051/ilkonline.2019.527146
Holm, D. (2012). Exploring emphaty in action with children’s books. Reading Improvement, 49(4), 134-139. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ992999
Huck, C., S., Kiefer, B., Z., Hepler, S. ve Hickman, J. (2004). Children’s literature in the elementary school. (8th ed.). Michigan: McGraw Hill.
Jackman, H.L. (2005). Early education curriculum. A child’s connection to the world (2th ed.). New York: Thomson Delmar Learning
Kütük, A. (2019). Eko-okullardaki çocuk kitaplarının çevre eğitimi açısından incelenmesi. [Analysis of children’s books in eco-schools in terms of environmental education]. [Unpublished Master’s Thesis]. Aydın Adnan Menderes Üniversitesi. http://hdl.handle.net/11607/3858http://hdl.handle.net/11607/3858
Labuschagne, A. (2003). Qualitative research- airy fairy or fundamental? The Qualitative Report, 8(1),100-103. https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2003.1901
Larsson, B. (2012). The Cosmopolitanization of childhood: eco-knowledge in children’s eco-edutainment books. Young, 20(2), 199-218. https://doi.org/10.1177/110330881202000205
Lukens, R. (2007). A critical handbook of children’s literature (8th ed.). Boston: Allyn & Bacon
McCrindle, C.M., & Odendaal, J.S. (1994). Animals in books used for preschool children Anthrozoos, 7 (2), 135-146. https://doi.org/10.2752/089279394787001998
Merriam, S. (2023). Nitel Araştırma. [Qualitative Research]. (3rd ed.) (Trans. ed. S. Turan). Ankara: Nobel.
Merriam, S.B. (2009). Qualitative research. A guide to design and implementation. John Wiley-Sons Publish.
Miles, M., B. & Huberman, A., M. (1994). Qualitative data analysis: An expanded sourcebook. (2nd ed). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Morrow, L. M. (2007). Developing literacy in preschool. New York: The Guilford
Oğuzkan, F. (2000). İyi bir çocuk kitabı dil, anlatım, konu bakımından nasıl olmalıdır? [How should a good children’s book be in terms of language, narration and subject?]. In M. R. Şirin (Ed.), 99 Questions in Children’s Literature (pp. 210-212). İstanbul: Çocuk Vakfı Yayınları
Oğuzkan, F. (2013). Çocuk Edebiyatı [Children’s Literature]. (10th ed.). Ankara: Anı Yayıncılık
Patton, M., C. (2014). Nitel araştırma ve değerlendirme yöntemleri [Qualitative research and evaluation methods]. (Transl. ed. M. Bütün & S. B. Demir). Ankara: Pegem.
Patton, M., C. (2018). Nitel araştırma ve değerlendirme yöntemleri. [Qualitative research and evaluation methods]. (3.th ed. Transl. ed. M. Bütün & S. B. Demir). Ankara: Pegem.
Pekdoğan, S., & Korkmaz, H. İ. (2017). Okul öncesi eğitime devam eden 5-6 yaş çocuklarına verilen değerler eğitimine ilişkin öğretmen görüşlerinin incelenmesi. [Examining teachers' views on values education given to 5-6 year old children attending preschool education]. Mustafa Kemal Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü Dergisi, 14 (37), 59-72. https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/pub /mkusbed/issue/44714/555476
Peker, A., & Ahi, B. (2019). Çocuk kitaplarında yer alan hayvan karakterlerine çevre eğitimi açısından bakış: İçerik analizi çalışması. [Determination of animal characters in children’s books from the perspective of environmental education: Content analysis study]. Trakya Eğitim Dergisi, 9(2),287-301. https://doi.org/10.24315/tred.476714
Pektaş, D. (2015). Okul öncesi dönem resimli çocuk kitaplarındaki dil sanatlarının incelenmesi. [Examining language arts in preschool picture books] (Publication No. 383191) [Unpublished Master’s Thesis, University of Hacettepe]. https://tez.yok.gov.tr/UlusalTezMerkezi/
Ray, C., M. McKnight, D., D. Bidwell, M., Fourment, T., Flanagan Pritz, C., & H. Rinehart, A. (2015). Children’s book series and associated curricula support elementary education and outreach in water resources. Plan Ecology & Diversity, 8(5-6),795–804.https://doi.org/10.1080/17550874.2015.1050711
Riley, J. (2006). Children’s books in the early years of education. language and literacy. 3-7. London: Sage. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781446213254.n10
Roxburgh, S., Zolotow, C., L’Engle, M. & Kruse, G., M. (1982). Defining a good children’s book. Theory Into Practice. 21(4), 262-267. https://doi.org/10.1080/00405848209543017
Sağsöz, G. (2018). Resimli çocuk kitaplarının barış eğitimine ilişkin bileşenler açısından incelenmesi. [Analysis of ıllustrated children’s books in terms of components related to peace education]. (Publication No. 511374) [Doctoral dissertation, University of Ankara]. https://tez.yok.gov.tr/Ulusal TezMerkezi
Sawyer, W.E. (2009). Growing up with literatür (5.th ed.). USA: Delmar
Trupe, A. (2006). Thematic guide to young adult literature. (1sted.) Greenwood Publishing. http://dx.doi.org/10.5040/979821602520
Tuncer, N. (2000). Children and books. In M.R. Şirin (Ed.). Children’s literature in 99 questions (pp. 199-202). Çocuk Vakfı Yayınları
Tür, G. & Turla, A. (1999). Preschool children’s literature and books. Ya- Pa.
Uğurlu, S. (2013). Use of animal characters in children’s picture books. Turkish Studies 8(4), 1381-1393. http://dx.doi.org/10.7827/TurkishStudies.4851
Ural, S. (2013). Okul öncesi çocuk kitaplarının tanımı. [Definition of preschool children’s books]. In M. Gönen. (Ed.), Children’s Literature (pp.33-55). Ankara: Eğiten Kitap.
Williams, S., J. (2014). Fireflies, frogs, and geckoes: Animal characters and cultural identity in emergent children’s literature. New Review of Children’s Literature and Librarianship, 20 (2), 100-111. https://doi.org/10.1080/13614541.2014.929437
Wisniewski, D. (1996). Evaluating and selecting literatüre for children.Web: http://catalogue.pearsoned. co.uk/ samplechapter/0132202964.pdf
Wolf, R. & Wolf, Y. (2002). Education for early childhood in conditions of complex reality. In Y. Iram, & N. Maslovati (Eds.), Values education in broad instructional contexts (pp. 145-162). Ramot (Hebrew).
Yazıcı Okuyan, H. & Gedikoğlu. Y. G. (2012). Aytül Akal’ın çocuk kitaplarında çevre bilinci ve duyarlığı. [Environmental awareness and sensitivity in Aytül Akal’s children’s books.]. Turkish Studies, 7(2), 793-806. http://dx.doi.org/10.7827/TurkishStudies.3347
Yıldırım, A. & Şimşek, H. Ed. (2011;2013). Sosyal bilimlerde nitel araştırma yöntemleri. [Qualitative research methods in the social sciences]. (5th ed.). Seçkin Yayıncılık.
Yıldırım, İ., E. & Dinç, S. (2017). Türkiye’de en çok okunan çocuk kitaplarının yeterlilik analizi. [Adequacy analysis of the most read children’s books in Turkey]. Atatürk Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü Dergisi, 21(4),1477-1490. https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/pub/ataunisosbil/issue/ 34383/380942
Yılmaz, O. (2016). Kurgusal nitelikli çocuk kitapları ve karakter eğitimi. [Fictional children’s books and character education]. Ana Dili Eğitimi Dergisi, 4(3), 311-325. https://doi.org/10.16916/aded.802475
Zynda, D.M. (2007). Are environmental education picture books appropriate for elementary-school children?: A content analysis. (Master of Science in Library Science) (Chapel Hill, North Carolina). https://cdr.lib.unc.edu/concern/masters_papers/fb494d42g
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2024 Pedagogical Perspective
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
