Research Article

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF 8TH GRADE HISTORY TEXTBOOKS USED IN THE TURKIC REPUBLICS: A QUALITATIVE DOCUMENT ANALYSIS

Volume: 21 Number: 2 December 30, 2025
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COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF 8TH GRADE HISTORY TEXTBOOKS USED IN THE TURKIC REPUBLICS: A QUALITATIVE DOCUMENT ANALYSIS

Abstract

This study aims to conduct a comparative analysis of 8th-grade history textbooks used in the Turkic Republics, including Türkiye, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). Utilizing a qualitative research design, the study employed document analysis to examine the distribution of content, language and presentation characteristics, visual design elements, and assessment-evaluation practices within the textbooks. A total of twelve textbooks officially approved by the respective ministries of education were analyzed through a criterion-based evaluation rubric developed in line with expert opinions. The findings reveal significant differences among the textbooks regarding their historical scope and pedagogical orientations. Textbooks in Türkiye and TRNC focus exclusively on national history, whereas those in Azerbaijan demonstrate a more balanced structure, integrating national, Turkic, and world history content. Visual and text design features indicate that student-centered approaches are more prominent in Azerbaijan and TRNC textbooks, while textbooks from some countries, such as Uzbekistan, predominantly present dense block texts that may hinder student engagement. Additionally, substantial disparities were found in assessment practices, with Türkiye offering a wider variety of question types targeting higher-order thinking skills. Overall, the study concludes that although the Turkic Republics share a common historical legacy, their history education practices diverge considerably due to varying national policies and pedagogical priorities. It is recommended that history textbooks be improved in terms of content balance, visual design, and assessment strategies to better support the development of historical thinking skills and a comprehensive historical perspective among students.

Keywords

References

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Social Studies Education

Journal Section

Research Article

Publication Date

December 30, 2025

Submission Date

December 11, 2025

Acceptance Date

December 21, 2025

Published in Issue

Year 2025 Volume: 21 Number: 2

APA
Aliç, İ., Çiftçi, B., & Dönmez, A. (2025). COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF 8TH GRADE HISTORY TEXTBOOKS USED IN THE TURKIC REPUBLICS: A QUALITATIVE DOCUMENT ANALYSIS. Journal of Theory and Practice in Education, 21(2), 231-247. https://doi.org/10.17244/eku.1840545
AMA
1.Aliç İ, Çiftçi B, Dönmez A. COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF 8TH GRADE HISTORY TEXTBOOKS USED IN THE TURKIC REPUBLICS: A QUALITATIVE DOCUMENT ANALYSIS. EKU. 2025;21(2):231-247. doi:10.17244/eku.1840545
Chicago
Aliç, İsa, Barış Çiftçi, and Ayşegül Dönmez. 2025. “COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF 8TH GRADE HISTORY TEXTBOOKS USED IN THE TURKIC REPUBLICS: A QUALITATIVE DOCUMENT ANALYSIS”. Journal of Theory and Practice in Education 21 (2): 231-47. https://doi.org/10.17244/eku.1840545.
EndNote
Aliç İ, Çiftçi B, Dönmez A (December 1, 2025) COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF 8TH GRADE HISTORY TEXTBOOKS USED IN THE TURKIC REPUBLICS: A QUALITATIVE DOCUMENT ANALYSIS. Journal of Theory and Practice in Education 21 2 231–247.
IEEE
[1]İ. Aliç, B. Çiftçi, and A. Dönmez, “COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF 8TH GRADE HISTORY TEXTBOOKS USED IN THE TURKIC REPUBLICS: A QUALITATIVE DOCUMENT ANALYSIS”, EKU, vol. 21, no. 2, pp. 231–247, Dec. 2025, doi: 10.17244/eku.1840545.
ISNAD
Aliç, İsa - Çiftçi, Barış - Dönmez, Ayşegül. “COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF 8TH GRADE HISTORY TEXTBOOKS USED IN THE TURKIC REPUBLICS: A QUALITATIVE DOCUMENT ANALYSIS”. Journal of Theory and Practice in Education 21/2 (December 1, 2025): 231-247. https://doi.org/10.17244/eku.1840545.
JAMA
1.Aliç İ, Çiftçi B, Dönmez A. COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF 8TH GRADE HISTORY TEXTBOOKS USED IN THE TURKIC REPUBLICS: A QUALITATIVE DOCUMENT ANALYSIS. EKU. 2025;21:231–247.
MLA
Aliç, İsa, et al. “COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF 8TH GRADE HISTORY TEXTBOOKS USED IN THE TURKIC REPUBLICS: A QUALITATIVE DOCUMENT ANALYSIS”. Journal of Theory and Practice in Education, vol. 21, no. 2, Dec. 2025, pp. 231-47, doi:10.17244/eku.1840545.
Vancouver
1.İsa Aliç, Barış Çiftçi, Ayşegül Dönmez. COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF 8TH GRADE HISTORY TEXTBOOKS USED IN THE TURKIC REPUBLICS: A QUALITATIVE DOCUMENT ANALYSIS. EKU. 2025 Dec. 1;21(2):231-47. doi:10.17244/eku.1840545