BOTANY GRAPHICAL REPRESENTATIONS IN BIOLOGY TEXTBOOKS

Abstract

Graphical representations are used in different channels of communication enabling the observation and analysis of information through drawings, photographs, graphs, maps, and so forth. In textbooks these elements play a major role in the teaching-learning process. Thus, this research sought to analyze the botany graphical representations in high school Biology textbooks. The types and levels in the scale of the representations used and the relations between the graphical representation and the text of the textbooks were analyzed. 287 kinds of representations were analyzed revealing several aspects that affected the formation of definition through visual learning by the readers, such as images out of a central context, tools of auxiliary enlargements, schematic text summaries in a pictorial language, suppression of image information, among other relevant aspects which refer to the use of Botany graphical representations. Therefore, this research revealed the fundamentality of understanding how  Botany graphical representations are used in textbooks, making it possible to identify their functions, contributions and comprehending how they can affect the learning skills are imperative, due to their widespread use in the school environment.