An Analysis of the Content of and the Process Used to Establish Selection Criteria for Elementary School Textbooks in Taiwan

This study seeks to understand the process currently used for developing textbook selection criteria for Taiwan’s elementary schools and the content thereof. Nineteen elementary schools participated in the survey. The results show that some shortcomings exist in the textbook selection criteria used, including the development and provision of criteria, the criteria structure, and the criteria content. What’s more, a number of discrepancies exist between textbook selection regulations and textbook selection criteria. In addition, the staff in elementary schools might be unaware of these shortcomings and discrepancies.Nine suggestions were made for the improvement of the elementary schools textbook selection criteria based on the findings of this study. Finally, suggestions regarding the implementation of systematic reviews of textbook selection criteria and the entire selection process were offered as reference to the elementary schools and educational authorities.