English abstract
The study aimed to investigate the inclusion of the desertification issue in the second cycle of basic education social studies textbooks and the PostBasic Education geography text books. An analysis check list incorporating 71 items classified into five dimensions was used. These dimensions were: (1) Desertification concept and types. (2) Courses of desertification. (3) Distribution of deserts. 14). The consequence of desertification, and (5) how to fight desertification. The notion was adapted as a unit of analysis. In order, to establish the reliability of the analysis check list, three analysts used it in addition to the researcher The agreement rate between the three analysts and researcher ranged from 80.28% to 92.95%. The findings of the study were as follows:
1. Some pieces of information about the desertification issues were included in the textbooks. However, they were not tackled integratively; some focus was given to some aspects at the expense of the others.
2. The desertification dimensions were included in the social studies and geography books with different rates. Focus was given for the cause of desertification, concept and types, whereas the incorporation of the other dimension was rare.
3. There was a statistically significant differerence between incorporation ratios of the desertification issue in the social studies and geography textbooks when compared with the norm at signification level 0.01. The difference was for the text books in 2 dimensions (desertification concept and types and the cause of desertification). It was for the sake of the norms in the other dimensions. 4. Looking at the incorporation issue in terms of the grades, the 10th grade text book incorporates the highest ratio, whereas the other ninth grade textbook incorporates the least ratio. 5. The dissertation issue was not tackled interactively in the textbooks, some fast scattered pieces of information were incorporated. 6. What had been incorporated in the text books were in the textual form. In the light of the findings above, the following recommendations were given:
1. The desertification issue should be integrated in the social studies and geography textbooks interactively and in a balanced way.
2. The incorporation should cover all the desertification dimensions.
3. The lessons tackling the desertification issue should be supported by the required maps. The scope and sequence of the information related to the desertification issue should be taken into account while developing the social studies and geography textbooks. This should be done focusing on the context of the Sultanate.
