Elementary school teachers commonly use textbooks to teach natural science. For teachers to achieve the inquiry-based learning goals under the Curriculum guidelines of 12-year basic education in Taiwan, preservice teachers must be trained to use inquiry-based textbooks. In this study, six preservice teachers completed a science instructor education curriculum, in which they analyzed inquiry-based content within science textbooks and conducted related teaching demonstrations. Relevant qualitative data were collected on these teachers’ interpretations of the inquiry-based textbook content to identify the challenges they faced. The preservice teachers effectively analyzed the inquiry-based textbook content in accordance with science curriculum guidelines. However, they required further practice regarding question design, activity coherence, and openness to inquiry when transforming lesson plans from textbooks into inquiry-based teaching. Additionally, the transition from textbook analysis to inquiry-based teaching demonstrations strengthened teachers’ understanding of and reflection on this form of instruction. These findings suggest science instructor education programs should provide preservice teachers with sufficient opportunities to analyze, transform, and reflect on science textbook content, which can facilitate effective integration of theory and practice.

　　This study analyzed the effects of socioscientific inquiry-based learning (SSIBL) on high school students’ inquiry abilities, with a focus on the topic of carbon reduction. Under a single-group pretest–posttest design, 49 11th-grade students from a high school in Taipei City, Taiwan, were evaluated. Pretest, posttest, and worksheet results were used to assess student performance across three inquiry subskills: identifying questions, planning and research, and argumentation and modeling. The SSIBL curriculum significantly improved the students’ overall inquiry abilities. Additionally, the students with lower pretest inquiry abilities demonstrated greater improvement across all inquiry subskills than did those with higher pretest abilities, underscoring the broad applicability of the SSIBL curriculum. Future curriculum designs can further optimize scaffolding systems to meet diverse learning needs and integrate technological tools to support individualized instruction.

　　Studies introduced major reform to Taiwan’s educational landscape by incorporating inquiry and practice elements into school curriculum to cultivate core competencies. This study examined three publishers’ versions of fifth-grade social studies textbooks (materials A, B, and C) and one instructional unit developed by the Xinxing Elementary School instructional team in New Taipei City (material D); all materials focused on the Age of Exploration in Taiwanese History. The designs approaches in these four material sets for inquiry and practice learning were analyzed. The study findings are as follows. First, materials A, B, and C incorporated confirmation inquiry, whereas material D incorporated structured inquiry. Second, inquiry design strategies should include problem-guided learning reinforced with integrated resources, formative tasks that hone inquiry skills, and appropriately scaffolded learning resources. Third, embodied learning design principles should provide embodied learning experiences, empower students to make decisions and develop knowledge, strengthen cross-disciplinary integration of knowledge frameworks, promote active interaction with external social resources and experts/peers, and deepen connections to local contexts through historical thinking.

　　In this study, content on gender, religion, and policy concerns was examined in Turkish social studies textbooks. Content and discourse analyses were conducted to clarify the text and narrative of these textbooks. This comprehensive approach enabled researchers to gain a comprehensive understanding of the textbooks, their key messages, and the broader social implications of the content. This multidimensional analysis can deepen understanding of the social, cultural, and educational contexts in which these textbooks are produced. Factors influencing the evolving content of social studies textbooks beyond the prescribed curriculum were explored. Design of contemporary textbooks is driven by ideological rather than academic motives, and these textbooks often lack comprehensive sources and evidence. These materials provide limited narratives on Turkish national identity, gender equality, and societal diversity. Additionally, these textbooks incorporate Islamic customs with conservative religious framing, which aligns with the Turkish Ministry of National Education’s 2018 reforms. The promotion of “new-Ottomanism” and Islamic ideals aligns with the ruling party’s discourses and the Republic’s Presidency. Ottoman history, unity around the Turkish-Islamic outlook, and pride in national traditions are emphasized, whereas the contributions of modern Turkish society’s founders are neglected. Consequently, these textbooks reflect dominant rather than unbiased viewpoints, failing to foster critical thinking and impartiality.