Content analysis of junior high school chemistry textbooks of Iran and Malaysia in terms of attention to entrepreneurship components

This research aimed to evaluate Iranian and Malaysian senior high school chemistry textbooks in terms of their correspondence with entrepreneurship components. The study employed descriptive method of content analysis type. The statistical population included 10th, 11th, and 12th-grade Iranian senior high school chemistry textbooks in the academic year of 2022-2023, and Malaysian grade 10 and grade 11 (4th and 5th levels) chemistry textbooks in the academic year of 2020-2021. Due to the nature of the study, complete enumeration sampling method was employed, and all content of the books, including text, images, questions, and activities, has been analyzed using Shannon's entropy method. Data were collected using a researcher-developed content analysis checklist, which was validated through expert opinion, and its reliability was confirmed through retesting (91% agreement). Findings revealed 191 and 172 references to entrepreneurship components in Iranian and Malaysian textbooks, respectively. Data analysis showed that in both countries, from among the five components of ‘creativity and innovation,’ ‘progress motivation,’ ‘internal control,’ ‘risk-taking,’ and ‘futurism,’ greater focus was on ‘futurism’ as well as ‘creativity and innovation.’ The least attention in Iranian chemistry textbooks was related to ‘progress motivation,’ while in Malaysian chemistry textbooks, it was related to ‘risk-taking.’ Shannon's entropy results indicated that in Iranian textbook, ‘internal significance’ received higher attention while in Malaysian textbooks, ‘creativity and innovation’ as well as ‘futurism,’’ were the focus of higher attention.