Past studies on civics textbooks of elementary and junior schools in Taiwan tended to address content analysis of the textbooks and the regulations on textbook-editing. Fewer studies have obtained how textbooks are shaping the text, which makes less possible understand a trend in curriculum development from a macro-structure perspective, or editors’ and reviewers’ beliefs in textbook-writing from a micro-structure perspective. In this sense, the article adopted oral history and document-analysis to examine the textbook development in civics education from 1952 to 2001. The study interviewed 17 key persons who participated in editing and reviewing the civics textbooks, Base on their perspectives and experiences in textbook editing and reviewing, and with reference to relevant documents, including textbooks, curriculum standards, related books, and journals, so as to interpret the theory of knowledge and the curriculum perspective at that period of time.
The major results included the following, (1) The civics textbooks of national spirit education strengthen period addressed community-oriented values, and were featured the purpose of social adaptation. The theory of knowledge was conditioned by received view, and belonged to technical rational. (2) The civics textbooks of authoritarian transition period addressed community-oriented values, and tended to type of subject-centered curriculum structure and the purpose of social adaptation. The theory of knowledge was conditioned by received view, and belonged to technical rational. (3) The civics textbooks of democracy enlightenment period were conditioned by gradually moving away from community-oriented values to liberal-oriented values. The civics textbooks tended to both type of subject-centered and student-centered curriculum structure, and belonged to practical approach of knowledge.
