ABSTRACT

Aim: This study aims to reveal the level of alignment of the content of digital skills textbooks for the middle schools in Saudi Arabia with national standards of digital technology and structure of observed learning outcomes (SOLO) taxonomy. Method: The sample of the study represented the population, which was digital skills textbooks for the middle school in Saudi Arabia. The study adopted a descriptive data content analysis approach, and relied on Porter’s model to measure alignment on two dimensions: content areas and cognitive levels, through variables namely, content of digital skills and technology textbooks; national standards of learning digital technology for the middle stage; and SOLO taxonomy. The data of the variables were analyzed through frequencies and percentages, and then Porter’s equation was applied to find alignment between them. Results: The results revealed that there was no alignment between the content of the digital technology textbooks for the middle school with the national standards of digital technology learning. This was due to a different focus of content areas in the following branches: programming, computational thinking, artificial intelligence, digital citizenship, and cybersecurity. Conclusion: At the cognitive levels, a weakness was found in expanded thinking skills, associative thinking, and the focus of the content areas on the level of mulsti-structuring thinking, which is considered a beginner level. Policy Implication: In the light of these results, the study recommends reviewing the content of the textbooks in accordance with the recommendations provided, to ensure its alignment with the standard documents and focusing on the levels of expansive and associative thinking of cognitive levels.