Physics textbooks – what features students most value?

Abstract The textbook as object of study is supported both in its financial aspect, half billion dollars are annually invested in the PNLD (The Brazilian program to select and buy textbook), and in its pedagogical discussion of use and role in school culture. Therefore, this article aims to identify, in the opinion of Brazilian high school students, the most and least important features of Physics textbooks. For this purpose, a cross-sectional survey was conducted, with questions based on previous qualitative studies. The data was collected through questionnaires answered by 374 students from five regions in Brazil. Using descriptive statistical tools and hypothesis tests, the interests were ranked and the responses of different subgroups were compared. The students' desire is for a textbook with correct concepts, summaries and diagrams that allow easy identification of the key concepts, but also with themes and approaches that arouse interest and exemplify the content. However, there are many differences in responses among sample subsets, especially in the type of school (public or private) and gender. Differences among Brazilian regions also allow us to question the validity of a standardized textbook for the whole country, without regard to local specificities.