Contents on the environmental protection in the geography textbooks for primary and secondary schools

Abstract

The paper analysis the contents of Geography textbooks which refer to the problems of the protection of the environment. The last publications of Geography textbooks for primary and secondary schools of the Zavod za udzbenike i nastavna sredstva (Belgrade) were used as a sample. With this study we wanted to check at what extent the contents of the environmental protection are present in the contemporary Geography textbooks and how much they contribute to the formation of the system of ecologic knowledge and ecologic conscience of students with their structure. The analysis has showed that the problems of the environmental protection in the analyzed textbooks are not present enough, that they are mostly covered in integrative way, sporadically and declaratively. Undefined ecologic concepts are twice as much presented as defined. The explanations of notions are more often supported by examples than by factographic data, although the number of examples is insufficient. Especially, the examples from close surroundings are missing. With their structure, the present contents do not provide knowledge on numerous problems on the protection of the environment and they do not influence the development of ecologic attitudes, emotions and habits in students. Practical implications of the study are shown in the way that the results and conclusions can stimulate the authors of textbooks to change the approach in planning the contents of the future Geography textbooks... .