Research on the frequency and effectiveness of teaching methods in geography classes: an example of self-observation of teaching practices

Abstract

Since the school year (SY) 2019/2020, the curriculum of Geography has been gradually implemented in Croatia. The purpose of this survey is to gather information on the frequency and effectiveness of teaching methods in Geography teaching over two school years by means of direct participant observation method. In the SY 2020/2021, a study was carried out in two high schools in Osijek Baranja County for three learning outcomes. Using a pre-made template for the self-observation of the teaching process, 12 lessons in the second and the third grade were observed and later interpreted using descriptive statistics methods. During the SY 2021/2022, the same method was carried out for eight lessons in six schools with a high-school program for three learning outcomes in the second grade, two in the third grade, and one in the fourth grade. Results show the domination of the discussion teaching method, followed by indirect graphic method, and then work-on-text method, while among the most common methods used, the rarest are oral presentation (done by pupils) and direct graphic method. The results found demonstrate a significant shift toward the use of more effective teaching methods compared to older papers in Croatia. The students reported a higher level of satisfaction with the lessons than the teachers did. The method of direct participant observation, complemented with a structured interview, can provide relevant information on the quality of teaching as a prerequisite for the achievement of the learning outcomes specified in the curriculum for Geography.