LEARNING ACHIEVEMENTS OF EIGHT GRADE PRIMARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN THE 2007/2008 SCHOOL YEAR AND ATTITUDES OF GEOGRAPHY TEACHERS REGARDING GEOGRAPHIC SKILLS

U radu se analiziraju postignuća učenika osmih razreda iz Geografi je te mišljenja i stavovi profesora geografi je osnovnih škola o učestalosti poučavanja geografskih vještina. Analiza se temelji na rezultatima ispita vanjskog vrjednovanja iz Geografi je na uzorku od 50% populacije učenika osmih razreda (21 485) i podatcima prikupljenim anketiranjem 308 profesora Geografi je koji rade u osnovnim školama. Rezultati na ispitu vanjskog vrjednovanja analizirani su prema dimenzijama znanja. Komparirana su trajna znanja i geografske vještine s ostalim znanjima ispitanim ovim ispitom. Utvrđena razina razvijenosti pojedinih geografskih vještina na završetku osnovnoškolskog obrazovanja podudara se s procjenama i mišljenjima profesora Geografi je o učestalosti poučavanja tih geografskih vještina. Učenici bolje rješavaju zadatke kojima se ispituje činjenično znanje, nego zadatke kojima se ispituju više dimenzije znanja (konceptualno i proceduralno znanje). Usvojenost trajnih znanja i razvijenost geografskih vještina neznatno je slabija od važnih i vrijednih znanja.This paper analyzes eighth grade pupils’ achievements in Geography and opinions of primary school teachers of geography regarding the frequency of teaching geographic skills. The analysis is based on the results of the external evaluation exam in Geography on a sample of 50% of eighth grade pupils (21 485) and data which has been collected by survey of 308 primary schools teachers of geography. The results of the external evaluation exam have been analyzed according to the dimensions of knowledge. Permanent knowledge and geographic skills has been compared with other knowledge examined by this exam. The level of geographic skills development was determined at the end of primary school education with the evaluation and opinion of teachers about frequency of teaching of those geographic skills. Pupils are better in solving tasks by which knowledge about facts has been examined rather than in tasks by which multi dimensional knowledge (conceptual and procedural knowledge) was examined. Acquisition of permanent knowledge and development of geographic skills is somewhat weaker than important and valuable knowledge