The teacher’s perceptions of a good course book for the subject of society in the 4th grade

Učbenik je temeljna šolska knjiga, ki je izdelana posebej za potrebe izobraževanja za posamezen predmet po veljavnem učnem načrtu. V teoretičnem delu magistrskega dela smo najprej navedli definicije učbenikov različnih avtorjev, nato smo učbenik umestili v proces pouka, v nadaljevanju smo predstavili kriterije za ustrezno izbiro in kritično vrednotenje učbenika, nato pa opredelili učni načrt za predmet družba in ga povezali z učbenikom za poučevanje družbe v 4. razredu. Empirični del magistrskega dela je temeljil na analizi podatkov, pridobljenih z anketnim vprašalnikom. Pri izpolnjevanju vprašalnikov so sodelovali učitelji 4. razredov osnovnih šol. Pridobljenih je bilo 105 pravilno rešenih vprašalnikov. Zanimalo nas je, kako učitelji 4. razredov pojmujejo kakovosten učbenik za predmet družba in katere kriterije uporabijo pri izbiri učbenika. Ugotovili smo, da učitelji vse dane kriterije za izbiro učbenika vrednotijo z oceno pomembno oziroma zelo pomembno, najvišje pa ocenjujejo kriterije strokovno neoporečna vsebina, primernost besedišča razvojni stopnji učencev in primernost obsega vsebine razvojni stopnji učencev. Posebnost predmeta družba v 4. razredu je povezovanje vsebin z domačo pokrajino, čeprav so učbeniki enotni za vso Slovenijo. Naloga učiteljev 4. razredov je prilagajanje vsebin domačemu kraju in domači pokrajini, zato nas je zanimalo tudi, ali učitelji pri poučevanju s pomočjo učbenika to upoštevajo. Ugotovili smo, da učitelji pri obravnavi kulturne dediščine dajejo poudarek kulturnim znamenitostim v njihovem domačem kraju (96,2 %), pogosto vključujejo šege in navade, značilne za njihovo pokrajino (83,3 %) ter z učenci primerjajo slike šole nekoč in danes v učbeniku s slikami njihove šole (76,2 %). Pri obravnavi letalskega posnetka uporabijo kar splošen primer iz učbenika (77,1 %), ne poiščejo primera iz domače pokrajine, pa tudi pri temi obrti so zadovoljni z vsebinami, ki so opisane v učbeniku (69,5 %) in jih obravnavajo ne glede na domačo pokrajino. Učbenik se zdi potreben za obravnavo vsebin o domači pokrajini kar 68,6 % učiteljem, čeprav je možno (in potrebno) vsebine o domači pokrajini uspešno realizirati tudi brez učbenika. Podrobneje smo zapisali tudi odgovore učiteljev o vrednotenju učbenikov za predmet družba, ter odgovore o delu z učbenikom pri posameznih vsebinskih sklopih. Navedli smo težave, s katerimi se po mnenju učiteljev srečujejo učenci pri delu z učbenikom. Slabi dve tretjini učiteljev sta sodelovali pri izbiri učbenika družbe, ki ga uporabljajo.A textbook is the fundamental schoolbook, produced specifically to address the educational needs of a specific subject according to the existing curriculum. In the theoretical part of this Master’s thesis, first the term “textbook” is defined by various authorssecond, the textbook is put in the classroom contextthird, the criteria for the right choice and critical assessment of a textbook are presentedand finally the curriculum for the subject of Society is determined, and associated with the textbook for Society in the 4th grade. The empirical part of the Master’s thesis is based on the analysis of data collected from a questionnaire. The questionnaires were completed by 4th grade teachers in primary schools105 questionnaires were filled in correctly. The aim was to find out how 4th grade teachers conceptualize a quality textbook for the subject of Society, and which criteria they use when choosing a textbook. It was determined that the teachers consider all of the listed criteria for the selection of a textbook as important or very importantthe ones with the highest ranking were: professionally unimpeachable content, vocabulary appropriate for the developmental stage of the pupils, and the extent of content appropriate for the developmental stage of the pupils. A special characteristic of the subject Society in the 4th grade is associating the topics with the local landscape, although the textbooks are the same across Slovenia. The task of 4th grade teachers is to adapt the topics to their home town and local landscape, and this is why we also wanted to find out if the teachers consider this when teaching with the help of the textbook. In terms of cultural heritage it was determined that teachers put an emphasis on the cultural landmarks of their home town (96.2%), often include customs and habits typical of their landscape (83.3%), and together with the pupils, compare pictures of schools in the past and today in the textbook with photos of their school (76.2%). In terms of aerial photographs they simply use a general example from the textbook (77.1%) and do not look for an example from the local landscapein terms of craftsmanship they are satisfied with the content described in the textbook (69.5%), and it is discussed regardless of the local landscape. As many as 68.6% of the teachers consider textbooks necessary when discussing the topics on local landscape, although these topics can (and should) be successfully dealt with even without a textbook. The answers of the teachers about their assessment of the textbooks on the subject of Society, and the answers about working with a textbook with individual sets of topics, were also written in detail. Issues that the pupils deal with when working with a textbook, according to the teachers’ opinions, were listed. Almost two thirds of the teachers were involved in the process of selection of the Society textbook that they are using