Use of digital learning materials in geography classes in the Republic of Croatia

Cilj diplomskog rada bio je analizirati digitalne nastavne materijale te koje digitalne medije i digitalne nastavne materijale najčešće koriste nastavnici geografije u Republici Hrvatskoj. U prvoj je fazi analizirana i interpretirana postojeća znanstvena i stručna literatura, dok je u drugoj fazi provedeno on-line istraživanje među nastavnicima geografije u Republici Hrvatskoj. Istraživanje je provedeno na uzorku od 137 ispitanika, u razdoblju od svibnja do kolovoza 2018. godine. Rezultati istraživanja pokazuju da većina ispitanika svakodnevno koristi digitalne nastavne materijale u pripremi nastave te da su motivirani koristiti ih u poučavanju. Većina nastavnika redovito prati promjene u uporabi digitalnih nastavnih materijala u nastavi. Većina ispitanika uglavnom kombinira uporabu digitalnih nastavnih materijala i frontalni oblik rada. Također, većina ispitanika samostalno priprema digitalne nastavne materijale. Međutim, još je uvijek nizak udio onih koji koriste GIS i e – dnevnik u nastavi kao i onih koji s učenicima komuniciraju putem elektronske pošte. Također je nizak udio nastavnika geografije koji koriste pametnu ploču u učionici. Iako rezultati istraživanja pokazuju da nastavnici koriste digitalne medije i digitalne nastavne materijale u nastavi geografije, neki mediji i nastavni materijali nisu u dovoljnoj mjeri zastupljeni.The aim of the research was to analyse digital learning materials and which digital media and digital learning materials are most widely used by geography teachers in the Republic of Croatia. In the first phase, existing scientific and professional literature and sources were analysed and interpreted, while in the second phase an online survey was conducted among the Geography teachers in the Republic of Croatia. The survey was conducted on a sample of 137 respondents, from May to August 2018. The results of the research indicate that most respondents use digital learning materials on a daily basis to prepare their classes and are motivated to use them in teaching. Most of the teachers regularly implement changes in the use of digital teaching materials in teaching. Most of the respondents mainly combine the use of digital teaching materials with frontal teaching. Also, majority of the respondents independently prepare digital learning materials. However, there is still a low share of those who use GIS and e-textbooks in teaching and those who communicate with their students via e-mail. There is also a low share of Geography teachers using a smart board in Geography classroom. Although research findings indicate that teachers use digital media and digital learning materials in Geography teaching, some of the media and learning materials are not used enough for various reasons