PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY LESSONS IN SECONDARY SCHOOL TEXTBOOKS: COMPARING THE EFFECTS OF THREE MAJOR CHANGES TO SPAIN’S NATIONAL CURRICULUM

Abstract

  Physical geography has a long tradition in the field of education, given the importance of the content that it covers. This content acts as the base of Geography, fundamental for understanding the rest of the discipline, and to understanding the social sciences in general. Furthermore, its study permits its students to develop the skills and abilities necessary for both academic and social growth. 

The main objective of this study is to determine the evolution of the treatment of physical geography in the three main periods of change to Spain’s national curriculum over the past decades. 

In order to do this, the study is based on what continues to be the main resource in the social studies classroom, the textbook. Today, textbooks are also used alongside new teaching resources (ICT), but remain highly valued for their functionality.