Textbook research in the “meaningful” subjects has traditionally primarily addressed the analysis and comparison of textbook content and its didactic function; Analyses on the use and reception of textbooks are a rare commodity, however. Thus there is still little known about how German history teachers utilize textbooks in instruction, to what extent and to what end they evaluate, choose and use and this or that teaching and learning material and what significance they assign them in comparison with other means of communication and media.   

To this end, the Georg Eckert Institute drafted a small pilot study that – based on already available research findings – provides important information about current textbook implementation in history instruction from a teacher perspective. The quantitative part of the study surveyed 202 Lower Saxony history teachers from all types of secondary schools on the value of textbooks in instruction and in lesson planning. A standardized questionnaire was developed for this, which included questions in the form of the Likert scale using the best choice method as well as free form questions. In the qualitative part of the pilot study, eight handbook-supported expert interviews were carried out with teachers from Bonn.

The focus of the project was directed at the question of how these textbooks are primarily of benefit in current everyday teaching, what significance they are allotted in comparison with other media, to what extent textbook usage has changed, on what criteria teachers choose textbooks and which demands for quality are there with regard to history textbooks.

The findings of both sub-studies suggest that the textbook is still the leading medium in history textbooks; followed by worksheets, which, in turn, very often contain material from other textbooks. New forms of media, according to the pilot study, continue to take on a secondary role in teaching design.

Project Chairs:
Dr. Simone Lässig
Dr. Eckhardt Fuchs

Project Fellows:
Dr. Anni Peller
Dr. Juliane Noack Napoles