Awards for the Best Textbooks
Awards ceremony for ‘Textbook of the Year 2019’ at the didacta education trade fair.
·Three textbooks for upper secondary level honoured from each of the categories ‘languages’ and ‘society’
·Outstanding examples of innovative add-ons
·No shortlisted books in STEM subjects for upper secondary level.
The winners of the ‘Textbook of the Year 2019’ were announced at the didacta education trade fair in Cologne on 19 February. First place in the languages category was awarded to Camden Town (Sixth form English – introductory phase) by the Westermann Verlag, which excelled in the successful integration of digital elements. The society category was won by the history book Zeit für Geschichte (Grammar School, Lower Saxony), also published by the Westermann Verlag, and was praised for its contemporary approach. No award was conferred in the STEM category as the jury did not consider any of the submitted works to have demonstrated sufficient innovation for the shortlist.
The Georg Eckert Institute for International Textbook Research has presented the ‘Textbook of the Year’ award annually since 2012. With its partners the bpd (Federal Agency for Civic Education) and the Didacta Association, the Institute is able, through this award, to recognise and honour publishers and authors who have developed and implemented innovative textbooks, in order to highlight the significance of this medium. The award is sponsored by the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs of the German Länder (KMK). This year’s prizes were awarded by Prof. R. Alexander Lorz, President of the KMK, who said ‘In view of the central educational significance of both analogue and digital textbooks for successful teaching, I am delighted to assume the patronage for this competition and the award ceremony for the ‘Textbook of the Year’.
‘The importance of quality textbooks in social science subjects cannot be stressed enough in the current political climate. At present pupils particularly require good social judgement and negotiation skills. I am therefore delighted that this year the winners are again being rewarded for their outstanding quality in this area’, said Thomas Krüger, President of the Federal Agency for Civic Education (bpd).
Professor Eckhardt Fuchs, Director of the GEI and chairman of the jury explained ‘The prize for the year’s best textbook has become firmly established in the last few years, but we intend to continue developing it. We can envisage including pupils in the jury and focussing more attention on criteria such as digital add-ons or design, for example.’
All the shortlisted works and the jury’s comments on them can be viewed here: http://www.gei.de/en/fellowships-awards/textbook-of-the-year/nominations/2019.html
Further material on the award ceremony is available in our press kit and can be used for reporting purposes, stating the copyright: owncloud.gei.de/index.php/s/qwKLcbbqxiAQJMs
Image:© Koelnmesse GmbH, Thomas Klerx
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