Hrvatska metodika geografije i edukacijska geografija u posljednjih pet desetljeća Teaching methodology of geography and educational geography in Croatia over the last fifty years

The teaching methodology of geography is a relatively young scientific discipline within the scientific field of geography, that has only been experiencing its full scientific affirmation in the last few decades. In the early years, scholarly production focused on works that primarily dealt with geography education, but further development of the discipline showed a tendency to single out educational geography as a distinct scholarly entity and branch within the field. Given the aforementioned, there is a need to recapitulate scientific production and the most important findings of this geographical scientific discipline from the last fifty years. A review of scientific and scientific-expert papers on the teaching methodology of geography and educational geography indicates a thematic and methodological paradigm shift toward covering topics and objects of research significantly wider than those covered in the classroom and during geography lessons. The noticeable changes in the prevailing scientific interest in the curriculum and organization of teaching according to human resources research, the organization of education in certain areas and student achievement indicate a continuous and stable development. as the most important teaching tools and one of the most important goals of teaching geography. In addition to the method of use and importance in teaching geography, this scientific paper provided a clear concept and professional, i.e. methodological, laws for designing a school geographical atlas, taking into account the correct structure, content, and nomenclature. people from all over Croatia, the authors concluded that citizens most often classify geography in the field of interdisciplinary and natural sciences, and less often in the field of social sciences. Positive attitudes towards geography can be seen in the assessments of the general public about the increase in the number of classes of the subject, its usefulness, and the need for geography classes in vocational schools.

The teaching methodology of geography is a relatively young scientific discipline within the scientific field of geography, that has only been experiencing its full scientific affirmation in the last few decades. In the early years, scholarly production focused on works that primarily dealt with geography education, but further development of the discipline showed a tendency to single out educational geography as a distinct scholarly entity and branch within the field. Given the aforementioned, there is a need to recapitulate scientific production and the most important findings of this geographical scientific discipline from the last fifty years. A review of scientific and scientific-expert papers on the teaching methodology of geography and educational geography indicates a thematic and methodological paradigm shift toward covering topics and objects of research significantly wider than those covered in the classroom and during geography lessons. The noticeable changes in the prevailing scientific interest in the curriculum and organization of teaching according to human resources research, the organization of education in certain areas and student achievement indicate a continuous and stable development.

Introduction
During the last two decades of the 20 th century, the geographical scientific community in Croatia, more precisely some of its members, raised the topic of teaching methodology of geography 1 and educational geography, both at the level of its position in the layered complex of geographical science and the symbolic level of its internal recognition as an independent scientific discipline. This is largely evidenced by the statements of some of the most prominent Croatian geographers of the time, who pointed out the unenviable position of geographicateaching methodology within geographical higher education institutions, and also the implications of what could arise from such relations. For example, Pejnović (1987, 137) stated: "In this regard, it should be said that most of our teaching universities have a step-motherly attitude towards teaching methodology, and that this discipline is being marginalized, based on imaginary differences between the so-called scientific and teaching geography. Such a relationship is not only unacceptable and harmful for the profession, it is also in deep contradiction with the prevailing employment of graduate geographers in schools and the need to improve the quality of teaching staff. It is understandable, therefore, that teaching methodology has become one of the weaker links in geographical education due to such an attitude; this is reflected in the state of the profession after the education reform. It is now quite obvious that a radical change is needed in this area as soon as possible." Brazda (1987, 126), discussing the new generation of textbooks in Yugoslavia, also stated: "It is in the interest of the reputation and state of geographical teaching to find effective ways of cooperation between prominent scientific geographers, methodologists, and teacher-practitioners, because it is the best way to best solve the observed and present issues." Such a position of teaching methodology of geography and educational geography was certainly conditioned by the inevitable overlap with pedagogy and didactics, but also by the scientific/practi-1 In papers published to 2015, the term teaching methodology of geography was used, although the conclusions drawn from the papers published in the 2010s suggest that the subject of study is much broader than methodological teaching issues. Therefore, in this paper, when analyzing published papers, the phrase "teaching methodology of geography and educational geography" is used, and the hierarchical relationship between these two terms is visible in Table 1.

Hrvatska metodika geografije i edukacijska geografija u posljednjih pet desetljeća
Teaching methodology of geography and educational geography in Croatia over the last fifty years cal duality, so it is not surprising that the teaching methodology of geography is most often defined as a pedagogical discipline that deals with geographical education in its entirety (Matas, 1998). The subject of studying the teaching methodology of geography and educational geography in this period, as stated by Vuk (2012), was defined to the greatest extent (almost exclusively) by teaching needs.
In the decades that followed, the position and definition of the teaching methodology of geography and educational geography and its scientific credibility were discussed. It should also be mentioned that in most discussions regarding the development of the parent field, teaching methodology and educational geography were not even mentioned (Crkvenčić, 2007). It was only in the 2000s that the teaching methodology of geography was affirmed as an independent scientific discipline; which, according to the Ordinance on Scientific and Artistic Areas, Fields and Branches (NN, 2009), is in the interdisciplinary field of science, field of geography, and the branch of applied geography. According to the stages of development of science by Cohen et al., it is in transition from the second to the third development phase (Curić and Vuk, 2013). Soon after the affirmation of the teaching methodology of geography as a separate discipline in the field of geography and the identification of the level of development of the discipline, new tendencies trending toward separating educational geography as a broader concept into an independent scientific branch appeared (Curić and Vuk, 2013;Vuk et al. 2015).
In light of these ideas and the turbulent path of affirmation of the teaching methodology of geography and educational geography (and also the teaching methodology of other subjects) as a separate scientific discipline, there is a need to recapitulate scientific production, i.e. the most important scientific knowledge, and question the stage of development of this young geographical discipline in Croatia. Namely, the need to review the most important research within this scientific discipline is significant, primarily for its further establishment, but also because of the concise insight into what serves as the basis of its future development: the specific research field, research subject, and methodology.
Osnovni je cilj ovoga rada izrađen kronološki i tematski pregled znanstvenih radova metodike geografije i edukacijske geografije u Hrvatskoj u HRVATSKI GEOGRAFSKI GLASNIK 83/2, 103−132 (2021.) phy in Croatia over the last five decades. In addition to the aforementioned categories, date, and the dominant topic of papers, the most important scientific knowledge, applied methods, and the orientation of papers regarding all elements of the curriculum (which derive their importance from the specificity of elements that themselves form the basic subject of study for the discipline of the teaching methodology of geography and educational geography) will be analyzed. (Curić and Vuk, 2013;Vuk et al., 2015).

Methodology
The analysis includes 60 scientific or scientific-expert papers which, according to the object of research and applied methodology, are related to the discipline of the teaching methodology of geography and educational geography. The works of authors who have worked, or who are currently working, in the territory of the Republic of Croatia, i.e. those whose work is related to institutions within the Republic of Croatia, have been taken into account and can be included in the corpus of works on the Portal of Croatian scientific and expert journals (Hrčak) in the Central Geographical Library of the Geographical Department of the Faculty of Science in Zagreb and in other relevant international databases. Papers published in the last five decades, more precisely from 1974 to 2021, were analyzed. The papers were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively, according to several criteria, and classified into groups. For the purposes of quantitative analysis, a matrix with 23 elements was designed and divided into four characteristic groups. The first group, which consists of eight elements, refers to the analysis of papers included in the research according to the type of scientific or scientific-expert work. The second group consists of three elements and relates to scientific disciplines within the proposed branch of educational geography. Although this division of the scientific field of geography, taken from Vuk et al. (2015), is not in accordance with the current Ordinance on Scientific and Artistic Areas, Fields, and Branches in the Republic of Croatia, it has become an integral part of the matrix to analyze scientific production according to the proposed division. The third group consists of seven elements of the cur-posljednjih pet desetljeća. Osim navedenih kategorija, vremena i dominantne teme rada, analizirat će se i najvažnije znanstvene spoznaje, primijenjene metode te usmjerenost radova prema svim elementima kurikuluma čija važnost proizlazi iz određenosti tih elemenata kao osnovnoga predmeta proučavanja discipline metodike geografije i grane edukacijske geografije (Curić i Vuk, 2013;Vuk i dr., 2015).
According to Curić and Vuk (2013), the main subjects of studying the teaching methodology of geography 2 as an independent scientific discipline are the elements of the curriculum. In this sense, the teaching methodology of geography primarily deals with the analysis of the general goals of the system of education, and general and specific goals of geographical education from which learning and teaching outcomes arise. In addition to the aforementioned, the elements of the curriculum include strategies, methods, forms and means of teaching, selection and transfer of knowledge from basic and related sciences, student achievement, and the curriculum as a whole. Because these elements largely define the subject of study, it is important to analyze the structure of papers in the discipline of the teaching methodology of geography according to these criteria.
Among the 60 analyzed papers, the largest number primarily deals with the analysis of the general situation and goals within the education system ( Fig. 1) It should be noted that this group of papers consists of a very thematically-diverse conglomeration of papers, ranging from critiques of the methodology for draft- ing national educational standards (Curić, 2005), to papers dealing with more sustainable and functional planning of the enrollment area network (Valožić et al., 2012;Braičić, 2021), human resources in teaching Spevec and Vuk, 2012;Vuk, 2012), the role of geography in the education system (Pejnović, 2008), and the system of teacher education (Matas, 2000). The group of papers dealing with strategies, forms of work, and teaching means and aids is more thematically consistent when compared to the previously-analyzed element of the curriculum, as well as the other three significantly represented elements.
Because the first element of the curriculum, i.e. the analysis of the state and general goals of the education system, contains a relatively wide range of topics, there is a need to analyze papers according to the primary topic, based on the elements of the definition of educational geography according to Vuk et al. (2015). For the purposes of this analysis, the matrix identified five basic thematic groups: the laws of acquiring geographical knowledge and skills, educational resources and human resources, student achievement, conditions that affect the spatial and functional organization of education and the mutual influence of education on the space and spatial features on education. Accordingly, it is clear that most of the papers deal with issues of teaching geography and the achieved results, but relatively high shares of other thematic units show a tendency to digress into educational geography and topics not directly related to teaching processes and practices (Fig. 2). i funkcionalnijem planiranju mreže upisnih područja (Valožić i dr., 2012;Braičić, 2021) i ljudskim potencijalima u nastavi (Curić i dr., 2007;Spevec i Vuk, 2012;Vuk, 2012) do uloge geografije u sustavu odgoja i obrazovanja (Pejnović, 2008) te sustava izobrazbe učitelja i nastavnika (Matas, 2000). Skupina radova koji se bave strategijama, oblicima rada te nastavnim sredstvima i pomagalima tematski je bitno konzistentnija u usporedbi s prvim analiziranim elementom kurikuluma kao i ostala tri znatnije zastupljena elementa.

Chronological development of geographical teaching methodological thought in croatia
Significant scientific production within the teaching methodology of geography and educational geography began in the seventies with the works of Roglić (1974), Cvitanović (1976), Mrđenović (1976), andBrazda (1977). In the context of the teaching methodology of geography and educational geography, the 1980s were significantly scientifically more productive, as seven scientific papers within the discipline were published. During these two decades, given the elements of the curriculum, works dealing with strategies, methods, forms of work, and tools and aids in teaching geography dominated (Cvitanović, 1976;Brazda, 1977Brazda, , 1985Brazda, , 1987Malkoč, 1981;Krželj, 1987). In addition to the aforementioned, significant papers from this period relate to the analysis of general conditions and goals of the education system: primarily to the characteristics and valorization of curricula in geography in SFR Croatia and Yugoslavia (Mrđenović, 1976(Mrđenović, , 1987Pejnović, 1987; Na kraju valja napomenuti da velik broj radova tematski nije jednoznačno određen, već se istovremeno dotiče više tema i elemenata kurikuluma. Upotrebom matrice, radovi su svrstavani u kategorije isključivo prema dominantom objektu i temi istraživanja pa su sekundarni ili tercijarni objekti i teme unutar nekih radova u matrici ostali nezabilježeni.
Papers published in the 1990s primarily relate to strategies, methods, forms of work, and teaching aids such as Šterc (1990). Here we should mention the extremely significant practical and scientific value of scientific-expert manuals published since 1977, from Metode rada s audiovizualnim sredstvima by Mirko Brazda to the aforementioned manual by Stjepan Šterc (1990), as they represent the first significant steps towards improving the quality of teaching geography. In addition to the importance of published manuals, it should be noted that a university textbook on the teaching methodology of geography from the 1990s is still relevant at the time of writing (Matas, 1996). Curić (2000) was published in the Collection of Papers of the Second Croatian Geographical Congress, and in certain aspects represents a turning point towards a new generation of methodologists/ scientists and practitioners who intensively deal with teaching methodology of geography. In addition to the announcement of a new generation of experts in the field of methodology, new topics anticipated to dominate geographical methodological scientific production in the years to come were announced.

Suvremeni koncept školske geografije by Zoran
In the last two decades, the largest number of scientific papers within the branch of educational geography was published. For comparison, the number of papers in the last two decades was almost double the number of papers from the past three. A new wave of authors such as Curić, Vuk, Vranković, Brkić-Vejmelka, and Braičić appeared. In addition to the number of published papers, a significant thematic shift has also taken place. In the last two decades, the focus of interest has shifted towards the analysis of curricular elements that deal with the state and general goals of the education system and student achievements. The latter is certainly the result of the establishment of a national system of external evaluation of education and its components. This means that the availability of data has significantly improved. According to the 1989). Zanimljivo je spomenuti da tijekom ovih dvaju desetljeća nije objavljen ni jedan rad koji se primarno bavi ishodima, selekcijom i transferom znanstvenih spoznaja te postignućima učenika.

Thematic review of papers on the teaching methodology of geography and educational geography
According to the most recent attempt to position the teaching methodology of geography and educational geography within the division of the field of geography, educational geography is defined as the youngest independent scientific branch with three associated disciplines and several sub-disciplines (Tab. 1). This thematic review is based on research of educational geography, derived from the following definition of the branch of educational geography: "Educational geography is a set, and also the youngest branch of geography, that studies and explains the laws of acquiring geographical knowledge and skills, human resources in the education system, achievements in certain levels of education and lifelong learning, conditions in geography that affect the spatial and functional organization of education, and the mutual influence between spatial characteristics and education." After the analysis of papers according to such a definition and given the nature of educational geography and its strong connection with teaching and the practical aspect, it was found that many papers could be classified into "the laws of acquiring ćega broja radova koji problematiziraju uvjete u prostoru koji utječu na funkcionalnu i prostornu organizaciju obrazovanja te međusobni utjecaj obrazovanja na prostor i obilježja prostora na obrazovanje, a metodološki u discipline edukacijske geografije uvode suvremene metode računalnih prostornih analiza (Spevec i Vuk, 2012;Valožić i dr., 2012;Vuk, 2012;Vranković, 2017). Navedeni radovi, prije svega, daju važan doprinos planiranju obrazovne funkcije u prostoru. Vezano uz planiranje obrazovne funkcije s naglaskom na nastavu geografije pojavljuje se i određen broj radova koji se bave ljudskim potencijalima i obrazovnim resursima nastave geografije (Matas, 2000;Curić i dr., 2007;Vuk, 2012). Promatrani kronološki pregled, i tematski i metodološki, upućuje na jasan razvojni smjer disciplina edukacijske geografije, ali i potrebu daljnjega razvoja u ekstenzitetu i intenzitetu.
Budući da je analizom radova prema takvoj definiciji, a s obzirom na prirodu edukacijske geografije i njezinu čvrstu povezanost s nastavom i izvedbenim aspektom, utvrđeno da se velik dio radova može svrstati u skupinu "zakonitosti stjecanja geographical knowledge and skills," and this group could be further divided according to selected curricular elements. Only such a combination of these two divisions can provide complete thematic insight into the works included in the analysis, without generalizing topics closely related to teaching practices of geography or those dealing with the interplay of spatial characteristics and education, and planning educational functions.

The Laws of Acquiring Geographical Knowledge and Skills
The first and most important thematic unit of educational geography and the discipline of the teaching methodology of geography consists of a group of papers dealing with the laws of acquiring geographical knowledge and skills. As mentioned earlier, the review of papers from this group will be done according to an additional division of the curriculum into selected elements.
Within this group of papers, regarding the elements of the curriculum, the largest number refers to strategies, methods, forms of work, and teaching means and aids. The earliest papers dealing with this element of the curriculum were written in the 1970s, and they dealt with teaching aids such as textbooks and the geographical atlases, as well as methods of teaching geography. Brazda (1977) was the first to write about strategies, methods, and forms of work. In the context of the rapid development of the media, especially radio and television, Brazda emphasized the distinct applicability and possibilities of audiovisual means in geography teaching, and also the need to adapt geography teaching to the modern world and the development of technology. It is important to mention that Brazda, despite the intention to encourage the use of modern audiovisual means, further emphasized the role of teacher expertise and its key importance in the classroom. Namely, any modern technology, i.e. teaching aid, strategy, or approach, would not have an appropriate methodological effect without the expertise of teachers who could use it properly in the context of the lesson, nor would it be possible to replace or supplement professional and methodological weaknesses in teachers. "Even the most average connoisseur of audiovisual geografskih znanja i vještina", ta će se skupina dodatno podijeliti prema odabranim elementima kurikuluma. Samo takvom kombinacijom ovih dviju podjela može se dobiti potpuni tematski uvid u radove obuhvaćene analizom, pritom ne uopćavajući teme usko vezane za nastavne prakse geografije ni one koje se bave međusobnim utjecajima prostora i obrazovanja te planiranjem obrazovne funkcije u prostoru.
Brazda again dealt with strategies, methods, and forms of work in teaching eight years later (1985), when his scientific-expert manual Terenski rad i ekskurzije u nastavi geografije was published-which remains an important basis for planning and organizing fieldwork and excursions to date. In addition to theoretical introductory chapters, the manual also shows the results of a survey conducted on the topic of fieldwork and excursions among students of the Pedagogical Academy in Zagreb. The most important conclusions of the research are: insufficient representations of this form of work in teaching; frequent organizational problems, especially for teachers who are not classroom teachers; and poor knowledge of the geographical features of Croatia in relation to more distant areas. This manual also shows concepts and examples for the organization of different types of fieldwork and excursions, depending on their form and duration. Four years earlier, Malkoč (1981) also published a manual dealing with programmed instruction of geography. The author talked about the convenience and applicability of programmed instruction as a form of teaching geography. Like other scientific-teaching manuals within the teaching methodology of geography, published from the 1970s to the 1990s in Croatia, this one has exceptional practical value with its large number of elaborated goals, assump-niji poznavalac audiovizualnih sredstava i metoda rada zna i potvrdit će da upravo u primjeni tih metoda rada dolazi do izražaja umješnost nastavnika, njegovo stručno i pedagoško znanje, da je on ovdje stavljen pred veće i složenije zadatke nego je to slučaj kod klasične nastave, da se ovdje traži stalno stvaralaštvo i velika spretnost" (Brazda, 1977, 12). Posebnu, praktičnu vrijednost ovoga znanstveno-stručnog djela čine i praktični primjeri korištenja audiovizualnih materijala u nastavi te razrađeni koncepti nastavnih sati s primjenom navedenih sredstava. Primjenom multimedije u nastavi geografije bavio se i Curić (2001). U svom se radu objavljenom u časopisu Metodika osvrće na mogućnosti primjene računala i multimedije u suvremenoj nastavi geografije te vrlo opasno informatičko zaostajanje našega sustava odgoja i obrazovanja. Osim primjenom multimedije Curić se bavi i elektroničkim izdavaštvom, navodeći pritom primjer objavljenoga multimedijskog Školskoga geografskog leksikona.
Strategijama, metodama i oblicima rada u nastavi Brazda se ponovno bavio osam godina kasnije (1985). Tada, naime, izlazi njegov znanstveno-stručni priručnik Terenski rad i ekskurzije u nastavi geografije koji do danas ostaje važan temelj planiranja i organizacije terenskih radova i ekskurzija. Priručnik, osim teorijskih uvodnih poglavlja, donosi i rezultate ankete provedene među učenicima i studentima Pedagoške akademije u Zagrebu na temu terenskih radova i ekskurzija. Najvažniji zaključci provedenoga istraživanja jesu nedovoljna zastupljenost ovoga oblika rada u nastavi, učestalost problema organizacije, posebno za nastavnike koji nisu razrednici te slabo poznavanje geografskih obilježja zavičaja u odnosu na udaljenije krajeve. Ovaj priručnik donosi i koncepte i primjere za organizaciju različitih vrsta terenskih radova i ekskurzija, s obzirom na oblik i trajanje. Četiri godine ranije Malkoč (1981)  tions, and examples of working materials for the application of programmed instruction in geography teaching without neglecting the theoretical and scientific background. In addition, the author stated that programmed instruction is not suitable for all aspects of teaching geography, and that more traditional forms of work and methods give better results in certain contexts. The next in the series of scientific and professional manuals in the field of teaching geography published during the 1980s is Korelacija geografije s ostalim nastavnim predmetima by Branislava Krželj (1987). In the spirit of the education reform of the time, which emphasized the need for integration and correlation, the author examined the possibilities of correlating teaching of geography with other school subjects. In the introduction, she analyzed a survey conducted on 300 geography teachers and concluded that only a quarter of geography teachers attended classes in other subjects, and less than half of them could give an example of correlation with another subject. Also, a poor level of knowledge of the processing time of other subjects relevant to the correlation with geography was found. Another published work, related to strategies, methods, and forms of work, is the manual Grafičke metode u nastavi by Stjepan Šterc (1990). This very extensive and comprehensive manual brought insights into the use of graphic methods (both direct and indirect) in the teaching of geography and other subjects. He detailed a clear systematization of graphic methods in teaching, the basic laws of making graphic attachments, and the possibilities and importance of their application in teaching. The topic of bilingual teaching of geography in foreign language high schools was dealt with by Vučenik and Župančić (1996). The group of papers dealing with strategies, methods, forms of work, and means and aids includes the work of Glasnović Horvat and Curić (2003), which deals with verbal methods in geography teaching. According to the results of a survey conducted among geography teachers, the authors singled out verbal methods as the most-used method in teaching geography; they divided verbal methods into oral and conversational methods, and highlighted their advantages and disadvantages, especially the danger that the application of one of the verbal methods should become verbalism. Interesting considera- tions were also presented in part of a paper dealing with the relationship between the psychological development of students, verbal methods in teaching, and the role of methodology at the university level, as preparation for working in a school. In their paper that primarily dealt with student achievement, Vranković (2014) also wrote about the impact of work methods used in teaching but, due to its main topic, this paper was placed in the group of papers dealing with student achievement. Brkić-Vejmelka, Pejdo, and Segurić (2018) questioned the concept of so-called sustainable development using the example of teaching geography. By analyzing the content and qualitative methods of semi-structured interviews with participants of GLOBE and SEMP projects in vocational schools, the authors concluded that the concept of sustainable development is insufficiently represented in geography teaching and emphasized that projects like the aforementioned could open new possibilities for further introduction of this concept into classes, as well as greater opportunities for the application of modern approaches, forms, and methods of teaching. Positive reactions of students-participants of such projects indicate their effectiveness and planned effects. Another paper by Brkić-Vejmelka, Mamut, and Pejdo (2020) analyzed the impact of informal forms of learning such as workshops designed to develop a positive attitude towards geography as a subject and science. Lorger and Braičić (2019), on the other hand, considered the possibilities of orienteering in the context of interdisciplinary teaching.
Zasebnu skupinu unutar kurikularnoga elementa strategije, metode i oblici rada te nastavna sredstva i pomagala čine radovi koji se primarno bave sredstvima i pomagalima u nastavi geografije, poglavito udžbenicima. Već osamdesetih godina dvadesetoga stoljeća pojavljuju se znanstveni osvrti na udžbenike geografije u osnovnoj i srednjim školama. Brazda (1987) u svom članku o koncepciji i sadržajima udžbenika u SR Hrvatskoj i Jugoslaviji upozorava na to da nova generacija geografskih udžbenika velikim dijelom preuzima stare poslijeratne prakse i ne odgovara suvremenom razvoju metodičko-didaktičke misli u okvirima geografije, upućujući na frontalni oblik rada i prevladavajuću primjenu verbalnih metoda. Apelira na činjenicu da ovakvim udž- ative teachers/experts to process cities with stereotyped teaching" (Brazda, 1987, 125). He also stated that such problems in geography teaching are the result of disagreeing views in scientific geography and insufficient cooperation between scientific and teaching geography. Curić and Vuk (2005) also discussed geography textbooks. Their paper was based on a quantitative analysis of data collected via survey method among geography teachers from several Croatian counties and the City of Zagreb. Teachers' attitudes about the market and school textbooks were examined, and all textbooks available on the market were analyzed according to publisher and authors. The most important conclusions were that teachers, to a large extent, believed that the authors of textbooks for primary schools should be primary school teachers, with the help of experts from higher education institutions. Furthermore, most teachers satisfactorily assessed the amount of information, as well as didactic concepts, graphics, functionality, and language concept textbooks present on the market. Additionally, the paper also contains an analysis of textbook titles according to market representation. Due to the fact that, according to the Act on Textbooks for Primary and Secondary Schools (NN, 2018), a methodical manual for teachers is a mandatory publication, Curić (2003) wrote about the concept of a methodical manual for teachers of geography. The author presented the concept of a methodical manual using the example of three teaching units from textbooks for the 8 th grade of primary school, the components of which were an annual orientation schedule, motivation, goals, and activities in teaching geography and a chapter with tasks for revision, practice, and assessment. In addition to textbooks and methodical manuals, the authors also discussed school geographical atlases. Thus, Cvitanović (1976) wrote about the methodological and didactic concept of the school geographical atlas, highlighting the geographical map and the atlas as the most important teaching tools and one of the most important goals of teaching geography. In addition to the method of use and importance in teaching geography, this scientific paper provided a clear concept and professional, i.e. methodological, laws for designing a school geographical atlas, taking into account the correct structure, content, and nomenclature. benicima prisiljavamo i "najkreativnije nastavnike-znalce na obradu gradiva šabloniziranom nastavom…" (Brazda, 1987, 125 Two published papers deal with the selection and transfer of scientific knowledge from the initial and related sciences.  analyzed geographical names in geography teaching. By applying the method of content analysis and the comparative method to the Asia teaching units in three textbooks for the sixth grade of primary school, interesting conclusions were reached. They stated that it was clear that the extent of geographical names, their type, and examples in the three textbooks differed significantly, which led to the conclusion that there were varying interpretations of the curriculum among the authors of the textbooks. The observed differences were not only noticeable between different sets of textbooks, but also between a textbook and school geographical atlas from the same publisher. Such patterns could cause major problems in teaching practice, and the authors therefore proposed the appointment of a national commission for geographical names (which was implemented almost a decade later). In addition to the aforementioned paper from 2011, we can also include the paper of Malkoč (1996) in this group.
In contrast to the selection and transfer of scientific knowledge, a relatively large number of papers in this thematic area are linked to an element of the curriculum called the curriculum as a whole. The curriculum as a whole is an inspiring topic for researchers within teaching methodology of geography and educational geography, as interest in this topic does not decrease throughout the observed period. Mrđenović (1976) wrote about possibilities and need for valorization of the geography curriculum in primary schools. In his paper, he elaborated the criteria that should be followed during the valorization process. During the 1980s, three papers dealing with the curriculum as a whole were published. These papers are a reaction to the changes in curricula that took place in the years that preceded them. Mrđenović (1987) dealt with comparison, inequality, and lagging behind of modern didactic-methodological tendencies of curricula in the federal republics of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. In the same year, Pejnović (1987) examined uneven curricula at geographical higher education institutions in Yugoslavia and the impact that the situation had on the state of geography in the educational system and society in general. In a Selekcijom i transferom znanstvenih spoznaja iz matične i srodnih znanosti bave se dva objavljena rada. Vuk i Curić (2011) pišu o geografskim imenima u nastavi geografije. Primjenom metode analize sadržaja i komparativne metode na nastavnoj cjelini Azija u trima udžbenicima za šesti razred osnovne škole dolaze do zanimljivih zaključaka. Navode kako je razvidno da se ekstenzitet geografskih imena, njihova vrsta te primjeri u navedenim trima udžbenicima značajno razlikuju, što vodi do zaključka o neujednačenu tumačenju plana i programa od autora školskih udžbenika. Uočene razlike nisu primjetne samo između različitih kompleta udžbenika već i između udžbenika i školskoga geografskog atlasa istoga nakladnika. Takvi obrasci mogu uzrokovati velike probleme u nastavnoj praksi pa autori stoga predlažu što ranije imenovanje nacionalnoga povjerenstva za geografska imena (što je ostvareno gotovo desetljeće kasnije). Uz navedeni rad iz 2011. godine u ovu skupinu možemo svrstati i rad Malkoča (1996).
Za razliku od selekcije i prijenosa znanstvenih spoznaja, razmjerno veći broj radova iz ovoga tematskog područja veže se za element kurikuluma koji se naziva kurikulum u cjelini. Kurikulum u cjelini inspirativna je tema za istraživače unutar metodike geografije i edukacijske geografije jer interes za navedenu temu ne jenjava u cijelom promatranom razdoblju. Mrđenović (1976) govori o mogućnostima i potrebama valorizacije nastavnoga programa zemljopisa u osnovnoj školi. U okviru ovoga rada razrađuje, tj. navodi kriterije kojima bi se trebali voditi tijekom procesa valorizacije. Tijekom osamdesetih godina 20. st. objavljena su čak tri rada koja se bave kurikulumom u cjelini. Navedeni radovi reakcija su na izmjene nastavnih planova i programa što su se odvijale u godinama koje su prethodile. Usporedbom, neujednačenošću i zaostajanjem za suvremenim didaktičko-metodičkim tendencijama nastavnih planova i programa u republikama Socijalističke Federativne Republike Jugoslavije bavio se Mrđenović (1987). Iste godine Pejnović (1987)  comprehensive quantitative analysis of curricula of the study of geography at higher education institutions in the capitals of the republics and autonomous provinces in Yugoslavia, the author noted large differences and inconsistencies, and the relatively negative state of geography. From the aspect of educational geography, the special value of this paper lies in the fact that the author emphasized the importance of methodology in university curricula, but also the unsatisfactory attitude of geographical higher education institutions towards the teaching methodology of geography. Matas (1989) also analyzed curricula in primary and secondary schools from 1926 to 1984. In addition to the method used to analyze the content of curricula, the author also analyzed the quantitative and qualitative data obtained via survey conducted among teachers of geography in SFR Croatia. He singled out the most important suggestions and remarks of teachers related to changes in the curriculum, which later became an integral part of his conclusion that there was a need to correct the curriculum. Balog (1996) wrote about the position of geography in the system of secondary education in the Republic of Croatia, and Curić (2000) noted the need for qualitative and quantitative changes in the teaching of geography in Croatian schools. Among other necessary qualitative changes, he especially emphasized the need to improve the education of future geography teachers and the computerization of teaching, as well as changes in the programming of teaching content, improvement of textbooks, changes in terms of better teaching aids, and the like. As the most important necessary quantitative changes, the author stated "the scope of teaching content that would lead to relieving students" (Curić, 2000, 56) and "the transition from the regional-geographical concept of teaching geography to the thematic-geographical." In the same year, Brkić-Vejmelka (2000) published a paper about the laws of acquiring geographical knowledge and skills, emphasizing new trends in geography teaching, the role of teachers as agents of change, and the possibility of applying international projects in teaching geography.

Educational and human resources
Another major thematic unit of teaching methodology of geography and educational geography consists of papers dealing with educational and human resources of teaching geography. The topic of educational and human resources within the corpus of works of educational geography is relatively recent. The appearance of papers dealing with this topic largely testifies to the visible change of the scientific paradigm within the observed scientific branch (discipline). This can be conditionally regarded as a trend of methodical works gradually 'emerging' from the geography classroom and looking at the reality of educational beyond the curriculum and teaching. The appearance of such papers certainly shows the direction of thinking and efforts to establish educational geography as a separate branch of science in which the issues of teaching geography will be part of the content of only one of its disciplines. The first paper that can be primarily thematically related to the topic of human and educational resources is that of . Using statistical analysis methods and survey and interview methods on a sample of 920 geography teachers in primary and secondary schools in the Republic of Croatia, the authors investigated characteristics such as the median age of geography teachers, their level of education and educational institutions, employment status, weekly assignment structure, distance from the workplace to their place of residence, etc. The paper had a large number of findings of great importance for further planning of educational functions and organization of professional development. Brkić-Vejmelka (2005) analyzed data collected via survey and discussed the importance of higher education for the professional and methodological preparedness of geography nost nastavnika geografije. Među ostalim nalazima zanimljivo je da većina studenata obuhvaćenih istraživanjem želi raditi u školi, a nastavnu praksu u školi ocjenjuju visokom prosječnom ocjenom. Istaknuta je i potreba produženja metodičke prakse, a kao najvažniji kolegij budućega nastavnika geografije izdvojena je metodika predmeta. O ulozi Hrvatskoga geografskog društva u profesionalnom i stručnom usavršavanju nastavnika geografije pisali su Vuk i dr. (2011), a o ulozi visokoškolskih institucija u istom procesu Vuk i Vranković (2013). U oba je rada utvrđena uloga Hrvatskoga geografskog društva i Agencije za odgoj i obrazovanje kao glavnih nositelja procesa stručnoga usavršavanja nastavnika geografije. Istaknuta je tendencija odabira tema stručnih usavršavanja prema iskazanim potrebama nastavničkoga kadra. U smjeru promjene paradigme metodike geografije prema edukacijskoj geografiji govori i činjenica da je prvi doktorski rad unutar grane po svom objektu istraživanja vezan za ovu temu. Obrazovni resursi i ljudski potencijali u nastavi geografije u osnovnim školama Središnje Hrvatske (Vuk, 2012) jedan je od svega dva doktorska rada u okviru edukacijske geografije. Uz druge značajne doprinose rad je rezultirao i dvjema vrlo važnim tipologijama osnovnih škola i njihovih upisnih područja koje nisu temeljene samo na Državnom pedagoškom standardu, već škole tipologiziraju s aspekta učitelja geografije, tj. s obzirom na broj razreda u predmetnoj nastavi i strukturu satnice učitelja geografa. Važan metodološki doprinos daju i razrađeni karakteristični pokazatelji poput indeksa nacionalne konkurentnosti u geografskim znanjima i vještinama. Rezultati i primijenjeni metodološki postupci 3 predstavljeni u ovom ocjenskom radu čine važan temelj u planiranju geografske obrazovne funkcije u prostoru, predviđanju potreba tržišta rada te smjera daljnjega stručnog usavršavanja učitelja geografije i stvaranja optimalnih uvjeta rada. Najnoviji rad s temom ljudskih potencijala u nastavi geografije jest autorā Svilana i dr. (2021). S obzirom na prisutne trendove inkluzije djece s poteškoćama u redovnu nastavu analiziraju se ispitani stavovi nastavnika geografije o radu s učenicima s teachers. Among other findings, it is interesting that most of the students included in the research wanted to work in schools, and they rated teaching practices in school highly. The need to extend methodological practice was also emphasized, and subject methodology was singled out as the most important course for a future teacher of geography.  wrote about the role of the Croatian Geographical Society in the professional and expert training of geography teachers, and Vuk and Vranković (2013) wrote about the role of higher education institutions in the same process. In both papers, the role of the Croatian Geographical Society and the Agency for Education, as the main bearers of the process of professional development of geography teachers, was determined. The tendency of choosing the topics of professional development according to the expressed needs of the teaching staff was emphasized. The fact that the first doctoral thesis within the branch according to its object of research is related to this topic shows the direction of change in the paradigm from teaching methodology of geography toward educational geography. Educational resources and human resources in the teaching of geography in primary schools in Central Croatia (Vuk, 2012) is one of only two doctoral theses within the teaching methodology of geography. In addition to other significant contributions, the work resulted in two very important typologies of primary schools and their enrollment areas that are not based solely on the State Pedagogical Standard. Schools were typologized from the perspective of geography teachers, i.e. according to the number of classes from 5 th to 8 th grade and the schedule structure of the geography teacher. A significant methodological contribution was also given by elaborated characteristic indicators such as the national competitiveness index in geographical knowledge and skills. The results and applied methodologies 3 presented in this assessment represent an important basis in planning the geographical educational function in space, anticipating the needs of the labor market and the direction of further professional development of geography teachers, and creating optimal working conditions. The most recent paper dealing with human resources in the teaching of geography is that of Svilan et al. (2021). Given the current trend of including children with disabilities in regular class-HRVATSKI GEOGRAFSKI GLASNIK 83/2, 103−132 (2021.) es, the attitudes of geography teachers about working with students with disabilities were analyzed. After analyzing the data collected via survey of 110 geography teachers from primary and secondary schools, it was concluded that teachers were willing to cooperate and work on a positive atmosphere in the classroom, but did not want to have students with disabilities in their class, due to a lack of time.

Student Achievements
In addition to educational and human resources, student achievement has also become one of the important research topics within teaching methodology of geography and educational geography. Researchers began dealing with this topic more significantly in the early 2010s, a period that corresponds to the beginning of the practical activities of the National Center for External Evaluation of Education and the State Graduation Exam (matura). The systematic conduction of the State Graduation Exam and external evaluation exams such as the National Examination or international research such as PISA or TIMMS provided researchers with a large amount of data that revealed an independently-examined and objectively-determined level of adoption of individual educational outcomes. It is not surprising, therefore, that the first methodological work dealing with student achievement within the subject of geography was published in 2009, as a result and consequence of the previous year's National Exam in Geography and the integration of history and geography. Vuk and Vranković (2009) analyzed the results of the National Exam in Geography conducted in the 2007/2008 school year together with the data collected by the survey of geography teachers in primary schools in the Republic of Croatia. In accordance with the hypothesis, the research showed that students solved tasks from the dimension of factual knowledge best and had worse results in tasks from the conceptual and procedural dimensions. Apart from dimensions of knowledge, the authors also pointed out the differences in completion regarding the cognitive level that the task examines. These findings regarding the achievement of individual outcomes were compared in relation to the self-assessment of geography teachers of the teaching of geographical skills in the classroom. Additionally, the attitudes of teachers regarding dif-teškoćama u razvoju. Analizom podataka prikupljenih anketom među 110 nastavnika geografije iz osnovnih i srednjih škola dolazi se do zaključka da su nastavnici spremni dodatno surađivati, usavršavati se i raditi na pozitivnoj atmosferi u razredu, ali u svom razredu ne bi tako rado imali učenika s teškoćama u razvoju, između ostaloga, zbog nedostatka vremena.

Postignuća učenika
Osim obrazovnih resursa i ljudskih potencijala postignuća učenika također su postala jedna od važnih tema istraživanja u okviru metodike geografije i edukacijske geografije. Istraživači se ovom temom znatnije počinju baviti početkom 2010-ih, razdobljem koje korespondira s početkom praktičnoga djelovanja Nacionalnoga centra za vanjsko vrednovanje obrazovanja i početkom provođenja državne mature. Sustavno provođenje ispita državne mature te ispita vanjskoga vrednovanja poput nacionalnoga ispita ili međunarodnih istraživanja poput PISA-e ili TIMMS-a dali su istraživačima veliku količinu podataka koji otkrivaju neovisno ispitanu i objektivno utvrđenu razinu usvojenosti pojedinih odgojno-obrazovnih ishoda. Ne čudi stoga što je prvi metodički rad koji se bavi postignućima učenika u okviru nastavnoga predmeta geografija objavljen 2009. godine, kao rezultat i posljedica godinu prije provedenoga nacionalnog ispita iz geografije i integracije sadržaja povijesti i geografije. Vuk i Vranković (2009) analizirale su rezultate nacionalnoga ispita iz geografije provedenog u šk. god. 2007./2008. zajedno s podatcima prikupljenim anketnim istraživanjem učitelja geografije u osnovnim školama Republike Hrvatske. U skladu s postavljenom hipotezom istraživanje pokazuje da učenici najbolje rješavaju zadatke iz dimenzije činjeničnoga znanja, a slabije zadatke iz konceptualnoga i proceduralnoga. Uz razlike između dimenzija znanja autorice ističu i razlike u riješenosti s obzirom na kognitivnu razinu koju zadatak ispituje. Navedeni nalazi o ostvarenosti pojedinih ishoda stavljaju se u odnos sa samoprocjenom učitelja geografije o poučavanju geografskih vještina na nastavi. Osim navedenoga anali- ferent areas of more effective teaching were analyzed, among which teaching methods and forms of work, teaching means and aids, and the motivation of students and teachers, stood out. The paper also provided an analysis of the completion of the exam at the county level in the Republic of Croatia, so a geographical, i.e. spatial, analysis of the completion would also be possible.  also relied on the data collected by the National Exam from 2008. The paper, using a random sample of 500 exams, quantitatively analyzed the achievements of students in tasks in the field of general geography. These results are compared with the levels of achievement in the field of geography of Croatia and geography of Europe, and the paper included a qualitative analysis of individual test items. Despite the assumption of better results in the field of general geography, compared to those in the field of geography of Croatia and geography of Europe, the analysis showed the opposite and the cumulative effect of teaching the content of general geography was not proven. A qualitative analysis of individual test items indicated necessary corrections for teaching strategies. In 2011, another paper by the same authors was published: Kvalitativna analiza ispita vanjskoga vrednovanja obrazovnih postignuća učenika osmih razreda provedenih 2008. godine: geografija i integracija nastavnih sadržaja iz geografije i povijesti . This monograph provided an exhaustive quantitative and qualitative analysis of all test items in the two studies mentioned. An important contribution of this paper, in addition to the analyses of test items, lies in the analysis of the relationship between scholastic success and the characteristics of students, their families, teachers and schools, with the results achieved. Furthermore, Vuk et al. (2012) wrote about the comparison of the results of 8 th grade elementary school students and high school seniors in the field of Croatian geography. The main conclusion of the paper was that the cumulative effect of learning and teaching Croatian geography has not yet been determined, as at the end of secondary education, students achieved results that were statistically slightly lower than the results at the end of primary education. Vranković (2014) wrote about the connection between student achievement in the external evaluation exam in the domain of tasks with graphic attachments and the application of graphical and demonstration methods in teaching. Using a survey of a sample of 300 geography teachers, the author determined a possible connection between the frequency of using certain methods of work and the relatively poor completion of tasks with graphical attachments in relation to the tasks in which graphical attachments were not an integral part. Grofelnik and Pap (2013) and Vranković et al. (2018;2019) also discussed the achievements of students.

Conditions and Mutual Influences of Education and Space
Conditions that affect the spatial and functional organization of education and mutual influences on (geographical) education and space are relatively new topics and objects of research in educational geography, but the interrelation of the education system or school, as one of its physical manifestations, and the space that surrounds it is constant and strong. "For example, changing the dynamics and structure of the population (object of demographic geography research) conditions the strengthening or weakening of the educational function which creates a cause-and-effect relationship with the role of settlements in space (an object of research in settlement geography, urban and rural geography), spatial planning, and regional development." (Curić and Vuk, 2013, 168).
The researchers discussed the conditions affecting the organization of education, within the framework of educational geography mostly at the level of the influence of demographic trends and structures on the sustainability of educational functions. Spevec and Vuk (2012) investigated the relationship between demographic resources and potentials (expressed by the index of demographic resources) and the organization of primary education in Krapina-Zagorje County using a statistical analysis of demographic data. The paper investigates the possible reduction of the primary school network in the county due to the identified unfavorable demographic processes and structures in a large number of local government units and the consequent questionable opportunities for equal educational opportunities and complex working conditions for geography teachers. Some of the results of this paper are two very important indices and one typology: the index of professional utilization of geography teachers, the index of the workload of geography teachers and the typology of primary schools in Krapina-Zagorje County from the aspect of geography teachers. Vuk and Vranković (2016) also discussed the im-telja geografije utvrdila moguću vezu između učestalosti korištenja pojedinih metoda rada i razmjerno slabije riješenosti zadataka uz grafičke priloge u odnosu na zadatke čiji sastavni dio nisu ti prilozi. Postignućima učenika bave se još i radovi Grofelnika i Papa (2013) te Vranković i dr. (2018;2019).
Two papers classified in this unit, which do not primarily deal with the influence of demographic characteristics, are Valožić et al. (2012) and Ivić et al. (2020). It is important to note that the first paper introduced new computer methods of spatial analysis into the discipline of educational geography and teaching methodology of geography. Using sets of points as a manner of graphical representation, the authors identified numerous illogicalities and spatial conflicts within the network of enrollment areas of primary schools in the City of Zagreb due to established overlaps, and also a discrepancy of enrollment areas with other administrative boundaries such as city districts, settlements, and even counties. Moreover, the authors analyzed the use and purpose of space near primary schools from which potential issues could arise. The second paper dealt with the use of bicycles for commuting to school on the part of students.
The last thematic unit of scientific papers published within the framework of teaching methodology of geography and educational geography consists of those that deal with mutual influences on education and space. Although thematically-diverse, the works classified in this group have a common denominator that refers to the impact of geographical education on space (especially its social component), and also the reciprocal impact of the mainly social aspect of space on geographical education. It is important to note here that these papers are thematically closely-related to other units analyzed in this paper but, due to the crucial influence utjecaju demografskih procesa na održivost obrazovne funkcije, ovaj put u Splitsko-dalmatinskoj županiji, dok Braičić i Netoušek (2018) te Braičić (2021) pišu o povezanosti demografskih kretanja i obrazovne funkcije u Istri i Sisačko-moslavačkoj županiji. Druga objavljena doktorska disertacija iz discipline metodika geografije i grane edukacijska geografija tematski se veže na utjecaj demografskih kretanja na obrazovnu funkciju. U radu Geografski aspekti razvoja mreže osnovnih škola u Hrvatskoj (Vranković, 2017) istražuju se geografska obilježja upisnih područja osnovnih škola u Republici Hrvatskoj i njihov utjecaj na oblikovanje postojeće mreže osnovnih škola. Najveći naglasak stavljen je na demografska obilježja upisnih područja, a rad je rezultirao važnom tipologijom upisnih područja osnovnih škola u Republici Hrvatskoj s obzirom na održivost obrazovne funkcije.
Posljednju tematsku cjelinu znanstvenih radova objavljenih u okviru metodike geografije i edukacijske geografije čine oni koji se bave međusobnim utjecajima na relaciji obrazovanje -prostor. Iako tematski šaroliki, radovi svrstani u ovu skupinu imaju zajednički nazivnik koji se odnosi na utjecaj geografskoga obrazovanja na prostor (posebice na njegovu društvenu sastavnicu), ali i povratnoga utjecaja poglavito društvenoga aspekta prostora na geografsko obrazovanje. Ovdje je važno napomenuti da su ovi radovi tematski bliski i drugim between the development of educational functions and the changes that are taking place in the space, especially urban and urbanized space. In his paper, Matas (2000) analyzed the impact of the teacher education system on the development of the school network and spatial and geographical development, and concluded that, among other factors, changes in teacher education affected the school network in some way. In addition to the aforementioned conclusions, the author appealed for greater opportunities for two-subject teacher education. The extremely important paper of Curić and Vuk (2013), Metodika geografije u sustavu odgoja i obrazovanja, analyzed the position of the teaching methodology of geography in higher order systems: the science system, the education system for future geography teachers, and the system of professional development of employed teachers. This paper is an extremely important starting point for any research in the field of teaching methodology of geography and educational geography because it specifies the teaching methodology of geography as a scientific discipline and the impact of its results and knowledge on the whole system and, indirectly, on society. Using a relatively large number of methods, the authors performed a kind of recapitulation and determination of the teaching methodology of geography as a scientific discipline and its scientific and social contribution. Curić (2005) also critically reviewed the methodology of drafting the national educational standard and noted incorrect methodological terminology used in official documentation. In addition to the problem of methodology, the author showed that the national educational standard reduces the autonomy of teachers, which is contrary to modern methodological practices. An integral part of this paper is the official statement of the Department of Geography, Faculty of Science in Zagreb. Tandarić and Tekić (2013) wrote about the reflection of the general public on geography as a science and a subject. Analyzing the results of a survey conducted on a sample of 1,078 people from all over Croatia, the authors concluded that citizens most often classify geography in the field of interdisciplinary and natural sciences, and less often in the field of social sciences. Positive attitudes towards geography can be seen in the assessments of the general public about the increase in the number of classes of the subject, its usefulness, and the need for geography classes in vocational schools. je i promjena što se događaju u prostoru, osobito onom urbanom i urbaniziranom. Matas (2000) u svom radu analizira utjecaj sustava izobrazbe učitelja i nastavnika na razvoj školske mreže te prostornoga i geografskoga razvoja te zaključuje da su, uz druge čimbenike, promjene u izobrazbi učitelja na određen način utjecale na školsku mrežu. Uz navedene zaključke autor apelira i na potrebu za većim mogućnostima dvopredmetnoga obrazovanja nastavnika. Izrazito važan rad Curića i Vuk (2013) Metodika geografije u sustavu odgoja i obrazovanja analizira poziciju metodike geografije u sustavima višega reda, od sustava znanosti preko obrazovnoga sustava koji se bavi budućim nastavnicima geografije do sustava profesionalnoga usavršavanja zaposlenih nastavnika i učitelja. Navedeni rad izrazito je važna polazna točka svakoga istraživanja u okviru metodike geografije i edukacijske geografije jer pobliže određuje metodiku kao znanstvenu disciplinu i utjecaj njezinih rezultata i spoznaja na čitav sustav, a posredno i na društvo. Koristeći se razmjerno velikim brojem metoda, autori donose svojevrsnu rekapitulaciju i određenje metodike geografije kao znanstvene discipline i njezina znanstvenoga i društvenoga doprinosa. Curić (2005) se također kritički osvrće na metodologiju izrade nacionalnoga obrazovnog standarda i upozorava na nepravilnu metodičku terminologiju koja se koristi u službenim dokumentima. Osim problema metodologije autor ističe da nacionalni obrazovni standard ide u smjeru smanjivanja autonomije nastavnika što se protivi suvremenim metodičkim spoznajama. Sastavni dio navedenoga rada jest i službeno očitovanje Geografskoga odsjeka Prirodoslovno-matematičkoga fakulteta u Zagrebu. O refleksiji opće javnosti na geografiju kao znanost i nastavni predmet pišu Tandarić i Tekić (2013). Analizirajući rezultate ankete provedene na uzorku od 1078 osoba iz cijele Hrvatske, autori zaključuju da građani geografiju najčešće svrstavaju u područje interdisciplinarnih i prirodnih znanosti, a rjeđe u područje društvenih znanosti. Pozitivni stavovi prema nastavnom predmetu mogu se iščitati iz ocjena opće javnosti o povećanju satnice nastavnoga predmeta, korisnosti nastavnoga predmeta te potrebi za nastavom geografije u strukovnim školama. HRVATSKI GEOGRAFSKI GLASNIK 83/2, 103−132 (2021.)

Conclusion
The scope of papers within the teaching methodology of geography and educational geography and the primary objects of research and applied methodology confirms the previously-stated claim that this relatively young scientific discipline is transitioning from the second to the third phase of scientific development and is becoming increasingly established as an independent scientific discipline within the field of geography. Given the available knowledge about many aspects of geographical education and the formation of initial theories, we can tentatively put it in the third phase. Moreover, the thematic analysis of the content of relevant papers, especially in the last decade, can be seen in the further development towards the formation of educational geography as a separate branch of science with associated disciplines and sub-disciplines. This fact is supported by the gradual change of the thematic paradigm as the focus of interest has shifted more towards the topics of student achievement and educational functions in recent years. Clearly, the established qualitative and quantitative state of scientific production in certain thematic areas, research objects, and proposed sub-disciplines indicate the need for further research and development in order for such aspirations to find a firm foothold in the corpus of works of this discipline. First, this refers to the relatively limited number of papers within the proposed sub-discipline of informal geographical education and, when it comes to curriculum elements as important research objects, the corpus of papers primarily dealing with outcomes and selection and transfer of scientific knowledge into a consistent system of geographical knowledge and skills. Moreover, the limited number of methodological papers is noticeable, as well as the significant orientation of papers in this discipline toward data collection using the survey method. Despite the presented facts, there is a clear trend of development and expansion of scientific knowledge within the aforementioned areas of research. This trend is just a continuation of the trend of quantitative and qualitative development of the discipline, which is especially significant in the first two decades of the 21 st century. It is not surprising, therefore, that the time of challenging the scientificity of this specific discipline with a pronounced praxeological aspect, as well