Research on learning tasks in Geography textbooks: A review

Although learning tasks are among the key components of Geography textbooks, they are not adequately addressed in research in Czechia and Slovakia. The aim of this study is to describe methodological approaches to the analysis of learning tasks in Geography textbooks applied in textbooks written in English and to synthesize related research findings. A systematic review study was applied to fulfil the objectives of the study. After gradual selection of the relevant sources, 13 studies were analyzed. The results show that within the methodologies used in the studies predominante the analyses of learning tasks which are focused on the categorization of tasks in terms of their cognitive demands and in terms of their potential to develop spatial thinking. The synthesis of the results showed that most learning tasks in textbooks are characterized by low cognitive intensity or develop the lowest categories of spatial thinking. In the light of research findings, we identify the desired directions of research of learning tasks in textbooks of geography and provide recommendations for authors and publishers of textbooks.