Quality of textbooks in the focus of expert assessment

Abstract

In the article, the author considers the problem of school textbook quality in the context of modernization of educational content. The urgency of the problem of creating a modern high-quality textbook in view of the transformation of the structure of knowledge in the digital society, taking into account various sources for deepening knowledge and general development of multimedia learning tools is also substantiated. Researchers in the field of education recognize that there is no holistic theory of the modern textbook; there is no standard of the textbook; The method of evaluating the school book is not optimal, there is a need for thorough recommendations for writing a textbook for those authors who do not yet have experience in textbook creation. That is why the development of these aspects requires a rational system approach.
The author characterizes the requirements for a competitive personality, the main role in the formation of which belongs to the textbook. The article reveals the key characteristics of the main means of learning and didactic approaches, principles and categories that form the foundation of competency-­based learning.
Scientific works on the problems of theory and practice of textbook creation are analyzed. «White spots» in the development of certain aspects of educational competence that prevent their implementation in the textbook. Factors influencing the effectiveness of the textbook are identified. The parameters according to which the examination of Ukrainian language textbooks for the 5th grade was carried out are presented.
Based on the data of the examination, the positive tendencies are singled out and the prospects of their development are outlined; typical shortcomings were identified, as well as their objective and subjective reasons. The emphasis is placed on the inexpediency of producing a large number of textbooks that differ only in didactic material, and the quality should be better. It is necessary to optimize the number of textbooks in the same subject based on their alternative as a defining criterion. It is necessary to improve the methodology of expert evaluation of potential textbooks and the procedures for their competitive selection. The author provides suggestions and recommendations that will allow authors of school textbooks to avoid mistakes and improve the quality of potential textbooks.