Topics in Technology Education Textbooks from Germany

Abstract

Over time, textbooks have undergone significant transformation through digital enhancements, yet they remain central instructional media that serve an orienting function for teachers. Consequently, textbook research can offer insights into subject-specific impacts, including the support of learning activities and practical work (Larsson & Stolpe, 2025, p. 1825). This study employs a qualitative content analysis to examine 14 technology education textbooks from Germany with regard to the technical topics they convey. The findings reveal that the institutional positioning of technology education, whether as a dedicated subject or as part of an integrated subject, has a substantial influence on the scope and thematic selection of textbook content. A comparison with the contexts of the international Standards for Technological and Engineering Literacy (ITEEA) shows that the areas of "Medical and Health-Related Technologies" and "Agricultural and Biological Technologies" are not present in the analysed textbooks. Instead, topics of a cross-cutting character are integrated ("Sustainability", "Vocational Orientation", "History of Mankind and Technology", and "Descriptions of Lesson Methodologies"), which can be explained by the German tradition of subject-specificity.