Introduction: pedagogy, didactics and methodology

1. Pedagogy, didactics and methodology - introduction

Pedagogy is a social science concerned with the systematic study of upbringing and education. Pedagogy "studies, researches and improves upbringing and education" (Hrvatska enciklopedija, 2025). It is important to note that in the English-speaking context, the terms education or educational sciences are often used to encompass both upbringing and education, as well as the field of pedagogy itself.

It is also essential to recognize that different levels of education - primary, secondary and tertiary - have distinct needs. Primary and secondary education focus on the upbringing and education of children and adolescents, whereas tertiary education primarily addresses the education of adults. In this context, the role of andragogy, the science of adult education, must also be acknowledged.

The educational system operates within its own legal frameworks and structured processes; therefore, in addition to pedagogy, it is necessary to consider didactics and methodology as related scientific disciplines. Didactics focuses on the organization of the educational process, while methodology addresses the organization of the education within a specific subject. In the following sections, each of these three concepts will be explained with particular emphasis on their relevance in the context of higher education.