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The use of Augmented Reality (AR) in education combined with local potency such as Naturindo Herbal Garden located at Sendangsari Village, Pengasih District, Yogyakarta, Indonesia as a center for the herbal medicine industry and learning resource for human digestive was identified as an important strategy for developing student learning outcomes. The purpose of this research was to integrate Naturindo Herbal Garden integrated AR booklet to encourage student's curiosity and learning interest about human digestion for grade eleventh. The AR-digestive booklet was developed by author in previous research then used in this research as learning media. This research was a quasi experiment, determination of research sample used simple random sampling to determine the control and experimental classes with 74 students, 3 biology teachers by giving questionnaires to collect students' interests, curiosity and teacher's response. The learning material in the booklet was conceptually correct, equipped with clear and engaging AR animations to support the learning process. The results showed that the local potential-based digestive system AR-booklet was effective for encouraging student's interest (87.5) and curiosity (91.6) with the results of in the high category and t-test value was below 0.5. Teachers stated the use of AR booklet had achieved remarkable results and was very effective. This study recommended the implementation of local potential-integrated AR booklet to facilitate student's curiosity and learning interest as an innovation in the biology learning process.

The objectives of this study were to 1) investigate the efficiency of Application on Nymphaea 'Thai Lotus Species' for creating awareness of Undergraduate Students, 2) compare students' achievements before and after learning through the Application on Nymphaea 'Thai Lotus Species' for Creates Awareness of Undergraduate Students, and 3) examine student satisfaction towards the Application on Nymphaea 'Thai Lotus Species' for Creates Awareness of Undergraduate Students. The sample comprised 30 Secondary 4 second semester at Faculty of Technical Education, Rajamangala University Thayaburi Education Service Area Office Pathum Thani, derived through purposive sampling technique. Data was collected through an application called Nymphaea 'Thai Lotus Species' to create awareness among undergraduate students. The research used a pretest, a post-test, and a student satisfaction form. The data was analyzed using percentage, mean, standard deviation, and t-test for dependent samples. The findings showed that the Nymphaea 'Thai Lotus Species' application was adequate, with an E1/E2 score of 81.58/80.03. The study also revealed that students achieved better results after using the application to learn about creating awareness among undergraduate students. The mean and standard deviation before learning were 8.27 and 2.22, while the mean and standard deviation after education were 4.66 and 0.61. The t-test score used before and after schooling was 31.16 at a statistically significant level of 0.05. Moreover, the student satisfaction towards the Application of Nymphaea 'Thai Lotus Species' for Creates Awareness of Undergraduate Students was high.

This paper describes the master course design process at the largest institution of higher education in Colorado, USA. The master course design process demonstrated principles of backwards design and employed a team-based approach to course development. The course map was the primary vehicle for communicating the design of the course during development and later for accountability. This case study presented the redesign of General College Botany. The General College Botany curriculum employed authentic assessment and provided an andragogical learning environment. The central authentic assessment in the course was a term-long research project. Other assignments included wiki-building discussions, traditional quizzes, and at-home labs. The accounting of this process and the assignments described for an online science course provide a template for other institutions to follow when considering the implementation of master courses in higher education settings. As botanical curricula continue to be cut from degree programs and the need for remote learning becomes imminent in the modern world, the scaling of educational resources is facilitated by master course design. Master course design promotes accountability and standardization while also affording a well-researched, constructive, and blended learning environment. Evaluative results showed that the master course increased student success and retention in the course.

Learning online during pandemic COVID-19 must still accommodate creativity. This study aimed to identify the level of student creativity using the STREAM (ScienceTechnology-Religion-Engineering-Arts-Mathematics) approach. It was conducted on an online practicum in the Plant Anatomy course. The purpose of this study was to identify the level of student creativity in various indicators of creativity through a performance assessment of the product of the practicum report. The static-group comparison design was used as the research design. The target population is the fourth-semester student in the Department of Biology Education. The samples were chosen using purposive sampling, determining class IV-A (39 students) as a regular class and class IV-C (38 students) as intervention one. The research was equipped with creativity performance tasks, rubrics with a scoring of practicum reports' performance assessments, and field notes. Each student designs and makes one of the anatomical structural models of roots, stems, or leaves. The practicum report was used to identify their level of creativity. The data were analyzed by calculating the creativity level percentage in a qualitative descriptive manner. The results showed that the creativity level of the intervention class is excelling (57.89%), while the regular class the emerging (58.79%). The STREAM approach provides a better level of creativity.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the existing Student Inquiry and Research program at Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy transitioned to a remote-only format. This paper describes the mentoring of 12 high school juniors and seniors in yearlong remote research projects involving plant biology and protein engineering. Working in groups of two or three, students read scientific articles and proposed experiments. An experienced researcher then carried out the experiments and gave the students the data. Students analyzed data, drew conclusions, and shared their results in an oral presentation and in a written paper. Despite the online-only format, all anonymously surveyed students agreed that the experience improved their confidence in both conducting and communicating scientific research, and 90% agreed that because of the experience, they are more likely to pursue a career in STEMM. These results are similar to those seen from in-person research experiences. Given the positive outcomes from this program, further development and use of remote research experiences may be beneficial, particularly for students who would not otherwise have access to any research opportunities. Remote learning technology thus enables existing resources of time and funding to be allocated differently to provide more students with authentic research experiences.

This study explored the Rwandan secondary students' opinions on learning biochemistry concepts covered in the Rwandan advanced level of secondary school biology curriculum, and the reasons behind the difficulty of the concepts. In this research, sequential exploratory mixed-method designs were adopted. The sample comprised 195 secondary school students, who were purposively selected from the schools in Rwamagana and Kayonza districts of Rwandan Eastern Province. Data were collected using self-administered questionnaires and focus group semi-structured interview guides. Data analysis was carried out using both quantitative and qualitative approaches. Results from this research showed that photosynthesis and respiration are the major units that are challenging to study with the respective percentages of 62.5 and 75.1. On the other hand, the concept of enzymes is the most difficult according to students' views. The lack of adequate laboratory and learning resources and teachers' teaching styles were reportedly the reasons behind the difficulty of these units. Therefore, the provision of continuous professional development training on advances in teaching and learning biochemistry to in-service teachers would be one of the strategies to enhance students' understanding of these concepts.

This article examines how students' botanical knowledge and interest in plants can be increased in order to counteract "plant blindness", which is a phenomenon describing the lack of people's awareness of plants. Since recent studies point to a continuous decline of students' interest in biology, especially in botany, during secondary education, a workshop on pollination and floral ecology has been designed. 100 students (N=100) from five different schools took part in the workshop. By means of a pre- as well as a post-test and a questionnaire directly after the workshop, data regarding the students' interest, knowledge and intrinsic motivation has been collected. Results show that the workshop has a positive impact on the students' interest in the pollination and floral ecology. Additionally, the findings indicate that the workshop leads to an increased botanical knowledge as well as development of intrinsic motivation.

This case study examines how teachers preserve and foster the funds of knowledge students bring to school in the Palenque community of Colombia. Data was collected using the funds of knowledge Matrix instrument, open-ended questions, teacher interviews, and non-participant observations. An analysis of data was done using a domain analysis process, and a category of cultural meanings. The findings included the creation of three new categories: "ethnobotany," "Kuagros," and "Kulum." The study identified teachers' educational practices that fit the culturally relevant profile. These involve rethinking curriculum, reforming instruction, considering the types of funds of knowledge, and a more ethnographic approach.

The performance in biology at the secondary level has not been as good as expected. This has been a matter of concern. Thus, there has been a continuous focus on exploring newer innovative learner-centered and friendly instructional strategies to enhance understanding and retention in biology. This study, therefore, determined the effects of Concept Mapping (CM) and Cooperative Mastery Learning (CML) on fostering retention in photosynthesis among secondary schools in Nyamagabe district, Rwanda. A pre-test and post-test non-equivalent control group quasi-experimental design was used. Data were obtained from 151 students taught with CM, 144 students taught with CML, and 154 students taught with Conventional Teaching Methods (CTM). The Photosynthesis Retention Test (KR-21= 0.82) was used for data collection. The data were mainly analyze d using mean and Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA). The results showed that the CM and CML treatment groups outperformed the CTM group in retention in photosynthesis. There was a statistically significant difference in favor of the CM between the two experimental groups. The male and female students taught using CM retained equally in photosynthesis while gender difference was revealed in the mean retention scores of the students exposed to the CML, with females retained significantly higher than males. The study concluded that the CM and CML strategies were more effective than CTM. It was suggested, among other things, that teachers should be encouraged to apply CM and CML strategies when teaching biology.

Students in environmental sciences, ecology, or wildlife management are often reluctant to acquire training in basic laboratory techniques. To advocate the importance of this training, we reviewed literature in the fields of biological and environmental science for one frequently used technique--centrifugation--and evaluated whether centrifugation parameters are properly expressed. Centrifugation is used to extract and purify different types of biomolecules for further characterization or quantification. The repeatability of the procedure depends on the proper identification of parameters defining the gravitational force applied to a solution, for example the duration, distance from central axis, and angular velocity. Correctly expressing rotation velocity--the "speed"--is therefore crucial to ensuring repeatability and the possibility of using the same protocols in different laboratories. When scrutinizing the materials and methods sections of publications in ecology, zoology, botany, or general biology journals, we noticed that velocity is expressed in different ways and essential information is often missing. We sampled 2000 articles in different fields of biological sciences that recorded centrifugation as a technique in the materials and methods section. We found centrifugation velocity to be properly expressed in gravitational force "g" in only 47.8% of the papers. The score dropped to 40.4% in journals specialized in ecology. We use this analysis to advocate for a minimum of training in the techniques of biochemistry that are of common use in environmental sciences. Better training would allow higher reproducibility of results in scientific publications.

The worldwide scientific community has been promoting science communication from colleges and universities to schools, and different tools for communicating scientific discoveries have been created. Among this variety of tools, our choice fell on a storybook. The book, entitled "The Curious Case of Ants That Live in Galls," is directed at 8-to-12-year-old children, and its use is suggested for literature and science classes. We propose either reading the text with the students or individual reading, followed by a debate and retextualization exercise. Also, the teacher can use the story as a motivation to address the science content and to discuss the scientific method. We observed the emergence of new questions, teaching methodologies, and didactic resources capable of amplifying the scientific context and, consequently, the student's motivation.

Creating meaningful learning environments that support university students in their early STEM courses has become a focus of interest for many universities. This research investigated an active learning environment where students used Ozobot robots to visualize complex concepts such as Metabolism, Photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration in an Introductory Biology course. Three conditions were employed over three semesters including a Control, Non-reflective, and Reflective condition. In both the Non-Reflective and the Reflective condition, students programmed robots to visualize concepts in the three topics of interest. Quantitative analysis using Kruskal Wallis revealed significant differences on unit tests between the Reflective and the other two conditions. No difference was found between the Control and the Non-Reflective condition. Qualitative analysis revealed three themes Engagement, Visualization, and Social.

We used a novel approach that combined direct PCR of plant tissue and SRAP DNA fingerprinting to seek to identify the crosses made in "Brassica rapa" used in the Wisconsin Fast Plants. Our goal was to develop a rapid method for students to use in a biology, botany, or genetics class to identify the parental types (purple stem, non-purple stem) and the F1 generation for "Brassica rapa." Our data indicates that there is detectable polymorphism in the "Brassica Rapa" plants with which to identify the three types of plants.

This study aimed to develop a learning progression (LP) for botanical literacy and assess the impact of a garden-based education course on Thai pre-service science teachers (n = 49). The inquiry- and community-based education course was taught over a 15-week period. To measure botanical literacy, a 50-item multiple-choice test was employed. A hypothetical model of the construct was proposed and validated using a dichotomous Rasch model. Results indicated that the model fits the data well. Thus, the hypothetical model was confirmed. The validated botanical literacy comprised conceptual and procedural domains. Each domain had several core ideas and subordinate concepts located on a linear construct and arranged by increasing difficulty. For example, in the conceptual domain, the core ideas arranged from the easiest to most difficult were plant diversity, plant morphology, and plant eco-physiology. The botanical literacy of the pre-service teachers was measured before and after the instruction. To measure the learning gain, we fixed the pre- and post-item difficulty and estimated the post-instruction person ability. The means of pre- and post-instruction person ability were compared using the Welch t-test. We found that learning gain was statistically significant (p < 0.01). This study discusses implications of LP for botanical literacy in biology education.

This study investigated the effectiveness of student-centered instruction on eighth-grade students' conceptual understanding of photosynthesis. The study employed a Quasi-experimental research method. The data collection instruments included were multiple-choice tests, observations, and an informal assessment. The pretest and posttest were administered before and after treatment, respectively. An informal assessment was also administered before and after the intervention. Besides, the observation was conducted from the first day up to the last day of the intervention. The pretest and posttest data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and t-tests quantitatively, while data collected through informal assessment and observation were presented using narration. The findings of the pretest revealed that there was no significant difference between the mean scores of the two groups. Post-test results revealed that experimental group students significantly improved their conceptual understanding of the topic of photosynthesis compared to the control group students. The study concluded that the guided inquiry teaching method is more effective than the lecture method in improving students' conceptual understanding of photosynthesis. Based on the findings of this study, it was recommended that governments encourage biology teachers to apply guided inquiry teaching methods by providing appropriate instructional material.

Worksheets are often used during field trips and utilize a learning cycle with three stages (exploration, concept introduction and concept application) to engage learners in the learning activities of observation and exploration. However, traditional paper worksheets do not provide multimedia and interactive presentations with physical objects, which made learners losing interaction with the physical context during field trips and failing to implement all the stages completely. This study designed an augmented reality worksheet with a three-stage learning cycle and applied it to learning about plants, specifically assisting learners in observing and classifying plants. A pretest-posttest quasi-experimental design was used to show the effect of learning when learners used augmented reality worksheets. Lag sequence analysis was used to identify learning behavioral patterns. The findings indicate that the learning effect of using augmented reality worksheets is much better than that of paper worksheets and improves the learners' interaction with plants.

The aim of the research is to examine the contribution of mobile application using in botanical fieldwork to the quality and durability of knowledge of the subject Nature and society compared to multimedia teaching in the fourth grade of primary school. The study involved 120 students, divided into two groups: control group, which taught on the principles of multimedia teaching with the help of digital herbarium and experimental group, which taught through botanical fieldwork, with the help of the mobile application PlantNet Plant Identification. A digital herbarium was placed on student's computer at school (in the computer classroom) and at home, and a mobile application on every student's mobile phone. Students studied and identified 30 plants, 13 forest and 17 cultivated plants. After the identification of the plants, the quality of students' knowledge was examined by a post-test, while the durability of knowledge was examined by a re-test. The results of the research showed that using of the mobile application in botanical fieldwork contributed to the higher quality and durability of students' knowledge compared to multimedia teaching at cognitive levels: analysis, evaluation and synthesis.

The under-representation of women in senior echelons of the academy, particularly in disciplines which have been historically male-dominated and male-led, is well-documented internationally. The narrative, however, is not a linear one, and there have been intervals of alteration and narrow apertures of opportunity. This article focuses on one of those intervals, the period 1957-1962, which saw three women professors being appointed to the Science Faculty at University College Dublin: Carmel Humphries (1909-1986) first female professor of zoology (1957); Phyllis Clinch (1901-1984) first female professor of botany (1961); and Eva Philbin (1914-2005) first female professor of organic chemistry (1962). Interrogating the career biographies of Humphries, Clinch, and Philbin, this article examines how as outsiders within an academic hierarchy marked by male privilege, these women managed to infiltrate the inner sanctum of university activity, undertaking leading, high profile academic roles in prestigious, male-dominated disciplines. The article finds, however, that while Humphries, Clinch, and Philbin were successful in negotiating, even shifting, the university's centre of gravity for a brief period, this powerbase was soon eroded and the dominant hegemony reinstated, ushering women scientists back to the margins of university activity.

A feature of student--teacher--scientist partnerships (STSPs) involves students working with scientists for the purpose of helping them learn more about how scientists work and think. Previous research on STSPs has generally focused on identifying the best practices of partnerships and on identifying challenges of these partnerships. The study reported here employed a cluster-randomized trial design to test the effectiveness of the PlantingScience STSP that combines high-quality curriculum, teacher preparation, and online mentoring by professional scientists. The results of the current study show that students who participated in the PlantingScience STSP showed significant improvements in science content knowledge and attitudes about scientists compared with students in the control group. The study sample was highly representative, demographically, to the U.S. population of high schools. These results add to the limited empirical evidence about the effectiveness of STSPs on student outcomes related to science achievement and attitudes.

Humanity has existed in special living conditions since March 11, 2020 when WHO declared COVID-19 a global pandemic. This coronavirus disease has already taken more than 6.55 million of people's lives from almost 625 million of officially confirmed cases of people infected around the world at the beginning of October 2022. Lot of university lecturers, teachers and researchers are concerned by new challenges in the education and science process. Therefore, many new recommendations and methodologies have been published for effective teaching in the pandemic time focusing on different forms of distance digital education. Certainly, the process has been actual for biological disciplines too where the biggest problems appeared with the organisation of field courses. Every country and even every university have been looking for optimal ways within their epidemic situation according to country restriction rules. Therefore, we have generalized this experience, as well as developed protocols on example of iNaturalist platform ("https://www.inaturalist.org/") for effective use of citizen science tools not just for distance learning of botanical cycle disciplines in the pandemic time and beyond, but also for collecting valuable data about plant distribution during this process. We present a future-oriented vision of the solution of biodiversity and sustainability education.

Biology, known as the science of life in its most general definition, is one of the branches of science closest to individuals due to the subjects it contains. Therefore, knowing the concepts related to biology correctly is important for the sustainability of the learning process. In this study, it was aimed to determine the conceptual perceptions and misconceptions of prospective science teachers about photosynthesis. The research using the case study was carried out in 2020-2021. The study group of the research consists of 57 pre-service science teachers studying in the first and fourth year of a state university in Turkey. The structured interview form and focus group interview form prepared by the researchers were used as data collection tools. As a result of the research, it was determined that the conceptual perceptions of the pre-service science teachers about the substances taken from the external environment in the photosynthesis process, photosynthesis products, and the importance of photosynthesis for the ecosystem were not sufficient. In addition, in the study, it was determined that pre-service science teachers had misconceptions about the definition of photosynthesis, energy source and the importance of photosynthesis for the ecosystem.

The plant kingdom can be learned more successfully if tasks involve direct contact with elements of the plant world and students have the possibility of working cooperatively in small groups within the secondary school classroom. This paper analyses student understanding of the general and floral physiology of angiosperms within a teaching-sequence in which cooperative learning was applied to 74 Spanish secondary school students aged 12-13 years. The influence of group work and the use of plant elements on learning was assessed by comparing two tasks administered individually before and after the sequence. Subsequent application of Fisher's exact test detected statistically significant differences between the two milestones in favour of cooperative learning and the use of plants. We can therefore conclude that this active method for learning the plant kingdom enables students to get physically closer to the subject of the plant kingdom whilst developing their scientific knowledge via group work.

Environmental education across the early years has become increasingly important in Australia since the implementation of the Early Years Learning Framework and the Australian Curriculum. These documents promote a connection to nature for young children as well as environmental responsibility. In Western Australia, large areas of natural environments are bush spaces, accessible by young children, families and schools. There is no existing research investigating early childhood teacher's knowledge of plants in these bush spaces and the utilisation of these spaces in teaching botany as part of their teaching practice. The discussion in this article examines part of a larger year-long multi-site case study of the changes in the botanical understanding of two early childhood teachers of children aged 5-8 years, in Western Australian schools both before and after the Mosaic Approach, botanical practices and Indigenous knowledges were incorporated into their teaching practice. This article focuses on the changes of botanical literacies of the early childhood teachers specifically. The findings suggest that using inquiry-based and place-based methods and including First Nations Peoples' perspectives about plants whilst teaching in the bush can significantly increase the plant knowledge and understanding of teachers, as well their own scientific and botanical literacies.

Teachers are confronted with many challenges in the science classroom. One of these challenges is finding a reliable learning approach to improve students' performance. This study used peer learning approach of teaching to help students learn and understand concepts in a photosynthesis class. The participants of the study were 40 science students at Shama Senior High School in the Western Region of Ghana. These students were put into mixed ability groups and taught for 10 consecutive weeks. Pre-intervention test, post-intervention test, and questionnaire were the main instruments used to collect data from the students. Descriptive statistics of the data collected shows an immense improvement in students' performance after the implementation of the intervention. The strategy used improved students' learning of photosynthesis in the classroom as well as their performance in the post-intervention test. Based on the findings of this study, it can be said that peer learning approach of teaching has a positive impact on the performance of students in the classroom

Pigments are light-absorbing substances that are abundant in nature, serving roles in coloration, camouflage, mate/pollinator attraction and photosynthesis among higher life forms. Among microbial organisms, pigments can also be found in a wide range of phyla. While some of these pigments function in photosynthesis, namely among algae and some bacteria, the great majority of microbial pigments play entirely different roles. The exploratory study presented here will stimulate students to think about the cost and benefit of a heritable trait (pigment production) of microscopic organisms and its effects on survival in a competitive and hostile environment. Exploring and understanding the roles these pigments play allows for a number of cross-disciplinary learning opportunities that combine physics, chemistry, biology and even art, and can be set up as an inquiry-based learning module suitable for small-group and active learning experiences.

The study assessed the effect of concept map on achievement and classroom management of 7th grade students. Three elementary schools were purposively selected in Silchar town of Assam, India. The 7th grade students (n = 36), of 'School I' was assigned to lecture cum discussion approach, 34, students (n = 34) of 'School II' was assigned to Spider Concept Map Approach (SCMA) and the 30 participants (n=30) of 'School III' was assigned to Hierarchical Concept Map Approach (HCMA). Pretest-posttest quasi-experimental design used to assess the effect of concept map on the achievement and classroom management of students. Pre map test was assigned to both the experimental and comparison group and after three weeks instruction post map test was administered. In addition to these, Concept Map Classroom Management Scale was assigned among all the participants of both experimental and comparison groups to response. The individual pre and post spider concept map and hierarchical concept map, and Concept Map Classroom Management Scale (CMCMS) scores were analyzed through ANCOVA and post hoc Tukey-Kramer Multiple Comparisons. It was resulted that both spider concept map & hierarchical concept map training students in association with those in the comparison group demonstrated significantly better in the performance of photosynthesis and respiration concepts as well as self-classroom management.

There is a collective agreement about the necessity of content knowledge (CK) as a prerequisite for pedagogical content knowledge (PCK). However, most PCK models lack explanatory power because of the missing link between CK and PCK. Thus, the study firstly attempts to develop a theoretical model that consists of knowledge of students' learning difficulty (KSLD) as a plausible pathway between CK and PCK with the conceptual change research entry. Secondly, it tests the causative relationship between CK and KSLD of PCK. The CK for this study constitutes acid rain, as well as the concepts of photosynthesis and cellular respiration. Seventy-three preservice science teachers (PSTs) participated in this study. The study used open-ended surveys and vignette-based individual interviews to measure PSTs' CK and KSLD, respectively. The results indicate that (1) PSTs' CK and KSLD are low. (2) There is a significant correlation (p < 0.01) between PSTs' CK and KSLD. (3) Compared with a low or moderate level, the high level of PSTs' CK is a significant predictor (p < 0.01) of their KSLD. Qualitative evidence supports preliminary quantitative results of the study. The study provides a PCK model that indicates KSLD as a plausible pathway to connect CK and PCK, using a conceptual change inquiry as a point of entry. The study implies the proposed PCK model based on conceptual change learning is useful for future teachers in responding to student learning difficulties. Besides, the PCK model is a fertile ground for robust research.

This article describes the effects of a student-teacher-scientist partnership program on high school students' science outcomes. The design was a cluster-randomized trial with an analytic sample of 36 teachers randomly assigned to teach a photosynthesis- and respiration-focused module including student-designed investigations supported by online mentoring from scientists. Forty-nine teachers were randomly assigned to teach photosynthesis and respiration to students as they normally would. The core finding was that implementing the module in combination with the online mentoring resulted in significant effects on student achievement (effect size = 0.284) and attitudes toward scientists (effect size = 0.280). The study sample was highly representative, demographically, to the US population of high schools. Future research should replicate the current study design, with the current and other related interventions, while examining component-specific costs and efficacy. Related studies should also examine the relationship between the quality of scientist-student dialogue and student outcomes.

The monitoring of pH changes due to dissolved carbon dioxide from algal balls offers a way for students to acquire good understanding of the processes of photosynthesis and respiration. Here, 54 high school participants were enlisted to conduct the experiment physically and with an Augmented Reality (AR) tool developed. A survey conducted after the exercise revealed the AR tool achieved overall higher scores in four out of six experiential factors compared with physical experimentation overall. Nevertheless, the participants supported using both modes to enhance their learning.

The nodules on the roots of soybeans provide N that the plant uses for growth and development. The goal of this study is to observe if the number of nodules on the taproot, volume of nodules on the taproot, the total number of nodules, or the number of nodules on the secondary roots in the early growth stages of soybeans have a significant correlation with the amount of elemental N in mature seed. The Soybean Nodule Acquisition Pipeline was used to quantify these traits and the mature seed was analyzed to obtain the amount of elemental N. The data set used for this project consisted of six genetically and phenotypically diverse soybean lines from two unique sites in 2018. Strong positive correlations were discovered between the number and volume of nodules on the taproot and the amount of N in mature seed. There was a less significant correlation between total nodule counts and N in mature seeds. There was not a strong significant correlation between nodules on the secondary roots and N in mature seeds.

This research study focuses on 31 families (n = 105 individuals) and their experience using a place-based e-Trailguide to observe and learn about the local biodiversity during a hike. Open-ended interviews were conducted with each family after their hike with the e-Trailguide to assess shifts in biodiversity awareness. 190 interview responses were thematically coded into 17 different categories. Results showed that new awareness of tree characteristics, plant identification, and insect species were reported most often. Overall, families' new awareness of plants was reported more than animals. Implications highlight the value of place-based and temporal-specific content when designing outdoor-based mobile programs for families.

Knowledge about plant nutrition and photosynthesis is key to the scientific literacy of citizens. However, numerous studies have shown the existence of about 50 alternative ideas related to this content. In this work, carried out based on a reflection-action process, two studies based on the ideas of our 12-18 year old students are presented, as well as those of the Teacher Training Master of the Complutense University of Madrid (Spain); we propose a new approach to teach these topics and others related. In addition, the most interesting ideas from an analysis on some of the main university manuals of Plant Physiology on the subject of photosynthesis are shown to finally propose a teaching model of this content that has been applied and evaluated in two Educational Centres of the Community of Madrid, getting good results.

This research investigates students' learning about the electron transport chain (ETC) process in photosynthesis by watching a video followed by playing a serious board game--"Electron Chute"--that models ETC. The learning objectives targeted enriching a mental model that students could use to explain the causal relationship of the ETC common misconceptions students hold. Eighth graders (N = 120) participated in a one-day activity using a video and game designed by the researchers to model ETC. This model explained how sunlight energy was converted into ATP involving a flow of electrons. A quasi-experimental design involved a pre-test/post-test essay where students from the two treatments--video only and video+game--were asked to interpret a diagram about ETC. Playing "Electron Chute" after watching the video was effective on addressing misconceptions about sunlight absorption by chlorophylls, oxygen, ATP and NADPH production and the electron flow during ETC. A survey collected data about students' experiences after the video+game treatment. The majority of students agreed that playing the game increased their ability to explain how plants use light energy. This study demonstrates a principled approach for designing a video and game to support students' ability to make sense of how complex systems work.

Background: Although pollinators play an integral role in human well-being, their continued global decline reflects the need to provide and evaluate general pollinator knowledge to promote their conservation. Enhancing learners' understanding of the complexity inherent in pollination systems within the science classroom may help them make more informed decisions regarding pollinator conservation actions. By measuring conceptual understanding of pollination systems, science educators can identify learners' knowledge needs and inform their teaching in science classrooms. Based on previously developed theoretical frameworks describing pollination systems knowledge, we created and evaluated a new instrument to assess pollination systems and conservation actions knowledge. The Pollination Systems Knowledge Assessment (PSKA) is a multiple-true-false instrument containing 18 question stems and 70 accompanying T-F items encompassing three organizational components of pollination knowledge regarding (1) plant structures, (2) pollinator structures and behaviors, and (3) pollination systems function and pollinator conservation. Results: We refined the PSKA based on expert discussions, think-aloud interviews, and pilot testing before and after presenting a wild pollinator conservation unit within a postsecondary science literacy course. The PSKA elucidated learners' misconceptions and revealed discriminating items from the three organizational components of pollination systems knowledge. Conclusions: The PSKA may aid educators in exploring learners' conceptual understanding, identifying areas of misconceptions, and refining educational programming aimed at improving learners' pollination systems knowledge.

Finding ways to utilize technology to engage the digital generation with the outdoors is important for many reasons. Spending time outside is associated with improvement in mental and physical health which has been demonstrated to decline with high users of technology. Positive outdoor experiences help shape conservation behavior which is essential as we face the challenges of biodiversity loss and climate change. This paper reviews the implications of high technology use and the effects on time spent engaged with the natural world. It also explores the possibilities of utilizing technology to increase outdoor engagement. Drawing on the experience of Pokémon Go, a native plants tour was created utilizing an app that mimicked the same technology. A group of teens aged 12-18 field tested the tour to see how this technology engaged them in learning about native plants with the ultimate goal of increasing environmental stewardship and community engagement.

Photosynthesis is the most effective cycle and sustainable natural process known in nature. Students who learn the subject of photosynthesis well will also make better sense of other issues such as environmental problems, the state of the atmosphere, greenhouse gases, climate changes, carbon footprints and conservation of forests. The aim of this study is to present an example of a worksheet that investigates the skill levels possessed by preservice teachers in the causal process, and also to examine their ability to write a photosynthesis equation by means of a history-based approach that also includes reading skills. The study was conducted with the action research method. The study sample consisted of a total of 71 preservice biology teachers. At the first stage, before the implementation of the worksheet, 34 teacher candidates from within the sample were asked a question with a diagram summarising the photosynthesis process. At the second stage, all the prospective teachers were asked for the skill levels they possessed in the causal process to be assessed via implementation of the worksheet. The answers given by the preservice teachers in the defining variables section in particular make up the least answered section of the worksheet. In the section of the worksheet related to making inferences, The students were asked to write the four separate equations by revising them incrementally, and it is striking that the rates of correct answers given for each were high. There is a need for teaching materials to be designed in the field of science at university level and for these to be made available to science teachers in book format.

The aim of this study is to present pre-service biology teachers with reading texts about the research of Van Helmont and Joseph Priestley relate to the subject of photosynthesis, for their familiarization with the processual and contextual aspects of science and their understanding of the nature of science, and to reveal the extent to which these texts contribute to the teacher candidates. The study was carried out by "action research method". The sample consisted of 66 biology pre-service teachers studying at Karadeniz Technical University between the years of 2016 to 2018. In this study, two separate reading texts were prepared in order to increase pre-service teachers' processual and contextual understanding, and after the teacher candidates had read the texts, they were asked to answer the related questions. Percentage and frequency values were determined by grouping the answers as "correct, partially correct, incorrect and unanswered". The fact that in this study, only 47% of the pre-service teachers were able to form a correct hypothesis means that their skills in this regard are in need of development. Candidates experienced some difficulty in interpreting statements that were not given explicitly in the text. The candidates' level of critical thinking is at a good level. It has been determined that they have post-modern view as epistemological belief. There is a need for designing instructional materials covering conceptual, processual, contextual dimensions of science in different subjects at university level and presenting them to biology teachers in book format.

This research aimed to assess the knowledge of photosynthesis among students in agricultural education and understand the influence of the contextual factors on it. In photosynthesis, biomass is produced, so understanding these processes is essential for successful agriculture. The research sample consisted of 330 students in agricultural education in Slovenia. Data were collected with a knowledge test and a contextual questionnaire. Better knowledge of photosynthesis was positively related with higher awareness of the importance of biology as a science and of photosynthesis. There was no significant relation between the knowledge of photosynthesis and positive attitudes toward biology lessons. The average achievement on the knowledge test of photosynthesis was 56%: the highest on the item about energy and the lowest on the item about the primary purpose of photosynthesis. Between these two achievements was the knowledge of reactants and products in photosynthesis, and the knowledge concerning chlorophyll. Considering these results, improvements should be made in teaching. For this population, more experimental and less theory-based lessons were suggested. The findings could benefit biology and science teachers in agricultural education and help improve national curriculum for biology in agricultural programmes.

Recently, the research about innovative approaches in the education of blind (non-visual--NV) students has intensified; however the use of dichotomous keys (DK) in their botanical education has not yet been examined. This research explored the contribution of two self-generated dichotomous keys (DK) for plant identification (a digital version--DDK and a printed version--DPK), to the botanical education of NV students. The research included 100 students, with an average age of 24, divided into 2 groups. Group E1 determined the plants using the DDK while in Group E2 plants were identified using the DPK. The DDK contributed more than the DPK in helping the NV participants to acquire the quality and durability knowledge they need to identify different plant groups (woody, bushy and herbaceous plants). The NV has the greatest success in the identification of woody plants, and the least success in the identification of herbaceous plants. The members of both groups (E1, E2) had positive opinion about the contribution of the applicable dichotomous key to their knowledge, the activities in it. Due to this fact, both versions of DKs are recommended as new assistive tools in the botanical education of NV students.

This research aimed to assess the influence of the method of conceptual change on understanding the concept of increasing the mass of plants among 414 students in agricultural education in Slovenia. In photosynthesis, biomass is produced, so understanding these processes is essential for successful agriculture. Data were collected using a knowledge test and a questionnaire that were administered before and after the traditional and experimental teaching units. The results allowed the conclusion that the method of the conceptual change (experimental teaching unit) was significantly more effective than the traditional method in improving the understanding of the contribution of solar energy and carbon dioxide to the increase in the mass of plants. There was no significant difference in the improvement of knowledge about the contribution of the minerals that plants receive through their roots. Understanding the contribution of water to the increase of the mass should be tested further because of the unexpected misconception that influenced the results that was found among students. Students' attitudes toward biology and photosynthesis were significantly better after the experimental teaching unit. Considering these findings, other topics should be prepared using the method of the conceptual change to assist biology and science teachers in agricultural education.

This study explored how the use of three different pedagogical frameworks (community science, storytelling, and inquiry-based learning) influenced learners' awareness and appreciation of flagellate plants in an undergraduate online botany course. Students' opinions, attitudes, and perceptions toward science were explored using the Classroom Undergraduate Research Experience survey. Qualitative and quantitative results indicated that although most students appreciated all three activities, the storytelling activity produced the most positive perceptions of learning. Logistic regression analyses demonstrated that gender and attitudes toward science influenced student perceptions of the activities. Positive science attitudes predicted positive perceptions of the activities, and female students were more likely to report positive perceptions. These results suggest that as a pedagogical framework for organizing learning activities, storytelling holds potential for promoting positive attitudes toward science and science learning, particularly with female learners.

The decreasing number of young students pursuing science careers has become a rising concern worldwide, particularly in China. Educational programs with empirical evidence of promoting young students' pursuit of science careers are still lacking. Here, drawing on the existing literature, we designed and implemented a 3-day quasi-apprenticeship program in a research botanical garden of China. We used a pre-post test design, with hypotheses based on the Theory of Planned Behavior and provided both quantitative and qualitative data to evaluate the efficacy of the program on 319 seventh- and eighth-grade Chinese students from 15 public schools. The quantitative findings by using generalized estimating equations indicated that students' attitudes, subjective norms, science self-efficacy, and career intention were significantly enhanced after the program; the structural equation modeling result showed that the enhancement of career intention could be explained by increases in subjective norms and science self-efficacy. The qualitative findings also supported the notion that a high proportion of students mentioned gains in increased science self-efficacy from attending the program. We suggest a short-term program, engaging students in group work of authentic science practices with mentors in an authentic context, might be a cost-effective strategy for supporting Chinese young students' pursuit of science careers. This study also provides valuable information, through both pedagogical and theoretical structure elements, for educators and researchers who design, deliver, and evaluate educational programs to promote secondary school students' pursuit of science careers.

We often say food and fuels "contain" energy. It is more accurate to say that energy is stored in the "fuel-oxygen system" generated during photosynthesis. It is definitely "not" stored in fuels or food (except for the very small amount of energy that can be obtained during anaerobic respiration). Aerobic respiration is the process in which the separated oxygen rejoins the food/fuel, so transferring the energy to the cells of plants and animals. The handheld simplified model developed in this article suggests more accurately how the energy is stored in the fuel-oxygen system and later transferred. Ideas for teaching and understanding climate change are also suggested. Since the ideas suggest a profound change in the way we think about food and energy, the article ends with a discussion that we hope will stimulate others to comment and contribute.

Although young children in Early childhood education (ECE) in Australia are often involved in learning in outdoor natural environments, research on their knowledge and attitudes towards plants is limited. Botanical literacies in young children involve developing knowledge and curiosity about plants, formulating questions about plants, and critically and ethically thinking about plants and their environments. This study explored young children's knowledge and attitudes of the flora in the native bushlands on their school grounds. A total of 41 children, aged five to eight from two schools in Western Australia were involved in the research over one school year. Fortnightly visits to the school bushlands with the lead researcher involved bush walks, informal and formal conversations about plants, children creating drawings, maps and taking photographs, as well as visits from local Indigenous people to share Indigenous knowledge of the plants. The data were analysed using content analysis and a revised version of (Uno, American Journal of Botany 96:1753-1759, 2009) levels of botanical literacies. The results of this research led to the development of a framework for developing botanical literacies in ECE.

In this research word association test was used to explore the cognitive structure of Pre-service science teachers about biological energy metabolism. The participant group constitutes 67 Preservice students at a university in Black Sea Region of Turkey. Ten key concepts in General Biology course were given as a stimulating word and a mind map was established by using the frequency values of valid response words. The results showed that the total number of different response words for the key word "enzyme" is the highest with "cell" and "energy" being higher than others and for the key word "photosynthesis" is the lowest. The mind map also showed that they based their cognitive perceptions of the biological energy mechanism mostly on scientific concepts that are emphasized in the lessons and are academically acknowledged and included in the concepts used in everyday life at the least. However, they were not able to see the key concept "enzymes" as a part of branched network and they had also problems regarding the respiratory event in the plants as well as realization process of photosynthesis in the cellular level. Implications of the results in terms of understanding the subject of biological energy metabolism are also discussed.

The aim of the research is to determine the perceptions of the preservice science teachers about the photosynthesis and to reveal the relation between these perceptions and the misconceptions of the existing concepts. In the research, field scanning method was used as a descriptive research method. The sample of the research is composed of 355 preservice science teachers trained in different universities. For the selection of the sample, purposeful sample selection was used and attention was paid to the fact that the preservice science teachers had taken the General Biology-I and General Biology-II courses at the undergraduate level in the determination of the class level to be included in the study. The "Photosynthesis Concept Achievement Test" (PCAT) developed by the researcher and composed of 4 questions was used as a data collection tool. Quantitative data obtained from the study were analyzed using SPSS.20 package program while content analysis was performed in the analysis of qualitative data. As a result of the research, it was determined that the preservice science teachers' perceptions of photosynthesis were in the direction of chemical and biological approaches and that the teacher candidates preferred the chemical approach rather than the biological approach. However, preservice science teachers who prefer the chemical approach have reached the conclusion that they are in much more misconception than the biologically approaching teacher candidates.

This grounded theory study explored the pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) of experienced agriculture teachers in the plant sciences. The central phenomenon that emerged during data collection and analysis was the influence of beliefs on shaping participants' PCK. This finding guided subsequent collection and analysis that resulted in the following central research question: what shapes experienced agriculture teachers' PCK in plant sciences? The data presented here focused on the most emergent category shaping PCK, integrated belief systems, which included participants' beliefs about the purpose of agricultural education, beliefs about plant science education, and beliefs about teaching and learning in agricultural education. A substantive level theory was developed that illustrated the relationships between the three belief components on participants' PCK. These findings support further investigation into how beliefs are shaping agriculture teachers' PCK in plant sciences and other agriculture content areas.

In this study, it was aimed to examine the science preservice teachers' conceptual structures about the metabolic events taking place and the forms of energy in a cell. In the study, the descriptive model was used. In the study carried out during the spring semester of the 2017-2018 academic year participated a total of 123 third and fourth year preservice teachers studying at Science Education Division of the Education Faculty of Uludag University. The preservice teachers were asked to write down the metabolic events taking place and the forms of energy in the cell. The documents belonging to the preservice teachers composed the qualitative data of the study. In the data analysis process, since 13 of the preservice teachers did not write any answers, the documents belonging to 110 preservice teachers were taken into evaluation. As a result of the analysis of the documents, a total of 306 answers were obtained, 186 of them were related to the metabolic events and 120 of them were related to the forms of energy. In the data analysis, the content analysis method was used. The data sets belonging to the frequencies and the percentages of the metabolic events and forms of energy specified by the preservice teachers were transformed into tables and graphs. According to the results, a great majority of the preservice teachers' conceptual structures related to the metabolic events were limited to respiration and photosynthesis and those which were related to the energy forms were limited to ATP, light and heat. [This study was presented at the National Conference on Biology Education (2nd, Aksaray, Turkey, July 3-5, 2018).]

The importance of biodiversity to the health of our planet is increasingly being discussed, not only by scientists, but by the public at large. Therefore, an understanding of how human activities are affecting biodiversity is vital for informed participation in society, and thus it is an important topic for liberal arts education. Here, I present the protocol and results for a field activity that I have used in a non-majors' biology course to investigate the influence of anthropogenic disturbances on plant communities. Students surveyed plant-species abundances in five sites that had experienced a range of disturbance regimes, including protected nature trails, mowed fields, and a ruderal (waste) site. Disturbances had a negative impact on measures of species richness, evenness, and diversity; moreover, disturbances made the plant communities much more susceptible to invasion by alien species. While the approach taken in this study worked very well in my non-majors' course, it could easily be adapted and refined for use in ecology, conservation, and botany courses for biology majors.