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Laboratory experience is an integral part of the undergraduate curriculum in most engineering courses. When physical learning is not feasible, and when the demand cannot be met through actual hands-on laboratory sessions, as has been during the COVID-19 pandemic, virtual laboratory courses can be considered as an alternative education medium. This study focuses on developing a generic modular virtual laboratory framework that allows engineers, game designers, and developers to build lab experiments as serious games--games with ulterior motives rather than only entertainment--without writing additional code. A virtual lab serious game for civil engineering's soil mechanics course was created in Unity3D as a WebGL game, and it was tested within the framework by 24 students (12 from the Civil Engineering Department, the rest from computer science-related degrees). Seven faculty members evaluated if the serious game met the learning outcomes. In addition, nine engineers and designers assessed the framework's capabilities and analyzed its flexibility and reuse aspects. To analyze the usability and acceptability of the created game, standard questionnaires such as the technology acceptance model, system usability scale, and presence were employed. The study was done in two phases: participants tested the first version of the game, and the second version was built based on their feedback on the first version. The findings indicate that the modular structure has significant potential for use in a variety of fields and laboratory courses. The proposed game has received very positive feedback and can be considered a use case for the potential of games in interactive virtual laboratories.

Experimentation is a contributing factor to the interest and meaningful learning of Science. In Geology and Earth Science, the effects of soil textures, settlements, and water-holding capacity are parameters for landslides in Barotac Viejo and other flooded areas. Landslides are triggered during heavy rainstorms, causing severe property damage and casualties. This experimental study aims to determine how these parameters are factors for landslides and give accurate information to Science teachers. The study uses two methods to provide ease and continuity of measurements and settings using the Fourier Transform Infrared(FTIR) spectroscopy in analyzing the soil textures. The Imhoff cone instrument is for the settling and water-holding capacity of the soil. FTIR Soil analysis reveals that contents of clay and organic matter directly affect soil water-holding ability due to the larger surface area. A landslide-prone zone has a lesser settling time except for the sand that settles fastest due to larger masses. This study is crucial for science teachers teaching geology and earth sciences besides forecasting and preventing geohydrological processes and developing better landslide warning strategies to mitigate risks and reduce socioeconomic damage.

Continuous professional development is critical for Extension staff, and many agriculture-focused Extension employees are tasked with outreach related to a wide variety of natural resource topics. The purpose of this study is to help prioritize trainings needed by Kansas Extension agents and specialists based on their current level of knowledge and interest in staying up to date on 18 different natural resource topics. Responses to a statewide survey were analyzed using the Borich model. Results indicate priority professional development needs related to soil health; effects of climate; invasive species, harmful algal blooms; and groundwater, surface water, and air quality.

Beginning abruptly in the second half of the Spring 2020 semester at Purdue University, we modified our teaching approach in Introductory Soil Science and Forest Soils courses (AGRY 255/270) with a combined annual enrollment of [approximately]370 students to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic. In that semester, we went to entirely virtual lecture, lab, and discussion sessions with limited instructor-to-student interaction to reduce the spread of COVID-19. From Fall 2020 to Spring 2022, we re-instituted many of our pre-COVID-19 practices, with some COVID-19 modifications, as we adjusted to the new normal. These modifications included (1) an introductory video released at the start of the semester to explain the course structure and expectations for students who begin the semester ill or in quarantine and could not attend the first lecture in-person or live virtual, (2) lectures and exam reviews delivered in multiple formats (i.e., in-person, live over Zoom, and recorded/pre-recorded) to increase student access to these materials throughout the semester, (3) allowing early access to weekly online lab materials at the completion of the previous week (instead of after the next week's lecture) to allow students 3 more days to complete the online portion of the lab, and (4) creating digital versions (photographs and videos) of the hands-on lab materials and virtual field trips for students in quarantine or with excused absences. When activities were primarily virtual, we found email reminders were needed to make sure that students stayed on task and met course deadlines. Adjustments necessary during the early days of the pandemic that were not continued include (1) an assigned and supervised 1-h lab time (rather than unscheduled and self-guided student access to the lab) and (2) online live exams.

Student-student interactions are influential parts of field experiences. While competitive judging events are a fun way to engage students in field-based learning, the focus on competition leads to an atmosphere that discourages collaboration between students. The objective of this study was to evaluate the cognitive and affective learning outcomes resulting from intercollegiate collaboration at a soil judging competition. Teams with students from two to three different universities were assigned and referred to as jumble judging teams. Jumble judging was held for the first time in the 2021 Region 5 Collegiate Soil Judging Contest. Learning outcomes were assessed using a pre- and postsurvey, as well as group and individual reflections completed in the field. Student responses were generally positive, with 70% of students expressing agreement or strong agreement that they would like jumble judging to be included in future contests, 54% citing jumble judging as one of the best parts of the contest, and 93% identifying learning outcomes or describing an affective learning experience resulting from jumble judging. Evidence of both cognitive and affective learning were identified through student surveys and reflections. Overall, the event created a collaborative and collegial atmosphere and increased interaction between students from different universities, while maintaining the competitive nature of the event that motivates many students to get involved with judging teams.

Literature circles are student-led, small-group discussions that promote active learning and engagement with literary texts. The objective of this study was to assess the impact of literature circles on student engagement and learning outcomes in a pedology course. For various reading assignments throughout the semester, students either participated in a literature circle or watched a lecture. The two class formats were compared in terms of subject matter covered, student attitudes on a survey, and students' use of material from the readings on essay-style exam questions. The study was repeated over two semesters, in an online format the first year and in-person the second year. The lectures and student discussions often focused on somewhat different aspects of the readings. Students felt that they learned more from the literature circles compared to the lectures and did more reading when preparing for the literature circles. However, on the final exam, students more frequently cited materials taught in the lecture format, and there was no significant difference in essay scores between students who primarily used content from literature circles compared to those who primarily used content taught as lectures. The literature circle format actively engages students in reading, is preferred by most students, and is readily adapted for online learning, but does not differ from lectures in terms of learning outcomes measured on a final exam.

Programs that emphasize the important, multifaceted roles that soils play as the interfaces between humanity and the earth are needed to attract new students from diverse backgrounds. The Basic and Environmental Soil Science Training Research Experience for Undergraduates (BESST REU) site aims to provide undergraduates from a variety of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics disciplines with a substantive research experience on modern soil science while developing professional and technical skills. Here, we examine data from the first five BESST cohorts pre- and post-activity surveys, assessing effects of the experience on students' research skills, knowledge about soil science, and science self-efficacy. Results suggest that both program-wide, common experiences, such as our geomorphology field camp, and specific, individual, mentored research experiences were important to student outcomes. Students experienced significant increases in their capacity to conduct research, knowledge about soil science, and confidence in carrying out scientific tasks. Further, qualitative data suggest that the program fundamentally impacted how students saw themselves and understood the task of "doing science." Experiences provided by REU programs such as BESST are valuable to help students refine their personal goals and understanding of communication and collaboration within research. BESST also helped students to better understand and communicate the role of soil scientists.

In spring 2016, a course at Ohio State University (OSU) was introduced to teach advanced agronomic concepts and included the option to prepare students for the Certified Crop Adviser (CCA) exams offered by the American Society of Agronomy. From 2019 to 2021, revisions in instructional methods were implemented that introduced the use of pretests (in addition to posttests given at the end of instructional periods) and focused problem-solving within a teaching unit towards the end of the semester. Improvement in course exam performance for each period was measured, and student performance (SP) on the CCA exams relative to the general population was determined. Student course exam scores increased marginally (3%) from 2019-2021 compared to 2016-2018, though gains were not significant (p > 0.5). SP from 2016 to 2018 (n = 27) was 1%-5% greater than the general population for the international CCA exam (n = 3978) but was equal to or 1.5% below the general population for the local CCA exam (n = 784). SP from 2019 to 2021 (n = 21) was 7.8%-16.4% greater for all categories for both the international (n = 2330) and local (n = 419) exam general populations. Student passing rates on the international exam went from 25.3% to 52.8% greater than the general population from 2016-2018 to 2019-2021, respectively, and student passing rate for the local exam increased from 55.7% less than the general population in 2016-2018 to 26.7% greater than the general population in 2019-2021. These results suggest the modification of course instruction coincided with SP gains and may have contributed to improved performance of the student population compared to the general population.

Liberating Structures (LS) provide a user-friendly toolkit to shift group power dynamics and allow all stakeholders to contribute. We explored the novel use of LS in soil health extension to conduct high-engagement events with diverse stakeholders. Our goals were to promote social learning, networking, and to encourage innovation. Soil health themes emerged highlighting specific practices, and the necessity of addressing broader scope issues of education, economics, and policy. Participants reported increased knowledge of soil health, professional connections, and forecasted participation in soil-health-promoting activities. Participants also expressed a sense of community, expanded perspectives, and appreciation of the co-development process.

Teaching geography creates an opportunity for the transfer of knowledge about environmental problems and ways of solving them. Teachers from the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Turkey, and the United Kingdom indicated strengths and weaknesses of physical geography as well as the selected geographical concepts of: Maps/Cartography, Astronomy/The Earth in the Universe, Atmosphere, Hydrosphere, Endogenic processes, Exogenic processes, and Soils and biosphere. There was a variety in how confident students were around these topic areas. The main types of difficulties identified by the study were: too little time for implementation, difficult terminology, and lack of tools for the proper transfer of knowledge. Moreover, the attractiveness of individual issues for students also varies. The research clearly shows that students lack an awareness of problems related to the environment. There are considerable differences between the level of students' knowledge about climate change or air and water pollution (relatively high awareness of global warming) and issues related to soil and vegetation cover (low awareness of soil depletion, soil pollution, changing the boundaries of the occurrence of plant zones, etc.). To make people aware of the importance of environment, we should take care of education in relation to global challenge and sustainable development.

As our population continues to grow, the demand of a more efficient agriculture system heightens. We work to produce the highest yield possible to cover demands. Are we compromising our water quality for mass food production? In past years, the West Coast growers had been facing increasing struggles to farm with their allotted water often turning to groundwater use. California had to adopt measurements to regulate groundwater usage to protect the environment. The East Coast rain on the other hand faces with increasing amounts of algal blooms product of agricultural runoff derived from the consistent amount of rain received in that part of the country. Different approaches are being used to help reduce agricultural runoff like studies maintaining increased microbial activity in the soil to increase phosphorus uptake and preventing it from reaching waterways. California has passed the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act as an effort to encourage more conscious planning of water available.

The comprehension and calibration of 54 undergraduates were investigated as they read excerpts from an introductory geology textbook on weather and soil in print and digitally. All excerpts were approximately 1600 words in length and contained a graph, a diagram, and three photographs that complemented or extended the written text. Each student read two texts with medium and topic counterbalanced. Prior to reading, the students completed a demographic survey, rated their topic familiarity, and completed two topic knowledge pretests. They next read one chapter on either weather or soil in print or digitally and then answered a series of short-answer questions. The questions drew on content from the written text only, visuals only, or both. The same procedure was then repeated in the other medium. Analyses indicated processing multimodal texts in print was significantly more advantageous than processing those same texts digitally, and this difference was more pronounced for questions focused on visuals only. Students' self-rated topic familiarity was compared to their demonstrated topic knowledge for weather and soil and their predicted comprehension performance was compared to actual comprehension performance. Results showed that undergraduates' calibration was poor overall, but comprehension was overestimated more often when students read multimodal texts digitally.

Soil judging contests are important activities to explore the soil science and its relation to the natural world. They have been held for many years and proved to be very efficient for the student's engagement, field practice, and learning. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the soil science societies worldwide had to adapt this activity to the virtual environment. The objective of this article is to document two experiences tested in Brazil and the United States of America, exploring its potential as an innovative and widely available educational method for teaching soil science. The procedures developed in both countries are presented, and the students perceptions indicated that the virtual events are a viable way to hold the soil judging contest, contributing to their academic skills. The Brazilian and American experiences are viable models that can serve as a basis for other countries adopting this activity in their pedagogical planning and academic calendar.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, preexisting soil science laboratories were redesigned for self-guided learning (SGL). The SGL laboratories occurred on-campus during the fall 2020 semester in two introductory soil science courses at the University of Tennessee at Martin and Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Students carried out the activities by visiting multiple outdoor sites on campus, individually or in pairs, without the instructor. Students accomplished this by following instructions provided on location sign boards and instruction manuals. We evaluated student perceptions of the SGL laboratories using an optional qualitative survey that students completed post-laboratory and student performance on SGL activities using rubrics. Our results showed that students found the difficulty level and amount of time required for the SGL laboratories to be equal to traditional in-person laboratories. Most students found the SGL laboratories enjoyable or very enjoyable because of the flexibility and hands-on learning outdoors. Students recommended more SGL laboratories during and after the pandemic, preferably accompanied by frequent student--instructor interaction. Rubric analysis showed that SGLs were best suited for practicing previously learned skills in practical contexts and learning simple skills and concepts, but students did not perform well with complex and abstract concepts. Overall, students were able to successfully complete SGL laboratory activities in a hands-on yet socially distanced way. The results suggest that SGLs can be implemented in post-pandemic lectures and laboratory courses designed for hands-on learning in a distance learning format.

A dynamic and diverse workforce of agricultural professionals and scientists is needed to develop sustainable and innovative solutions for the challenges of food production for a growing population under the threat of climate extremes. One path to developing workforce talent is through summer research and extension experiences. The Applied Plant Systems (APS) Research and Extension Experiences for Undergraduates (REEUs) program provided 23 undergraduates a pathway to work with agricultural science, technology, engineering, and mathematics through plant and soil sciences research and extension programs. To develop the professional skills of interns and guide self-reflection, weekly Think Tank Sessions were organized to focus on teamwork, time management, decision-making, and systems thinking. To assess variation in the students' approach to their work, the Approaches and Study Skills Inventory for Students (ASSIST) was incorporated into program evaluation. Using a pre-post design, students' agreement with statements reflecting a deep, strategic, or surface approach to their work was measured. T-tests revealed significant increases in mean scores for subscales measuring Deep Approach, one subscale measuring Strategic Approach, and the subscale measuring fear of failure to reflect the Surface Approach. Increased fear of failure scores may be explained by new experiences working with research, peers, and mentors. Eight of 23 students who participated in a follow-up survey after the conclusion of the program reported increased knowledge of agricultural careers. Results provided evidence that the APS experience increased student confidence in facing challenges that require deeper and strategic thinking and elevated their attention to monitoring the effectiveness of their decisions and skills.

As the use of online education increases, technologies to improve the quality of learning have been improving alongside it. One method of information dissemination is virtual learning environments (VLE), in which educators can tailor digital lessons according to their subject and the needs of their students. For soil science, and field-based sciences in general, this technology holds great potential in addressing issues of accessibility. Field labs can be challenging due to monetary, time, and physical constraints; however, the use of VLE can allow for students to indefinitely access field settings in a safe and repeatable way with no additional cost. We have built the framework for and created an immersive soil science-based VLE in the Laramie Range Mountains, examining terrain and soils along six sites on a catena. When this VLE was used in a class of 26 upper level morphology and classification students as a supplemental field trip, scores before and after use were comparable; however, students reported an increase in engagement and interest in the VLE itself, as well a general increase in understanding of relationships between landscape processes and soil formation. Using this technology structure in distance learning enhances our ability to deliver high-quality, immersive, accessible content as natural science education progresses.

Enrollment in soil science courses at land grant universities in the United States has been stagnant or declining for the last 20 years and this trend is expected to continue in the foreseeable future. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate a newly developed course in drinking water and human health (DWHH) that was designed to widen soil science course offerings and attract students from other areas of natural resource sciences at the University of Idaho (UI). The DWHH course was first offered in 2004. Total enrollment in this class was initially 32 students; however, enrollment has grown significantly over the 20-year period to 72 students in spring 2023. The average enrollment of the 14 times this course was taught was 41.5 students. Because student demand was high, the course changed from an alternate year class (2004-2014) to an annual class in 2016. The course was only taught live on the Moscow campus until 2014. When the course was transformed into an online class, its enrollment became dominated by place-based students. Most students taking the class in the last 5 years have been off campus graduate students enrolled in non-thesis Master of Science degree programs. Course evaluations indicated that students that have taken this class are more satisfied with the course content, course materials, course organization, and the work requirement than the average course taught on campus at UI. This course has been popular and will continue to be an important course offering.

This study investigates the impact of instructional methods based on a one-day informal science field experience comparing a teacher-centered methodology versus a student-centered (inquiry-based) methodology. The 5E learning cycle was selected as the framework for implementing the inquiry-based learning for the treatment groups as it provides the structure of the constructivist learning cycle (Duran & Duran, 2004). The research design followed a quasi-experimental design with a total of three control and three treatment groups representing two individual schools. Each school included at least one treatment and one control group. The study included 117 third grade students. Both groups were given a pre and post assessment measuring the impact of the instructional method of inquiry presented in the 5E format. An independent-measures t-test was used to analyze the results of the means for the post-test assessments (treatment and control) and the means of the retention assessments. Pre-tests indicated variations of prior knowledge between the control and treatment groups. Post-tests indicated similar results of knowledge gains. However, the retention tests for the treatment groups revealed students increased their knowledge from the time of their post-test. The control groups' retention results were similar to their post-test results indicating knowledge was maintained.

Experiments are an important way of working in the geography classroom. They promote and require numerous geographic skills. At the same time, experiments are only used comparatively rarely in geography lessons in Germany. In order to increase the frequency of experiments in the classroom and to better exploit their potential, GeoBoxes have been developed. These can be borrowed by teachers and contain all materials and worksheets. In the article the steps of the development of the GeoBox are presented. In addition, the concept, which aims in particular at a cognitive activation of the students during experimentation, is presented. Accompanying research provides first indications that the GeoBox seems to be suitable to arouse especially the situational interest of the students.

In this study, high school students' perceptions about the concept of soil were tried to be determined through metaphors. The phenomenological design was used in the research. Data from the study was collected from 451 students studying in four different types of high schools in the central district of Kütahya. As part of the study, students were distributed written data collection tools "Soil is like ... because...", and students were asked to write their metaphors and justifications for the concept of soil. The collected data was analyzed by content analysis technique. 133 different metaphors were produced by the students in relation to the concept of soil. This result showed that students perceived the soil as multifaceted. Among the metaphors produced, the most preferred metaphors were "mother" (48), "human" (47), "life" (40), "heart" (29), "water" (22) and "homeland" (16). It has been observed that students are influenced by mythological, cultural and religious factors in their choice and justification of metaphors. Metaphors have been studied under 10 different categories. Considering these categories, it was concluded that students' perceptions about the concept of soil were positive and that they were aware of the importance of soil in living life. In addition, it was understood that soil, which is a geographical concept, cannot be considered separately from its mythological, cultural and religious contexts. As a result of research, the versatility of the soil appears in curriculum units for Geography and Social Studies, in textbooks as a living being and the source of life; and the importance of soil as a resource will transfer to the student from presentation of the content of the course. The geographical, mythological, cultural and religious aspects of soil are to be included in activities that will allow us to detect soil as a whole have been proposed.

The purpose of this study is to explore the effect of project on children's attitude toward environmental balance. This study is a qualitative study using a holistic single case study design involving "compost cases", at a kindergarten in Perak, Malaysia. The participants consisted of a focus group of 18 children and an educator. The data was obtained through triangulation results from unstructured interview, observation, and unofficial documents such as children notebooks, sketches, and pictures of investigative activities. The findings showed that the children understand the negative impact of using chemicals on Earth. The finding also showed that children able to give suggestions on producing compost, burying food scraps in the soil and use the compost dining set for banquet to deal with waste management problems. In addition, the finding showed that children able to classify waste materials which is easily decompose for compost production. The finding also showed that activities project able to develop entrepreneurial attitudes in children to sell the product produced. The valuable experience through observation and hands-on activities from early childhood will help the continuity of learning process throughout their lives.

The main aim of this paper was to analyze how medicinal gardens in secondary schools can improve teaching-learning processes in rural settings. The sample comprised 179 students (69.3% girls) from a rural public secondary school in the province of Huila (Colombia). The age of the participants ranged from 15 to 17 years with a mean of 15.86 years (SD = 0.86). Seeking school motivation strategies for rural students from a rural institution in the municipality of Guadalupe, teachers of the natural sciences designed didactic-pedagogical alternatives employing situated learning that would allow them to contribute to solving school problems and environmental issues affecting rural areas. The environmental phenomena included the loss of fertile soils and the harmful effects of the use of agrochemicals. Medicinal gardens together with situated learning activities proved a useful teaching tool in formal rural educational settings.

The importance of the soil being a source for human existence and sustaining life has caused to the wide meaning to the soil. The aim of this study is to analyze the metaphorical perceptions of middle school students about the concept of soil within the social studies program. The participants of the study are secondary school students selected through purposeful sampling. Phenomenology, one of the qualitative research methods, was used in the study. In the study the perceptions of the participants about the concept of soil and the meaning they attributed to this concept were analysed to reveal. The data of the study were collected through the statements such as "Soil is like .... Because…". 89 secondary students have produced 36 metaphors about the concept of soil. Frequent metaphors produced by students include: human, life, being living, homeland, mother and heart. Metaphors are grouped by considering the subject-source relationship, and as a result, two categories and two sub-categories emerge. Soil, a living being for students is perceived in terms of the source of life and productivity. Soil is associated with both social and science subjects at this point. Soil perceived as a value is considered both a national-spiritual value and an economic value.

This manuscript is a published account of the 2019 Distinguished Lecture of the American Association of Agricultural Education (AAAE) Annual Meeting. The theme of this lecture is regenerative agriculture which the author considers to be one of the most important agricultural movements occurring today. The author speaks to fellow Agricultural educators of the ever increasing vulnerability of the food system. He argues that although modern technology has elevated most peoples' food security and material wealth, this has occurred at the expense of natural resources upon which humans ultimately depend. He informs the audience that this country now has a significantly degraded resource base in which the availability of quality soils, water resources, and other essential inputs are threatened. Additionally, the author makes the case that industrialization and consolidation has increased food value chain interdependence with other systems such as energy, decreasing the resilience of food systems to economic, environmental, or social shocks from the local to global scale. The author cautions that Agriculture must therefore be adaptive and able to address environmental, social, cultural and economic complexity, while being alert to unintended consequences. While agreeing that the hardest thing to do in the world is to grow or raise food while at the same time regenerating ecosystems process, the author also warns that sustaining our natural resources does not go far enough, and advances the need to regenerate our soils and the overarching ecosystem processes that determine the health of the land.

This study assessed the environmental knowledge, attitude and behaviour among market women in the Nigerian city of Ibadan, Oyo State. A quantitative research design was adopted and 403 market women were randomly selected from different markets in Ibadan. Questionnaire items adapted from Fah and Sirisena (2014) and Abdullahi and Tuna (2014) were pilot-tested among female artisans in Ibadan. Data collected from the study were analyzed using frequency counts, simple percentages, ANOVA, and regression analysis. Results of the analysis revealed that market women have good knowledge about erosion, water pollution, amongst others but lack knowledge in the area of soil degradation. Market women also have pro-environmental attitude based on their responses and they exhibit environmentally responsible behaviours in the area of tree planting, refuse disposal etc. but display irresponsible environmental behaviour by not switching off electricity gadgets when not in use. The findings also showed that there is a significant effect of environmental knowledge on environmental attitude, environmental attitude on environmental behaviour and the joint effects of environmental knowledge and attitude on environmental behaviour among market women.

In science education, there has been a sustained focus on supporting the emergence of science practices in K-12 and field-based settings. Recent work has elevated the integral role of emotion in sparking and sustaining such disciplinary practices, deepening the field's understanding of what is entailed in "doing" science. Yet even as we gain this richer understanding of practice, less attention has been given to the places where practice emerges. These places play a critical role in the co-emergence of emotion and practice, and while separate strands of research have elevated emotion and practice or, alternately, place and practice, rarely has their dynamic relationship been considered together. In this article, I explore this interplay of emotion, place, and practice emergent in children's sampling practices within a multiweek curriculum centered around their schoolyard soil ecosystem. Through a comparative case study analysis of two student pairs using video data, student interviews, and classroom artifacts, my analysis reveals how children's emergent emotion was entangled in their relationships with the schoolyard and life within, shaping not only how they engaged in sampling practices but also what dimensions of the ecological system they attended to. I argue that emotion and place should be central to the design, teaching, and analysis of learning contexts, in turn centering the social and emplaced dimensions of science disciplinary practices for children and scientists alike. Implications for science teaching and learning are discussed, with particular consideration of field-based sciences.

The interactions of climate change and soils (ICCS) are scarcely examined in Climate Change Education (CCE). Analyzing the pre-conceptions of secondary school students (n = 421) reveals a high number of missing answers (48.2%), while residual participants responded with either medium (33.3%) or low (11.5%) complexity levels. The natural and the human sphere are scarcely interconnected and mentioned positive feedback effects indicate students' spatial distance to the ICCS that occur in Alpine regions. In order to bridge these gaps with more elaborated and regional concepts, a careful consideration of ICCS content is urgently recommended for CCE.

Agriculture in much of Uganda is struggling, especially in Soroti District. Many of the issues are linked to the poor soils that are present in this region. Farmers in Soroti District will need to adopt various soil conservation techniques and practices to improve their soils over time and increase production.

Millions of ha of sodic soils exist around the world and the movement of water through these soils is most directly dictated by the concentration of Na and overall electrical conductivity of the soil, and minerology of the clay. Helping farmers, land managers, crop advisors, and students better understand why water moves or does not move in these soils is necessary so that proper management strategies for these soils can occur. The purpose of this article is to provide educators and extension specialists with demonstrations that help describe water movement through sodic and non-sodic soils. The first demonstration links water movement through sodic soils and how altering the concentration of Na and soluble salts influences water movement. The second demonstration allows audiences to link the movement of water through soil horizons having varying concentrations of Na, soluble salts, and clay. These demonstrations may be useful educational tools on how and why amendments are used for improving water movement within sodic soils and also to show restrictions in water movement through naturally-occurring natric or clay-enriched horizons.

This work presents an assessment of pre-service teachers' argumentative practice, after implementing a novel teaching-learning sequence on soil health including a citizen science programme, which was applied outdoors at the university garden. The sequence was implemented at five Spanish universities with 351 undergraduates studying Early Childhood and Primary Teacher Education. It posed a final assessment task consisting in a real-world situation that involved making decisions on science-related issues: students needed to argue whether it was possible to use a piece of land as a school garden, based on soil data provided in a variety of formats. To assess participants' level of achievement, a rubric was specifically designed by adapting the "Evidence-Explanation Continuum" approach, which was applied to a subsample of 123 answers (35%). Results evidenced that the process of knowledge-building discourse from initial data to final explanations involved a series of transformations of increasing difficulty, since the percentage of students who were able to correctly accomplish them decreased a long the continuum. Including the citizen science programme promoted the development of basic aspects of scientific literacy related to interpreting data and evidence scientifically but, for students to be generally capable of drawing evidence-based conclusions, argumentation practices should be regularly included in science classes.

Despite the growing importance of agricultural microbiology at the applied, productive and ecological levels, undergraduate degrees in Agronomy generally do not feature much microbiological experimentation. To address this deficiency, we have designed an experimental programme that evaluates the potential of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) for the biocontrol of fungal pathogens. The approach involves an experimental laboratory class in which Agronomy students evaluate the ability of a rhizospheric "Burkholderia" sp. strain to inhibit the development of "Sclerotium rolfsii" (the causal agent of 'white wilt' disease in peanut plants). The assays cover three aspects: biochemical mechanisms associated to biocontrol properties in the bacterium, bacterium-fungus interaction (plate inhibition assays), and plant-bacterium-fungus interaction (disease control assays). Students verify the bacterial strain's ability to produce fungi-degrading enzymes, inhibit fungal growth, and protect the plant by inhibiting disease development. The assays serve as an integrative basis on which to discuss relationships between plants, bacteria, and fungi in connection with a disease which affects important regional crops. This set of experiments should help students to develop different skills which will be key in their future professional career, such as handling and designing experimental assays; comparing, discussing and solving practical problems; and drawing conclusions from their observations and the results obtained.

Innovative didactive strategies such as online learning and flipped classroom can improve student performance while maximizing university resources and personnel. Assessing how students perceive courses designed using these strategies, as well as perform within them, is becoming increasingly important. An introductory soil science course at a 4-year land-grant university was taught (1) face-to-face (FTF, n = 110) with one 50-minute lecture per week and a 2-hour lab twice per week, using (2) flipped classroom (FC, n = 31) design in which most instruction occurred online with a 2-hour lab once per week, and (3) fully and asynchronously online (OL, n = 23). Students completed an end of the semester survey designed to assess perceptions of course utility, the utility of course components, and engagement level in the course. Proportional odds regression models and log odds ratios were used to assess how student perceptions of and performance in this course were influenced by teaching method or student class standing. Class standing had the strongest influence on responses to perception and engagement questions, while teaching method minimally influenced responses to perception and engagement questions. Furthermore, students with the largest odds of expressing potentially less positive perceptions -- in this case sophomores -- also had the largest odds of performing poorly in the course. These results suggest that FC and OL are viable options which can extend university resources, impact, and accessibility, and that student perceptions of college courses, which in this study varied by class standing, can influence their performance.

Scientists rely heavily on tree-ring records to better understand climate variability of the past millennium. Tree rings can also be utilized to give students a window into paleoclimate research, the methods scientists use, and the importance of scientific findings. Here, we present five online labs that introduce undergraduate students to the field of dendrochronology. Students learn about foundational tree-ring concepts and are guided to use many of the same tools and strategies as scientists, including exploring important field sites, measuring tree-ring data from those sites, using online paleoclimate databanks, and evaluating climate trends and extremes. The labs have been classroom tested and were modified based on a professional assessment, and faculty and student reviews. Faculty and student surveys and student lab grades show that the majority of students were able to meet the learning goals of the labs. Students reported that they felt they were working as scientists would, and, after completing the labs, that they better understood tree-ring science methods and applications. These materials were developed collaboratively with faculty input from a variety of institutions to have broad appeal and allow for use in a variety of classroom settings.

Estimation of soil texture is an essential skill for soil scientists, but a difficult skill to learn. We compared two approaches for teaching soil texture: the traditional flowchart approach and an experimental self-calibration method. Three lab sections of an introductory soil science class were assigned to learn by the flowchart method (n = 60) and three lab sections were assigned to learn by the self-calibration method (n = 53). Students who learned by self-calibration recorded data for observations related to clay (i.e., soil cohesion and plasticity) and sand (i.e., volume remaining after separating sand by washing) and instructors used this data to provide each student with a personalized method. Students who learned by the flowchart method practiced following a protocol by molding the soil into a ribbon to estimate clay and estimating sand by feel. After spending one lab period learning their assigned methods, all students attempted to identify the texture of four soils. The accuracy of texture class assignments was slightly higher for the self-calibration group (27%) compared to the flowchart group (20%). Students in the self-calibration group performed better at estimating clay because they were directed to use the method that worked best for them. However, the flowchart students performed better at sand estimation because feel is an easier technique to learn compared to separating sands by washing. The self-calibration approach is recommended for advanced soil science courses focused on field methods, with modification to incorporate feel as a metric for sand estimation.

Soil knowledge is essential to address modern global challenges. Soil science education began with soil survey and agricultural activities, with a focus on the traditional subdisciplines of soil chemistry, soil physics, pedology, soil mineralogy, and soil biology. Soil education has evolved to address the needs of an increasing variety of fields and increasingly complex issues, as seen through the move to teach soil content in programs such as biological and ecological sciences, environmental science, and geosciences. A wide range of approaches have been used to teach soil topics in the modern classroom, including not only traditional lecture and laboratory techniques but also soil judging, online tools, computer graphics, animations, and game-based learning, mobile apps, industry partners, open-access materials, and flipped classrooms. The modern soil curriculum needs to acknowledge the multifunctionality of soils and provide a suite of conduits that connect its traditional subdisciplines with other cognate areas. One way to accomplish this may be to shift from the traditional subdiscipline-based approach to soil science education to a soil functions approach. Strategies to engage the public include incorporating soil topics into primary and secondary school curricula, engaging the public through museums and citizen science projects, and explaining the significance of soil to humanity. Soil education has many challenges and opportunities in the years ahead.

The objective in this study was to explore factors that shape how residents manage their home landscapes, and we applied Rogers' (2003) Diffusion of Innovations to understand fertilizer practices and implications for Extension programming to address non-point source pollution. Data were drawn from a statewide survey of 1,197 Floridians. We identified the extent to which Floridians were using 10 residential fertilizer best practices, how Floridians' perceived characteristics of fertilizer innovations related to adoption, and evaluated how the educational needs pertaining to fertilizer use differed among non-innovative and innovative individuals. Respondents were most engaged in practices such as reading fertilizer packages and labels to apply the correct amount and least engaged in soil testing to inform fertilizer applications as well as asking their landscape professional about training. Floridians perceived the five characteristics of fertilizer best practices at a moderate level overall, and of these, characteristics, compatibility, trialability, and relative advantage predicted adoption. Innovative individuals were more interested in learning from colleagues, neighbors, and public organizations such as Cooperative Extension and government organizations. They were also more interested in learning by visiting an Extension office or through social media than those who were non-innovative. This study may inform policy-making such as local landscape ordinances and planning of Extension behavior change programs.

Modern technological advances and trends require new pedagogy and delivery of mapping materials to prepare the future workforce in the disciplines of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) for an increasingly technology-dominated society. The purpose of this study was to develop an Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI) Story Map "Soil Forming Factors: Climate" for multiple STEM disciplines based on the design guidelines from the Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning (CTML). The study incorporated a two-group post-test only design that utilized multiple methods of analysis, including a quality assessment of the ESRI Story Map using the five principles of effective storytelling, direct quantitative measures of learning (quiz), and surveys of participants' perceptions (PowerPoint presentation versus ESRI Story Map) using QualtricsTM. Survey results were summarized by gender, academic classification (year), and academic major program. The newly developed ESRI Story Map was an effective teaching tool as demonstrated by quiz scores and students' positive responses. Post-testing scores indicated that ESRI Story Maps were an effective way to learn and were viewed as effective as traditional teaching methods (e.g., PowerPoint). Additionally, students reported feeling comfortable using ESRI Story Maps. These positive responses were consistent by gender, major, and academic classification (year). This research indicates that adding audio may improve the use of this ESRI Story Map for educational concept delivery. Empirical studies such as this that include multifaceted quantitative and qualitative assessments are critical to understanding the benefits of new types of multimedia learning in an educational setting.

The relevant literature has shown that student teachers hold alternative conceptions of soil erosion. Even though Turkish science student teachers are expected to teach the concept of 'soil erosion' in lower secondary schools (grades 5-8), none of the earlier studies have explored their conceptual growth and/or mental models throughout a 4-year undergraduate program. Indeed, science (student) teachers, who play a pivotal role in teaching the sustainability of soil as an environmental heritage, are able to transfer their environmental knowledge and mental models to younger generations. Therefore, the aim of this research was to elicit science student teachers' (SSTs) understanding of soil erosion. In a cross-age comparison, the sample of the research was comprised of the first-year (n=54), second-year (n=62), third-year (n=60), and fourth-year of a four-year science education program (n=65), a total of 241 SSTs, enrolled at the Department of Science Education in Karadeniz Technical University in Turkey. A questionnaire with 4 open-ended questions and semi-structured interviews were used to collect data. The results indicated that the majority of the SSTs confused the concept of 'soil erosion' with the one 'landslide'. For this reason, the current research suggests the development of analogies and computer simulations to overcome this confusion.

Inquiry-based teaching methods have been found to enhance students' abilities to understand the process of scientific inquiry. The purpose of this study was to determine if middle school students taught through an inquiry-based teaching approach consisting of scientific skill development, scientific knowledge, and scientific reasoning were more likely to meet their respective science grade level expectation. Participants consisted of predominantly Hispanic sixth- and eighth-grade students enrolled in school enrichment programs through the MMSAEEC. Inquiry-based instruction was integrated within science classes using lessons in soil pH and water quality. Overall, sixth-grade students scored highest on items related to science skill, while the eighth-grade students scored highest on the science knowledge portion of the instrument. Regarding the sixth-grade students, science reasoning and science skill were found to be significant predictors of grade level expectation, while science skill was significant for the eighth-grade data. It is recommended that teachers incorporate inquiry-based learning strategies into their classrooms to encourage students to ask questions and refine their ability to think critically and solve problems. Further research is needed to clarify the role of science comprehension and the associated sub-dimensions with the ability to predict grade level expectation.

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.

The environmental issues surrounding agrochemical products facing people today include serious health and ecological problems. Scientific literacy is necessary for students to understand scientific knowledge and get ready for the future world. Therefore, this action research aims to promote scientific literacy, in the area of plant growth by using the Science, Technology, Society and Environment (STSE) approach that consists of 4 steps: 1) motivation; 2) exploration; 3) brainstorming; and 4) decision making. The participants are 35 special program students in grade 11. The PISA-like test and worksheets were used to collect data. Content analysis and triangulation were used to indicate the development of scientific literacy. The findings show that the students have better scientific literacy and higher competencies in explaining phenomena scientifically, evaluating and designing scientific inquiry and interpreting data and evidence scientifically. This study suggests that student collaboration is essential to improve the scientific literacy of students.

Indonesia, being a tropical area with high humidity, is a source of proliferation of worms. Soil-Transmitted Helminths infection is widespread in all rural and urban areas. Children who are infected usually experience lethargy, pallor or anemia, weight loss and listlessness, as well as decreasing their learning concentration and productivity. Prevention effort to reduce the incidence of Soil-Transmitted infection is conducted by providing the information on Soil-Transmitted Helminths infection. Health promotion cannot be separated from media because messages delivered through media can be more interesting and easier to understand. The purpose of this study is to determine the effectiveness of a pocket book to increase preventive behavior for Soil-Transmitted Helminths Infections. This type of research was a quasi-experimental study. The samples of this study were all elementary school infected students in grades 3, 4, and 5 with a package of interventions for the provision of a pocket book. The effectiveness of the pocket book is determined by using the t test. There are differences between the mean of knowledge and attitude, but the mean of behavior of Soil -Transmitted Helminths Infection before and after the pocket book is similar.

Teaching the fundamentals of chemical kinetics on the college level is challenging to teachers and students alike due to its abstract nature of concepts and limited connection with real context applications. This study consisted of two phases starting with designing a chemistry education for the sustainable development-based learning environment of reaction kinetics, followed by a case study in which students' perceptions toward learning chemistry by solving a real environmental problem using digital resources, spreadsheets, and an active learning environment, were explored. First, we designed a Socio-Scientific Environmental Chemistry module centered on the sorption kinetic processes of herbicides in volcanic ash derived soils (VADS) and their potential to pollute groundwater. The objective of the learning module was to contribute to the development of sustainability skills, to promote learning of contextualized chemistry knowledge, and to develop scientific skills. This module employs spreadsheets as computational tools in chemistry to model real sorption kinetic data of herbicides in VADS. The learning module was designed for one section of two Analytical Chemistry courses and one Physical Chemistry course of an undergraduate chemistry teacher-training program. After the design phase, the learning module was implemented in each course, and students' perceptions were gathered using the focus group technique. The sample was of 22 students distributed into three focus groups. The data collected were analyzed and categorized through qualitative content analysis using the Technological Pedagogical Science Knowledge (TPASK) framework. On the basis of our findings, the students acquired contextualized chemistry knowledge and develop skills and knowledge related to using digital resources and spreadsheets in a scientific context. Besides, the preservice chemistry teachers' knowledge of pedagogy allowed them to develop some elements of their pedagogical science knowledge and TPASK. This case study shows that the problem-based learning approach offers great potential in supporting a learning environment suitable to working with spreadsheets to solve real-environment problems in chemistry education.

A laboratory exercise was developed for the study of the effect of three cations (Al, Ca, and Na) on the flocculation and dispersion of soil particles. The exercise was designed for Soil Science undergraduate students in the second-course in the Agricultural Engineering and Environmental Sciences department at the University of Vigo. The students' exercise consisted of the addition of different concentrations of NaCl, CaCl[subscript 2], or AlCl[subscript 3] to a kaolinite water suspension and to an agricultural soil water suspension (a more complex system). The most relevant results showed that for the same cation concentration (equiv L-1), the effects on increased flocculation of colloidal material followed the sequence Al > Ca > Na, for both kaolinite and agricultural soil; that is, aluminum is the cation with the highest flocculation capacity, while Na is the cation with the lowest one. These differences are important for the sustainability of agricultural soils, since flocculation in soil systems is a key factor to sustain a suitable soil structure, and therefore, for suitable air and water fluxes in soils. Moreover, the differences in flocculation capacities of different cations should be taken into account in the fertilization programs during the selection of fertilizers (in relation to composition), in order to avoid irreversible problems for the soil structure. The experimental results obtained by students were highly satisfactory, showing experimental values similar to those previously found by the teachers. According to postlab surveys, the students were highly satisfied and in favor of the laboratory exercise developed from both sides, the didactic point of view and the importance of the exercise for the understanding of soil science concepts.

As with many aspects of teaching, the COVID-19 pandemic forced soil judging teams to attempt new strategies towards achieving student learning outcomes. Soil judging Regions IV and V hosted remote regional contests in October 2020 in place of traditional, in-person contests typically held each fall. We conducted pre- and post-contest surveys to assess student learning outcomes, attitudes, and reflections on the remote contest experience compared to past, in-person contest experiences. We received 108 total responses from students who participated in the Region IV and Region V remote soil judging contests (>80% response rate). In self-reported learning outcomes, there were no significant gains post-contest and there were minimal differences between students in Regions IV and V. Female students, students with more soil judging experience, and students who had taken more soil science courses agreed more strongly that soil science is important, that they planned to pursue careers in soil science, and that they gained important skills from soil judging. Finally, students who previously participated in contests reported that they gained more knowledge and enjoyed in-person contests more than the remote contests held in Fall 2020. Thus, while it is possible to replicate some aspects of the soil judging experience in a remote contest, other aspects that are critical to student engagement are lost when teams are unable to gather at the contest location and examine soils in the field.

Introductory soil science courses are an important part of the undergraduate curriculum in agriculture, environmental sciences, and natural resource management and traditionally include an in-person laboratory where students acquire both hands-on learning and practice important skills. This all changed when all classes quickly transitioned to completely online because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The objective of this paper is to document student and instructor experiences transitioning two field-based labs into asynchronous, online distance labs and evaluate students' performance in an introductory soil science lab course. Two lab sessions were modified so that students could complete them from home using household equipment and pre-lab instruction was delivered using online videos. After the course, student performance on learning objectives for each lab, evaluated using rubrics, and student grades were analyzed. Students performed well on soil color and texture but struggled with new concepts like identifying landscape positions. Students were able to practice hands-on skills and learn more about soils near their homes. The lessons learned from the experience were that students need to submit photos or maps to document their lab exercises and to be used in grading and verification, to ensure that students have equipment and tools they need to complete the labs, and frequent feedback or communication during laboratory exercises is needed.

The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 has changed the way higher education delivers materials to students. The purpose of this study is to compare the pros and cons of teaching Soil Fertility and Plant Nutrition (Soils 446), a class with a history of being taught live and online, from both the live and online perspectives. For our comparison, the following data was gathered: (a) history of when and how the class was offered, (b) content of Soils 446, (c) assessment of student achievement, (d) student evaluations of the course conducted by the University of Idaho, and (e) a post-class survey of online students. Reasons for live classroom teaching being superior include: (a) classroom interaction with the instructor and other students, (b) allowing students to ask questions of the instructor during the lecture, right after class or on a face-to-face basis during designated office hours, and (c) the availability of local library resources and other staff to help with questions and projects. Reasons for online teaching being superior include: (a) distance students can take this class, (b) the online course may offer better time management for distance students, and (c) email, bblearn, ZOOM, and SKYPE are tools that allow frequent contact between the student and instructor. Motivated students were successful in both approaches. For less or unmotivated students both delivery methods are equally mediocre.

COVID-19 restrictions required a transition of our Soil Science and Forest Soils courses to an online format. A pre-transition survey found that ~10% of students enrolled in our courses lacked high-speed internet capable of streaming videos and/or computers compatible with the applications in our Learning Management System (LMS). To ensure that students with limited internet or technology were not left behind, we adopted a low-tech/bandwidth delivery (slides + transcript with LMS-delivered assessments) of all lectures and recitation activities. Students could also complete either a low-tech/bandwidth (lab slides + transcripts) or high-tech/bandwidth lab option (delivered via video). Upon completion, students were surveyed to assess preferences and perceptions which are vital in understanding how our approach impacted student motivation, engagement with the material, and overall course satisfaction. Despite 90% of the students having access to high-speed internet, ~45% of the students used the low-tech solutions either exclusively or half the time, even when high-tech options (such as video) were available. Overall, students felt the low-tech/bandwidth delivery of the lecture (~87%) and recitation (~76%) material was effective. Students (~74%) also reported that online delivery of the lab material effectively supported their learning and was an effective replacement for the in-lab learning experience. Students preferred in-person to online delivery (63 vs. 17%) with 20% undecided. Noting the flexibility and organization of the course, 69% of the students felt the online delivery of our courses was more effective than their other courses despite, or perhaps because of, the lack of high-tech delivery. Our experience demonstrates one approach to adapting an in-person course to a virtual environment that considers inequities in broadband and technology access. Despite being perceived as effective by our students, low-tech options were less preferred than in-person instruction suggesting that, while effective, it was not viewed as equivalent.