A scientific conceptual understanding of photosynthesis and respiration provides an important basis for understanding nature and the regulations of life. Photosynthesis and respiration are complex processes, and learning about them requires a proper understanding of their various aspects, from molecular biology to the ecosystem level. This study…

Field teaching is an essential component of botany and ecology; however, field classes were among the most likely to be cancelled during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. Virtual alternatives that could be used to meet learning outcomes for botany (e.g. plant identification, surveying skills development) were largely unavailable at this…

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…

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…

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…

To understand the longitudinal effect of a technology-enhanced learning (TEL) environment with reflective guidance on sixth-grade students' learning in a photosynthesis unit in Shanghai, we designed a quasi-experimental longitudinal study with a pre-test and three post-tests, complemented by an examination of students' log data. Our findings show…

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,…

A critical component of teacher effectiveness is how teachers notice students' misconceptions and adjust the instructional approach accordingly. Taking a stance that the teachers' instructional quality is crucial to students' learning, a qualitative international comparison study was performed to examine science teachers' perceptions of and their…

We describe an alternative to the kinds of observation-based lab exercises that are often used to cover animal and plant evolution with respect to transitioning from aquatic to terrestrial habitats. We wrote this activity to address these objectives, but also to model the process of scientific inquiry and to require students to collect and analyze…

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of mobile learning among young learners. Specifically, we investigated whether the use of mobile devices for data collection during field trips outside the classroom could enhance fourth graders' learning about the parts of the flower and their functions, flower pollinators and the process of…

This article reports on conceptual difficulties related to photosynthesis and respiratory metabolism of a Plant Physiology course for undergraduate students that could hinder their better learning of metabolic processes. A survey of results obtained in this area during the last 10 academic years was performed, as well as a specific test, aimed to…

Plants are essential to life on Earth and yet are often deemed invisible by the human populace. Botanic gardens are an under-researched educational context and, as such, have occupied a peripheral arena in biology education discussions. This article seeks to readdress this absence and present the case for a more sustained use of informal learning…

This course of study is aligned with the California State Science Framework and provides students the biology content needed to become scientifically literate and prepared for post-secondary science education. The course of study is divided into four sections. The first section provides an overview of the course and includes a course description,…

Describes a questionnaire survey that identified characteristics of members of the Council on Botanical and Horticultural Libraries, Inc. Results discussed include types of libraries; regional distribution; clientele; services offered by libraries; use of online bibliographic databases; backgrounds of professional staff; collections and subject…

This brief report describes six 2- to 3-day specialized workshops conducted at Texas Tech University and Stephen F. Austin University campuses for 121 secondary agriscience teachers. The workshops provided teachers with instruction and materials to assist them in teaching the new 100, 200, and 300 level semester courses. Topics were as follows:…