Docent programs are in flux. Many institutions have rethought their programs to encourage more diverse voices: some have eliminated the docent role, while others have changed their structure and offered additional training. When The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens decided to invest in its docent program as part of an…

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…

Understanding the photosynthesis concepts is challenging due to its abstract nature, often leading to student misconceptions. This study aims to identify and analyze misconceptions among science and social studies students using the image analysis method. A total of 78 students (32 science, 46 social studies) participated, selected through a…

Photosynthesis is the predominant metabolic process for energy obtention in plants. Here we describe a case study where a set of anatomical, biochemical, and molecular characters are used to reconstruct the evolution of the C[subscript 4] photosynthetic pathway, within the evolutionary framework provided by the genus "Flaveria." Our main…

The term 'Plant Blindness' describes people tending to overlook plants, even though they have an enormous importance for life on earth, especially because of their ability to photosynthesise. Many attempts have been made to counteract plant blindness in biology education. However, so far there is no comprehensive tool to assess the degree of plant…

This mixed-methods research study aimed to observe the changes in relational conceptual changes and achievement in photosynthesis and cellular respiration in 15 seventh-grade students using the variation theory of learning, a framework for contextual distinctions, and supports the Common Knowledge Construction Model (CKCM) for science education.…

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…

This paper provides evidence gathered from two suites of non-formal science activities that were intended to increase engagement in science by culturally diverse groups. Both studies involved the delivery of science activities that were designed, implemented and evaluated to show culturally contextualised science. The activities were run in two…

In 1900, three botanists claimed they had found regularities in inheritance, which soon would be known as Mendel's Laws, without knowing the work of Gregor Mendel or of each other. Their claims of independent (re)discovery have been thoroughly studied during the past decades, with various outcomes. The case is still of interest today as it offers…

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…

An important educational goal is enabling students to learn scientific concepts. The scientific concepts learned in class are developed within students' cognitive structures. Despite the successful application of Semantic Network Analysis (SNA) to study these cognitive structures, there has been limited examination of students' concept networks…

We investigated the effect of short-term teaching (3 weeks) using image analysis on gymnasium/secondary school students' (ISCED3A) skills (science process skills, SPS) and knowledge using Fiji (ImageJ) software. The theoretical teaching was combined with IT-based education (measurement of the area or signal intensity on photos from scientific…

A hydroponics experiment growing microgreens was piloted by seniors where trials were conducted over 9-day growth periods and designed to test 12 different growth conditions in triplicate, including varying nutrient supply, nutrient flow rate, and seed density. Plant growth was assessed through changes in daily mass, height, and final dry weight.…

The current study uses the Rasch Model to measure lower-secondary school students' critical thinking skills on photosynthesis topics. Critical thinking skills are considered essential in science education, but few valid and practical measurement instruments remain. The current study fills the gap by adapting the instrument from the Watson-Glaser…

The idea that plants do photosynthesis but do not do cellular respiration is a common misconception among middle and high school students that often stems from an over-simplification of these processes in diagrams and formal science instruction. The activity presented here uses a conceptual change approach (Nussbaum & Novick, 1982) and an…