Evolution is the integrative framework of the life sciences. Even though the topic is often not formally introduced before high school, young children already have various ideas about evolutionary principles (variation, inheritance, and selection) and their underlying key concepts (e.g., differential fitness, reproduction, and speciation).…

Here's a fresh way to help your students learn life science by determining how you can help them learn best. "Uncovering Student Ideas in Life Science, Volume 2," offers 30 new formative assessment probes--engaging questions that can reveal what students already know (or think they know) about a core science topic. Armed with that…

Digital transformation has become pivotal for enhancing efficiency and sustainable development in animal husbandry. However, this presents challenges to higher education in animal science, necessitating substantial modifications in education and training to ensure that students acquire the competences required to adapt to this digital…

Nearly 14 million species are estimated to exist on Earth, of which 1.8 million have been identified, and new species are being added to the world of science every day. Therefore, scientists are aware that there are still unidentified species living globally. Biodiversity is a wide concept encompassing all living things in our living space. This…

Students often experience difficulty in connecting knowledge from different college courses to solve complex problems such as ocean acidification, a pressing concern within the ongoing climate crisis. Here, we introduce a multidisciplinary activity in which students use their chemistry knowledge of change and stability in chemical systems through…

Children have a basic knowledge of birds that they observe during their everyday life either in their garden, other gardens, round the house, walking in the local area or in the yard on school gardens. A total of 515 children, aged 3 to 16 (249 girls and 266 boys) enrolled in southern Brazilian public preschools, primary school and secondary…

There are a growing number of zoo science degree programs in the US, designed to prepare entry level employees for a zoo or aquarium career that includes animal care, conservation, and public education. These bachelor's degree and associate degree programs include a focus on many areas of science as well as a variety of practical knowledge.…

As the use of plastics expands, microplastic concentrations increase in aquatic environments and negatively impact water, soil, and animals inhabiting these areas. Microplastic research frequently incorporates citizen science to assist in data collection and environmental education. These projects provide opportunities for greater societal…

Biodiversity plays a crucial role in ecosystem functioning by providing essential benefits to people and improving their well-being, i.e., regulating material and non-material services; especially in cultural and natural rich landscapes, such as those found in Latin-American countries. Nevertheless, in spite of the utmost importance of sustaining…

The present work was carried out with students of compulsory secondary education. The research was prompted by the idea that scientific vocation among young people is shrinking and that this has a significant impact on our society. Consequently, a science project based on the students' interests was proposed. They were able to work as a single…

Inquiry-based science education (IBSE) is a pedagogic strategy that combines scientific experimentation, observation and sense-making through collaborative learning. This chapter reports on the use of live snails to explore the extent to which hosting living organisms in the classroom might provide a productive context for promoting IBSE. Even…

The purpose of this research was to explore and compare the ideas of Saudi boys and girls on animal species. Eighty-four children (comprising 42 boys and 42 girls), aged nine years, from four primary schools, participated in structured interviews to determine their ideas pertaining to taxonomic labels, namely 'animal', 'fish', 'amphibian',…

Birds are one of the most important species that can help protect biodiversity. Although birds are important beings for biodiversity and human existence, there is a relatively less quantity of research that has investigated the interest in and attitudes toward birds. This study aims to investigate the knowledge level of and attitudes toward birds…

Although taxonomic proficiency is a prerequisite for understanding ideas central to biology, previous research has established that learners frequently misclassify animals by not following the tenets of accepted taxonomic rubrics. This has immediate relevance with the recently revised English National Curriculum now requiring concepts of animal…

Conservation efforts such as the restoration of European bison or the support of wolf immigration into Germany are often socio-scientifically controversial. In many cases, disputes are based on individuals' threat perception and attitudes towards the animal involved. The herewith reported study provides qualitative insights into German…