Insects form a highly diverse taxonomic group, which has fundamental ecological functions, but is currently in a process of mass extinction. Here, we present the first cycle of design, implementation, and assessment of a didactic sequence oriented towards improving pre-service teachers' knowledge and appreciation of insect diversity. A…

Postsecondary science faculty face challenges in balancing the engagement of undergraduates and concomitantly ensuring they gain and retain knowledge, either in standard lectures or labs as well as in outdoor activities. Designing on-campus trails with interpretive signs may provide a unique avenue to inform students across majors of local…

Evidence increasingly demonstrates nature engagement benefits. However, little evidence shows nature engagement provides children with a reflective perception of biodiversity, nor whether perception influences children's wellbeing and resilience. We explored the impact of weekly nature engagement in schoolgrounds on 509 eight-to-eleven-year-olds'…

Local biodiversity can help students develop conservation attitudes regarding biodiversity. However, studies reveal students' preferences regarding exotic than local biodiversity. Therefore, more research can permit an improved understanding of the reasons for their interest in these organisms. This research aimed to investigate São Paulo state…

Large carnivore predators can be controversial animals, but sustainable coexistence with humans depends on peoples' tolerance and willingness to support their conservation. We conducted a short-term study on a sample of Slovak schoolchildren (aged 9-15) aimed at changing attitudes toward the grey wolf. The intervention consisted of videos and PPT…

Invasive alien species (IAS) are one of the main drivers of global biodiversity loss. The present study aims at performing a diagnostic analysis of the perceptions of Primary and Secondary school students about causes, consequences and solutions of the presence of IAS in the environment. The influence of educational level, knowledge of the meaning…

The study aimed to assess the students' extent of knowledge and identify their perspectives towards biodiversity and its protection and conservation. A total of 268 randomly selected students at Aurora State College of Technology were involved in the study. Survey questionnaires were used to obtain data and information which were subjected to…

Environmental education in school lessons makes a central contribution toward implementing the United Nations' requirement of sustainable development. In science lessons, various ecosystems can be examined to illustrate the consequences of anthropogenic influences on our environment. One important ecosystem is the UNESCO World Heritage Wadden Sea.…

With biodiversity loss as one of today's most pressing global problems, it is crucial to raise public recognition of this crisis and promote acceptance of conservation efforts. Plants, which typically struggle with low awareness ('plant blindness') and less emotional connection than animals with humans, are facing a special challenge. Promoting…

Climate change, human population growth and land use change are among the most important threats to nature and ecosystem services. Local appreciation of ecosystem services and knowledge of how the foundation of these services is affected by local livelihoods are important for the sustainability of natural resources and thus may fundamentally…

Current models of best practice in science education advocate for students to learn science by engaging in applied contexts that integrate the various science disciplines. Permaculture offers one such integrated context for elementary science. Although permaculture is relatively new in PK-12 education, the broader practice of school gardening has…

Background: Technologies may successfully be used to mediate, aid, and diversify learning, but several studies indicate that technologies cannot substitute outdoor learning and its experiential nature. To halt human-induced biodiversity loss, teachers should acquire a deep understanding of the principles of ecology, including the challenging…

Student agency theorising traditionally positions individuals as sovereign and under-theorises the role non-human material elements play in enacting agency. We recognise the role of the material but to honour our research participants and context we adopt an asymmetrical view of the agency of the material non-human in relation to the human in…

Although citizenship's literacy in biodiversity is a promising way of confronting its loss, the unawareness about this topic is generalised particularly regarding plants. The latter phenomenon, named Plant Blindness (PB), not only refers to the inability to notice and identify the surrounding plants, but also to the lack of knowledge about the…

This study examines environmental awareness at a university in Indonesia, focusing on knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors in seven environmental areas: climate, water, food, energy, natural resources, biodiversity, and waste. A total of 442 respondents (380 students, 42 lecturers, 20 educational staff) were surveyed using a Likert scale…