AbstractThis is an empirical study of teacher experiences with school learners (7–18 years) engaging in cross-curricular environmental science during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study focuses on #FieldworkLive, a programme of live-streamed outdoor science lessons produced by the Field Studies Council and Encounter Edu during the UK lockdown (April – May 2020). The experiences of approximately 377,000 teachers and students from 32 countries were captured using an online survey and direct staff consultation. This delivery method allowed us to reach untapped audiences and to provide learners with a virtual fieldwork experience during the constraints of lockdown. Teachers were highly positive about the technology-enhanced learning which provided them with novel perspectives and approaches for the classroom. We propose a model for the affordances provided by this delivery approach based on the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge framework. The Field Studies Council has developed a flexible package of multimedia resources for secondary schools as a route to enriching outdoor experience and learning despite the constraints imposed by the pandemic.

Societal Impact StatementThis research attempts to provide novel insights into plant awareness disparity (plant blindness), through a systematic and critical examination of the educational and ethnobiological literature. The low interest and awareness for plants is well documented in urban societies and has serious implications for biodiversity conservation and sustainable land‐use. This study is significant because it provides a comprehensive analysis of the characteristics of human‐plant relations in different societies, which does not currently exist in the academic literature. The findings suggest that people's plant awareness develops where they have frequent interactions with plants that have direct relevance to their lives.SummaryThe inattention to plants, known as ‘plant blindness’ or ‘plant awareness disparity’, is an established concern amongst biologists, but there has been no comprehensive and critical examination of the investigative literature to date. This study aims to address this, with a narrative review of experimental studies published in indexed journals from 1998 to 2020. Data were extracted using a suite of relevant search terms, characterised using key words and subjected to a thematic content analysis; 326 studies were shortlisted for review, with the majority in the subject areas of biological education, ethnobiology and biological conservation. The prevalent research methods were interviews and free‐listing exercises (ethnobiology) and questionnaires and tests (education). The most common characteristics of plant awareness disparity were a deficit of knowledge or identification skills, followed by an attention or memory advantage for animals compared to plants, preference for animals and low interest in plants. There was no concrete evidence of innate plant awareness disparity; instead, diminished experience of nature in urbanised societies appeared to be the cause. Virtually, all the 87 studies that found evidence of plant awareness disparity were undertaken in urban populations in high‐income countries. By contrast, there were 109 studies of extensive botanical knowledge based on rural communities dependent on biological resources, where individual expertise was found to be proportionate to the extent of wild plant collecting. We conclude that a decline in relevant experience with plants leads to a cyclical process of inattention that could be addressed through first‐hand experiences of edible and useful plants in local environments.

Scientific drawing and writing are critical to the development of observational and recording skills in biology. However, it is unclear how the process of drawing and writing contribute to the learning of plant taxonomy. In the present study, 41 adult botanical novices studied a suite of UK native plant species using two methods: labelled drawing and descriptive writing. Tests of species identification and recognition of morphological characteristics indicated that both methods were equally effective at improving species identification. However, drawing captured significantly more morphological information about all study species than writing and was preferred by participants. The quality of drawn and written work was also evaluated and educational implications arising from these are discussed.

Background Although plant reproduction is a core subject in school science curricula, botanical topics are typically unpopular with students. Integrating the arts into science subject matter has the potential to increase student interest and understanding. Educational theatre has shown particular promise in this area. Purpose the study examined how an interactive theatre performance, where professional actors deliver a performance but invite regular audience participation as a way to promote active learning, benefited both understanding of plant reproduction and attitudes towards plants. Perceptions of the play and the way in which specific elements influenced learning and emotions were examined in detail and placed in a theoretical context. Sample Opportunity sampling was used to recruit participants from five public primary schools in Devon, UK. One hundred and forty-four students (aged 9–11 years) participated in the study. Design and methods a mixed methods approach was adopted. Quantitative analysis of pre- and post-intervention knowledge tests involved t-tests and repeated measures ANCOVA. Qualitative analysis of semi-structured interviews made use of an emerging theme analysis with a priori categories. Results Pre- and post-intervention tests indicated an increase in both knowledge of plant reproduction and positive attitudes towards plants. Follow-up interviews identified elements that were particularly beneficial for learning and enjoyment, including the thematic singing, humour, novelty of the play, visual elements and participatory art activities. Conclusions This case study demonstrates the potential that an interactive theatre production offers for enhancing appreciation and interest in school science while improving knowledge.

We investigated usability of mobile computers and field guide books with adult botanical novices, for the identification of wildflowers and deciduous trees in winter. Identification accuracy was significantly higher for wildflowers using a mobile computer app than field guide books but significantly lower for deciduous trees. User preference followed a similar pattern. These results suggest that the identification method and its design are more important for a field guide than its presentation medium (electronic or printed). We discuss the relative advantages of the presentation media used and their value as engagement tools for botany.

Most beginners are introduced to plant diversity through identification keys, which develop differentiation skills but not species memorisation. We propose that mnemonics, memorable name clues linking a species name with morphological characters, are a complementary learning tool for promoting species memorisation. In the first of two experiments, 64 adults in a group-learning environment were taught species identification using mnemonics, an educational card game and a text-based dichotomous key. In the second experiment, 43 adults in a self-directed learning environment were taught species identification using mnemonics and a pictorial dichotomous key. In both experiments, mnemonics produced the highest retention rates of species identification based on vegetative characters. The educational value of these findings is discussed for vegetative plant identification and broader applications.

Bryophytes are a rewarding study group in field biology and the UK bryophyte flora has international importance to biodiversity conservation. We designed an identification key to common woodland moss species and compared the usability of two formats, web-based multi-access and printed dichotomous key, with undergraduate students. The rate of correct species identification and identification speed both showed an advantage for the printed dichotomous key. Our findings suggest that, even in the digital age, printed keys remain valuable in biological education and that quality of key design is more important than presentation medium. We discuss the relative advantages of multi-access and dichotomous keys and how to approach bryophyte identification with beginners.

Taxonomic education and botany are increasingly neglected in schools and universities, leading to a missed generation of adults that cannot identify organisms, especially plants. This study pilots three methods for teaching identification of native plant species to forty-three adults engaged in the participatory science project Open Air Laboratories (OPAL). The three teaching methods (dichotomous key, word association exercise based on a mnemonic approach and pictorial card game) proved equally effective in teaching plant identification to participants for the groups of plants used. The dichotomous key is an established method for teaching transferrable identification skills, whilst the other two methods could be useful tools for stimulating initial interest and awareness in novices. The reasons for the decline in botanical knowledge are discussed, alongside the importance of using appealing identification resources and making botany relevant to peoples lives. © 2013 Copyright Society of Biology.