Plant species recognition, learning and teaching from viewpoint of general education Arja Kaasinen University of Helsinki Doctoral dissertation 2009 Photos: Jouko Lehmuskallio

Plant species recognition, learning and teaching is important… We are still part of nature Ecosystems are based on networks of species Ecology is the study of the distribution and abudance of species Biodiversity is formed from species Without species we don´t have sustainable development We have to face many environmental problems, like climate changing It improves cognitive skills It may gives join and happiness: good quality of life

Doctoral dissertation about plant species recognition The purpose of the research was to determine how well Finnish pupils and students of different ages recognize plant species, which variables explain recognition, what plants and nature mean to the subjects and how plant species identification should be taught in general education in Finland. Tussilago farfara/Coltsfoot/Gemeiner Huflattich

The subjects (n= 883) were from general education: - every class level of the primary schools (grades 1-6); - lower-secondary school (grades 7-9); - high school (grades I-II); - university department of teacher education; - classroom teachers and - teachers from university involved with environmental teaching - also experts from education and botany Doctoral dissertation about plant species recognition

Both quantitative and qualitative methods were used: Doctoral dissertation about plant species recognition QuantitativeQualitative Plant species recognition testQuestionnaire Experimental plant species recognition test Interviews

Plant blindness – is it real? Finnish pupils and students (ages 6-19) do not recognize on average very well plant species : 25/70 plant species There was variation between answers Girls and pupils from rural area recognized plant species better than others. Subjects recognized well berries and trees Also consepts related to plants were hard to many Almost every subjects want to recognize species better: outdoor education + investigating education

Also some of teachers didn´t knew plant species very well One teaching method is to collect plant species, dry them and make a herbarium. Nowadays you can also take a photos and make a digital herbarium: In Finland we have a long history in this method at schools Plant species recognition is also mentioned in curriculum: every pupils must collect plants from nature and make a herbarium Plant blindness – is it real?

Go to nature! The best way to learn species, ecosystems, biodiversity and ecology, is to go to nature Many teachers are afraid to go to nature with they pupils: teachers needs help, materials, supplement education and motivation One very good tool is NatureGate-website

NatureGate Includes plant species, birds, butterflies, views and also online-news with many languages Also other invertebrates, fishes, mammals and other organisms are coming There is a unique species identifying tool: you can recognize plant species (now flowers, trees and shrubs) with some identifying marks Is suitable also those, who cannot read or don´t understand what they are reading (for example autistic people/pupils) Now you can look Finnish species, but soon also other countries species

Nature - the best place to learn about biology and sustainable development