Species knowledge in pre-service teacher education: Experiences from an educational activity

Abstract

Experiences shows that the knowledge of species among teacher students has decreased the last twenty years, and recent research from different parts of the world shows the same: The knowledge of species is decreasing. As an introduction to their science teacher education 39 students followed a course over seven weeks, where they learned more about plant and animal species in three different biotopes:forest, mountain and freshwater. The students replied to a questionnaire five weeks after the course. Both the three days field course and making their own collection of different plants and animals had great positive impact on the students learning of species. The students expressed that the practical work with plants and animals has increased their interest in science, will have positive impact on their work as science teachers and has increased their pleasure to be out in nature. The author ask for a discussion about species knowledge, biodiversity and field work in teacher education.

What Do Pre-Service Preschool Teachers Know about Biodiversity at the Level of Organisms? Preliminary Analysis of Their Ability to Identify Vertebrate Animals

“…However, there is a great lack of knowledge of the nearby fauna, whether in danger of extinction or common. These results are in agreement with other investigations [31,32,37,38]. In this regard, the finding that endangered species are more recognizable than other common native species is certainly significant, as it means that preschool teachers are aware of some of the local environmental issues, perhaps due to the media activity [51,52].…”

“…In relation to the interest of the taxonomic level of biodiversity, several studies analyze species knowledge in the educational world. For example, Kvammen (2015) [36], points out that species knowledge among pre-service teachers has decreased over the last 20 years. Lindemann-Matthies et al, (2017) [32], in a study conducted in Germany with pre-service teachers, found that these future teachers are able to identify 23% of plants and 44% of animals from a sample of species inhabiting environments close to the students.…”

“…Wolff and Skarstein (2020) [31], in a study of prospective pre-school teachers in Finland, report that at the beginning of a biodiversity training programme, students are able to identify only two thirds of the proposed species. Yli-Panula and Matikainen (2014) [37], in a study conducted in Finland with secondary school students, found that there is a better Identification of large mammals, especially from distant environments, while animals from close ecosystems are identified to a lesser extent. Almeida et al, (2019) [38], in a study carried out with primary school students and trainee primary school teachers in Spain and Portugal, report that animals from the African savannah were better identified than animals from the Iberian Peninsula.…”

Identificación de especies de vertebrados en la formación inicial del profesorado

“…En relación con el interés del nivel taxonómico de la biodiversidad son varios los estudios que analizan el conocimiento de las especies en el mundo educativo. Así, por ejemplo, Kvammen (2015), señala que el conocimiento de las especies entre el profesorado en formación ha decrecido en los últimos 20 años. Una investigación de Lindemann-Matthies et al (2017), entre profesores de Primaria en formación de Alemania, determina que menos de una cuarta parte es capaz de identificar plantas y menos de la mitad animales de una muestra de especies de hábitats próximos a los estudiantes.…”

Prospective Elementary Teachers' Awareness About Biodiversity: Focusing on Their Ability to Identify Local Flora

“…Researchers in different parts of the world focused on Biodiversity awareness and species identification and conducted several studies. Kvammen (2015) reported a decrease in the species awareness level of prospective teachers over the last 20 years (Kvammen, 2015).…”