The Aspects Of Plant Based Teaching

Introduction

Encouraging as many students to study botany is becoming a major priority for universities across our globe. The Royal Society of Biology have highlighted the lack of plant based teaching in current tertiary education [1]. Out of a total of 130 UK universities only 22 offer any sort of plant/botany based degree as of October 2018. The Boyer Commission on Educating Undergraduates in the Research University have given report upon the fact that universities are failing to develop adequate research led education for students [2]. Since then much has been written on the subject of research led education, its importance and value [3] [4]. In the last 10 years there has been emphasis placed on the necessity to swap traditional lab practicals with novel interactive ones that engage students in the discovery process as well as cutting edge research[5] [6]. There are no doubt numerous challenges in implementing “inquiry based learning”. One such obstacle is the poor selection of tested procedures suitable for larger introductory labs within tertiary education specifically plant based teaching. Another obstacle educator’s face within universities is the vast range of prior exposure students have had while under secondary education. There is no doubt that students are less likely to be interested in botanic biology in comparison to other topics taught with Biological sciences due to the lack of previous teaching in the subject [7]. With so many backgrounds and such diverging experience in undergrad students in relation to botany it’s hard to find a “one fits all” practical class that would benefit students and ignite an interest in plant studies. Based on these facts its clear to see that the current feeling among students and teachers alike surrounding the topic of plant based teaching is a negative one. The aim of this literature review is to compile and explore work that has already been done to combat this problem and suggest a range of potential practical based classes for lecturers to introduce within tertiary education, as well as explore a few areas that have been beneficial in aiding practical based teaching.

Discussion

Before we converge our review into looking exclusively at potential plant based teaching methods suitable for implication I want to look at two specific methods that support lab based teaching in other subjects, implemented by other universities that could be applied to practical plant based teaching.

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• The use of Computer based learning to aid practical based teaching:

The University of Bristol implemented a project called “ChemLabS”. It introduced an online interactive practical lab manual that helped their undergraduates prepare a competent knowledge of their upcoming chemistry lab classes. With the combination of interactive elements as well explanatory video clips students were able to observe and practise the techniques they would be using thus giving them confidence in the use of the equipment used in the protocol as well as the understanding the science behind the practical. The manual also gave educators the ability to test students on their knowledge prior to and post lab class. A “PlantLabS” equivalent of this initiative would be a very beneficial addition to most if not all universities curriculum [8].

• The use of “Turning point technologies” in providing novel and engaging quizzes for practical classes:

Jensen in 1996 conducted a study into how quizzes can be used to establish an effective learning environment within the laboratory [9]. This was before the technology known as turning point handsets had been developed. Quinn in 2017 did a study called, “clickers in the classroom” which looked into the use of interactive quizzes in a practical environment. Her results showed that the students found these quizzes useful in the following areas. Firstly they allowed the students to test their knowledge gained from the session and the formative assessment provided the students the opportunity to learn from mistakes and consolidate their knowledge of the subject. Secondly “the clickers” allowed the students to engage with the practical session material. One student commented saying that the use of the post practical quiz made them actively learn the material while completing the practical class. Thirdly the anonymous nature of the quiz was preferred as opposed to raising their hands in front of class members. Lastly students commented on how the interactive in class quiz allowed them to identify gap in their knowledge [10]. Implication of these quiz elements to plant based teaching by lecturers across all levels of tertiary education would surely help stimulate a greater interest in a subject that seems to currently be dubbed as “boring by many students”.

Combining and integrating these novel methods with plant based practical teachings we are about to look at will no doubt be a massive improvement on current plant based protocols. Let’s look successful methods currently being implemented by other educators within plant based tertiary education.

An overview of the course structure that they introduced can be found in the link provided, created by the staff involved (Course overview). It gives a useful week by week description of lecture material, tutorials and laboratory sessions.

In the lectures they “introduced structured interactive read-think-discuss-learn-review format”. This meant that their students were engaging with their textbooks and online resources, peers and the academic staff. This approach was majorly influenced by the work of Mazur and Crouch into peer instruction models and their benefits [12] [13]. The students were asked to complete focused questions relating to their upcoming lectures, this allowed busy lecturers to donate more of their time to other areas which proved to be invaluable. When the course had ran a while the educators commented on the significant improvement in oral answers given by students in lectures and the confidence this gave the students in verbal participation within class. The weekly tutorials given served as a perfect bridge between the theory taught and the skills required in the practical based elements and their write ups.

Then after several weeks of in depth material taught in lectures students formed groups of up to 4 for the practical elements of the course. The link provided here gives you a tabulated overview of their laboratory classes (Lab class structures). The Arabidopsis thaliana was chosen with good reason as it has a very short life cycle (approx. six weeks from germination stage until a mature seed is formed) as well as an easily accessible, non transgenic mutant, small, fully mapped genome which is ideal for use by practical classes. Students were given the opportunity over the course of the module to identify differences both morphologically and physiologically in specific traits and get a better appreciation of the overall life cycle of the plant.

As far as assessment goes it’s typically the part students dread and find tedious write ups a major “turn off” for many subjects. This “plant detective” programme split the assessment up into different areas so that students were tested in a diversity of methods and given incentive to engage at each stage of the semester. The pre practical quizzes accounted for 10% while key assessment task in the form of a theory exam accounted for 50%. The students had a presentation to give to peers worth 10% followed by an individual write up worth the remaining 30%. Then bonus marks of +/- 5% can be awarded for additional useful contributions throughout, (giving opportunity for hard working students to be rewarded). Marks are then normalized to total 100%.

The results for this programme showed an overwhelming success. A number of students commented the following [14];

• “[Despite] having not studied plants in any depth previously, I was still quickly able to get up to speed …I found myself interested enough to start reading …outside of study hours”
• “I learned more from the labs in this course than all the other labs from my other courses combined”
• “The labs actually felt like doing real “science,” and were definitely more satisfying than other lab practicals I have done”

The results were compiled usefully into the following figure by the staff involved in implementing the programme [14].

This paper was particularly interesting in that it addressed two of the problems facing plant based teaching which I outlined in the introduction. 1) The high school students were taught material related to plant genetics and, molecular biology that weren’t on their syllabus thus broadening student’s exposure to the subject prior to entry into tertiary education. 2) The undergraduates from “Wake Forest University” were given the opportunity to learn themselves in a novel way by helping others with the subject of plant biology. It’s a well-known fact that being able to teach something successfully to another person is evidence of one’s understanding of the subject. The potential for rapport with local schools and boosting enrolment levels from within the locality is an exciting one for any university thinking of implementing such a scheme.

The service learning defined by this university as “pedagogical method that integrates community service with required course activities to enhance student’s attainment of course specific learning objectives”. This “service learning” programme aligns closest with Bringle and Hatchers idea of the process which can be read at [16]. In this service learning programme all the material taught to peers was done by non-experts during student’s class time and was a compulsory element of the course. The aim was to stimulated high school student interest in studying science specifically plant based studies.