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Environmental risk perception has a long-time travel in the public participation in environmental fields. This perception involves individually socially constructed physical and mental experiences that involve many factors just for knowledge, attitudes, and the culture that develops in society. An individual's understanding of environmental risk provides an overview of an individual's preparedness for appropriate environmental risk strategies and measures. This cross-sectional survey study aims to collect data on the environmental risk perception of Indonesian students. The survey data instrument used in this study is the environmental risk perception scale (ERPS) questionnaire, transformed into Google Forms in the Indonesian language. The target respondents were 1,267 students from 1,300 undergraduate population size of educational study programs in the field of biology who came from various institutions in Indonesia. Sexual category, grade point average (GPA), and university status to explore the perception of the active student environment of prospective biology teachers with various parameters. The results showed several interesting findings: the female sex is more sensitive to environmental risks, academic abilities play a more logical role in environmental risk analysis, and respondents who have taken environmental courses have a higher sensitivity to environmental risk.

The aim of this study is to examine the opinions of prospective teachers about biology and nature-related activities for mentally disabled students. The survey method was used in this quantitative study. Attitude scale towards biology and nature-related activities for mentally disabled students was used as a data collection tool. The scale was applied to a total of 258 (183 females, 75 males) prospective teachers studying at the education faculty of a state university and taking special education courses. According to the findings, prospective teachers expressed their positive opinions about all the activities specified in the scale. However, a few prospective teachers stated that some of the activities, especially interaction with animals, were not applicable for their mentally disabled students. However, when the findings are evaluated in general, it is concluded that biology and nature-related activities are very valuable for mentally disabled students.

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship among pre-service science teachers' global scientific literacy and various variables within the scope of the structural equation model. Since the relations among the variables were investigated in the structural model established for this study, correlational research methodology was applied. The application was carried out with 294 pre-service teachers studying in the departments of chemistry, physics, biology and elementary science education of a state university. The data of the study were obtained with the scales of global scientific literacy, the perception of science process skills, the inquiry skills, the self-directed learning readiness in laboratory, the attitude scale towards the laboratory and the personal information questionnaire. Within the framework of structural equation modeling, the causal and relational analyses of the data were examined. The results showed that the proposed model of the relationship among global scientific literacy and the variables predicting global scientific literacy was also found to be compatible with the data, and the entire model was confirmed except for the attitude towards the laboratory. In this context, it can be claimed that these variables play an essential role in pre-service teachers' being global scientifically literate.

The importance of teaching the Luria-Delbrück experiment to biology students is increasingly recognized by educators, and improved pedagogical methods for teaching the classic experiment have been proposed and tested in the classroom. However, there are still obstacles that impede the proper teaching of the classic experiment. This note proposes two strategies to further improve the teaching of the classic experiment. The first strategy is to be frank with an inherent limitation of the classic experiment, and instructors should explain from a logical point of view why the classic experiment cannot be used to refute the possibility of directed mutation. The second strategy is to emphasize the pioneering work of Delbrück on developing the mutant distribution that enables researchers to estimate microbial mutation rates using data generated by fluctuation experiments, and instructors should shift their attention to the overlooked essential role of the mutant distribution.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has underscored the importance of mRNA vaccines. The mechanism for how such vaccines work is related to the core biology topic of the central dogma, which students often misunderstand despite its importance. Therefore, we wanted to know whether students can apply their biology knowledge of central dogma to the real-world issue of how mRNA COVID vaccines work. Accordingly, we asked college biology students of different expertise levels how the COVID vaccine worked. Later, we cued them by telling them the vaccine contains mRNA and asked them what the mRNA does. We used thematic analysis to find common ideas in their responses. In the uncued condition, fewer than half of the students used central dogma-related ideas to explain what was in the vaccine or how the vaccine worked. Inaccurate ideas were present among all groups of biology students, particularly entering biology majors and non-biology majors, including the idea that the COVID vaccines contain a weakened, dead, or variant form of the COVID virus. After students were cued, many more students in all expertise groups expressed central dogma-related themes, showing that students could apply the knowledge of central dogma if prompted. Advanced biology majors were much more likely to state that the vaccines code for a viral protein, indicating their advanced application of central dogma concepts. These results highlight inaccurate ideas common among students and show changes in the ability to apply knowledge with student expertise level, which could inform future interventions to support student learning about vaccines and central dogma.

Laboratory courses offer a unique opportunity, and sometimes challenge, to engage students in projects where they can experience ownership and authentic science practices. An important science practice is writing, which can lead to increased learning about concepts and science communication. Experiencing a sense of ownership in research can lead to various student outcomes, such as increased motivation, greater interest in research, and higher retention in STEM fields. Although previous work has extracted aspects of ownership from students' descriptions of research experiences, studies have not examined directly how students define and perceive ownership. In addition, we do not have a clear idea of whether a sense of ownership is related to student attitudes toward scientific writing in a lab course setting. To better understand the relationship between ownership and writing directly from students' perspectives, we used analysis of student responses to surveys and interviews in an upper-division laboratory course. Using a grounded theory approach for the analysis of 167 survey responses and 9 interviews, we found that students have varying perceptions of project ownership, with the most frequent being opportunities to contribute ideas and shape the project (autonomy), doing the work, and leadership. Students largely perceived that increased ownership had positive influences on their writing, such as increased understanding and thinking, freedom in writing, and increased motivation. Learning about how students perceive ownership in the context of a lab course is useful for considering how lab course structure may support the development of a sense of ownership and may influence how we can engage students in meaningful writing practices.

Students' scientific literacy may be improved by the integration of social issues into biology courses, enabling them to make informed decisions on social issues in the context of their scientific knowledge. Additionally, this may allow students to recognize the connection between science and society. Although there are a number of benefits with having students learn about social issues in biology courses, most undergraduate courses may follow a traditional curriculum, which emphasizes the scientific content without framing it in a social context. Here, we investigated whether undergraduate students have been exposed to social issues in previous biology courses and examined how their perceptions changed before and after taking a biology course that incorporated social issues. In surveys, most students reported having no exposure to social issues in biology courses. Most students, especially females and persons excluded because of their ethnicity or race (PEERs), agreed with the integration of social issues in biology courses before taking the course. Students found reflection essays to be a useful tool in allowing them to think and share their thoughts on social issues as well as relate the course content to their personal lives. These results highlight students' interest in learning about social issues from a scientific perspective and how reflection essays may be used to practice applying their knowledge to real-world issues.

Psychological distance (PD) can be a barrier to how students perceive climate change impacts and severity. Localizing climate change using place-based approaches is one way instructors can structure their curricula to help combat students' PD, especially from a spatial and social viewpoint. We created a novel classroom intervention that incorporated elements of place-based education and the Teaching for Transformative Experiences in Science model that was designed to lower undergraduate biology students' spatial and social distance of climate change. Our research questions sought to determine whether students' PD changed following our intervention and whether variables beyond our intervention might have contributed to changes we identified. To measure the efficacy of our intervention, we administered a survey that contained several instruments to measure students' recognition and psychological distance of climate change pre- and post-intervention. We found that students' psychological distance to climate change decreased after participating in our classroom intervention. Additionally, course level was the only outside variable we identified as a predictor of students' post-activity scores. Participation in our activity lowered our students' spatial and social psychological distance, which could have impacts beyond the classroom as these students become the next generation of scientists and voters.

The experience of transferring to a 4-year college, especially in STEM programs, can be particularly challenging for students. While much of the onus for preparing students for transfer has been placed on community colleges, the 4-year institutions to which students transfer have critical roles to play. With this in mind, we established the Pre-transfer Interventions, Mentoring, and Experience in Research (PRIMER) program to support students transferring into the biology department at our university. The design of this program is based around the key elements of Schlossberg's Transition Theory, focusing on the support and strategies elements of the theory. Through a weekly academic skill course, peer mentoring, and informal academic and social supports, our goals were for students to increase their involvement in the campus community and to increase their use of academic support resources. We used qualitative and quantitative assessments to compare sense of community and use of campus resources between students who participated in our program and others. We found that students in our program strongly increased their sense of community during the semester compared to other students and used campus resources at a higher rate. Our insights from the PRIMER program can help others in developing programs to support transfer students in biology departments.

There is a consensus amongst scholars that learning from student feedback depends on how the feedback is sought and used by the individual teachers. Using Hand and Rowe's (2001) framework of eliciting and using student feedback, the purpose of this self-study was to investigate how I, as a novice teacher educator, can use dialogue with my students to learn about and how to foster student interaction in my biology classroom. I collected data through multiple sources including students' written feedback, my reflective journal, focus-group interviews with the students, and video recordings of my teaching. Data were analysed through a narrative approach. Findings indicate that the continuous dialogue with my students helped me learn about student interaction and fostering it in my classroom through a variety of ways. This study also illustrates that the teacher needs to establish trust with students from the onset such that the dialogue cannot only be of professional value to the teacher but also improve the students' learning. These insights are discussed, and recommendations are made in the article.

In the Cirebon region, there are several environmental issues exists, one of the problems is pollution. In the context of modern information technology, there's a growing preference for electronic-based educational materials. This study aims to evaluate the environmental pollution levels in Cirebon and develop a e-pocket book as a biology learning resource for high school students. The research follows the ADDIE model (Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, Evaluation) and utilizes observations, questionnaires, and documentation for data collection. The environmental assessment was conducted in Cirebon city and regency, and the learning media developed at MAN 2 Cirebon City. Results from the Environmental Quality Index (IKLH) indicate moderate pollution levels in Kejaksan District and mild-moderate levels in Talun District. The e-book was created using the Canva application and finalized into a link format compatible with laptops and Android smartphones. It underwent validation by material experts, media experts, biology educators, and student users, receiving favorable feedback with an overall rating of 87.24% deemed very satisfactory. It can be concluded that the development of this e-book on environmental pollution can be used as a learning media.

This research aims to produce integrated biology teaching materials with the values of the Al-Qur'an and As-Sunnah that are valid and effective in improving cognitive, psychomotor, and strengthening students' faith and devotion. This development research (R&D) uses the ADDIE model which consists of five stages, i.e. analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation. The data collection techniques used were literature studies, observations, interviews, questionnaires, and tests. Data collection instruments used include interview sheets, validation sheets, questionnaire sheets, pre-test and post-test question sheets, observation sheets, and checklists. The teaching materials were validated by three validators (material experts, learning experts, Al-Qur'an/Hadist experts), and practitioners from several biology teachers from different schools. The data was analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively (triangulation). The research results showed that the teaching materials developed met the very valid category based on the assessment of material experts, learning experts, Al-Qur'an/Hadist experts, and practitioners. Moreover, the products received excellent responses from the students. The teaching materials could improve students' cognitive and psychomotor and also increase students' values of faith and piety. Further action will be extended to schools, especially schools with Islamic nuances so that they can be used both as self-taught materials for students and as teaching materials for teachers to use in the learning process.

As a form of implementing Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in educational institutions, an appropriate learning model is needed, which also accommodates aspects of spirituality. Before developing a model, baseline data is needed, so a broad-scale or national needs analysis is needed. This research aims to determine the profile of spirituality-based action competence for sustainability (ACS) among prospective biology teacher students throughout Indonesia. This research is a cross-sectional survey. The target respondents are students of LPTK biology education study programs in Indonesia. The target population size is 650 people, so based on the Krejcie and Morgan table, the minimum sample size with a confidence level of 95% and a margin of error of 5% is 620 students. The data collection instrument used in this research is the action competence for sustainability instrument based on spirituality (ACSIS). Data on respondent characteristics were analyzed using frequencies and percentages. The mean and standard deviation of scores were calculated for each item. Comparisons of two groups of students were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U Test, while comparisons of more than two groups used the Kruskal-Wallis H Test. We discuss interesting findings in this research, including the aspects of spirituality in ACS among prospective biology teacher in Indonesia.

Learning must be able to develop knowledge, skills, and mindsets so that the graduates produced have attitudes, abilities and knowledge that are integrated and skilled in life. One way to achieve learning can be done through habits of mind because the success of learning is strongly influenced by habits of mind. The purpose of this study is to as certain how habits of mind and cognitive learning outcomes in biology are affected by learning process oriented guided inquiry learning with blended learning support. A pretest-postest design wih a non-equivalent control group was employed in this study. The trial ran from February to June 2022. Utilizing the habits of mind questionnaire, pupils' thought patterns were assessed. Essay tests are also used to evaluate the results of cognitive learning. In this study, google form, LMS, and google meet were used for data collection. Statistical Product and Service Solutions software version 23 is used for data analysis and the results of covariance analysis (ANCOVA) showed a p value < 0,005, meaning that POGIL-supported blended learning can empower habits of mind and cognitive learning outcomes in biology learning. There is a substantial difference between the outcomes of the least significant difference and increasing habits of mind and cognitive learning outcomes. As a result, POGIL with moodle support can be used to enhance students' habits of mind and cognitive learning results in biology classes.

GCSE examinations (taken by students aged 16 years in England) are not intended to be speeded (i.e. to be partly a test of how quickly students can answer questions). However, there has been little research exploring this. The aim of this research was to explore the speededness of past GCSE written examinations, using only the data from scored responses to items from a sample of 340 GCSE components. Speededness was calculated as the average (mean) percentage marks lost from the longest string of unanswered items at the end of each student's examination paper. The potential impact of student ability on examination completion patterns was taken into account. The data suggested that most GCSEs analysed were unlikely to have been speeded. This method of exploring the speededness of exams using only scored responses has potential (although there are limitations), and it can flag potentially problematic components for further investigation.

E-learning tools technology is a paradigm shift in facilitating learning in our world today and the driving force of education in developed countries. The main purpose of this study is to investigate the accessibility and utilization of E-learning tools for teaching biology in secondary schools in Ilorin metropolis. The study was guided by the technology acceptance model theory, and employed a descriptive survey design. The population of the study were all biology teachers in public secondary schools in Ilorin metropolis. The sample size was determined from the estimate of the target population which is 368. The sample size for this study was 250 respondents from 100 public secondary schools. A well-structured questionnaire was the instrument. The data collected was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The findings showed lack of access and low or non-utilization of E-learning tools for teaching biology in public secondary schools in Ilorin metropolis while factors observed to be responsible for the findings are low or lack of awareness on the part of teachers, poor policy formulation to incorporate the use of e-learning tools and poor infrastructure in the schools.

Dual Enrollment (DE) or Dual Credit (DC) programs have become increasingly prevalent at both the high school and college settings. These programs enable students to earn both high school and college credit and get a head start on their college education. Additionally, students in these programs must take university core curriculum courses to fulfill their college education requirements. A course that several students take is Introductory to Biology, a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) course. This course is an introductory science course and may present a challenge for students in that there is a large quantity of material discussed. Moreover, students must adapt to new study strategies excel in the course. Moreover, educational administrators or school leaders, administrators or principals must consider student performance and therefore must look at location and student performance to better improve student outcomes. Scant studies look at school leaders' perception on science dual enrollment courses. Moreover, administrators must have systems in place to promote high quality instruction and student success in dual enrollment courses. This study will look at students taking introductory biology courses and their performance at both the high school and non-high school locations (i.e. college environment) in Texas using the Mann-Whitney U statistical test. In addition, this study will provide recommendations to high school leaders such as administrators and principals regarding location and student outcomes for students in dual enrollment biology courses to ensure high quality instruction and student achievement are in place.

The evolution of learning design continues, focusing on blended laboratory approaches incorporating technology. The Sophisticated Thinking Laboratory (STB-LAB) and Gather Town are key tools in implementing collaborative learning in this context. This study assesses the effectiveness of blended laboratory implementation using STB-LAB and Gather Town as a gamification tool, utilizing the Assessment Based on Teaching and Learning Trajectory (AABTLT) with Student Activity Sheets (SAS). The results reveal the successful execution of STB-LAB syntax in blended laboratory activities. Additionally, STB-LAB and Gather Town significantly enhance students' collaborative skills, as indicated by a substantial Cohen's D Effect Size. For physics education majors, the effect size is 1.736 in the experiment group and 0.754 in the control group, while for biology education majors, it is 1.522 in the experiment group and 0.541 in the control group. This study highlights the positive impact of blended laboratories with STB-LAB and Gather Town on collaborative skill development, further emphasizing the role of technology in contemporary learning design. [Note: The page range (66-77) shown on the PDF citation is incorrect. The correct page range is 67-78.]

Electronic student worksheets (e-worksheet) are needed as alternative teaching materials in learning. This study aims to produce teaching materials in the form of e-worksheet based on Search Solve Create and Share (SSCS) Islamic context to improve science process skills on class XI excretory system material that is worthy of the results of validity, responses of students and biology teachers. This research was conducted at MAN 1 Bogor. The research model used is a 4D model (Define, Design, Develop, Disseminate), but in research only to the development stage (Develop). The e-worksheet teaching materials developed are tested for validity. The results of validity tests by design and media experts obtained 89% in the very decent category, material expert assessments obtained 84% in the very feasible categories, and expert assessments of Islamic religious education obtained 100% in the very feasible categories. The results of student responses obtained percentages of 89% in limited trials and 89.7% in expanded trials. Based on the findings of the research results, it can be concluded that E e-worksheet based on Search Solve, Create and Share (SSCS), an Islamic context to improve science process skills on the excretory system material developed, is very feasible to be used and applied to biology learning.

Biology as an integral part of science learning continues to be maximized by integrating technology into its learning design. The definite manifestation of this integration process is to achieve meaningfulness, activeness, and effectiveness of the learning carried out. The flipped classroom (FC) is gaining popularity as a pedagogical model that uses the important benefits of technology in its learning environment. FC is proven to be an effective teaching mode that empowers students' 21st-century skills, stimulates students' self-learning, and improves academic performance. The potential of the FC is interesting to explore to what extent biology welcomes the FC. The aimed of this systematic literature review is to review and analyze articles published by Scopus indexed journals. We used the keywords "Flipped classroom and biology" in the search menu in the Scopus database and succeeded in finding 72 articles. There were 21 articles that met the criteria for further analysis. The inclusion and exclusion model used is PRISMA. The findings obtained are the trend of FC publications in biology learning over the last ten years. The approaches used in this research include quantitative, mixed method, case study and qualitative. Key words that are often used by writers are student, human, biology. The biology keyword has a branch, namely active learning. There are 9 countries of origin of authors who publish articles. The United States is a country that is active in publishing. Articles published on each continent are not evenly distributed. The dominant articles are published in collaboration with one country and rarely are articles published by one author. We have succeeded in formulating a picture of the existence of the FC in biology learning over the last ten years. These findings can be a consideration or reference for researchers to explore and study more deeply research related to the FC in biology learning based on their respective urgency.

The people of North Kayong Regency-West Kalimantan still uphold the culture of utilizing plants as food, known as North Kayong local vegetables. Preserving knowledge about existing local potential and its utilization can be done through education based on local wisdom or local potential. It can be employed as a tool to enhance the efficacy and significance of education while preserving the unique possibilities of every area. The K13 curriculum is a curriculum of change from conceptual learning to contextual learning. The education process according to regional potential can be done through encyclopaedia media that attracts readers because the encyclopedia contains explicit information and is accompanied by pictures with bright colours. analysis and development, the creation of a local vegetable-based encyclopedia of North Kayong Regency as a biology learning media using a development model (D&D) consisting of six stages, namely: problem identification, description of objectives, design and development, product trials, evaluation of trial results, and communication of trial outcomes. The outcomes of validation and students response trials to the encyclopedia media developed obtained perfect scores. Where the validation test received a value from media experts of 97.08% (very valid), material experts of 90.22% (very valid), and language experts of 88.14% (very valid). Students responded very well to the small-scale (78.83%) and large-scale (84.47%) trials.

Biology education plays a vital role in nurturing the understanding of learners about the intricacy of life. Various efforts have emerged to strengthen learning biological concepts but there were still studies that showed that learners have low mastery in some aspects. To determine how well students understood various biological topics, including human physiology, Concept inventory tests (CIT) were used. The concept inventory test may be able to spot students' misconceptions and ultimately lead to improved comprehension. The crafted CIT developed with the aid of a table of specifications based on Bloom's taxonomy of cognitive domain was assessed according to its validity and reliability. In validation, content validity and item analysis were considered while reliability test was employed through Cronbach's alpha. Distractor analysis was also performed to determine possible source of misconception per item. The CIT was administered to 120 senior high school STEM students (50.8% from the private schools, 37.5% in regular public schools and 11.7% from public schools with special programs in science). The results displayed high content validity with a mean of 4.83 for content validity and an average Aiken's validity coefficient of 0.98. It also highlighted that the test is moderately difficult with the test difficulty of 0.58, as well as, discriminatory with a discriminating level of 0.46. After item classification, 63 items were retained (39 accepted, 24 for revisions) and Chronbach's alpha ([alpha]=0.74) indicated good internal consistency. The concept inventory test propounds to be a good classroom test science with minor items to be revised.

Technological developments in various fields are the key to progress in the digital era. The utilization of technology-based learning media in education makes learning more interactive and supports independent learning. This study aims to develop and test the practicality and effectiveness of storyline-based nervous system e-comics media to support students' independent learning. This research uses the Research and Development (RnD) method with the Lee & Owen model, consisting of the analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation stages. The research was conducted with the subjects in this study, class XI MIPA SMA Negeri 2 Malang students, totalling 60 people. A pre-experimental design of one group pretest-posttest was used to test the effectiveness of the media. Data were collected through questionnaires and tests. The media validation results obtained 100%, material validation 100%, and student response results 98.7% in the class trial. The effectiveness test used a Pretest-Posttest Control Group Design. The results showed a significant difference between the posttest of both classes with Sig. (2-tailed) 0.00 <0.05, there is a significant difference between the control and experimental classes. Storylinebased nerve e-comic media can facilitate independent learning more interestingly and interactively.

Mendelian genetics are essential for students seeking to comprehend the complexities of inheritance; although fundamental, these biology concepts are difficult for students to understand. This study examined the effectiveness of task-based learning (TBL) in enhancing the students' conceptual understanding of the Patterns of Mendelian Genetics. A pretest and posttest quasi-experimental research design involved an experimental and a control group. An Intrinsic Motivation Inventory questionnaire was utilized to assess the level of intrinsic motivation for task evaluation for the experimental group. Paired t-test was used to compare the pretest and post-test results. Before the intervention, both groups had a low conceptual understanding of the topic. At the end of the intervention, both groups had significantly increased their performances from pretest to posttest scores. The study revealed that TBL is more effective than Traditional Lecture-Based Instruction (TLI), as seen in their enhanced student performance, implying the effectiveness of the TBL as an innovative instructional approach. Participants from the experimental group expressed enjoyment, competence, and ownership of their task activities, and they did not feel nervous and anxious about doing the tasks. Pearson r-correlation was used to establish a relationship among the variables. Perceived choice, pressure/tension, and student performance in the experimental group have low positive correlations, and perceived choice, interest/enjoyment, and performance have a negligible correlation. This approach is highly commendable for biology instruction. By illuminating the effectiveness of active learning in improving student's conceptual understanding, this study bridges the gap between theoretical-practical gap in genetics via active learning effectiveness.

Issues in learning, particularly the utilization of learning resources, have not been maximized to facilitate teachers in guiding students to learn certain concepts related to the surrounding environment. This study aims to analyze the motives and colors of "Sasirangan" as a source of biology learning in high schools and the knowledge of high school biology teachers in Banjarmasin regarding the existence of "Sasirangan." This survey research involved 40 "sasirangan" craftsmen from 20 "sasirangan" production houses and 38 high school biology teachers in Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan. The instruments used were interview sheets and questionnaires. Data analysis was descriptive using percentage techniques. The results of expert validation indicated that the interview sheets and questionnaires were suitable, with scores of 89.63 and 92.5. "Sasirangan" has great potential to become a source of biology learning, both in terms of motives and natural colors used by craftsmen. However, high school biology teachers in Banjarmasin have not fully utilized and conveyed it as a biology learning resource. While in other statements, teachers stated that they understood and explained that the existence of "Sasirangan" is very important to be conveyed in biology learning. Some teachers were able to provide information on biology concepts related to the existence of "Sasirangan."

In the realm of agricultural development, the pursuit of sustainability stands as a paramount objective, necessitating an integration of multifaceted expertise from diverse disciplines. Amidst this pursuit, understanding the perspectives of professionals in both the realms of economy and biology becomes imperative, serving as a cornerstone for innovative strategies. This study examines the viewpoints of economy and biology professionals on multidisciplinary innovations for sustainable agricultural development. Through qualitative analysis of interviews and focus groups, the research identifies key themes and challenges. Participants recognise the need for integrating diverse disciplines to address agricultural sustainability, emphasising the importance of economic viability and technological innovation. However, barriers such as high costs and limited access to resources hinder widespread adoption. Policy recommendations include incentivising sustainable practices and fostering collaboration between stakeholders. The results underscore the significance of multidisciplinary approaches in advancing sustainable agriculture, with implications for policy and practice.

Environmental problems are a factor that influences the health of the world's great population. Developed countries make pollution part of a serious problem in urban industrial centers. The aim of this research is to address the following objectives: (1) to analyze the trend in the number of environmental literacy research conducted annually; (2) to identify the methodologies employed in investigating environmental literacy in Indonesia; (3) to determine the demographics of research subjects involved in studies related to environmental literacy; (4) to ascertain the geographic locations utilized as research sites for studies concerning environmental literacy. This research focuses on content analysis that has been determined from various research published in scientific journals in Indonesia and international journals. In this research, the focus is on articles discussing environmental literacy in Indonesian journals indexed by SINTA. There are 24 articles discussing environmental literacy. positive trends were found in research related to environmental literacy. Among these articles, quantitative research is often found. The samples found in the article were mostly found in junior high schools. Apart from that, the data collection used was a test instrument. and most often use independently composed instruments. In light of the findings of this study, several recommendations have been made for further research.

Science identity, encompassing perceptions of competence, interest, and recognition in science, alongside learning self-efficacy reflecting confidence to master science skills, are key drivers of outcomes. However, developmental patterns likely vary across contexts. Participants were 512 Chinese students spanning grades 1-3 who completed the Science Identity Scale and Science Learning Self-Efficacy Scale, with physics, chemistry, and biology achievement scores gathered. A Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Model assessed relationships. Results substantiated psychometrics for motivational measures. The model indirectly predicting achievement via first-order discipline-specific paths explained more variance than direct second-order effects. Effects significantly varied across groups stratified by grade and region. Interest and conceptual knowledge drove physics and chemistry success, while higher-order skills enhanced biology achievement overall. However, relationships differed within subgroups, suggesting personalized motivational support needs--self-belief/competence foundations for struggling learners, conceptual development for those with high prior achievement, and intrinsic enrichment for disinterested students. Results detail complex motivational profiles underlying science achievement requiring tailored identity safety and self-efficacy scaffolding alongside conceptual and skill-building for excellence across scientific disciplines. Motivational support systems may spur more equitable and optimal science outcomes among diverse adolescent learners.

Environmental literacy related to the utilization of medicinal plants in the community provides a foundation for the younger generation to take an active role and form an attitude of care and responsibility for environmental sustainability. The current research aims to introduce the Inquiry-Etnobotany (IEb) learning model to enhance students' environmental literacy. The research design applied a pretest-posttest control group design to assess the effectiveness of the IEb model intervention, comparing it with the inquiry and discovery learning models. Upon analysis, notable differences emerged between the pre-test and post-test results across various learning models. Specifically, the IEb model exhibited a substantial difference, indicating significant progress in student outcomes. Similarly, the inquiry model showcased an improvement, while the discovery learning model displayed a slightly smaller change. Furthermore, the disparities between pre-test and post-test outcomes were evident across the different schools involved in the study. The IEb model has a significant impact on enhancing students' environmental literacy. However, the research results in each school also demonstrate that various learning models enhance students' understanding of environmental issues despite the different levels of effect.

Smartphones and tablets have permeated various aspects of life. This study explores the differences in wishes between students, parents, and teachers regarding the use of smartphones and tablets in biology classes in the upcoming school year. An online questionnaire was used for the study, which provided eight different scenarios for the use of smartphones for teaching purposes. The data were collected from 934 participants, including 465 students, 282 parents, and 188 biology teachers from various Slovenian lower secondary schools. The principal component analysis revealed the unidimensional structure of the instrument, explaining 59.7% of the variance (alpha = 0.91). The results showed that the use of smartphones and tablets for distance learning, teaching purposes, schoolwork and homework is generally desirable. There was less consensus on their use for laboratory and field work, evaluation of knowledge, and biology lessons. The main finding was that the differences between the groups were small or even negligible in terms of effect sizes. Statistically significant differences were found between the focus groups, with students and teachers expressing greater agreement than parents. These findings emphasize the importance of addressing parents' concerns and understanding the perspectives of stakeholders in order to effectively integrate smartphones and tablets into the classroom.

This study aims to determine the effect of teaching the "Cell and Divisions" unit in the science course with concept maps on the academic achievement of 7th grade middle school students. In order to achieve the stated purpose, a mixed method approach using an explanatory sequential design was used. The study group of the research consisted of 30 middle school students studying in the 7th grade. Convenience sampling method was used in sample selection. In this five-week long implementation, the control group was taught by the teacher according to the current science curriculum in the textbook, while the experimental group was taught a lesson enriched with concept maps. Quantitative data were obtained with the Science Attitude Scale (SAS) and the Cell and Divisions Achievement Test (CCDAT). The "Semi-structured Interview Form" developed by the researchers was used as a qualitative data collection tool. Descriptive statistics, Mann Whitney U test and Wilcoxon Signed Rank test were used to analyze quantitative data. Qualitative data were analyzed descriptively by content analysis method. In the post-application analysis results, while there was no statistically significant difference between the pretest results of the control and experimental groups, statistically significant results were found in favor of the experimental group in the post-test academic achievement scores. Interviews with the students revealed that concept maps contributed significantly to their learning.

Due to its constructivist nature, interdisciplinary teaching appears ideal for increasing students' interests in subjects (Brassler, 2020; Kramer & Wegner, 2021). Although many argue in favor of a more comprehensive implementation of interdisciplinary teaching in schools, many practical barriers arise during the realization that need to be resolved following the design-based research approach (DBR) (Kramer & Wegner, 2022b). Especially at the upper secondary school level, implementation seems to be difficult. The question arises of how interdisciplinary instruction can be usefully implemented in the upper grades. As a first potential solution, interdisciplinary project days were developed in the subject combination of biology and physical education and evaluated with the help of an initial study. The prototypes developed increased both students' situational interests and their perceptions of the utility value of the subjects involved (Kramer & Wegner, 2021; 2022a). However, the implementation process could be optimized, as it currently depends on reducing other school subjects. Therefore, following the iterative cycle of DBR, a new prototype was developed involving interdisciplinary units within the regular subject lessons. The second prototype was empirically evaluated with a control-group design. In contrast to the first prototype, only descriptive trends were found, indicating that the interdisciplinary units trigger situational interest and stabilize individual interest. However, this cannot be supported statistically. Due to a high data dropout, the sample size should be increased, and the trends should be further investigated. In terms of practical feasibility, the second prototype has an advantage as it does not require any cancellation of subject lessons. However, implementing a second subject may reduce the time available for subject-specific content.

The conception of learning is a psychological construct that influences learning outcomes. Therefore, many researchers have explored the concept of learning, especially in higher education. This study aims to identify students' conceptions of learning based on differences in majors. Identifying student learning conceptions is very important for future education to help them understand the nature of learning and help them become a student aware of their duties and responsibilities. Moreover, in the end, they can guide the learning process independently to achieve maximum learning outcomes. A total of 136 voluntary respondents were taken randomly from four majors, namely veterinary education (54 students), biology education (38 students), educational technology (26 students), and educational administration (18 students). The instrument used to measure students' conceptions of learning was adapted from the conception of learning science (CoLS) developed by Lee et al. (2008). The data were analyzed descriptively and multivariately using SPSS 24 for windows at a significance of 5%. From the results of the analysis that has been done, it is concluded that veterinary education students tend to have mixed conceptions of learning (reproductive and constructive), and biology education and educational technology students tend to have constructive learning conceptions. In contrast, educational administration students tend to be quantitative or reproductive profiles. The difference in majors does not affect our participants' learning conceptions. The implications of these results are briefly described in the conclusions, limitations and recommendations.

The perceptions of students who study environmental science related to pollution are certainly different because they are influenced by various circumstances. These circumstances, among others, depend on what they observe around them and their prior knowledge. This study aimed to determine the concept of pollution according to the cognitive structure of prospective biology teachers. The research was designed as a case study and the selected participants were 29 first-year biology education students who took environmental science courses. Data were collected by giving word association tests, open-ended questions, and drawings. The results showed that students' thinking process and prior knowledge influenced their ability to express ideas or answers. Cognitive perceptions of prospective biology teachers from the word association test brought up 30 words related to the pollution which were grouped into four categories, namely types of pollution, causes of pollution, consequences of pollution, and solutions to overcome pollution. Cognitive perceptions of prospective teachers based on open-ended questions, most of them wrote the definition of pollution as stated in the environmental management law, and cognitive perceptions of prospective teachers outlined in the form of drawing related to efforts to overcome pollution are throwing garbage in its place, doing reforestation, and go green action. [Note: The publication year (2023) shown in the citation on the PDF is incorrect. The correct publication year is 2024.]

In this industrial revolution era, university-level education emphasises higher-order thinking skills. This research aims to analyse the effect of implementing the PjB-HOTS learning model on cognitive learning, creative thinking skills, analytical thinking skills, and metacognitive skills of the students studying osmoregulation concepts in Animal Physiology courses. The sample consisted of 61 fifth-semester students divided into two classes. An open-ended test was used to measure students' cognitive learning levels, creative thinking skills, analytical thinking skills, creative thinking skills, and metacognitive skills. The research data were analysed using the Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA). The results of this research show that the learning model had a significant effect on the cognitive learning gains (0.000< [alpha]= 0.05), creative thinking skill (0.001< [alpha]= 0.05), analytical thinking skill (0.000< [alpha]= 0.05), and metacognitive skill (0.000< [alpha]= 0.05). These results indicate that the combined syntax of PjBL and HOTS can foster students' higher-order thinking skills and improve their cognitive learning gains. We recommend the PjB-HOTS learning model be used for other biological concepts at the university-level.

As a result of human beings' activities to dominate nature and transform it for their own benefit as they continue to advance in science and technology, environmental problems such as climate change have become the biggest threat faced by the biosphere in the current century. One of the biggest problems of humanity today is the scarcity of water resources. It is important to reveal the meanings attributed to the concept of water in biology textbooks in order to identify and eliminate the deficiencies or gaps between the concepts related to the subject. The main purpose of this study is to analyze how the concept of water is presented in secondary school biology textbooks. In line with this purpose, answers to the following questions were sought: What biological concepts is water associated with in biology textbooks and how often is it used? Under which categories can the concept of water be classified in biology textbooks? In the study, document analysis was conducted on four biology textbooks published by the Ministry of National Education to be taught in high schools in the 2023-2024 academic year. A qualitative methodology based on inductive logic was used to analyze the data. How water is emphasized in biology textbooks was discussed, and categories were developed to conceptualize explanations about water. These categories were: water as a substance in the structure of organisms, water as a habitat for organisms, water as a substance involved in chemical reactions, water as a human health factor, water as an essential requirement for organisms, water as an environmental problem factor and water as a scarcity factor. According to the results of the textbook content analysis, it was seen that the relationships between water and health concepts in the category of water as a human health factor were well structured. In the study, it was seen that the concept of water was presented in accordance with the target achievements in line with the secondary school biology course curriculum and that the key concepts were given literally. However, it was revealed that the concept of water in textbooks should be structured according to the principles of the systems thinking approach.

Genetics concepts is taught at secondary school to equip students with relevant knowledge to engage with related socio-scientific issues in order to make a reasonable decision. However, earlier research shown that students exhibited poor comprehension of this concept. Despite several interventions, this problem persists. This study was designed to examine senior school students' conceptual understanding, perceptions and misconceptions about genetics concepts as well as the causes of the misconceptions identified. The mixed methods design was adopted, while 789 students participated. Five instruments were used, while data collected were descriptively and content analyzed. The results revealed that 21.4% of the students understood genetics concepts, 27.6% did not, while 51.0% had misconceptions. Students had negative perception of genetics concepts ([x-bar] =2.47) and genetics contents indicator was the major causes of students' misconceptions ([x-bar] =2.92) against the 2.50 threshold. The teaching and learning of genetics concepts should be supported with relevant instructional materials and detailed textbooks.

Scientific thinking constitutes a vital component of scientific competencies, crucial for citizens to adapt to the evolving societal landscape. To cultivate students' scientific thinking, teachers should possess an adequate professional knowledge foundation, which encompasses pedagogical content knowledge (PCK). Assessing teachers' PCK of scientific thinking facilitates the development of effective curricula tailored to their continuous professional development. Despite its significance, empirical studies on biology teachers' PCK of scientific thinking are notably lacking. Hence, this research aimed to create a reliable and valid tool to evaluate upper-secondary school biology teachers' PCK of scientific thinking. The results showed that the instrument exhibits high reliability and good validity, affirming its efficiency for investigative purposes. A collective of 292 in-service biology teachers from upper-secondary schools participated in this investigation through the completion of an online survey. The results indicated that, overall, as well as for each component, upper-secondary school biology teachers' performance on PCK of scientific thinking fell within the lower to middle range. Specifically, the performance levels of four components: knowledge of students (KSU), knowledge of instructional strategies (KIS), knowledge of curriculum (KC), and knowledge of assessment (KA) declined sequentially.

Extracurricular learning plays a key role in shaping students' interest in (not only) biology. The research examined which extracurricular areas related to biology can make biology more attractive for the participating Finnish and Czech students. A 5-point Likert scale questionnaire was administered to 178 Finnish and 195 Czech 9th-grade lower-secondary school students. Cronbach's alpha, Varimax rotation and Mann-Whitney U-test were performed. Factor analysis identified 7 areas: Family trips, My career, Biology lessons, Healthy lifestyle, Institutions, Nature-related hobbies, and Information sources. For Czech, hobbies related to nature and family trips are significant contributors to fostering interest in biology, and an informal educational environment is crucial for cultivating a lasting relationship with biology. For Finns, biology classes and career orientation have a more significant influence on students, demonstrating the effectiveness of formal educational strategies in increasing students' interest in biology. Increasing interest in biology among the students observed in both sociocultural environments is significantly influenced by family involvement and the use of information sources. Further research should explore how specific ECA can support the connection between family and school environments and their impact on students' interest and engagement in biology lessons.

As the trend for English as a medium of instruction (EMI) increases, teacher self-efficacy to teach the contents of their teaching materials in an EMI context has become one of the major challenges. This study investigated the self-efficacy of Indonesian non-ELT pre-service teachers to teach in an EMI context. Two Indonesian non-ELT pre-service teachers, in charge of teaching biology and chemistry in English, in a secondary school in Thailand were interviewed to gain an indepth information about their experiences. The data from their teaching reflections and interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis. The study shows that both participants perceived that their self-efficacy to teach in EMI context was quite high despite various obstacles during their teaching practicum. Furthermore, four sources of efficacy information appeared to influence the Indonesian non-ELT pre-service teachers' self-efficacy to teach in the Thailand EMI context. Mastery experience (the personal experience of success) was the most influential source of efficacy information, followed by the other instances of self-efficacy sources including social persuasion, emotional state, and vicarious experience. The implication derived from this study is that the teacher training institutions in Indonesia need to facilitate the pre-service teachers to help them perceive their self-efficacy to teach in EMI context.

Teaching Biology in an innovative way has always posed challenges due to its complex terminology and abstract concepts. This study explored the effects of reality pedagogy as an alternative instructional strategy on learner motivation and academic performance in learning biology at the ninth-grade level. To achieve this, a quasi-experimental research design was employed, including a pre-test/post-test assessment, biology learning motivation questionnaires, semistructured interviews, and classroom observations. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse the data. The findings of the study revealed that the implementation of reality pedagogy had a positive influence on learner motivation in learning biology. Additionally, a significant correlation was identified and observed between motivation levels and academic achievement in the subject. The implications of these findings, as well as recommendations, are also discussed in the study.

Classifying, naming, and identifying insects have been complicated topics among science teachers and students. This problem is due to the highly technical collection protocols, safekeeping procedures, the unavailability of appropriate learning resources, and the closure of school laboratories and facilities due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Using the remote learning setup, this study utilized Improvised Insect Traps (IITs) to provide an authentic learning experience in teaching and learning insect taxonomy at home. The study aimed to determine the effects of using IITs on students' self-efficacy beliefs and perceived levels of engagement. In this quasi-experimental study, 42 students designed and developed their improvised insect traps. Insect collection and classification were accomplished within four weeks. A 20-item validated survey questionnaire on self-efficacy and engagement levels was administered via Google Forms. Students' feedback was gathered using virtual focus group discussions and open-ended questions. Results revealed that IITs effectively improved students' self-efficacy beliefs (Z=0.033, p-value=0.022, g=0.68), while no improvement was noted in students' perceived levels of engagement (Z=0.143, p-value=0.188, g=0.07) in teaching and learning insect taxonomy. Moreover, students' feedback and responses were classified as Affordances or Constraints. Subthemes such as motivation, satisfaction, authentic learning, safety, and parental involvement were generated in the thematic analysis. Overall, this study found that the IITs activity is relevant in teaching insect taxonomy and delivering practical learning experiences among students in a distance learning modality.

STEM education is on demand more than ever as the workforce relies on 21st century skills and STEM disciplines. This paper presents a framework (IMS-TEAM) for integration of mathematics and science with the use of technology and modeling in an authentic context. The activity based on this framework is designed for and implemented with forty-four 8th grade students in Turkey. The study was conducted to investigate the impact of the activity as well as the IMS-TEAM framework. A qualitative methodology was utilized. Data analysis revealed that different components of our conceptual framework fostered the integration of mathematics and science affecting the nature of students' engagement with the activity. Different frameworks are required to be adapted to different environments with the consideration of learners and teachers. Future research investigating the effectiveness of IMS-TEAM framework adapted to different content and disciplines would provide more evidence on the effectiveness of the framework.

A series of workshops offered to biology and health sciences students during June and July 2022 was primarily aimed to help students to understand and appreciate the employability benefits of engaging with practical science investigations. Such investigations are designed to help students develop not only practical, numerical and problem-solving skills but also skills such as perseverance, creativity and resilience which are important additional employability skills. Scrutiny of feedback comments submitted by students who attended the workshops indicated that these aims had been achieved. Side-benefits of the programme included an increased sense of community among students, and the provision of an opportunity to maintain engagement over the summer months when there is a break in module presentation for many students, leaving them in danger of losing their study momentum.