Petra Lindemann-Matthies

‘Loveable’ mammals and ‘lifeless’ plants: how children's interest in common local organisms can be enhanced through observation of nature

This study investigated which plants and animals Swiss children found most attractive and evaluated the effect of an educational programme on childrens preferences for species. More than 4000 pupils (8–16 years old) from 248 classes participated in the study. Possible effects of the programme were studied with the help of questionnaires using a pretest/post‐test design with an experimental group that participated in the programme and a control group that did not. Before the start of the programme most children found decorative or garden species among plants, and pets and exotic species among animals, most attractive. However, the more wild plants and animals children noticed in their local environment and could name, the more did they appreciate these organisms. Moreover, the more additional wild plants the children noticed due to the programme, the higher was the increase in their appreciation of these species. This supports the hypothesis that children may appreciate animals other than pets and exotic species and even inconspicuous wild plants if they know them.This study investigated which plants and animals Swiss children found most attractive and evaluated the effect of an educational programme on childrens preferences for species. More than 4000 pupils (8–16 years old) from 248 classes participated in the study. Possible effects of the programme were studied with the help of questionnaires using a pretest/post‐test design with an experimental group that participated in the programme and a control group that did not. Before the start of the programme most children found decorative or garden species among plants, and pets and exotic species among animals, most attractive. However, the more wild plants and animals children noticed in their local environment and could name, the more did they appreciate these organisms. Moreover, the more additional wild plants the children noticed due to the programme, the higher was the increase in their appreciation of these species. This supports the hypothesis that children may appreciate animals other than pets and exotic ...

The Influence of an Educational Program on Children's Perception of Biodiversity.

Abstract In this study, the author investigated the influence of the educational program Nature on the Way to School on childrens everyday perception of species. More than 4,000 children (8–16 years old) from 248 classes in Switzerland participated in the study. Possible influences of the program were evaluated with the help of pretest and posttest questionnaires completed by test-group and control-group teachers and students. Participation in the program significantly increased the number and diversity of species that children noticed on the way to school; the positive effects increased with the time spent on the program. The program had a similar positive effect on both younger and older children and on girls and boys.

Investigating Nature on the Way to School: Responses to an educational programme by teachers and their pupils

In this study, the responses of teachers and their pupils to the educational programme “Nature on the Way to School” were investigated with the help of questionnaires. The main objectives of the programme were the promotion of opportunities for children to experience nature first‐hand on the way to school, the promotion of children’s awareness of nature in their daily lives, and the promotion of interest in and tolerance of local plants and animals. More than 3000 children (8–16 years old) from 166 primary and secondary school classes in Switzerland and 117 teachers participated in the study. Children of all age groups particularly enjoyed observing nature directly. Teachers gave the programme very high ratings on average. The ratings given by the teachers and the learning gains of the pupils were positively related. Teachers from rural and urban areas carried out similar activities during the programme and regarded the programme as a success. The high satisfaction of both pupils and their teachers with the programme supports the thesis that teachers should make more use of educational approaches focusing on direct experiences in the local environment of children.

The Integration of Biodiversity Education in the Initial Education of Primary School Teachers: Four Comparative Case Studies from Europe.

In this article, we present results from an international research study on biodiversity education in pre‐service education of primary school teachers. The study was carried out between 2004–2006 in four teacher education institutions in Cyprus, England, Switzerland and Germany. We used document analyses and in‐depth interviews with 27 teacher educators and 22 student teachers to examine the integration of biodiversity into the pre‐service teacher education programmes, and the student teachers’ satisfaction with their respective education. In all teacher education institutions, aspects of biodiversity education were integrated mostly in the natural science modules which provided students at least with some information on the scientific aspects of biodiversity. Few modules included aspects of the controversial nature of biodiversity conservation in relation to economics, ethics, social and political concerns, and methodological approaches on how to deal with this. In the institutions in Cyprus, England and Germany the teaching focus was content‐oriented, whereas in Switzerland a situated method‐oriented approach was used. The student teachers in Switzerland felt more confident to teach about biodiversity in school. All interviewees thought it necessary to prepare primary school student teachers on how to address biodiversity in schools, and strategies on how best to achieve this are critically discussed.

Students’ Perception of Plant and Animal Species: A Case Study From Rural Argentina

Exotic species seriously affect local biodiversity in Argentina. This article investigates how students in San Juan province perceive native and exotic species. With the help of a written questionnaire, 865 students (9–17 years old) were asked to name the plant and animal they liked most, disliked most, and perceived as most useful, and to name local species and describe their uses in the region. Students’ preferences and perceptions were strongly directed toward exotic domestic species. Consequently, workshops were developed in which students were introduced by local ecologists to the diversity of native wild species and their importance for the ecosystem.

Swiss Elementary School Teachers’ Attitudes Toward Forest Education

This article investigates benefits and challenges of forest education in view of 257 Swiss elementary school teachers (1st–3rd grade), by means of a written questionnaire and 15 in-depth interviews. Two thirds of the teachers carried out forest education during normal lesson hours (mean visits = eight per year). Forests were clearly considered as an educational setting, and especially suitable for the enhancement of personal and social skills. Setting rules was seen as indispensable for successful forest education and a must to communicate to “novice” teachers. Moreover, the didactic of forest education should be implemented in teacher education curricula.

Public Knowledge and Perception of Toads and Frogs in Three Areas of Subtropical Southeast China

This study investigated people’s perceptions and knowledge of toads and frogs in three areas of Southeast China: rural Gutian Shan, semi-rural Xin Gan Shan, and the city of Quzhou. In 2010, 672 randomly selected laypersons (between eight and 80 years old) were interviewed with the help of a standardized questionnaire and a picture test. Study participants named a variety of toads and frogs. The naming of a species and its actual identification on paper was positively correlated. Overall, toads and frogs were thought to be rather beautiful. The more amphibian species participants correctly identified, the more they considered them beautiful. Amphibians were considered important for pest control, medicinal purposes, and consumption. With increasing age, more toads and frogs were named and also correctly identified. The urban study population named and identified more species correctly than the rural one, and women identified more species correctly than men.

Can't See the Wood for the Litter: Evaluation of Litter Behavior Modification in a Forest

This study investigated elementary school childrens (n = 171) litter behavior during guided forest tours following two different treatments. Four classes received a verbal appeal not to litter in the forest, while another four classes received both a verbal appeal and a demonstration of the desired litter behavior (picking up litter, putting it in a bag) by their guide. On each day of observation, litter (ten pieces) was deliberately planted at a picnic place and litter collection behavior of children monitored. A combination of verbal appeal and demonstration more positively influenced childrens litter behavior than the appeal alone.

Public Knowledge of, and Attitudes to, Frogs in Colombia

ABSTRACT Peoples response to the decline of biodiversity and their support for conservation measures depends on their knowledge of biodiversity and their attitudes to local species. This study is one of the first to investigate public knowledge of, and attitudes to, frogs in South America. We chose two study regions, the semi-urban region of Pensilvania and the rural region of Florencia. In spring 2011, 565 individuals completed a written questionnaire and a subsequent picture test. Overall, the publics attitudes to, and knowledge of frogs, were rather poor. Direct experiences and community elders were the major source of knowledge of frogs for participants in Florencia, whereas electronic media was the main source of knowledge in Pensilvania. Most participants felt that frogs are of high conservation value and important for medical and ecological purposes. The more strongly participants agreed that frogs are useful, of medicinal value, and beautiful, the more strongly they agreed that they should be conserved. Our results indicate that conservation education activities in schools and elsewhere are needed to improve peoples knowledge of, and attitudes to, frogs. More positive attitudes toward local amphibian species might lead to an appreciation of their value and willingness to conserve them.

Perception of plant species richness by people with different nationalities—an experimental study

Abstract This study investigates with the help of a manipulative experiment how people with different nationalities perceive meadow-like arrays of different species richness (1, 8, 16, 32, 64 species). Participants (n = 187) were all residents of the canton of Zurich and originated from 43 different countries. Overall valuation of the meadow-like arrays increased with species richness. However, while participants from high-income countries (measured by GDP per capita) clearly liked species-rich meadows most and species-poor ones least, participants from low-income countries did not have such clear preferences. Preferences were not related to the length of time a participant had already spent in Switzerland (on average seven years), but to perceived familiarity with a meadow-like array. Sex and education did not influence valuations. Environmental expertise fostered participants’ dislike of species-poor arrays, as did age.