CULTIVATING BIODIVERSITY: AN EXPERIMENTAL EDUCATIONAL PROJECT IN THE ECOLOGICAL FIELD

Abstract

This project aimed to foster an ecological mindset in future citizens through the observation of Agro-biodiversity, involving two third-grade classes of “D. Manin” primary School belonging to “Tina Anselmi” Educational Complex (Dolo, Venice, Italy) during the school year 2023. The lack of scientific culture is one of the issues affecting our society. In this perspective, developing scientific competence through teaching techniques and methodologies that favour significant learning as active learning is essential. The research aims to compare the didactic efficacy of the experimental active method to the traditional transmissive method in lifelong learning prospecting. Furthermore, this research compares the appreciation and sharing with the surrounding community of the pupils about the information and educational experiences acquired during the activities in the two research groups. The two groups experienced two methods in studying genetic biodiversity: the experimental group achieved this concept by observing green seeds. The first observation involved seeds of different species, and the second was circumscribed to beans of different varieties provided by the INCREASE project. The control group approached the topic with a traditional method. The path was preceded by a questionnaire survey to identify the teaching methodologies and practices applied by the science teachers of the plexus. To verify the homogeneity and the pre-knowledge of the two research groups, an interview and the test ex-post were administered at the end of the experimental path (ex-post). This test was also issued after two months (follow-up) to compare the results of the two research groups, together with a self-assessment aimed at detecting the level of satisfaction and usefulness of the activities. A questionnaire created ad hoc was proposed to the parents of the pupils to understand the share and satisfaction demonstrated by the students in the family environment. Different levels of understanding of the topic emerged between the two research groups, with a higher percentage of correct answers from the experimental group in the ex-post and follow-up questionnaires. The answers provided by the experimental group to the open question concerning the examples of genetic varieties were much more varied and diversified than the examples provided by the control group students. The results of this research further confirm that the experimental method is more effective than the traditional method. No different levels of share of experiences and topics emerged, but the experimental group expressed a higher approval. This research further confirmed the experimental method's effectiveness and demonstrated that it increases the interest of pupils, the cornerstone in developing an ecological mindset and spreading scientific culture.

Keywords: biodiversity, INCREASE, laboratory didactics, science education, seeds.