The paper presents an analysis of the effect of lifelong learning courses helping the observed beginning teachers overcome difficulties in the initial years after completing undergraduate training. Data, analysed using a grounded theory method, were obtained through in-depth semi-structured interviews with 11 beginning biology teachers with 1 to 5 years of experience. There is an apparent disconnect between what novice teachers named as failures (and what they need to improve on) and what kind of continuing education courses they actually take. The data analysed revealed the reasons for this discrepancy: (1) beginning teachers fail to identify the causes of their teaching problems; (2) An induction teacher or a similarly attuned colleague can help to name the problem and identify its causes; however, beginning teachers lack an induction teacher (often only formally appointed); (3) the lack of support from the school can be compensated to some extent by in-service training courses – however, beginning biology teachers sought out courses oriented towards knowledge or practical skills acquisition; only when they came across a course that provided a space for reflection and sharing experiences with other (beginning) teachers did they better cope with the “reality shock” – they discovered that teaching failures do not happen only to them and they are not “thrown into the water” alone. While in-service training courses are valuable for beginning teachers, it is essential that they are not only oriented towards knowledge or the acquisition of practical skills, but that they provide a space for sharing experiences and for joint reflection on situations arising from school reality.

The study investigated the effects of ChatGPT-based instruction using VARK model on academic performance in cellular respiration among secondary school students in Zamfara state, Nigeria. Two objectives, two research questions and one hypothesis guided the study using explanatory sequential mixed method research design. The population was all the 98,417 senior secondary school students for the 2024/2025 academic session in the state. Sample was 93 students for both the quantitative and qualitative phases. Three validated instruments: Visual, Aural, Read/write and Kinesthetic Questionnaire (VARKQ), Cellular Respiration Performance Test (CRPT) and Biology Students’ Perceptions on ChatGPT-based Instruction Interview (BSPCII) were used for data collection. Test-retest method was adopted in establishing the reliability of the VARKQ, CRPT and BSPCII using Cronbach’s Alpha, Pearson’s r and Co⁠hen’s K‍appa correlations which yielded reliability indices of 0.81, 0.82 and 0.79 respectively. Quantitative data were analyzed using mean and standard deviation to answer the research questions and One Way ANCOVA to test the hypothesis at p ≤ .05 significance level while the qualitative data were analyzed thematically. Findings revealed that: the mean academic performance score of the experimental group was greater than that of the control group and secondary school biology students’ perceptions on the use of ChatGPT in learning were positive. The study concluded that ChatGPT-Based Instruction using VARK Model (CBIVM) significantly enhances students’ academic performance and was perceived positively by the students. It was recommended that biology teachers should adopt the CBIVM and senior secondary school students should be encouraged to make better utilization of ChatGPT for personalized learning.

The 5E model (1. Engagement; 2. Exploration; 3. Explanation; 4. Elaboration; 5. Evaluation) is a well-known instructional framework for promoting active learning. Augmented reality (AR) has been integrated into the educational process to support interactive learning. Building on these foundations, this study examines the usability of an AR application developed within the framework of the 5E instructional model to support biology in high school. The proposed AR app consists of a structured sequence of activities aligned with the 5E stages. Moreover, a usability study was conducted to evaluate the app’s usability among 195 users across three participant groups emerging from various educational levels and with different backgrounds: education students (novice adults), engineering students (expert adults), and 1st year high school students (students). The findings indicate perceived acceptable usability, with younger and less experienced users indicating the need for more guidance. Rather than evaluating learning outcomes or pedagogical effectiveness, this study focuses on investigating usability perceptions and interactions of the AR app designed within the 5E learning model. The findings highlight usability-related issues relevant to the design of AR applications and emphasize the importance of combining user-centered design with instructional frameworks in secondary education.

The International Symposium on Ciliate Biology (ISCB 2025) was held at Acharya Narendra Dev College, University of Delhi. The symposium brought together leading experts from around the world. Preceded by hands-on workshops in taxonomy and genomics, the symposium offered a dynamic platform for knowledge exchange, featuring plenary lectures, invited talks, oral presentations, and posters on topics spanning biodiversity, taxonomy, cell biology, model systems, health, toxicology, and science communication. Sessions highlighted ciliates' ecological significance-from climate change monitoring to their roles as bioindicators and agents of environmental restoration. Cutting-edge research showcased molecular, cellular, and integrative approaches, including phylogenomic analyses, innovative uses of ciliates in pollution detection, vector control, and explored practical applications of ciliates in health and agriculture. The event drew approximately 300 participants, with strong international representation, fostering new collaborations and inspiring future research. Recommendations from the symposia advocate for enhanced interdisciplinary efforts, expanded molecular tools, frugal science innovations, and greater public science communication. The ISCB 2025 concluded with a cultural program and a General Body Meeting of the Indian Society of Ciliate Biology (ISoCB) outlining strategic directions for ISoCB, including global membership and triennial symposia. The event underlined the pivotal role of ciliates in biological research, environmental stewardship, and education.

ABSTRACT Science education continues to be shaped by cis‐heteronormative and Eurocentric norms that constrain how knowledge, identity, and legitimacy are constructed in classrooms. In this narrative inquiry case study, I collaborated with a trans and gender‐nonconforming high school biology teacher, Teacher Mateo, to examine how queer and Indigenous ways of knowing can disrupt these settled expectations. Grounded in queer theory and counterstorytelling, I conceptualize Spilling T as a method rooted in Black queer and trans cultural traditions, both a methodology and a praxis that centers relational, embodied, and community‐based knowledge. Through co‐constructed counterstories and iterative Spilling T sessions, two narrative threads were developed: (1) the revitalization of Indigenous identity as a foundation for relational and multiepistemological biology teaching, and (2) the cultivation of genderqueer identity to challenge binary logics and affirm queerness as inherent in nature. Findings illustrate how Teacher Mateo resists biological essentialism, humanizes LGBTQ+ identities, and distinguishes science epistemology from Indigenous and queer worldviews. This study positions Spilling T as a transformative counterstorytelling method for reimagining science education as a space of resistance, reclamation, and queer rightful presence.

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020 that initiated the transition to online classrooms, metacognition has become increasingly essential for both instruction and student learning. In the post-pandemic environment, understanding how Introductory Biology instructors perceive fostering the development of students' metacognitive skills is necessary for supporting students who are struggling to adapt to change and to support instructors in understanding best teaching practices. This study used semi-structured interviews to explore how Introductory Biology instructors perceive their role in fostering the development of students' metacognitive skills and to identify areas where additional support through Teaching Professional Development is needed. The study characterized instructors' understanding of metacognitive skill development, their reported strategies for encouraging student metacognition, and the challenges and barriers they perceived to face when attempting to implement such practices. The research team developed the initial codes using emergent themes from the interview transcripts related to three research questions. Although the small sample size limits generalization, the voices of these instructors reveal common themes regarding their level of understanding of metacognition, the strategies they used, and the barriers they faced. These findings suggest that, while instructors recognize the importance of metacognition, their interpretations of the construct are often broad and variably aligned with theoretical definitions.

Plant blindness—defined as a lack of awareness and appreciation for the essential role of plants in human life and biodiversity—has gained increasing attention as a barrier to environmental literacy. Addressing this issue is crucial, particularly for future biology teachers who will guide the next generation’s understanding of plants. This study investigates the impact of outdoor plant observation activities on the plant identification knowledge and attitudes of biology pre-service teachers and explores their perspectives on outdoor education. Using a one-group pre-test, posttest, and retention test design, 81 biology pre-service teachers participated in 90-minute observation sessions spanning four weeks, during which they observed plants across diverse ecological contexts and compiled memory cards for each species documented. Results show a significant improvement in plant identification skills and positive shifts in attitudes towards plants, with partial retention observed over time. Qualitative data from semi-structured interviews indicate that participants found outdoor education motivating and beneficial for long-term retention. Despite challenges such as weather conditions and group size, participants emphasized the effectiveness and engagement of learning directly in nature. Many expressed intentions to incorporate outdoor activities and technological tools in their future teaching practices to enrich student learning and combat plant blindness.

Abstract In the context of the current global socioenvironmental crisis, it is fundamental to reflect on how we build relations with natural systems, the values intertwined with those relations, and the ethics we build based on the latter that may allow us to radically transform human–nature relationships. From this standpoint, academic sciences and religions are key frameworks we may use to ground those reflections. However, more knowledge is needed about how scientific and religious perspectives interact with each other within subjects’ views of nature in particular cultural, professional, and religious contexts. Moreover, the ontological and epistemological positions built by subjects showing different patterns of interaction between those perspectives may provide insight about their stances toward human–nature relationships and the values associated with them. The present study explores how scientific and Christian religious perspectives interact in four Colombian Biology teachers’ views of nature and its relationships with humans, using a qualitative approach and an interpretivist research design. The analysis shows that despite holding diverse religious and spiritual beliefs, all participating teachers showed a shared sense of care toward nature, blending their value systems and epistemological commitments in two distinct human–nature relational models, namely, the Stewardship and Wardship models, according to Muradian and Pascual’s typology of forms of human–nature relationships. We conclude that these teachers ascribe an aesthetic value to nature that is closely related to their ethics with respect to it, which is, in turn, related to their religious or scientific ideas to varying degrees.

Over a decade ago, the national "Vision and Change" report articulated the critical need to reform undergraduate biology education. Since its introduction, reform efforts guided by V&C have focused primarily on the biology major, with less attention to the distinct needs of non-major students in General Education (GenEd) life science courses. For most college students, a life science course represents the only opportunity to develop scientific literacy, a critical skill for making informed decisions in an increasingly complex and science-driven world. The Interactions in General Education Life Science Courses (IGELS) project was developed as a response to the challenges of aligning biology education reform policy with the needs of non-science majors. The goal of the project was to define a framework of core competencies, tailored specifically for the distinct needs of undergraduate non-major life science students. The IGELS team built upon the existing "BioSkills Guide" and developed a "LifeSkills Guide," featuring a new set of 39 learning outcomes organized into five themes. The LifeSkills Guide is intended to support instructors as they shift the emphasis of their instruction from content coverage to developing transferable skills relevant to students' daily lives. Examples of how to implement the guide are demonstrated through classroom activities, such as a "Fake News" exercise, and pedagogical approaches like Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs), which can be mapped to multiple learning outcomes. The LifeSkills Guide serves as a curated roadmap, providing resources to transform GenEd life science courses and empower our students, as members of society, to use evidence-based reasoning as they navigate personal, professional, and civic challenges.

This study aims to develop Google Sites–based learning media integrated with the Problem-Based Learning (PBL) model on the topics of plant and animal tissues, with the goal of improving students’ critical thinking skills and biology learning outcomes. The research followed the ADDIE development model, encompassing five systematic stages: Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation. The study involved 35 Grade XI science students at SMA Negeri 3 Samarinda, Indonesia. The research instruments comprised expert validation sheets, practicality questionnaires, critical thinking tests, and learning achievement assessments. Data were analyzed using a mixed-method approach, combining quantitative and qualitative techniques through descriptive statistics, paired-samples t-tests, and N-Gain analysis. The results indicated that the developed media achieved a very high level of feasibility according to expert validation, with average scores of 93.75% from media experts, 91.25% from subject matter experts, and 95.00% from language experts. Practical assessments received very positive responses from teachers (95.00%) and students (91.33%), demonstrating that the media was user-friendly, engaging, and functional. Furthermore, the media effectively improved students’ critical thinking skills and learning outcomes, with an overall N-Gain of 0.84 (high category) and critical thinking indicator gains ranging from 0.71 to 0.86. A key innovation was the integration of an interactive discussion feature using Canva within Google Sites, which promoted collaboration and meaningful learning. In conclusion, the Google Sites–based PBL media was highly feasible, practical, and effective for improving students’ critical thinking skills and learning outcomes in biology.

This meta-analysis investigates the perspectives of senior high school biology students and teachers on the nature of science (NOS), aiming to identify common understandings, misconceptions, and instructional challenges. The study synthesizes findings from peer-reviewed articles, dissertations, and credible institutional reports published between 2000 and 2023. Using a systematic search across databases such as Google Scholar, ERIC, and JSTOR, and guided by clear inclusion criteria, the analysis incorporates both qualitative and quantitative data. Thematic synthesis and meta-analytic techniques were employed to explore trends, misconceptions, and the impact of teacher professional development (PD) on NOS instruction. Results indicate that while biology teachers tend to possess a more advanced understanding of NOS than students, significant gaps and misconceptions persist among both groups particularly regarding the tentative nature of scientific knowledge and the distinction between scientific laws and theories. Furthermore, the study finds that although PD can enhance teachers’ conceptual and pedagogical grasp of NOS, curriculum constraints often limit effective classroom implementation. The findings underscore the need for curriculum reform and targeted teacher training to enhance science literacy and foster accurate conceptions of NOS in secondary education.

ABSTRACT ECR Spotlight is a series of interviews with early-career authors from a selection of papers published in Journal of Experimental Biology and aims to promote not only the diversity of early-career researchers (ECRs) working in experimental biology but also the huge variety of animals and physiological systems that are essential for the ‘comparative’ approach. Fouzia Haider is an author on ‘ Winter intensity shapes overwintering energy gain and use in bark beetles under range expansion’, published in JEB. Fouzia conducted the research described in this article while a Postdoc in Heath MacMillan's lab at Carleton University, Canada. Fouzia is now a Biology Instructor at Acadia University, investigating how bioenergetic processes fuel an organism's ability to withstand stress, adapt and thrive in changing environments.

The development of digital technology in the world has increased the ease of access to education. However, it also creates new challenges that affect stress levels and academic achievement. This study focuses on analyzing the influence of digital mindfulness techniques on the level of stress experienced by students of the Department of Biology Education at Lambung Mangkurat University, as well as their academic achievements. A descriptive-exploratory method with a qualitative research approach was applied in this study. Data was collected through an online survey filled out by 71 students and 5 lecturers, as well as interviews with 9 students from various generations. Data analysis was carried out using a descriptive method, based on students' views and experiences. The results show that most students experience moderate to high levels of academic stress, especially due to multitasking on digital platforms and high academic expectations. Nonetheless, the application of digital awareness techniques contributes to more effective time management and improved ability to concentrate. This research highlights that digital awareness is essential to maintain a balance between technology use and students' mental health. Scientifically, the results of this study show the importance of digital awareness in biology education for adaptive, healthy, and sustainable learning.

Contemporary biology education increasingly depends on learners’ capacity to interpret evidence, evaluate information quality, and construct explanations collaboratively. A WebQuest—an inquiry-oriented learning format built around curated online resources and a problem-centered task—can function as an instructional carrier for interactive methods if it is designed and facilitated as a coherent system rather than as a web search exercise. This article proposes a mechanism for applying interactive methods in biology teaching based on the WebQuest format and describes how learning outcomes are translated into transformative tasks, how collaboration is structured to ensure epistemic interdependence, how teacher facilitation supports scientific discourse, and how assessment produces valid evidence of both product quality and learning processes. The mechanism is intended for practical classroom use and for research-based analysis of implementation fidelity. Expected outcomes include deeper conceptual understanding of biological mechanisms, improved competence in scientific argumentation, and stronger learner engagement supported by clear roles, structured inquiry steps, and rubric-based evaluation.

This study aimed to design a localized model for documenting the knowledge of biology teachers in Baghdad secondary schools, based on the principles of micro educational management. Micro educational management conceptualizes the teacher as a leader at the classroom level who manages the teaching and learning process through moment-to-moment decision-making and continuous reflection. Within this framework, a teacher’s professional knowledge is categorized into three types: “substantive knowledge” (scientific concepts), “contextual knowledge” (lived experience), and “explicit knowledge” (observable documentation). This qualitative study was conducted within an interpretive paradigm, employing semi-structured interviews, participatory observation, and document analysis of 12 biology teachers in four schools in Baghdad. The data were analyzed using the Attride-Stirling thematic analysis method. Findings led to the extraction of five basic themes: documentable content as substantive knowledge, strategies for recording and organizing knowledge, implicit and non-recordable knowledge, criteria for selecting documentable content, and enablers and barriers to documentation. These themes were ultimately integrated into an overarching theme entitled “The Intelligent Model of Teacher Knowledge Documentation within the Framework of Micro Educational Management.” This model demonstrates that documentation becomes intelligent and effective when the teacher, guided by reflective and situational rationality, assumes the role of a knowledge manager and designer, establishing interconnections among the three types of knowledge. This process transforms documentation from a mere administrative task into a research-based and knowledge-creating practice that leads to sustainable individual and organizational learning. The results indicate that implementing this model can foster teachers’ professional growth, strengthen the school’s intellectual capital, and enhance the quality of biology instruction. The study underscores the necessity of institutionalizing documentation within the school culture and providing institutional support for teachers to realize micro educational management.

This study developed conservation teaching materials integrating indigenous knowledge using the Numfor Paradise Kingfisher (Tanysiptera carolinae) as a contextual model. The study applied a research and development approach based on the ADDIE model and involved 24 students from the Biology Education Department of Papua University. Data were collected through expert validation, classroom implementation in the New Guinea Biota Conservation course, interviews, student questionnaires, pre-test and post-test assessments. The developed materials achieved high validity (88,68%) and excellent practicality (93,22%). Effectiveness testing showed a significant improvement in students' conservation literacy, indicated by a high N-gain score (0,84) and a significant difference between pre-test and post-test results (p = 0,001). The results demonstrate that integrating indigenous knowledge of Papuan into New Guinea Biota Conservation learning materials effectively enhances students' conservation literacy. This study provides an applicable instructional model for culturally contextualized biodiversity education and supports the development of sustainable conservation learning in biodiversity-rich regions.

The work presents the educational contributions to the prevention of metabolic syndrome in the Education program. Biology. Actions are examined that, from the degree training, can be implemented from the different disciplines that are studied in the degree, for this a review of the scientific literature that is related to the topic and that has been published in the last five years was carried out. years. The review made it possible to recommend different educational content activities aimed at prevention and that, in light of the social role of the professional in training, for whom the proposal is directed, focuses on the impact that future Biology teachers should exercise in their teaching work. in Basic Secondary School. The frank exchange with students on the basis of experiential contributions, which emanate, to a large extent, from their interpersonal relationships is present in an important part of the interventions proposed. Although undergraduate educational activity offers ample potential to induce various coping actions based on the referential knowledge of the traits that manifest in metabolic syndrome, it is no less true that a motivation inducing the active search for knowledge, on the part of students, for the purposes of inducing and strengthening appropriate attitudes of self-care of health with a preventive nature and that at the same time radiates towards their contexts of family and professional action.

Beyond biohazards: teaching forensic biology practicals with synthetic and non-human samples.

This study aims to develop and test the validity of Curipod's integrated Problem Based Learning (PBL) based learning e-Module on excretory system material as biology teaching material at SMA Negeri 1 Suwawa. This research is a type of research and development or Research and Development (R&D) with the ADDIE model which includes Analysis, Design, Develop, Implement and Evaluate. However, this research only reached the stage of development and limited scale trials. The data collection instruments used consisted of validation sheets of media experts and material experts. The results of the study show that the Curipod integrated PBL-based learning e-Module is in the very valid category, with a percentage of media expert validity of 95% and validity of material expert of 97%. Thus, these findings show that the developed E-Module is suitable for use as teaching materials to support biology learning in excretory system materials.

The main purpose of this study is to identify the major challenges that hinder effective biology education in Yemeni secondary schools from the perspective of students and recent graduates. Due to the limited number of empirical studies addressing biology education in Yemen, this research aims to contribute preliminary data that may guide future improvements. A qualitative research design was employed, and data were collected through an online questionnaire consisting of 14 items (11 closed-ended and 3 open-ended questions). A convenience sample of 30 participants from the science track responded to the survey. Descriptive statistics and thematic analysis were used to examine the data. The results revealed that students face significant obstacles in learning biology, including a lack of security and school infrastructure due to ongoing conflict, insufficient laboratory facilities and technological resources, limited access to learning materials, and a curriculum that emphasizes memorization over conceptual understanding. Participants also reported that teachers rely heavily on lecture-based instruction with minimal practical activities. These findings align with previous research indicating systemic weaknesses in teacher qualifications, curriculum development, and resource provision. Overall, the study highlights the urgent need for enhanced laboratory opportunities, curriculum revision aligned with contemporary scientific advances, teacher professional development, and strengthened school infrastructure. It is expected that this preliminary work will raise awareness among policymakers, educators, and stakeholders and encourage further research to improve biology education in Yemen.