Ecology Course Research Articles

Metacognitive skill profile of biology education students at institute of teachers’ education in South Sulawesi, Indonesia

Metacognitive skills are one of the abilities required in the twenty-first century, to achieve independent learning. However, these skills still need to review whether these skills have been empowered by educators, particularly in universities. This research was aimed at determining the metacognitive skill profile of Biology Education students at the Institute of Teachers’ Education in South Sulawesi, Indonesia. This research used a descriptive quantitative method. The population of this research was all the students of the Biology Education Study Program at the non-state Institute of Teachers’ Education in South Sulawesi. The samples of this research were 356 Biology Education students in the second semester who programmed the Environmental Science course in the 2020/2021 academic year. The instrument used in this research was an essay test to measure students’ metacognitive skills in the Environmental Science course. The results of the data analysis indicate that the students’ metacognitive skills are in the category of undeveloped as much as 89.27%. Therefore, some efforts to improve students’ metacognitive skills are required by those institutes through the implementation of a learning model which can empower the metacognitive skills of the prospective Biology teacher students.

Student research collaboration as conservation education: A case study from the primate field school at Maderas Rainforest Conservancy.

Maderas Rainforest Conservancy (MRC) is a conservation-focused non-profit organization that is devoted to protecting the tropical forests they manage in Costa Rica and Nicaragua and to providing conservation education for international university students through biological field schools. The MRC Primate Behavior and Ecology course is their most frequent course offering and is aimed at developing students to be independent field researchers. This course involves classroom lectures, training in primate identification and field methods, and the execution of independent research projects that students design, collect data for, and write up as scientific papers. Student development as conservationists is facilitated through the research experience provided by this field course as well as through co- and extracurricular research opportunities available to students at the sites that MRC manages: La Suerte Biological Research Station in Costa Rica, and Ometepe Biological Research Stationin Nicaragua. In tandem with their participation in the MRC primate field course, we (Laura M. Bolt and Amy L. Schreier) consistently offer students research opportunities in our ongoing project examining the impact of forest fragmentation on primate behavioral ecology. MRC student course evaluations indicate that this co- and extracurricular research participation substantially contributes to student academic development and conservation awareness. Student research collaboration, therefore, greatly benefits students as well as furthers MRC's conservation goals as a non-profit organization. In future MRC primate field school sessions, we will continue to offer research collaboration opportunities to students and will also endeavor to improve conservation education at MRC by involving more local community members in MRC's academic programs.

Application of the Science Literacy Circles Method Based on Local Reality to Improve Students' Scientific Literacy

This study aims to determine the effectiveness of the Science Literacy Circles (SLC) method on students' scientific literacy skills. Research subjects are students of Biology education, FKIP UNSRI, who take an Introduction to Environmental Science course, Environmental Pollution material. This study uses a post-test-only control design. The students who were the samples in this study were taken using a purposive random sampling technique with the Indralaya class as the control class and the Palembang class as the experimental class, each with 1 class. The data analysis technique was carried out using an instrument sheet in the form of a test sheet. Based on the results of the study, it was shown that the experimental class had a higher achievement of scientific literacy skills than the control class in terms of several aspects of scientific literacy, namely aspects of competence, context, and attitudes towards science. The average percentage for the three aspects measured was obtained at an average of 69.03 for the control class and 82.88 for the experimental class.

Cultivating scientific literacy and a sense of place through course-based urban ecology research.

Undergraduate research experiences have been shown to increase engagement, improve learning outcomes, and enhance career development for students in ecology. However, these opportunities may not be accessible to all students, and incorporating inquiry‐based research directly into undergraduate curricula may help overcome barriers to participation and improve representation and inclusion in the discipline. The shift to online instruction during the COVID‐19 pandemic has imposed even greater challenges for providing students with authentic research experiences, but the pandemic may also provide a unique opportunity for creative projects conducted remotely. In this paper, I describe a course‐based undergraduate research experience (CURE) designed for an upper‐level ecology course at California State University, Dominguez Hills during remote learning. The primary focus of student‐led research activities was to explore the potential impacts of the depopulation of campus during the pandemic on urban coyotes (Canis latrans), for which there were increased sightings reported during this time. Students conducted two research studies, including an evaluation of urban wildlife activity, behavior, and diversity using camera traps installed throughout campus and analysis of coyote diet using data from scat dissections. Students used the data they generated and information from literature reviews, class discussions, and meetings with experts to develop a coyote monitoring and management plan for our campus and create posters to educate the public. Using the campus as a living laboratory, I aimed to engage students in meaningful research while cultivating a sense of place, despite being online. Students’ research outcomes and responses to pre‐ and post‐course surveys highlight the benefits of projects that are anchored in place‐based education and emphasize the importance of ecological research for solving real‐world problems. CUREs focused on local urban ecosystems may be a powerful way for instructors to activate ecological knowledge and capitalize on the cultural strengths of students at urban universities.

Course‐based undergraduate research to advance environmental education, science, and resource management

Every year, field excursions engage students of ecology in experiential learning that results in wide‐ranging and well‐documented pedagogical benefits. Much less appreciated, however, is the potential for these excursions to contribute long‐term data that advance scientific knowledge and natural resource management. Here we explore this potential by providing a global synthesis of field data collection, mapping the geography, temporal extent, and type of data collected by students worldwide, and calling attention to the associated benefits and challenges for course instructors. We then offer perspectives on how undergraduate courses in ecology can more broadly contribute to science, management, and policy. Finally, we highlight how several aspects – namely, existing frameworks, resources, and networks; enhanced institutional support; and synergies with the broader science community – can help undergraduate ecology courses achieve their full potential for contributing to both education and science for society.

Triadic Analysis of Students' Self-Regulated Learning as a Response to Learning Support of Environmental Science Course

Self-Regulated Learning (SRL) reflects the development of learning independence, self-regulation in learning, self-management ability in the learning process, and the students' ability to manage learning experiences to obtain optimal learning outcomes. The development of SRL is a process of encouraging students' activity to foster the cognition and behavior aspects that demand systematic self-regulation to achieve the learners' learning goals. Thus, reflecting on students' SRL becomes an essential and strategic aspect of being explored and developed in learning management because it is fundamental to learning success. There are three main components that must be measured, namely self, environmental, and behavior. Each of the indicators of the three components interacts with each other. The analysis of the three components (triadic analysis) in order to develop students' SRL is a very urgent aspect for educators. This study aims to conduct a triadic analysis of students' SRL in response to the learning support of the Environmental science course. The population of this study is students of 3 courses, namely: Environmental Knowledge (Biology Education Study Program), Environmental Education (History Education Study Program) of the Faculty of Teacher Training and Education, and Environmental Sciences (History Study Program) of Faculty of Cultural Sciences, University of Jember. The sample of this study was students who took the course and filled out the SRL's questionnaire in the form of a Google form distributed through social media, Whatsapp (WA). The result of this study shows that the condition of the learning environment that students respond to in the form of environmental self-regulation is on a positive average in the range above 80%. Likewise, the students' self-planning, self-efficacy, and self-evaluation responses are reflected in the form of self-regulation behavior in good condition (in the range above 80%). However, in the self-evaluation indicators, some students are inconsistent in self-planning and self-efficacy, which leads to non-achievement of the targets set.

Desain Pembelajaran Materi Produktivitas Menggunakan Pendekatan STEM Pada Mata Kuliah Ekologi

Productivity is one of the materials studied in ecology courses. As a result of the interview, many students still have difficulty in understanding this material and lecturers also have difficulty designing learning that connects context with the environment. Therefore, student learning activities need to be designed with a STEM approach. The research aims to produce a learning trajectory to help students on productivity materials using STEM approaches. The method used in this research is a design research type validation study consisting of three stages: preparing for the experiment, experiment in the classroom (pilot experiment & Teaching experiment), and restrospective analysis. The research subjects were 6 students and 3 lecturers. Research instruments in the form of interview sheets for students and lecturers and using student metacognitive questionnaires. The results of this study show that through a series of activities that have been done, learning using STEM can help students understand productivity materials and become a starting point in the learning process

Search for ways to realise the pedagogic potential of the military ecology course

Topicality of this work is related to the need to improve the methodology of environmental training of military personnel. The contradiction between the goals and objectives, proclaimed in the system of ecological training and uppbringing in the armed forces of the Russian Federation, and low level of ecological culture and incompetence in issues of ecological safety actually demonstrated by servicemen, is evident. The aim of the article is to develop a model for realising the pedagogic potential of the military ecology course to achieve the goals of environmental training of servicemen. The ones chosen as leading methodological guidelines, include value-minded ones as well as culturological ones in the issues of military ecology course content selection, system-activity and integrative approaches at organisation of teaching and cognitive activity when forming ecological component of military-oriented professional competences; principles of educational environment creation for formation of ecological worldview of the specialist's personality (Aleksandr Ivashchenko, Viktor Panov, Aleksandr Gagarin et al.); integration of professional and environmental education (Aleksandr Gagarin, Yelena Cherdymova et al.) in the context of embedding new knowledge into the existing structure of “cognitive niches” (Helena Knyazeva). What is proposed as the results of the study include the justification of the model of developing a system of training tasks on the example of forming the ecological component of military professional competences. Examples of interconnection of content-activity components at different stages of realisation of pedagogic potential of military ecology course are given; as well as results of pedagogic experiment; methodical recommendations are offered; research prospects are defined. The article is of interest for teachers of military ecology, for pedagogic community of institutions of higher military education, as well as for graduate and post-graduate students developing the issues of their own courses in professional education.

An Ecological Succession Lesson from a Beaver’s Point of View

Ecological succession explored at the secondary and postsecondary level is often limited to terrestrial ecosystems. The emphasis is traditionally placed on how deforestation leads to ecological succession. However, aquatic ecological succession is just as important and allows for many connections to be made with other ecological concepts. Succession initiated by beavers (Castor canadensis) in particular links both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems over time. We present a guide to an inquiry-based lesson for AP Environmental Science and undergraduate ecology courses that explores the effects of aquatic and terrestrial ecological succession initiated by deforestation and beavers. Specifically, the focus is ecological succession and its effects in both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. In this lesson, students (1) engage with a preassessment and broad overview of ecological succession, (2) explore authentic research data representing secondary succession in beaver ponds, (3) explain data using detective activities, (4) elaborate with a mystery pond, and (5) evaluate their new understanding by comparing a pre- and postassessment. This lesson plan meets the objectives for AP Environmental Science Biology courses as well as the core concepts and competencies for undergraduate biology education from the Vision and Change report by the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 2011.

Improvement of Science Attitude Through Scientific Approach in Environmental Science Courses

This study aims to determine the increase in science attitude a scientific approach in environmental science courses. The method used in this research is classroom action (CAR). The subjects of this research are science students in semester 3 of the academic year 2021/2022 with a total of 24 people. This research used qualitative descriptive analysis. Based on the results of classroom action research, it can be seen that the scientific attitude of science education in environmental science courses has increased with the application of a scientific approach. The resulting difference is 5.41% between cycle I and II. Cycle I has an average percentage value of 74.61% and cycle II has an average percentage value of 80.02%. The research carried out can successfully foster scientific attitudes in students so that they are successful in learning

PENGEMBANGAN BUKU AJAR EKOLOGI TUMBUHAN BERBASIS PENELITIAN KEANEKARAGAMAN VEGETASI HUTAN LINDUNG SUMBER UBALAN

Biodiversity in Indonesia is high and very diverse, so it is important to conduct research on it, and no less important is the development of research-based textbooks so that textbooks can be more contextual. Research textbooks on plant biodiversity have not yet been developed specifically, so it is necessary to develop textbooks on agricultural ecology courses which are one of the courses that must be taken by undergraduate students of the Agrotechnology study program, Kahuripan University, Kediri. The method used in this study adapts Borg and Gall's Research and Development (R&D) development method. The test results obtained from the media expert validator are 88% and from the material expert validator 90% then from the product trial is 87%

Harnessing the Four‐Dimensional Ecology Education Framework to redesign an introductory ecology course in a changing higher education landscape

AbstractAs higher education undergoes rapid and fundamental change, eco‐educators need to be prepared to promote the inclusion of the ecological sciences in the biological sciences curriculum of the future. Here, we present an instructional alignment for an introductory ecology course, which is informed by and integrated with the Four‐Dimensional Ecology Education (4DEE) Framework. Our instructional alignment was created collaboratively among faculty involved in teaching the course and emphasizes the relevance and utility of the ecological sciences. We believe that this approach positions the ecological sciences for continued success and inclusion in the biological sciences curriculum of tomorrow.

Improving Students' Critical Thinking Skills Against Environmental Problems: Practicum Mini Project "Understanding Public Perceptions of Environmental Problems"

The purpose of this research is to improve students' critical thinking skills towards environmental problems through mini-project practicum activities on the concept of understanding public perceptions of environmental problems. This research is descriptive research using a qualitative approach. The subjects in this study were Semester II class E students who took Environmental Science courses in the Even Semesters of the 2019/2020 Academic Year. The instrument used to measure critical thinking skills using indicators developed by Ennis are 1) Elementary, 2) Clarification Basic Support, 3) Inference, 4) Advanced Clarification, 5) Strategies and Tactics. Results The average critical thinking ability of 20 students is in the medium category (average score of 69.54). Of the 20 students, 10% were in the very high category, 30% in the high category, 25% in the medium category, and 35% in the low category. Indicators of students' critical thinking in 5 aspects, each of which has an average value that is in the medium category

Flexible and Inclusive Ecology Projects that Harness Collaboration and NEON‐Enabled Science to Enhance Student Learning

AbstractThe COVID‐19 pandemic significantly impacted undergraduate education and fundamentally altered the structure of course delivery in higher education. In field‐based biology and ecology courses, where instructors and students typically work collaboratively and in‐person to collect data, this has been particularly challenging. In this context, faculty from the Ecological Research as Education Network (EREN) collaborated with the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) to design five free‐flexible learning projects for use by instructors in varied modalities (e.g., socially distanced in‐person, remote, or HyFlex). The five flexible learning projects incorporated the Ecological Society of America’s 4DEE framework and included field data collection, data analysis components, and an activity that incorporates existing NEON field protocols or datasets. Each project was designed to provide faculty members with a high degree of flexibility so that they could tailor the implementation of the projects to fit course‐specific needs. Collectively, these learning projects were designed to be flexible, inclusive, and facilitate hands‐on research while working in alternative classroom settings.

Forest Management Laboratory, Natural Environment Conservation Program, Environmental Science and Natural Resources Course, Graduate School of Agriculture, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology

Forest Management Laboratory, Natural Environment Conservation Program, Environmental Science and Natural Resources Course, Graduate School of Agriculture, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology

QUICKLY UNDERSTANDING VIDEO LEARNING BASE ON ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE TO IMPROVE ABILITY OF SENSITIVITY TO THE SITUATION OF CIVIL ENGINEERING STUDENTS

It takes the material in the form of global environmental issues such as human relationships with the environment, ecological principles, natural resources, environmental pollution, environmental ethics, and environmental impact analysis (AMDAL) (environmental impact assessment). This research aims to develop videos for the learning of civil engineering students to increase sensitivity to the environment. This research is development research with 4D model design, which is carried out up to the 3rd stage of the four existing steps: define, design, develop, and disseminate. The research object is a video-based learning medium in environmental science courses, and the research subjects are three validators and 30 students who program Environmental Science courses. Research instruments consist of 1). Validation sheet to measure the feasibility of video-based media containing 15 statement items with preferred Likert scale scores of 1 to 5 and score ranges of 1-75; 2). Test of learning results to measure the feasibility of video-based media after learning containing 20 questions with a score of 0 or 1 and a score range of 0-100. The results showed: first, video-based learning media used in learning activities in Environmental Science courses are categorized as very feasible. The assessment results of the three validators showed that the average value of video-based learning media eligibility of 4.73 with very proper wording. Details of aspects of the assessment include the presentation of material with an average score of 4.78, narrative quality of 4.67, writing the balance of 4.78, quality of music (back sound) of 4.56, the harmony of the colour of the average score of 4.89. Second, after applying video-based learning media in Environmental Science courses, student learning outcomes show "excellent" criteria. The average score of 30 students is 80.17, indicating that the video-based learning media in Environmental Science courses is feasible.

Monitoring of insect pollinators of mango (Mangifera indica L.) inflorescence based on citizen science

Mango cross-pollination can be encouraged through the presence of pollinating insects, which can be investigated and observed through citizen science activities. This study aims to monitor the presence of insect pollinators of mango (Mangifera indica L.) inflorescence through citizen science activities. The data generated in the study can be used as a reference to determine population trends and the biodiversity of mango insect pollinators. A citizen science approach in participatory research was used to collect and identify the data. A total of 68 volunteer participants from two universities in west Java were involved in this study. The participants had to meet the requirements to have contracted ecology courses. Smartphones and insect identification guidelines and databases at https://www.discoverlife.org/ and https://www.inaturalist.org/ were used as a tool in this research. The identified data were submitted via google form (www.bit.ly/csmangga) and the Inaturalist application for publication. It was discovered that mango inflorescence insect pollinators comprised five orders, 26 families, and 39 species. Diptera and Hymenoptera orders are insects that have the biggest role in mango pollination, and Chrysomya sp. is an insect species found in almost all mango cultivars.

Cultivating Bioliteracy, Biodiscovery, Data Literacy, and Ecological Monitoring in Undergraduate Courses with iNaturalist

iNaturalist is a large and growing open-source online platform connecting a global community of users to the natural world and to each other. iNaturalist makes it simple for anyone to share observations, get identifications, and make identifications of any species. We demonstrate how iNaturalist can connect students to nature in undergraduate courses, simultaneously contributing to biodiversity knowledge. Our three case studies use iNaturalist to improve student bioliteracy (awareness and knowledge of biodiversity), to engage them in biodiscovery (discovering undocumented biodiversity occurrences, behaviors, and interactions), to introduce students to systematic ecological sampling (documenting biodiversity patterns and trends), and to improve their data literacy (by depositing and accessing open biodiversity data and by performing analyses). Included are examples from a variety of contexts—a required general science course, introductory courses for science majors, and more specialized electives. We discuss the rationale for iNaturalist inclusion, how iNaturalist inspires students and complements courses, and outputs of our students’ iNaturalist use. Introducing students to tools such as iNaturalist helps build the next generation of bioliterate and biocurious citizens and scientists, fluent in open collaborative research and learning. With wider uptake and coordination, iNaturalist has potential to connect undergraduate ecology courses to form a distributed virtual global biodiversity observatory.

Analisis Kebutuhan Pengembangan Instrumen Literasi Lingkungan Untuk Mahasiswa Pendidikan Biologi FKIP Universitas Ahmad Dahlan

The decline in environmental quality is a severe problem that occurs in various countries in the world. The decline in environmental quality can occur due to several factors, including habitat degradation (pollution), ecosystem damage, and global climate change. Instilling an attitude of caring for the environment in higher education can be done through Environmental Education materials integrated into several courses or stand as a separate subject. The ultimate goal of Environmental Education is to make students have environmental literacy (environmental literacy). This study aimed to analyze the need for the development of environmental literacy instruments and to develop prototypes of literacy instruments. This research is a type of survey research. The research carries out in May – September 2019 at the Biology Education Study Program, FKIP UAD. Data collection techniques using questionnaires and unstructured interviews with questionnaire data collection instruments. Descriptive data analysis technique. Environmental science courses provide information on current environmental issues that students urgently need. After taking environmental science courses, students feel that environmental literacy has increased, but the level of environmental literacy is not yet known. Students and lecturers feel the need to see the level of environmental literacy, so it is necessary to develop an instrument to measure environmental literacy. The literacy instrument that will develop refers to the NAAEE consisting of four components, namely Competence (identification, analysis, investigation, and solution of environmental problems; knowledge (ecological concepts, environmental concepts, and environmental components); disposition (ideas/ideas, concern), sensitivity. ). , solutions to environmental problems); behavior (commitment to care for the environment and concrete actions to care for the environment).

Augmented Reality-assisted Electronic Module for Ecology Student

Education during the pandemic experiences many obstacles that hinder all learning processes. Learning in ecology courses, in particular, has problems because it has one of the activities students have to go to the environment to make observations. The environment referred to here is the Brantas River. Brantas River is the largest river in East Java. However, the river is polluted due to human activities around the river. This phenomenon is intended to be presented as a lesson material for students to be able to improve environmental attitudes. Augmented reality assistance is useful for moving the environment that will be the subject of student observation during virtual learning.