Biodiversity Conceptualization and Plant Blindness in Portuguese Student Teachers

Abstract

Biodiversity is a multidimensional concept, and its integration into school curricula is essential for promoting sustainable development. Plants are central to the biodiversity of ecosystems; however, student teachers often fail to recognize them and understand their importance. This phenomenon, known as “plant blindness,” was first introduced in the late 20th century. This study is focused on a Portuguese pre-service teacher education degree in Basic Education and addresses the following problem: To what extent educational strategies that value interaction with plants contribute to the promotion of biodiversity and to prevent plant blindness in student teachers? Twenty-seven undergraduate students enrolled in two elective subjects completed a questionnaire before and after the implementation of educational strategies, which included field trips and research activities. Data from a selection of questions are presented, regarding some dimensions of the concepts of biodiversity and plant blindness, namely, students’ interest in nature and biodiversity, the complexity of their conceptualization of biodiversity, and their awareness and knowledge of plants. Key findings reveal a significant improvement in reducing plant blindness and enhancing understanding of biodiversity but not in students’ interest. The overall results highlight the importance of exploring plant rich environments and introducing students to plant biodiversity in their immediate surroundings, but also the resistance of concept change.