Towards a model of plant awareness in education: a literature review and framework proposal

Abstract

The inattention to plants, known as ‘plant blindness’ or ‘plant awareness disparity’, is an established concern amongst biologists and educational practitioners alike. Many studies have called for a teaching and learning reform in botany, but there has been no thorough or critical examination of the pedagogic literature to date, an issue which this narrative review of studies (1998–2022) seeks to address. We use a framework based on theories of perceptual attention, interest, and attitude formation to derive novel insights about increasing plant awareness in education. Data were extracted using a suite of search terms, characterised using key words and subjected to a thematic content analysis, with 113 studies shortlisted for review. The dominant teaching and learning approaches were identification keys, laboratory investigations and discussion-based approaches. Educational interventions were found to increase plant awareness by providing memorable and meaningful first-hand encounters with plants and generating positive affect. We present a theoretical model based on these findings and discuss the implications for biology education.