Teaching Species Identification –
A Prerequisite for Learning
Biodiversity and Understanding
Ecology

Christoph Randler

doi:10.12973/ejmste/75344

Teaching Species Identification – A Prerequisite for Learning Biodiversity and Understanding Ecology

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Christoph Randler ¹ ^*

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¹ University of Leipzig, Leipzig, GERMANY^* Corresponding Author

Abstract

Animal and plant species identification is often emphasized as a basic prerequisite for an understanding of ecology and training identification skills seems a worthwhile task in biology education. Such identification tasks could be embedded into hands-on, groupbased and self-determined learning: a) Teaching and learning should make use of a small selection of species (6-8) and b) these species should be embedded into learning about their natural and life history; c) different materials could be used for identification, i.e. stuffed taxidermies, plastic models or pictures. However, pictures seem only a second choice; d) ideally, pupils use identification books or dichotomous keys for their identification task to foster their methodological skills and to promote lifelong learning by enabling them to make use of such books and keys; e) if the preference is on identification keys rather than on illustrated material, pupils should be trained previously to cope better with the extrinsic load put on them by the difficult material; f) outdoor field trips and excursions should be employed only after a proper preparation in the classroom.

Keywords

books
ecology teaching
identification materials
methods
species
identification

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This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Article Type: Research Article

EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed, 2008, Volume 4, Issue 3, 223-231

https://doi.org/10.12973/ejmste/75344

Publication date: 22 Oct 2008

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How to cite this article

APA

Randler, C. (2008). Teaching Species Identification – A Prerequisite for Learning Biodiversity and Understanding Ecology. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 4(3), 223-231. https://doi.org/10.12973/ejmste/75344

Vancouver

Randler C. Teaching Species Identification – A Prerequisite for Learning Biodiversity and Understanding Ecology. EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed. 2008;4(3):223-31. https://doi.org/10.12973/ejmste/75344

AMA

Randler C. Teaching Species Identification – A Prerequisite for Learning Biodiversity and Understanding Ecology. EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed. 2008;4(3), 223-231. https://doi.org/10.12973/ejmste/75344

Chicago

Randler, Christoph. "Teaching Species Identification – A Prerequisite for Learning Biodiversity and Understanding Ecology". Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education 2008 4 no. 3 (2008): 223-231. https://doi.org/10.12973/ejmste/75344

Harvard

Randler, C. (2008). Teaching Species Identification – A Prerequisite for Learning Biodiversity and Understanding Ecology. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 4(3), pp. 223-231. https://doi.org/10.12973/ejmste/75344

MLA

Randler, Christoph "Teaching Species Identification – A Prerequisite for Learning Biodiversity and Understanding Ecology". Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, vol. 4, no. 3, 2008, pp. 223-231. https://doi.org/10.12973/ejmste/75344