Förderung systemischen Denkens in nachhaltigkeitsrelevanten und biologischen Kontexten - Sind Wirkungen einer Lehrerfortbildung zu systemischem Denken bei Schülerinnen und Schülern nachweisbar?

Systemisches Denken wird von der UNESCO als eine der acht Schlüsselkompetenzen aufgeführt, die für die Lösung komplexer Nachhaltigkeitsthemen im Kontext einer Bildung für nachhaltige Entwicklung (BNE) benötigt werden. Verschiedenste Studien haben gezeigt, dass systemisches Denken auf allen Ebenen der Schulbildung gefördert werden kann.Bisherige Studien haben sich vor allem darauf konzentriert, wie systemisches Denken bei Schülerinnen und Schülern, z.B. durch entsprechende Unterrichtskonzepte, direkt gefördert werden kann. Um systemisches Denken zeitnah in der Schule etablieren zu können, ist es jedoch unabdingbar, die bestehende Lehrerschaft durch entsprechende Fortbildungen in die Lage zu versetzen, systemisches Denken in der Schule erfolgreich selbst zu fördern. Die vorliegende Forschungsarbeit konzentriert sich daher auf Biologielehrerinnen und Biologielehrer und ihre Fähigkeit, systemisches Denken bei Schülerinnen und Schülern der Klassenstufe 9 im Biologieunterricht erfolgreich zu fördern. Ausgehend von der Hypothese, dass das fachliche und fachdidaktische Wissen von Lehrkräften von zentraler Bedeutung für den Unterrichtserfolg ist, wurde untersucht, wie sich unterschiedliche Anteile fachlichen und fachdidaktischen Wissens in einer Fortbildung auf die Fähigkeit von Lehrkräften auswirken, systemisches Denken bei Schülerinnen und Schülern zu fördern. Zu diesem Zweck wurde eine quasi-experimentelle Interventionsstudie mit einem Prä- und Posttest-Kontrollgruppen-Design durchgeführt. Die Ergebnisse zeigen auf der Ebene der Lehrkräfte, dass das fachliche und fachdidaktische Wissen der Lehrkräfte zur Förderung systemischen Denkens von Schülerinnen und Schülern signifikant verbessert werden konnte. Darüber hinaus hat sich die Teilnahme an der Lehrerfortbildung auch auf der Ebene der Schülerinnen und Schüler ausgewirkt, denn sie wurden in der Folge in ihrem systemischen Denken gefördert. Des Weiteren deuten die Ergebnisse darauf hin, dass die Vermittlung entsprechenden fachdidaktischen Wissens in einer ehrkräftefortbildung zur Förderung systemischen Denkens mindestens eine ebenso wichtige Rolle spielt wie die Vermittlung des fachlichen Wissens.Referring to education for sustainable development UNESCO lists systems thinking as one of eight key competencies required for solving complex sustainability issues. Various studies have shown that systems thinking can be promoted at all levels of school education. Previous studies have mainly focused on teaching concepts to promote systems thinking in students. However, to establish systems thinking in schools in a timely manner, teachers need to be trained effectively to convey systems thinking to students. The present research therefore focuses on biology teachers and their ability to successfully promote systems thinking among grade 9 students in biology classes. Based on the hypothesis that the subject-specific and didactic knowledge of teachers is of central importance for the success of teaching, it was investigated how different proportions of subject-specific and didactic knowledge in a further training course affect the ability of teachers to promote systems thinking in students. A quasi-experimental intervention study with a pre- and post-test control group design was conducted.The results show that teachers' subject-specific and didactic knowledge of how to promote systemic thinking among students can be significantly improved. Even more, we could show that also students systems thinking skills improved through appropriate teacher training. The results indicate that for teachers to promote systems thinking, the transfer of relevant subject-specific didactic knowledge plays at least as important a role as the transfer of subject-specific knowledge

Optimising UK urban road verge contributions to biodiversity and ecosystem services with cost-effective management

Urban road verges can contain significant biodiversity, contribute to structural connectivity between other urban greenspaces, and due to their proximity to road traffic are well placed to provide ecosystem services. Using the UK as a case study we review and critically evaluate a broad range of evidence to assess how this considerable potential can be enhanced despite financial, contractual and public opinion constraints. Reduced mowing frequency and other alterations would enhance biodiversity, aesthetics and pollination services, whilst delivering costs savings and potentially being publically acceptable. Retaining mature trees and planting additional ones is favourable to residents and would enhance biodiversity, pollution and climate regulation, carbon storage, and stormwater management. Optimising these services requires improved selection of tree species, and creating a more diverse tree stock. Due to establishment costs additional tree planting and maintenance could benefit from payment for ecosystem service schemes. Verges could also provide areas for cultivation of biofuels and possibly food production. Maximising the contribution of verges to urban biodiversity and ecosystem services is economical and becoming an increasingly urgent priority as the road network expands and other urban greenspace is lost, requiring enhancement of existing greenspace to facilitate sustainable urban development

Walking on Virtual Surface Patterns Leads to Changed Control Strategies

Inclusive design does not stop at removing physical obstacles such as staircases. It also involves identifying architectural features that impose sensory burdens, such as repetitive visual patterns that are known to potentially cause dizziness or visual discomfort. In order to assess their influence on human gait and its stability, three repetitive patterns—random dots, repetitive stripes, and repetitive waves (Lisbon pattern)—were displayed in a coloured and greyscale variant in a virtual reality (VR) environment. The movements of eight participants were recorded using a motion capture system and electromyography (EMG). During all test conditions, a significant increase in the muscular activity of leg flexor muscles was identified just before touchdown. Further, an increase in the activity of laterally stabilising muscles during the swing phase was observed for all of the test conditions. The lateral and vertical centre of mass (CoM) deviation was statistically evaluated using a linear mixed model (LMM). The patterns did cause a significant increase in the CoM excursion in the vertical direction but not in the lateral direction. These findings are indicative of an inhibited and more cautious gait style and a change in control strategy. Furthermore, we quantified the induced discomfort by using both algorithmic estimates and self-reports. The Fourier-based methods favoured the greyscaled random dots over repetitive stripes. The colour metric favoured the striped pattern over the random dots. The participants reported that the wavey Lisbon pattern was the most disruptive. For architectural and structural design, this study indicates (1) that highly repetitive patterns should be used with care in consideration of their impact on the human visuomotor system and its behavioural effects and (2) that coloured patterns should be used with greater caution than greyscale patterns

Effects of Teacher Training in Systems Thinking on Biology Students—An Intervention Study

Systems thinking provides many advantages in solving complex scientific, economic and sociocultural problems in the field of education for sustainable development. Various studies have shown that systems thinking can be promoted in students at all levels of school education. Previous studies have mainly focused on how to directly develop and support systems thinking in students. The present study focused on biology teachers by investigating the extent that their content knowledge (CK) and pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) augments systems thinking in students attending biology classes. On the basis of the finding that content knowledge (CK) and pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) are an essential aspect of any type of training, we investigated in a teacher training program the effects of varying amounts of CK and PCK to the ability of biology teachers to foster systems thinking in students. Therefore, a quasi-experimental intervention study was implemented in a pre- and posttest control group design. The results revealed that biology teacher training can sufficiently improve systems thinking in biology students and that PCK plays an at least equally important role as CK in promoting systems thinking

Effects of Teacher Training in Systems Thinking on Biology Students—An Intervention Study

Systems thinking provides many advantages in solving complex scientific, economic and sociocultural problems in the field of education for sustainable development. Various studies have shown that systems thinking can be promoted in students at all levels of school education. Previous studies have mainly focused on how to directly develop and support systems thinking in students. The present study focused on biology teachers by investigating the extent that their content knowledge (CK) and pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) augments systems thinking in students attending biology classes. On the basis of the finding that content knowledge (CK) and pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) are an essential aspect of any type of training, we investigated in a teacher training program the effects of varying amounts of CK and PCK to the ability of biology teachers to foster systems thinking in students. Therefore, a quasi-experimental intervention study was implemented in a pre- and posttest control group design. The results revealed that biology teacher training can sufficiently improve systems thinking in biology students and that PCK plays an at least equally important role as CK in promoting systems thinking.</jats:p

Evaluation of the ENVI-Met Vegetation Model of Four Common Tree Species in a Subtropical Hot-Humid Area

Urban trees can significantly improve the outdoor thermal environment, especially in subtropical zones. However, due to the lack of fundamental evaluations of numerical simulation models, design and modification strategies for optimizing the thermal environment in subtropical hot-humid climate zones cannot be proposed accurately. To resolve this issue, this study investigated the physiological parameters (leaf surface temperature and vapor flux) and thermal effects (solar radiation, air temperature, and humidity) of four common tree species (Michelia alba, Mangifera indica, Ficus microcarpa, and Bauhinia blakeana) in both spring and summer in Guangzhou, China. A comprehensive comparison of the observed and modeled data from ENVI-met (v4.2 Science, a three-dimensional microclimate model) was performed. The results show that the most fundamental weakness of ENVI-met is the limitation of input solar radiation, which cannot be input hourly in the current version and may impact the thermal environment in simulation. For the tree model, the discrepancy between modeled and observed microclimate parameters was acceptable. However, for the physiological parameters, ENVI-met tended to overestimate the leaf surface temperature and underestimate the vapor flux, especially at midday in summer. The simplified calculation of the tree model may be one of the main reasons. Furthermore, the thermal effect of trees, meaning the differences between nearby treeless sites and shaded areas, were all underestimated in ENVI-met for each microclimate variable. This study shows that the tree model is suitable in subtropical hot-humid climates, but also needs some improvement