Teaching biodiversity with online identification tools from KeyToNature: a comparative study

This paper reports on new pedagogical approaches in teaching biodiversity by using online interactive identification tools developed by the European project KeyToNature. A comparative educational study was carried out on two classes of students, revealing the educational value of the interactive identification tools. A systematic evaluation of both the educational processes and the acquired skills was conducted, and the results are presented here

STUDIES ON TEACHING BIODIVERSITY BY THE USE OF ONLINE INTERACTIVE IDENTIFICATION TOOLS

Modern teaching methods and learning with educational soft allow education to adapt to current and future needs of modern society. Computer-assisted learning for specific biodiversity study with on line K2N tools facilitate the work of learning capacity for observation, consolidation of knowledge and intellectual skills. Interactive educational tools are innovative educational solutions, student-centered, replace conventional identification keys of identifying the organisms and exploit the interdisciplinary character: digital skills, concepts of plant morphology, systematic botany. Through modern and accessible design makes easier the learning process of main morphological characteristics of living organisms, allowing the correct identification and recognition of the species studied. E-Learning development platform, availability of instruments in various forms is particularly important because students can access the tools outside the classroom, the study of ecosystems or visits home, strengthening the knowledge. Following the comparative study conducted at two classes of students using the teaching with K2N tools approach to one class test results showed the effectiveness of their particular teaching-learning-evaluation