Views of Moroccan University Teachers on Plant Taxonomy and Its Teaching and Learning Challenges

Bibliographic Data

ID22044787
AuthorsLhoussaine Maskour (0000-0002-9966-3474, Université Ibn Zohr, corresponding author), Bouchta El Batri (0000-0001-6428-8478, Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University), Jamal Ksiksou (0000-0002-7608-4576, Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University), Eila Jeronen (0000-0001-8610-2355, University of Oulu), Boujemaa Agorram (0000-0003-2813-3422, Cadi Ayyad University), Anouar Alami (0000-0002-3951-9382, Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University), Rahma Bouali (0000-0002-2052-6021, Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University)
Year2022
Volume12
Issue11
Pages799
Publication date2022-11-10
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueEducation Sciences (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2227-7102 • E-ISSN: 2227-7102
PublisherMDPI AG (PUBLISHER • IT)
DOI10.3390/educsci12110799
OpenAlexW4308872594
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited68

Plant taxonomy includes the identification, description, and classification of plants at the level of species or other taxa. This study aims to analyze the views of university teachers on plant taxonomy and its teaching, the causes of the shortage of plant taxonomists, and the challenges encountered by students in learning plant taxonomy. University teachers in Morocco (n = 24) responded to a survey consisting of fixed and open-ended questions. The data was analyzed by inductive and deductive content analysis. The results showed that all university teachers considered a taxonomist as a scientist and plant taxonomy as a dynamic and highly scientific, and descriptive discipline. They stated that the taxonomist community is in crisis because of the shortage of plant taxonomists and the decrease in the quality of training provided at the university. The biggest challenges in learning plant taxonomy were the prevalence of traditional teacher-centered methods, the inadequacy of time and didactic resources spent on teaching, and the Latin nomenclature. The difficulties associated with the concept of evolution and the diversity of classifications were also mentioned. The angiosperm group was the most difficult for students to understand. Furthermore, this research shows that the financial, human, institutional, pedagogical, and didactic resources for the teaching of plant taxonomy are insufficient and do not allow for the use of teaching methods supporting learning. How to plant taxonomy is taught is important, and when it is considered difficult, it can lead to a reluctance to study plant species and be one of the reasons for the decline in plant taxonomists in Morocco. Consequently, this issue can negatively affect the preservation and conservation of local flora

Biology · Economic shortage · Linguistics · Mathematics education · Plant identification · Plant species · Plant taxonomy · Taxon · Animal and Plant Science Education · Computer Science · Fern and Epiphyte Biology · Plant and animal studies · Psychology · Artificial Intelligence · Ecology

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