Effectiveness of Digital and Paper-Based Identification Keys for Plants with Slovenian Pre-Service Teachers

Autor/in	Torkar, Gregor
Titel	Effectiveness of Digital and Paper-Based Identification Keys for Plants with Slovenian Pre-Service Teachers
Quelle	In: European Journal of Educational Research, 10 (2021) 2, S.619-627 (9 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext kostenfreie Datei Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	2165-8714
Schlagwörter	Instructional Effectiveness; Electronic Learning; Handheld Devices; Paper (Material); Identification; Plants (Botany); Biodiversity; Science Materials; Photography; Visual Aids; Usability; Knowledge Level; Preservice Teachers; Foreign Countries; Slovenia + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Unterrichtserfolg; Papier; Identifikation; Identifizierung; Pflanze; Biodiversität; Fotografie; Anschauungsmaterial; Wissensbasis; Ausland; Slowenien
Abstract	Teaching about biodiversity and its conservation could be an effective way to teach the importance of different species and human dependence on ecological support systems. This study compares the effectiveness of a digital and a paper-based dichotomous identification key for teaching pre-service teachers about plant species diversity. Twenty-four Slovenian teachers in pre-service training used a digital version of the key on tablet computers and twenty-nine used a paper-based version to identify woody species in the garden near their university faculty. Both keys contained the same species, identical photographs and the same sequence of steps to identify the species. The accuracy and time taken to identify the five species were measured. The participants also completed a questionnaire about the usability of the identification key. Overall, both versions of the key were equally good for determining species names. The digital version of the key was found to be more time-effective than the paper version only when multiple identification steps were required to identify species. The results confirm that those who scored better on the identification tasks have a better general opinion about the usability of the key; especially students using digital version of the key. Implications for teachers using or creating identification keys are discussed in the conclusion. (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	Eurasian Society of Educational Research. 7321 Parkway Drive South, Hanover, MD 21076. e-mail: publisher@eu-jer.com; Web site: https://www.eu-jer.com/
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2024/1/01