Assessment of botanical learning through an educational intervention based on aromatic plants and their uses in the immediate environment

Abstract

In order to achieve meaningful learning and in view of the need for education for sustainable development (ESD), pedagogical proposals based on experiential methodologies, paying attention to what is taught and with what objective, are essential. Sustainability in education implies a new vision of the term integral sustainability (IS); this should not only focus on environmental aspects of sustainability, but make the whole process of learning sustainable in itself. Against this background, this article presents a non-formal educational intervention for secondary school biology and geology students focused on aromatic plants and associated traditional knowledge (which are locally relevant to the students), in support of the botany-related contents established in the formal curriculum. To evaluate the activity, pre-test and post-test questionnaires were completed by the students. The results revealed significant improvements in students’ ratings of motivation, scientific learning, and sustainable awareness, demonstrating the effectiveness of implementing pedagogical proposals related to the immediate environment for increasing interest in learning and conservation of natural resources.