Higher Education Students’ Biodiversity Knowledge
Biodiversity is fundamental to ecosystem stability and sustainability, yet its global decline underscores the urgent need for effective education to foster awareness and conservation efforts. This study evaluates the biodiversity knowledge of higher education students at ISEC Lisboa and examines the...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2025-04-01
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| Series: | Education Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/15/4/499 |
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| author | Ana Paula Oliveira Ana Paramés António Bajanca Clara Martinez-Perez |
| author_facet | Ana Paula Oliveira Ana Paramés António Bajanca Clara Martinez-Perez |
| author_sort | Ana Paula Oliveira |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Biodiversity is fundamental to ecosystem stability and sustainability, yet its global decline underscores the urgent need for effective education to foster awareness and conservation efforts. This study evaluates the biodiversity knowledge of higher education students at ISEC Lisboa and examines the influence of academic content on their understanding. A mixed-methods approach was applied, combining a structured survey with curriculum analysis. The survey, distributed among 149 students across different academic programs, assessed their perception, awareness, and knowledge of biodiversity. Statistical analysis, including Chi-square tests, was conducted to identify significant differences between study areas. The findings reveal that only 4.87% of the curricular units incorporate biodiversity-related content, and students primarily associate biodiversity with species richness rather than ecosystem complexity or genetic diversity. Despite expressing strong agreement as to the importance of biodiversity, most participants demonstrated limited knowledge of species’ conservation status. No significant differences in biodiversity knowledge were found across academic disciplines, suggesting that content within the curriculum remains insufficient. These results highlight the need for a more integrative and interdisciplinary approach to biodiversity education in higher education institutions. Strengthening hands-on learning experiences and incorporating biodiversity themes across various disciplines could enhance students’ ecological literacy and engagement in conservation efforts. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-1a06f64334744756bf705f057dee4fb4 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2227-7102 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Education Sciences |
| spelling | doaj-art-1a06f64334744756bf705f057dee4fb42025-08-20T02:28:28ZengMDPI AGEducation Sciences2227-71022025-04-0115449910.3390/educsci15040499Higher Education Students’ Biodiversity KnowledgeAna Paula Oliveira0Ana Paramés1António Bajanca2Clara Martinez-Perez3Higher Institute of Education and Sciences (ISEC), University of Lisbon, 1750-142 Lisbon, PortugalHigher Institute of Education and Sciences (ISEC), University of Lisbon, 1750-142 Lisbon, PortugalHigher Institute of Education and Sciences (ISEC), University of Lisbon, 1750-142 Lisbon, PortugalHigher Institute of Education and Sciences (ISEC), University of Lisbon, 1750-142 Lisbon, PortugalBiodiversity is fundamental to ecosystem stability and sustainability, yet its global decline underscores the urgent need for effective education to foster awareness and conservation efforts. This study evaluates the biodiversity knowledge of higher education students at ISEC Lisboa and examines the influence of academic content on their understanding. A mixed-methods approach was applied, combining a structured survey with curriculum analysis. The survey, distributed among 149 students across different academic programs, assessed their perception, awareness, and knowledge of biodiversity. Statistical analysis, including Chi-square tests, was conducted to identify significant differences between study areas. The findings reveal that only 4.87% of the curricular units incorporate biodiversity-related content, and students primarily associate biodiversity with species richness rather than ecosystem complexity or genetic diversity. Despite expressing strong agreement as to the importance of biodiversity, most participants demonstrated limited knowledge of species’ conservation status. No significant differences in biodiversity knowledge were found across academic disciplines, suggesting that content within the curriculum remains insufficient. These results highlight the need for a more integrative and interdisciplinary approach to biodiversity education in higher education institutions. Strengthening hands-on learning experiences and incorporating biodiversity themes across various disciplines could enhance students’ ecological literacy and engagement in conservation efforts.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/15/4/499biodiversitybiodiversity knowledgeenvironmental educationstudent awarenesshigher education |
| spellingShingle | Ana Paula Oliveira Ana Paramés António Bajanca Clara Martinez-Perez Higher Education Students’ Biodiversity Knowledge Education Sciences biodiversity biodiversity knowledge environmental education student awareness higher education |
| title | Higher Education Students’ Biodiversity Knowledge |
| title_full | Higher Education Students’ Biodiversity Knowledge |
| title_fullStr | Higher Education Students’ Biodiversity Knowledge |
| title_full_unstemmed | Higher Education Students’ Biodiversity Knowledge |
| title_short | Higher Education Students’ Biodiversity Knowledge |
| title_sort | higher education students biodiversity knowledge |
| topic | biodiversity biodiversity knowledge environmental education student awareness higher education |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/15/4/499 |
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