Abstract:
Students now have the opportunity to pursue a B.S. degree in Horticultural Sciences or Agribusiness Management offered by the University of Florida at a satellite campus located on the Treasure Coast. With only two majors and a limited number of distance education courses available, faculty decided to create several elective courses including a 3000 level course entitled South Florida Flora and Ecosystems (SFFE). This course was designed to give horticulture students background knowledge in the area of native plants and ecology in order to better prepare them for a professional future working in an atmosphere of increased environmental regulation and public concern. Additionally, the unique and diverse ecosystems in Florida provided a rich setting for experiential learning in the course. The instructors also designed the course to promote and develop student critical thinking skills using controversial, environmental issues. These examples of teaching exercises and techniques could be easily adapted as a component in many plant science curriculums and be adapted for the local ecosystems in many geographical regions in the U.S. or the world.
Keywords:
plant science course, environmental awareness, native flora, critical thinking skills
 Download Article | [ ] | 472 kB |
