The use of ICT in education paved the way for online teaching. Though online teaching faces the challenge of engaging students, various strategies help to overcome it. The present study is a single group pre-test and post-test quasi-experiment that examines the effects of the interactive and gamified e-quizzes in teaching five human body systems, namely the digestive system, the excretory system, the respiratory system, and the male and female reproductive systems, in online science classes. In the study, thirty-two sixth-grade students participated in the classes and two gamification tools, Ecosystemforkids.com and Quizizz.com, were used. Both the tools helped to improve the performance of students. Interactive quizzes provided by Ecosystemforkids.com were found to be effective in remembering the names and understanding the functions of various organs, making it a valuable homework resource. Quizizz.com was found to be effective as a formative assessment tool as well as providing fun competition-based learning. Both tools had a positive impact on student performance.

Concept mapping is an established method to create a network of knowledge. Concept map is made of interconnected propositions in which each proposition comprises of two concepts connected with linking words. The article is to study effect of providing linking words in concept mapping for representing cell biology concepts, comparing with traditional concept mapping among college biology students. A criterion concept map was used to evaluate concepts, linking words and valid propositions. The students’ concept maps were scored for structural complexity and propositional validity. The students’propositions where they used the provided linking words showed a higher proximity percentage with criterion concept map as compared to concept maps without the provided linking words. We discuss the pedagogical implications of our study for understating or forming biological concepts with linking words in concept mapping.

In this study, four plant identification mobile apps, namely LeafSnap, PictureThis, Pl@ntNet, and PlantSnap, were tried by volunteer participants who are students, teachers, and plant enthusiasts. The participants were asked to take images of at least four plants and upload them to these apps for their identification. The participants were then asked about their impressions of and difficulties with the use of these mobile apps by a questionnaire. Their responses reveal that they found the use of mobile apps interesting, enjoyable, and very useful. It could add to their knowledge of plants, help them connect with nature and the world, and provide data for research purposes. There were, however, difficulties that they encountered with the use of the mobile apps, such as the slow Internet connection, some inconsistencies in identification, and the need to purchase the apps after the trial period. Despite these difficulties, the satisfaction of the users supports the need to explore the idea of using mobile apps in teaching taxonomy or systematic biology among students or even as citizen’s science tools.

The Australian national curriculum has been adopted by Education Ministers in all Australian states and territories. There are eight key learning areas, including Science, in the Foundation to Level 10 program and three cross-curriculum priorities that include Sustainability. Thus, Sustainability is not taught as a separate discipline, but is integrated into the key learning areas wherever possible. There are three Organizing Areas relevant in the curriculum for teaching about Sustainability: Systems, World Views and Futures. Teachers have access to an array of resources to help in their teaching, including lesson plans, field work suggestions and work samples. In the senior secondary school curriculum (levels 11 and 12), Sustainability is again taught through established disciplines and subjects, including Biology, Geography and Earth & Environmental Science. The latter field may be taught under different titles – in New South Wales, for example, Earth & Environmental Science is a distinct Subject in levels 11 and 12, while in Victoria there are two so called Study Designs that cover the key learning area: Environmental Science and Outdoor and Environmental Studies.

As the global community increasingly emphasizes the importance of sustainability, education systems must align with these values. Recent PISA results highlight the challenges faced by Malaysian students in mastering STEM techniques, revealing gaps in critical thinking and problem-solving skills. In response, it is crucial for Malaysia to reorient its education system towards sustainable development and the integration of STEM principles. This manuscript reports on the Malaysian government’s effort to enhance sustainable development and STEM education by refining pre-university programs, specifically the Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM) Biology syllabus to integrate sustainability education and foster a deeper understanding of STEM. This revision aimed to equip students with not only theoretical knowledge but also practical skills relevant to addressing real-world environmental challenges. By embedding sustainability concepts within the syllabus, the initiative seeks to cultivate critical thinking, problem-solving abilities, and ethical decision-making in students. Furthermore, the updated syllabus encourages collaboration and innovation, preparing students to be involved in sustainability and scientific research. This restructuring reflects the government’s commitment to developing a workforce equipped for the challenges of a rapidly changing global economy, especially in green technologies and sustainable industries. Ultimately, the refined STPM Biology syllabus ensures that students are prepared for further education or the workforce with relevant skills and knowledge.

Generation Z learners’ short attention span challenges educators to design engaging teaching methods that capture their interest. This quantitative study investigates the effect of memes, which are popular internet media, on non-STEM Gen Z high school students’ academic achievement, attitude, and self-efficacy in biology. Two groups of Grade 11 participants (n=243) were taught cellular division and genetics lessons through two different approaches. The results demonstrate that the experimental group which was taught using meme-infused materials had statistically significantly higher post-test scores (21.46 ± 4.41 out of 30; independent t-test = 0.00) than students who were taught with materials with no memes (17.74 ± 4.00). Additionally, administering the modified Attitude Towards Science Inventory (ATSI) reveals that there is a statistically significant positive overall attitude in sciences in the experimental group (Mann-Whitney U test p-value = 0.00). Also, there is a statistically significant Biology Self-Efficacy (BSE) score (p-value = 0.00) for the group with meme-infused materials. This was consistent across all three BSE dimensions, namely confidence in methods in biology, generalization and analyzing data, and application of biological concepts and skills. Analysis of the specific descriptors posit that memes assisted in managing students’ anxiety towards biology and boosted their confidence in their perceived capacity in the subject matter. This study contributes to the growing literature on possible pedagogical tools and strategies to cater to the new generation of learners.

In the current Japanese Upper Secondary School National Curriculum Standard, biodiversity is one of the main learning topics in biological subjects, particularly in Basic Biology. As part of a study on teaching biodiversity in upper secondary school biology classes, we examined the treatment of biodiversity-related contents and terminology in currently used ten Basic Biology textbooks and five Advanced Biology textbooks. There were considerable differences in content about biodiversity, its frequency, and the terms used in these textbooks. In Basic Biology textbooks, 7 - 17% of the 150 - 240 text pages were allocated to biodiversity-related contents. Most textbooks covered all categories which Sakir and Kim (2021) proposed. The number of biodiversity-related terms in each textbook ranged from 41 - 71, of which 20 - 44 were listed in the index, and 8 - 18 were treated as key terms. Key terms common to most textbooks were biodiversity, species diversity, alien species, endangered species, extinction, ecosystem services, and environmental impact assessment. In the Advanced Biology textbooks, the pages allocated to biodiversity-related contents were only 2 - 5% of the 270 - 428 text pages. Some of these textbooks were missing some of Sakir and Kim's categories. The number of biodiversity-related terms in each textbook ranged from 33 - 56, of which 14 - 28 were listed in the index, and 7 - 13 were treated as key terms. Examples of major key terms used in Advanced Biology textbooks included biodiversity, genetic diversity, species diversity, ecosystem diversity, disturbance, Allee’s effect, inbreeding depression, vortex of extinction, and ecosystem services. Based on our findings, we argue that textbook editors/authors need to give more consideration to contents, terminology, and the arrangement of topics pertaining to biodiversity to help students fully understand the importance of biodiversity conservation.