S.257.1 Assessing Plant Awareness - a tool for science and school

Since the early 20th century, biologists have bemoaned the lack of interest in plants and their neglect in education. Wandersee and Schussler (2001) defined this phenomenon as 'plant blindness' and challenged educational practitioners and researchers to investigate the causes and reform plant pedagogy. The next step in development was to redefine the condition as 'plant awareness disparity' to address the ableist connotations of the original term and to examine its components through the lens of the new definition. Following this line of thought, plant awareness, a novel perspective in contrast to deficit-oriented studies, encompasses visual perception, knowledge of and attitudes towards plants. Perceptual attention involves focusing mental resources on plants compared to other environmental elements. Attitude, a stable evaluation of a phenomenon, includes components such as perceived importance, appreciation, and preference for plants. Focused attention, positive affect and motivation contribute to an individual's interest in plants, whereas negative attitudes often arise from misconceptions about plant vitality. While various studies have examined these components individually, a comprehensive understanding of plant attitudes requires measurement tools that capture multiple dimensions and ensure internal consistency and structural validity. This oral presentation aims to promote a common understanding of plant awareness by exploring its conceptualisation and measurement methodology. The measurement tool we have developed will be examined in detail, as it is the first tool to go beyond self-report items. This includes an exploration of its development, overarching objectives, and the results of an expert-led validation of the Delphi technique. The in-depth examination of this measurement tool provides valuable insights into the complexities of plant awareness and highlights the evolving landscape of research in this area.