engleski

A new approach to teaching about invasive species using a pocket paper Foldscope microscope

The world of microscopy is constantly evolving, and in just a few decades, microscopes have become a window into almost everything we can imagine. Just like microscopy, invasive alien plant species (IAPS) have become our everyday topic to deal with. Education is one of the primary measures in response to the problem of the spread of invasive species. The invention of the Foldscope paper microscope in 2014 has made micro-world education more accessible. Foldscope combines low-cost materials with precision optics. With a magnification of 140 x, Foldscope can visualize microorganisms as well as larger samples such as tissues, organs, insects or plants. It is portable, waterproof and can be attached to mobile phones and is, therefore, an excellent educational tool. Here we will present a new approach to the education on IAPS through microscopy, developed in the framework of the Croatian Science Foundation project NATURALLY (IP-2020-02-6899) and intended for the young student population (10-14 years old). The targeted microscopy workshops were held in the outdoor classroom at the Institute of Agriculture and Tourism in Poreč (Croatia). The workshops were designed for upper-grade elementary school students. The first step of the workshop was an introduction to microscopy and invasive species, followed by assembling the paper microscope and preparation of microscopy sections. Leaf and flower tissue preparations of four invasive alien plants (Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle, Solidago canadensis L., Helianthus tuberosus L. and Robinia pseudoacacia L.) were made. Every sample was examined under different magnifications and photographed. The obtained images were sent to Foldscope Microcosmos – an online community platform. In general, this approach has proven successful in raising student motivation to learn and apply microscopic methods in exploring the environment and encouraging discussion on ecological topics.

education ; microscopy ; invasive alien plants ; science popularization

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