Natural Sciences Education publishes articles written by and for educators in the areas of natural resources, plant science, soil science, entomology, animal science, ecology, the environment, and more. Natural Sciences Education is published on behalf the American Society of Agronomy (ASA).

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Featured Article

Microcontrollers are widely used in agriculture, but many students and graduates lack programming skills. Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) programs can write microcontroller programs when effectively prompted, showing promise for it to be a useful tool for nonprogrammers. Take a deeper dive into the research in the paper, "ChatGPT for natural sciences course design: Insights from a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats analysis" by Kumar et al. Read more

Browse Articles

Open access

UAV‐based high‐throughput phenotyping in plant breeding

Catherine Mick, Don Lee, Leah Sandall, Katherine Frels, Yufeng Ge, 
  •  13 June 2025

Core Ideas

  • This lesson is a resource that introduces high-throughput phenotyping application in plant breeding.
  • This resource is best for college undergraduates and self-motivated learners.
  • An example of HTP using UAV systems to measure biomass in triticale is presented with text, diagrams, images, and videos.

Open access

Designing and presenting an oral poster presentation for undergraduate students’ research

Adam Stefanile, 
  •  13 June 2025
Open access

Developing resilience through fear and optimal experience of film in an undergraduate course

Michael W. Everett, Crystal L. Eustice, Aaron J. McKim, 
  •  4 June 2025

Core Ideas

  • In-person content and online content were more strongly aligned with anxiety in the flow continuum.
  • Student resilience is an important indicator in the learning settings.
  • Climate-themed content should also include processes to mitigate anxiety and fears while increasing resilience.

Open access

Ecosystem function through Lessons in Conservation: Alleviating youth stressors through education, access, and careers

Michael W. Everett, Crystal L. Eustice, Aaron J. McKim, Dean Carlisle, Tyla Saby, Carmen van der Merwe, Misha Malherbe, Carli Kriek, 
  •  29 May 2025

Soil cation exchange capacity: A new method for soil science laboratories

R. J. Goos, T. M. DeSutter, 
  •  6 May 2025

Core Ideas

  • A new EC probe method simplifies soil CEC analysis in a 2-hour lab with reliable results.
  • The EC method offers accurate, cost-effective CEC measurement unaffected by soluble salts.
  • This study enhances soil science labs with an efficient, quantitative approach to measure CEC.

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Open access

Literature circles promote accountability and student engagement with assigned reading in a soil science class

Judith K. Turk, 

Core Ideas

  • Students do more reading in preparation for a literature circle compared to lecture.
  • Major benefits of literature circles are accountability and learning from peers.
  • Topics students choose to discuss often differ from those selected for lecture.
  • Achievement of learning objectives are similar for literature circles and lectures.
  • Literature circles are equally effective for online and in-person classes.

Open access

Benefits and challenges of online teaching: Lessons and perspectives gained during the COVID‐19 pandemic

Briana M. Wyatt, Felipe Aburto, Julie A. Howe, Ashley Peyton Smith, 

Core Ideas

  • Rural, low-income, and minority students were disproportionately affected by the shift to online learning.
  • Synchronous online courses were found to be more effective than asynchronous.
  • Virtual laboratories and field exercises show promise for effective remote teaching in geosciences.

Open access

Agriculture students’ use of generative artificial intelligence for microcontroller programming

Donald M. Johnson, Will Doss, Christopher M. Estepp, 

Core Ideas

  • Microcontrollers are widely used in agriculture, but many students and graduates lack programming skills.
  • Generative artificial intelligence (AI) programs can write microcontroller programs when effectively prompted.
  • Use of generative AI shows promise as a useful tool for nonprogrammers.
  • Use of generative AI increased programming self-efficacy and attitudes toward generative AI.

Open access

Soil science education: A multinational look at current perspectives

Eric C. Brevik, Maja Krzic, Cristine Muggler, Damien Field, Jacqueline Hannam, Yoshi Uchida, 
Open access

Diversity, equity, and inclusion in natural science education: A review of literature

Catlin M. Goodwin, Robert Bud McKendree, 

Core Ideas

  • Conversations and interventions related to diversity, equity, and inclusion occur in natural sciences education.
  • Inequities and injustices are still prevalent across scales of natural sciences education systems.
  • Change toward more socially just systems requires critical examination of social structures and norms.
  • Opportunities exist to strengthen diversity, equity, and inclusion in practice and research.

Articles with the most citations published in the Last 5 Years according to CrossRef. The citation counts listed reflect the total number of all citations to date.

SPECIAL SECTION: NATURAL SCIENCES EDUCATION IN A COVID‐19 WORLD
Free to Read

Student and instructor perceptions of engagement after the rapid online transition of teaching due to COVID‐19

Kristen A. Walker, Katherine E. Koralesky, 
https://doi.org/10.1002/nse2.20038
SPECIAL SECTION: NATURAL SCIENCES EDUCATION IN A COVID‐19 WORLD
Open access

Utilizing teaching technologies for higher education in a post‐COVID‐19 environment

Jason P. de Koff, 
https://doi.org/10.1002/nse2.20032
ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Open access

Plant blindness represents the loss of generational knowledge and cultural identity

Stacie Blue, Christina L. M. Hargiss, Jack Norland, Edward S. Dekeyser, Paula Comeau, 
https://doi.org/10.1002/nse2.20106
SPECIAL SECTION: NATURAL SCIENCES EDUCATION IN A COVID‐19 WORLD
Open access

Insights into student participation in a soil physics course during COVID‐19 emergency online learning

Briana Wyatt, 
https://doi.org/10.1002/nse2.20036
SPECIAL SECTION: NATURAL SCIENCES EDUCATION IN A COVID‐19 WORLD
Open access

Practices and perceptions at the COVID‐19 transition in undergraduate animal science courses

MaryGrace Erickson, Michel A. Wattiaux, 
https://doi.org/10.1002/nse2.20039

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