Entomology educators are currently grappling with the challenge of teaching about insects—and their essential roles in global ecosystems—in a changing world. In the Anthropocene, an era marked by unprecedented landscape and climate change, we face twin threats of devastating insect biodiversity losses and increasing devastation wrought by insect pests. At the same time, students themselves are changing as urbanization weakens cultural connections to nature. The overarching goal of this project is to understand the drivers of excellence in entomology education and the challenges to achieving it. While informal and formal education can supplement students’ limited firsthand experience of plants and animals, it is essential to recognize the importance of cultural context to learning. This study of the relative influences of formal and cultural entomology education on insect knowledge is a first step to developing effective and culturally-informed entomology education strategies for a modern world in need of world-class entomologists.
Do you love butterflies and honeybees, but fear cockroaches and spiders? You are not alone, but not everyone shares your feelings. If you have ever wondered why people have such strong feelings about certain animals, you may take an interest in the topic of this research examining how culture influences our attitudes about insects and spiders. Just as individuals differ in their feelings toward nature, cultures vary in their opinions of different animals and plants. To date, no one has systematically explored how perspectives compare across cultures with regard to insects. Students’ attitudes and pre-existing knowledge affect how universities teach about insects in the sciences, and especially in the field of biology. Assessing attitudes across different countries will help place knowledge in context, and as a result inform how educators around the world teach about insects.
Are you interested in learning more? Contact us at survey@entoedu.online or watch Andrea Lucky talk.
University of Florida, USA
project leader
Charles University, Czech Republic
national coordinator
Matej Bel University, Slovakia
national coordinator
University of Cologne, Germany
national coordinator
Contact us at survey@entoedu.online
| Country | Name | Institution | Attribution | web | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USA | Andrea Lucky | University of Florida, Entomology & Nematology Department | project leader | alucky@ufl.edu | |
| Czech Republic | Vanda Janštová | Charles University, Faculty of Science | national coordinator | vanda.janstova@natur.cuni.cz | |
| USA/Japan | Akito Kawahara | University of Florida, Florida Museum of Natural History | survey management | kawahara@flmnh.ufl.edu | |
| Czech Republic | Anna Legátová | Charles University, Faculty of Science | technical support | anna.legatova@natur.cuni.cz | |
| Czech Republic | Jan Mourek | Charles University, Faculty of Science | data processing | jan.mourek@natur.cuni.cz | |
| Czech Republic | Petr Novotný | Charles University, Faculty of Science | data analysis | novotp@natur.cuni.cz | |
| Germany | Jörg Großschedl | University of Cologne, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences | national coordinator | jgrosssc@uni-koeln.de | |
| Slovakia | Romana Schubertová | Matej Bel University, Faculty of Science | national coordinator | romana.schubertova@umb.sk | |
| Slovakia | Marcela Adamcová | Matej Bel University, Faculty of Science | data processing | Marcela.Adamcova@umb.sk |