Abstract:

This innovative teaching proposal, developed for the Plant Ecophysiology, an elective course in the Biology degree, aims to improve the teaching-learning process of plant physiology by integrating field measurement, artificial intelligence (AI), and active learning strategies within the Botanical Garden of the University of the Basque Country (EHU) (hereafter Arboretum). Over a semester (September-December), students will be divided into two groups, each participating in one of two field sessions in the Arboretum, where they will use portable instruments (FluorPen, SPAD, and foliar/environmental thermometers) to quantify physiological parameters in selected plant species. The species will be chosen based on clear comparative criteria, such as native versus exotic/tropical species present in the Arboretum. Each session will replicate the same protocol on the same plants to ensure comparability between groups. Additionally, a secondary variable –plants subjected to different environmental stress conditions– may be introduced. An AI system will be incorporated as an “Adaptive Challenge Generator”, providing personalized tasks based on the collected data. For example, the AI may prompt students to compare fluorescence patterns and chlorophyll content between native and exotic/tropical species and formulate hypotheses regarding physiological adaptations. The AI will serve as a dynamic advisor, stimulating critical thinking and metacognition without interpreting the results. A one-hour classroom practice will be dedicated to collective discussion, involving students from both field sessions. These discussions will be organised in small groups (4 students) and supported by gamification tools (Socrative, Wooclap) to promote conceptual integration and motivation. During this session, both the AI-generated prompts and field activities will be evaluated by the instructor. This reflective process aims to reinforce scientific reasoning, collaborative learning, and evaluation skills. This approach seeks to deepen understanding of plant physiological processes, cultivate critical thinking, and strengthen digital competencies, offering a replicable model for other educational contexts.

Keywords:

Plant physiology, botanical garden, active learning, fieldwork, gamification, generative AI, Competencies in Scientific Inquiry and Sustainability.