Gain a clear understanding of what effective teachers doand how successful students learn Over the past 20 years, a greater concentration on research aimed at both teaching and learning has revealed that chalk and talk teaching, copying notes, and cookbook practical lessons offer little challenge to students. Teaching in the Sciences: Learner-Centered Approaches steers the learning process away from traditional modes of instruction to a more student-centered, activity-based curriculum that makes science relevant, engaging, and interesting. This innovative book helps educators bring out the best in their studentsand themselvesby identifying and meeting students' needs and providing environments that encourage active, strategic learning. Helpful tables and figures make complex information easy to access and understand. Rather than focusing on teaching methods that merely deal in the content of life science, Teaching in the Sciences: Learner-Centered Approaches promotes a deep learning designed to develop critical and skilled learners. This collection of frank and thoughtful empirically based papers places greater emphasis on learning environments and social interaction patterns, assessment processes, and perceptions of students and teachers in a range of learning and teaching settings in the life sciences. The book presents strategies for mentoring and assessing students, assessments of learning outcomes, innovative approaches to curriculum design, constructivist approaches to teaching science, how to use technology to support learning, and practical examples of learner-centered teaching that mark important steps on a journey to transform the learning process. Teaching in the Sciences: Learner-Centered Approaches examines: using broadband videoconferencing for distance learning in tertiary science assessing for learning in the crucial first year of university stu

Create improved crops with these techniques for plant cell culture This comprehensive book presents the basic concepts and applied techniques of plant cell and tissue culture. More and more, commercial plant breeding and development employs these methods to protect crops from weather, pests, and disease. Covering the history of in vitro breeding as well as emerging research trends, In Vitro Plant Breeding offers specific techniques for crop improvement and breeding. Designed as a text for undergraduate students, In Vitro Plant Breeding presents the theory of tissue culture as well as practical techniques. Its step-by-step instructions and clear illustrations facilitate learning and laboratory work. In Vitro Plant Breeding gives in-depth information and the latest research on the vital concepts and techniques of in vitro breeding, including: applications of plant tissue culture morphogenesis and organogenesis micropropagation producing haploid plants in vitro in vitro pollination and fertilization problems of embryo culture somatic hybridization protoplast technology selection of desirable traits cryopreservation and plant breeding micrograftingThis helpful book is plentifully illustrated with examples, schematic descriptions, and tables to make the concepts clear and easy to learn. In Vitro Plant Breeding is an essential resource.

There is a growing niche market world-wide for organic produce. However there are considerable problems in expanding organic production and it is often considered a lifestyle or philosophical choice rather than an alternative source of ideas to improve farming systems. This book provides an overview of organic systems, from production through to the economic, social and political aspects. It presents a critical appraisal of the successes and limitations of organic production systems and highlights recent innovations. The book concludes by looking at the future challenges facing the organic agriculture industry.

With global revenue surpassing twenty-five billion dollars annually, organic agriculture is a highly visible and rapidly growing component of agricultural production. In Organic Agriculture: A Global Perspective, Paul Kristiansen, Acram Taji, and John Reganold, and their international group of contributors scientifically review key aspects of organic agriculture. At the intersection of research, education, and practice, the contributors look at the organic agricultural movement's successes and limitations. The first half of this book critically evaluates the agricultural production of both plants and livestock in organic farming systems. All major aspects of organic agriculture are explored, including historical background and underlying principles, soil-fertility management, crop and animal production, breeding strategies, and crop protection. This global and comprehensive overview also addresses the economic, social, and political aspects of organic farming. These include economics and marketing; standards and certification; environmental impacts and social responsibility; and research, education, and extension.