Pursuing the greenery: assessing plant-related content in the new Spanish curricula for compulsory education

Abstract

Plants constitute a highly diverse taxonomic group with fundamental ecological functions. However, plant biodiversity loss is currently a dramatic problem. It is essential to promote knowledge and appreciation of plants through formal education, particularly during educational stages that are compulsory for all citizens. This study presents an analysis of the new (2022) national curricula for primary (6–12 years) and compulsory secondary education (12–16 years) in Spain, and of the regional curricula for its largest region, Castilla y León. The analysis was conducted by identifying all plant-related text fragments, and classifying them into an inductive-deductive system of categories. These competence-based curricula are strongly grounded in the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals, since content related to the interactions between the social and the ecological spheres quantitatively prevails over scientific content on plants. However, some areas of plant science are underrepresented, appearing only through general statements in which the use of scientific terminology is absent. Opportunities to promote firsthand experience of edible and useful plants are provided by the use of learning situations encouraged in the curricula. Biodiversity is identified as a key issue to be reinforced; despite being included, the curricula fail to associate it with knowledge on plant taxonomy.