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Back to Understanding Plants - Part I: What a Plant Knows

Learner Reviews & Feedback for Understanding Plants - Part I: What a Plant Knows by Tel Aviv University

4.8
stars
1,921 ratings

About the Course

For centuries we have collectively marveled at plant diversity and form—from Charles Darwin’s early fascination with stems and flowers to Seymour Krelborn’s distorted doting in Little Shop of Horrors. This course intends to present an intriguing and scientifically valid look at how plants themselves experience the world—from the colors they see to the sensations they feel. Highlighting the latest research in genetics and more, we will delve into the inner lives of plants and draw parallels with the human senses to reveal that we have much more in common with sunflowers and oak trees than we may realize. We’ll learn how plants know up from down, how they know when a neighbor has been infested by a group of hungry beetles, and whether they appreciate the music you’ve been playing for them or if they’re just deaf to the sounds around them. We’ll explore definitions of memory and consciousness as they relate to plants in asking whether we can say that plants might even be aware of their surroundings. This highly interdisciplinary course meshes historical studies with cutting edge modern research and will be relevant to all humans who seek their place in nature. This class has three main goals: 1. To introduce you to basic plant biology by exploring plant senses (sight, smell, hearing, touch, taste, balance). 2. To introduce you to biological research and the scientific method. 3. To get the student to question life in general and what defines us as humans. Once you've taken this course, if you are interested in a more in-depth study of plants, check out my follow-up course, Fundamentals of Plant Biology (https://www.coursera.org/learn/plant-biology/home/welcome). In order to receive academic credit for this course you must successfully pass the academic exam on campus. For information on how to register for the academic exam – https://tauonline.tau.ac.il/registration Additionally, you can apply to certain degrees using the grades you received on the courses. Read more on this here – https://go.tau.ac.il/b.a/mooc-acceptance Teachers interested in teaching this course in their class rooms are invited to explore our Academic High school program here – https://tauonline.tau.ac.il/online-highschool...

Top reviews

BA

Feb 2, 2017

Daniel is a great teacher and he can make complex things easier for understanding, and the course in general intrigues you to continue exploring the wonders of a 'plant world'

PL

Jul 26, 2020

The given topic in every part of lecture is so complex for a limited time but it is okay. Have to look for extended explanation in the internet to understand it further.

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476 - 500 of 548 Reviews for Understanding Plants - Part I: What a Plant Knows

By Rafaela S d S

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Sep 10, 2023

I loved <3

By ena

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Oct 14, 2016

Fantastic!

By Eng R E

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Apr 28, 2023

very good

By Cameron L

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Nov 25, 2021

well done

By U19BO037 S M

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Sep 18, 2021

its good

By Michael J B

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Sep 14, 2021

Brilliant

By mestar j

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Feb 3, 2021

Brilliant

By Maria E B B

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Aug 1, 2020

Excelent!

By Zihe Y

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Jan 22, 2025

woderful

By Marcela N Q A

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Jul 30, 2021

excelent

By João P N L

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Mar 23, 2021

Perfect!

By Mercede P

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Jun 27, 2020

Amazing

By Hassan Z

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May 22, 2020

great !

By Juwayriyyah B O

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Mar 25, 2019

AMAZING

By Ghazala R

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Jul 21, 2017

perfect

By Jesus m m g

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Jan 23, 2018

genial

By Erik P

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Mar 3, 2022

si

By Bridget T M

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Sep 4, 2022

By Asima K

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Jun 23, 2021

.

By Hans W

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Jul 21, 2017

O

By Marcelo Z

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Aug 15, 2018

The course is brilliant, really insightful and enjoyable. Daniel Chamovitz is a very good teacher. Only issue that can be solved very easily is to adjust the rubrics of the final quiz to be clear if the questions allow one or more correct answers, as this doesn't follow a pattern and confuses while taking the test. I almost gave up to try it again after filed the first time (and ultimately purchase the certificate) because I was sure I opted for right answered many times but got a negative feedback until I realised what was going on.

By Janet R

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Nov 27, 2020

I enjoyed the class. The teacher was great. The readings took many hours due to being a beginning Botany student. I had to study the syllabus a lot for basics. The quizes could be more straight forward if each question had only one answer. I especially liked watching the time laps plants growing. The text was good and the lectures were often entertaining. He had some good questions.

Thanks for the free class. now I need to take a class in horticulture so I can improve my skills in the garden.

By Jacqlyn S

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May 31, 2022

A good overview of concepts and some of the related research. Be aware, however, that the lecturer tends to jump around topics without ever resolving them and that some of the exam questions aren't clear, are designed to trick you, and/or have typos. Overall, a good learning experience for a beginner looking to better understand plant biology.

By Nancy L

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Mar 5, 2019

Lots of great information - Thank you! It would have been helpful if some key concepts had been repeated/emphasized more throughout the course. Maybe include a unit summary or study guide before taking each quiz. And definitely include a course review before the final quiz! Thanks for a great course. I'm going on to take Part 2.