A framework for pollination systems thinking and conservation

We conducted interviews with 16 postsecondary students at a large public university on pollination systems knowledge. A semi-structured interview protocol was developed with open-ended prompts to elicit student explanations of pollination systems. Congruent themes were developed through coding of the interview transcripts into low, medium, and high sophistication of responses. From this, we developed a framework of pollination knowledge informed by systems thinking models that describe structures of plants and pollinators, conservation behaviors, and the function of pollination systems. The framework described can be used to explain students’ understanding of pollination systems and identify strengths and gaps in this knowledge. We propose this framework may also be used as the basis for instrument development evaluating the impacts of educational programming designed to improve students’ pollination knowledge.