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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
1,791 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

DS

Aug 14, 2021

I really liked this course, the professor was engaging, clear, and informative, and did a great job explaining and simplifying the more complex biology topics so that it was digestible for beginners.

RV

Dec 12, 2016

Love the clarity of the instructors deliver which is supported by great explanations and most importantly visual aids & demonstrations. Ps... Especially loved the bloopers at the end. Nice treat! :)

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176 - 200 of 519 Reviews for Understanding Plants - Part I: What a Plant Knows

By Royston M

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Aug 1, 2020

I am extremely happy that I came to know lots of details on understanding plants. I thank the Coursera community for availing this course online.

By Poppy N

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Mar 22, 2022

This was a wonderful course! I really loved the engaging lessons, diagrams, and tests. Thank you so much, and I look forward to starting part 2!

By Chris D

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Nov 22, 2020

Great info. Good experiments and interesting topics instructed by a easy to follow lecturer.

Anyone interested in caring for plants should do it.

By Jie W

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Dec 27, 2018

I really like this course. I never thought plant science could be so interesting to learn. Moreover, it could help with my furture research work

By Larisa T M

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Nov 2, 2018

Este curso es muy claro. Comienza con los más sencillo y va subiendo poco a poco el nivel de la información.

Entretenido, completo y estimulante.

By Annelise M

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Feb 26, 2021

Very interesting, a great first look in to higher plant biology and understanding what they didn't teach you in school. I very much enjoyed it!

By matthew s

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Sep 8, 2017

A great study and very enjoyable.

Plants are food for thought as well as the table; who would have thought it.

Thanks for creating this course !

By Paola A V O

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Jul 16, 2020

Gran curso, la forma de explicar es buena por parte del docente y se aprenden muchas cosas y te ofrecen mucho material para leer y aprender.

By Rosemary M

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Apr 30, 2020

Super-fun course for anyone interested in plant biology. Danny Chamovitz is a very engaging and clear lecturer. Looking forward to part two!

By Alejandro M M

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Aug 6, 2019

Dr. Chamovitz is able to expose complex and interesting topics in a very engaging way! I enjoyed all the lectures of this course. Thank you!

By Constantino D D R

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Oct 14, 2020

Very enjoyable course. Topic is pretty updated. I am grateful for the review of recent advances in plant bioacoustics (or phytoacoustics) .

By Sudipto B

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Aug 13, 2021

Very nice course, delivers enough knowledge and creates interest to learner whichever the level of the learners prior knowledge level is.

By Megan H

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Jan 24, 2017

I love the content and the instructor. Well put together and easy to understand. I highly recommend for anyone interested in the subject!

By A F A

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Feb 3, 2024

I enjoyed every bit of this course. It was so fascinating that I couldn't stop learning and I finished earlier than the speculated time.

By Selmin K

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Jan 30, 2021

I truly enjoyed this course and am impressed with the presentation as well as organization. Professor Chamovitz deserves all the praise!

By Dr. R M

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Sep 9, 2020

Very informative course, all the lectures are very lucidly explained and quizzes are quite interesting, had a great learning experience

By Andrea V

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Jun 26, 2020

Best teacher ever! Hard subject and complex ideas if new to biology but the teacher makes its fun and interesting, thank you very much!

By Sean K

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Mar 27, 2021

Fun and interesting class, Professor Chamovitz is an approachable and likeable teacher. His style is relaxed and makes learning easy.

By Juan M A

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Nov 21, 2020

I learned a lot from this course regarding plant biology! I wish to apply my learnings for food sustainabilty here in the Philippines

By Inostroza

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Sep 13, 2020

This course was very challenge, this took me to the limits of my knowledge and comprension.

Thanks prof. Daniel

Ant Tel Aviv University

By Daniel C

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Jul 11, 2017

This is an informative and enjoyable course by a professor who is passionate about his work and who cares about the world around him.

By Matthew R

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Jan 11, 2018

Wonderful course - Dr. Chamovitz is an excellent teacher with extensive knowledge on the subject and an approachable teaching style.

By Rianna P S C

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Nov 19, 2020

I appreciated how the course introduced discoveries as historical stories, and introduced the scientific process of these discovery

By Umar H

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Dec 31, 2019

This course was just awesome and specially the professor is so cool and his method of teaching was so awesome really appreciated...

By Dizainier C

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Oct 23, 2019

Very enlightening, I definitely appreciate this intensively precise lesson. Thanks Thousand times, Tel Aviv university&Coursera.