OBA, attentive botanical observation through drawing for the multimodal learning of future teachers in the digital age

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Published 2026-07-14
Nuria Sánchez-León
Olga Mayoral García Berlanga
Matilde Portales Raga

Abstract

The digital age and the increasing reliance on screens in learning processes have sparked a debate regarding the quality of knowledge-building methods in contemporary education. Building on this premise, this article presents research conducted during the 2022/23 academic year at the University of Valencia, with the aim of exploring the potential of drawing to foster multimodal knowledge. Drawing on research by Gómez and Gavidia (2015), our study, entitled «Attentive botanical observation (ABO)», examines the multidimensional benefits of drawing through the attentive observation of plants, based on an intervention with a sample of students from the Faculty of Teacher Training. The focus on plants aims to counteract the growing invisibility of their key role on the planet and to encourage future teachers to consciously enrich their connection with plants. The initial results comparing drawing with written narration reaffirm the former as the most effective interdisciplinary tool for the detailed translation and representation of scientific observations, and demonstrate the high methodological potential of incorporating guided Attentive Observation through drawing to promote meaningful scientific learning among students.

How to Cite

Sánchez-León, Nuria, Olga Mayoral García Berlanga, and Matilde Portales Raga. 2026. “OBA, Attentive Botanical Observation through Drawing for the Multimodal Learning of Future Teachers in the Digital Age”. AusArt 14 (2). https://doi.org/10.1387/ausart.28455.
Abstract 37 | PDF (Español (España)) Downloads 22

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Keywords

ATTENTIVE BOTANICAL OBSERVATION, MULTIMODALITY, MULTILITERACIES, INTERDISCIPLINARY EDUCATION, PLANT AWARENESS

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