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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
1,716 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 496 Reviews for Understanding Plants - Part I: What a Plant Knows

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 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 G 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.

By Cynara F B

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Oct 28, 2017

Excellent course! But it was not easy, I had to study a lot because my background was in civil engineering.

Thank you, professor!

By Dr S J

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May 16, 2021

I enjoyed the clarity and enthusiasm with which the course was taught. would love to learn more may be at the end of this year.

By Renata d O A

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May 16, 2019

Love it and I'd recomend this course to people I know. Now I'm gonna do the second part.

Thank coursera and Professor Chamovitz

By Andrés S

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Aug 11, 2017

Really interestint course to discover and understand a lot of things on plants and their similarities or not to animals/humans.

By Deleted A

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Jan 25, 2021

Outstanding Course. Professor Daniel is an outstanding tutor and Presenter. I have an all new respect for what a plant knows

By MOHAMED M P

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Oct 16, 2020

I really enjoyed learning about the sensory world of plants and cell and it provide us with good foundations in this subject

By Ashley J S

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Mar 7, 2020

Really good course, better than I wa expecting. Professor was easy to understand and made the subject even more interesting.

By Godineau E

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Feb 26, 2017

A very interestinf course, well documented and explained by Dr. Chamowitz ! I highly recommend this course, I learnt a lot !

By Ricardo M

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May 1, 2020

Great course, really changed my view on how plants are affected by their environment and how they are able to react to it.

By Dr. S B S

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Jul 10, 2020

I was really exited to learn the subject through the way he taught us. He really made us to understand the plant feelings

By Silvia G

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May 18, 2020

i highly recommend this great and interesting course!

The professor explains the arguments in a clear and stimulating way.

By Lucas C

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Jun 18, 2021

Words cant describe how much I enjoyed this course. I would travel halfway around the world just to shake this mans hand