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Back to Understanding Plants - Part II: Fundamentals of Plant Biology

Learner Reviews & Feedback for Understanding Plants - Part II: Fundamentals of Plant Biology by Tel Aviv University

4.8
stars
1,157 ratings

About the Course

This class is aimed at people interested in understanding the basic science of plant biology. In this four lecture series, we'll first learn about the structure-function of plants and of plant cells. Then we'll try to understand how plants grow and develop, making such complex structures as flowers. Once we know how plants grow and develop, we'll then delve into understanding photosynthesis - how plants take carbon dioxide from the air and water from soil, and turn this into oxygen for us to breathe and sugars for us to eat. In the last lecture we'll learn about the fascinating, important and controversial science behind genetic engineering in agriculture. If you haven't taken it already, you may also be interested in my other course - What A Plant Knows, which examines how plants see, smell, hear and feel their environment: https://www.coursera.org/learn/plantknows. 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

AB

Jun 17, 2021

Excellent course with lots of information. Professor Chamovitz does a great job presenting this material. After this introductory course I realized how much more there is to learn about Plant Biology.

P

Oct 23, 2022

A must learn course to hone your understaning in plant biology. The Course is well explained and viusualized by the Instuctor.Also focuses on the current research findings in the genetic engineering.

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1 - 25 of 291 Reviews for Understanding Plants - Part II: Fundamentals of Plant Biology

By Andrey P

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Nov 4, 2017

That was a pleasure to have such a passionate and interested in biology lecturer. I found course useful and interesting. Thank you dr. Chamovitz for let me being your student for last several weeks.

By Carol F

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Jan 9, 2017

An interesting and informative course. A little challenging at times for those of us without a background in biology, but well presented and carefully explained. A very positive experience.

By Howard E F

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Nov 6, 2016

Well done course. Dr. Chamovitz is a clear and easy to understand lecturer with a passion for his subject. In each of the two courses on plant biology I have taken with him, a highlight is when he shows us his plant biology lab to see up close just how the science we have learned in the course is applied in the lab. Understanding Plants, Part 2 takes a detailed look at plant biology at the cellular level including a look at how genes affect flowering, understanding cellular energy production and ending with genetic modification. Lectures have in-lecture questions, which are very helpful, and the quizzes are fair. I recommend the course.

By Ferdinand F

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Mar 10, 2019

Lecture 4 (Week 4) was really a very delicate topic and I admire how Dr. Chamovitz had handled it very well. I believe that Dr. C was not, in any way, biased or partial to the handling of the topic. Nor had he cherry-picked. Thanks Dr. C. I am giving this a 5-star FWIW.

By Dean P

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Aug 30, 2018

Professor Chamovitz is hands down one of he best professors here in Coursera. This was the most enjoyable science class I had for a long time (and I had a lot of them as a former civil engineer student and current nutritionist.).

By Jussi L

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Aug 28, 2017

The course does very good job for providing the planned content. However if you have already studied the field and want to have more deep understanding like I do, you need to look for other courses.

By Ilona d J

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Nov 7, 2016

I loved the first course by professor Chamovitz, I loved his book "What a plant knows," and I loved this course too! His passion for plants is infectious. I can't wait for the next course.

By Tamás C

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Sep 6, 2017

Another superb lecture by professor Chamovitz. I love how the 2. part revises some lectures from the 1. part of the course - like a real university class. If someone is looking for a course on Coursera about plant biology, shouldn't look further. The courses which are made by Prof. Chamovitz and his team is worth both the money and time! I hope there will be a 3rd, 4th, and many more lectures!

I just wish there would be a source to order the book (What a plant knows) to Hungary!

By Carlo

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Oct 19, 2017

Great class. Professor Chamovitz is a very gifted teacher. He uses the media very well. The content is very well organized, the explanations very progressive and given at the right level of detail for an introduction. The part on bio-engineering is definitely food for thought. I am not sure I agree with the conclusion but his discussion of the issues is very honnest. I have already started watching his other course on Coursera!

By Remy S

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Apr 19, 2017

This is one of the only plant biology courses on Coursera, and I wish there were more of them. It was informative and fun to watch. The only problem I had was the poor quality of the subtitles, which I believe has nothing to do with the creator of the class. The subtitles are poor enough to obscure the meaning if you are dependent on them. However, I highly recommend the class to anyone not dependent on them.

By Lina M A B

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Apr 10, 2017

Understanding Plants - Part II is an amazing course in which people with differente level of knowledge can learn more and new things about the most incredible organisms around the world, plants. Also, Daniel Chamovitz, Ph.D. is an excellent professor and the way he teach the lessons allow us to undertand everything in a clearly and easy way.

By ANUSHA. T K

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May 25, 2020

Second part of the course was pretty much interesting, because the complex process of plant, the photosynthesis was narrated briefly,clearly and in very simply way, which was very helpful.Overall, the course was very nice and beyond any expectations and iam eagerly waiting for course on another areas of plants like pathology, taxonomy etc..

By Antoine B

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May 22, 2017

This was a very interesting and informative course on Plant Biology. I have already taken the course "What a Plant Knows", also available on Coursera, and I enjoyed it. Professor Chamovitz is a great lecturer. Thank you Professor Chamovitz for another great course on Plant Biology.

By AT V

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Dec 13, 2017

This course is an eye opener for me. I loved way plant biology is taught by Dr.Daniel Chamovitz. Now, Im exploring more of his teaching contents in web. Amazing teacher and a source of inspiration. Thank you so much for providing this course.

By Veliko D

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Oct 20, 2019

Amazingly interesting course. I am not a specialist, but mathematician who is natural sciences geek. I learned many things and it added on my passion for botany, biology and genetics.

I really hope for more courses from Daniel Chamovitz!

By Debasish P

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Apr 9, 2018

I am very glad to complete this course. I have never learned these things in such a easy and effective way. It broadens my area of my thinking and knowledge. Thank you, Professor Daniel Chamovitz. I will follow your courses in future.

By Alison C

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Feb 22, 2018

I took this course as a follow up to Part 1 and it is equally good. The subject matter is very engaging (I'm a zoologist who needs to know a bit more about botany) and the lecturer has a great style. Really enjoyed this, thank you!

By Zvigidiz o W O J

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Jul 10, 2017

Again a wonderful course, with only the transcription little problem. It is a very informative and well explained course and if you are a native English speaker, you'll enjoy even the glitches. A must if you are into biology.

By maxima g

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Jul 2, 2017

Thank you for the opportunity to learn such an interesting course while staying at home. As a teacher I must admit that prof. Chamovitz is a wonderful and understandable lecturer. It was a pleasure to be his student.

By Andrew B

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Jun 18, 2021

Excellent course with lots of information. Professor Chamovitz does a great job presenting this material. After this introductory course I realized how much more there is to learn about Plant Biology.

By April H

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Sep 18, 2017

This class is great if you're looking for a fun course, but you won't find it satisfying if you're looking for something rigorous. The online textbook used for most of the readings isn't very well organized and has a tendency to define very simple terms while using but not defining more complex ones. The instructor adds a good amount of information about each week's topic in the video lectures, so they're well worth watching. Sometimes, the week's videos give a clearer understanding of the material than the textbook.

By Sohaila J

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Aug 17, 2017

It was alright but could have been a bit more ordered and informative. Compared to other courses it was a bit short and slightly superficial. Would have been interesting to cover more aspects of plant genetic engineering like photosynthetic enhancement and drought resistance along with other vectors.

By Marcelo d S Z

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Aug 21, 2018

Technically excellent and very enjoyable. Although professor Chamovitz is clearly an authority on the subject and a very good teacher, it surprises me how "naive" he appears to be while dissociating (in week 4) the scientific aspect of genetic engineering of its economical motivations.

By aria

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May 1, 2020

Not as polished or complete as the first course. I love the material and topic.

By Julie

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Aug 21, 2017

It all was great until he started supporting GMO's. What is this, 2016?