Recommendations to enhance neurodiversity inclusivity in field‐based learning in plant biology higher education

Societal Impact Statement Field‐based learning is an important component of plant biology higher education, offering students valuable hands‐on in situ experiences to help students appreciate and understand plants within their environment. This nature‐based learning may be particularly valuable for students with neurodiversity conditions who might struggle with traditional classroom and laboratory teaching environments. Field‐based learning, however, often comes with unique stressors for all students, and which may be amplified for students with neurodiversity conditions. The plant community should recognize the value and stressors of field‐based learning for neurodiverse students so that we can recruit and maintain a rich diversity of plant scientists across the international plant community into the future. Summary The number of neurodiversity diagnoses is rapidly growing, with approximately a fifth of the UK population currently estimated to have at least one neurodiversity condition. However, our understanding of these conditions within the higher education context remains limited. Resources that aim to improve neurodiversity inclusivity within typical classroom settings are starting to become available to meet these demands. Yet few provide reflection on field‐based learning, a very specific type of learning environment with great potential to excite and engage students, but also to expose new stresses. Here, I consider how students with neurodiversity conditions might experience and interact with field‐based learning in higher education plant biology. I propose a set of standard good practice recommendations for students with neurodiversity conditions in field‐based learning that can be applied broadly across the plant sciences and types of field learning environments. This work aims to help fill knowledge and resource gaps in plant science higher education.