Using School Gardens to Teach Science: A Systematic Review of the Research

• In Event: Equitable Change in Science Education

Abstract

This study provides a comprehensive review of school garden-based learning (GBL) research from 1989-2019, with a goal of summarizing the current knowledge base, identifying research trends over time, and providing guidance for future curriculum development and research. The review includes 78 empirical studies that focused on GBL and identifies specific voids in the literature. No previous studies used instructional sequences that were widely available to teachers and researchers, which greatly limits broader implementation and overall impacts of GBL. Few previous GBL research studies looked at the impact of garden-based experiences over an extended period (i.e., multiple growing seasons), and no previous studies proposed and tested a research-based model or curriculum for GBL. Future studies should address these unmet needs.

Authors

• Kathy Cabe Trundle, Utah State University

• Rita Anne Hagevik, University of North Carolina - Pembroke