Environmental education (EE) is a concern in modern society. Plant blindness and nature-deficit disorder highlight how important nature contact and plant consciousness is for urban populations. Considering rapid urbanisation, these phenomena are of increasing concern in China. Integrating EE curricula in Chinese cities is necessary to help younger…

This article reports how Swedish teachers' aims and practices were modified by an ecosystem services development project that introduced insect hotels, bird boxes and planting to ten preschool yards. Teachers' understanding of ecosystem services, human--nature relationships and the impact of these on nature connectedness showed that their…

There is growing recognition amongst scholars that addressing the current global ecological crisis requires a new ecological awareness, and a different model of education, in order to live together on a 'planet under pressure'. Against this backdrop, several studies internationally have pointed to initiatives such as school gardens, with the…

This article reflects on 4 years of research activities in the fields of horticulture and creative praxis. The initial project was a personal one and set out with a simple methodology of collecting, observing, and recording a specific genus of plants, that of Mentha. But as the specific question of whether a garden can, or should, be thought of as…

Promoting positive agency through garden-based and outdoor learning is a powerful and engaging way of learning about the environment and helping assuage some of the undoubted damage done by climate anxiety. In this article, gardener, plant scientist and teacher, Susie Burr offers some advice on developing teaching activities that not only help…

A critical objective of environmental education (EE) is sustained and active care for the natural world. Numerous studies point to the inadequacy of information-centered pedagogies in motivating such ecologically responsive action. The primacy of action in effectively addressing environmental issues calls for conceptions of EE that emphasize the…

Awareness and appreciation of nature and environmental sustainability have become global issues. Egypt and Saudi Arabia have contributed to several serious initiatives to participate in the development of feasible solutions to these vital issues. The current research attempted to study the dimensions developed by those initiatives. The research…

Current models of best practice in science education advocate for students to learn science by engaging in applied contexts that integrate the various science disciplines. Permaculture offers one such integrated context for elementary science. Although permaculture is relatively new in PK-12 education, the broader practice of school gardening has…

Urban greenspaces (UGS) play an important role in the well-being of communities. With guidance from a teacher, students can be empowered to lead and design a modern UGS that supports communities and biodiversity. This lesson plan was developed with students and their communities in mind to promote awareness of the benefits of UGS between health,…

This essay offers an organizational critique based on ongoing observations and reflections from a two-year process of establishing collective gardens that honor Traditional Ecological Knowledge. Key findings include illuminating interconnected relationships among plants, animals, and people living near one another, new meanings of power, and why…

Ecological illiteracy exists, in part, because students may be technologically advanced but often lack intellectual curiosity about their natural environment. Botanical illiteracy, often referred to as "plant blindness," results from several interacting factors, including a lack of interest in plants and insufficient exposure to plant…

As environmental education and sustainability education play a fundamental role in training citizens who are more aware of global change and more environmentally responsible, organic learning is a recommended alternative learning experience for young children. This article describes how one kindergarten class in South Korea applied organic…

Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College (NHSC) in North Dakota is a tribal college chartered by the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara (MHA) Nation to serve as the agency responsible for higher education on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation in order to train tribal members and retain tribal cultures. With the preservation and revitalization of tribal culture…

The purpose of this paper is to assess the impact of a garden-based teaching unit about "Food and Nutrition" on students' knowledge and habits of sustainable healthy diets, and to compare it with that of a more traditional unit from a textbook. This communication is framed in a research project (EDUCYL2020-01 "Sembrando interés,…

Research on the use of gardens as an integral part of school curriculum has the potential to address many concerns in the American classroom, such as students' lack of interest in school, teachers feeling disempowerment and lack of administrative support, and school and community disconnection. Many school districts have gained recognition for…