Important themes of garden-based learning in Spain

As children become less connected to nature, the need for outdoor spaces in schools is more important than ever. Garden-based learning (GBL) is one teaching approach that gets students outdoors, and shares many of the same goals and strategies of environmental education (EE). GBL uses gardens to engage students in meaningful, participatory, and interdisciplinary activities. Several studies have demonstrated the importance of outdoor learning in promoting the physical and psychological well-being of children. In Spain, the use of GBL in academic settings is growing, yet there are few studies addressing its role in education, and institutional support is lacking. This study investigated expert practitioners' evaluations of GBL's role in academic settings in Spain. Specifically, the authors aimed to connect practitioners' practical knowledge and expertise to key themes associated with GBL and identify common issues.

In 2015, the authors convened a focus group of eight expert practitioners at the first Meeting of Organic Learning Gardens in Soria, Spain. Through a focus group that lasted 1 hour and 45 minutes, researchers asked the practitioners about who uses GBL and how/why it is used, the meaning/current role of GBL, and what role gardens should play in education in the future. Sessions were recorded and then transcribed. The authors then went through the transcribed documents to look for common themes and sorted responses into categories and subcategories. Relationships between categories and subcategories were also analyzed.

Four main categories were identified: actors, or the individuals involved in GBL; concerns; functions; and strengths. Participants pointed out that GBL ideally involves a wide range of people beyond just teachers and students, such as farmers, parent associations, and local government. They expressed that that coordination among these people is key, and broad-based involvement is needed in the establishment and maintenance of gardens in school settings, so these responsibilities do not fall on one teacher. The 'concerns' category focused on the need for GBL to gain legitimacy by emphasizing its educational value. Another reoccurring topic was the need to enhance institutional support for GBL. In the 'functions' category, participants identified an expansive list of possibilities–they noted that learning gardens provide transformative experiences across a range of educational stages. GBL embraces living processes, offers students opportunities for close contact with nature, and promotes engagement in food production processes. Finally, the 'strengths' category included individual values that might be enhanced via GBL, such as personal and social development, empowerment, and creativity.

The most prominent limitation of this study is the inclusion of only eight professional perspectives. Due to the small sample, important insights from additional actors are therefore missing from this study. Furthermore, there is a general lack of research in this area, indicating a need for more in-depth, versatile examination.

This research showed that GBL is flourishing in Spain and provide great educational opportunities for students, but due to lack of research there are concerns of its legitimacy in academic value. The researchers recommend that more institutional support be given to programs using GBL to support their growth and sustainability. By incorporating more gardens into academic settings, practitioners can provide opportunities for research that could potentially further link GBL to positive outcomes. This could in turn lead to increased legitimacy of GBL.