Dr. Cutter-Mackenzie has explored learning outcomes of a school gardening program in Melbourne, an Australian city, in 2006-2007. The research program involved 70 students – recent immigrants, 6-12-year-old – in designing, construction and implementation of a gardening program along with teachers, parents and community volunteers. This culturally focused food gardening program was connected to the core curriculum and designed specifically for underserved, multicultural children, whose first language is not English. Students participated in gardening, cooking, sharing stories about gardening in other cultures while improving English and connecting with other members of the community. Using students’ journals, photos and peer interviews, as well as observations and interviews with children and parents, Dr. Cutter-Mackenzie found several types of impacts of this program. Qualitative data demonstrated that participation in this program increased students’ sense of belonging to the local community, provided a real-life opportunity to improve English, and contributed to students’ connection to the environment and their “sense of agency in protecting the environment.”
SOURCE:
Cutter-Mackenzie, A. (2009). Multicultural school gardens: creating engaging garden spaces in learning about language, culture, and environment. Canadian journal of environmental education, 14, 122-135.
http://cjee.lakeheadu.ca/index.php/cjee/article/view/891