RT info:eu-repo/semantics/article
T1 University gardens for sustainable citizenship: assessing the impacts of garden-based learning on environmental and food education at Spanish higher education
A1 Eugenio Gozalbo, Marcia
A1 Ramos Truchero, Guadalupe
A1 Suárez López, Rafael
K1 Sustainability, Environmental education, Citizenship, Higher education, Food education, Garden-based learning, Ecological citizenship, Food citizenship, Gardens
AB Purpose – Gardens are being used at all educational stages, because they provide with a real-world contextfor active and experiential learning. In Spain, there exists a movement in favor of their incorporation to highereducation for a variety of purposes but prevalently as an innovative resource to teach sciences to pre-serviceteachers. The purpose of this study is assessing the impacts of such pedagogical practice on universitystudents’ learning and behavioral changes in the areas of environmental and food citizenship, two keydimensions of contemporary citizenship that are essential to achieve sustainable societies.Design/methodology/approach – Data was collected by means of an electronic, open-ended questionsurvey completed by 170 students from 6 different universities where gardens are used. Answers werequalitatively analyzed using MAXQDA software to develop a system of content categories and subcategoriesin relation to reported learning and behavioral changes.Findings – Widespread among universities was learning on organic agriculture practices, greaterappreciation of agricultural labor, greater willingness to cultivate, higher awareness of environmentalimpacts of agriculture, improved behaviors regarding waste separation and enhanced fruit and vegetableconsumption.Originality/value – This work delves into how university gardens act as a vehicle through which studentsintegrate knowledge and reflect on their environmental, food and consumption behaviors. Thus, it supports on evidences, the use of gardens at higher education to nurture two dimensions of contemporary citizenshipessential to achieve sustainability
PB Emerald
YR 2020
FD 2020
LK https://uvadoc.uva.es/handle/10324/74687
UL https://uvadoc.uva.es/handle/10324/74687
LA eng
NO EUGENIO-GOZALBO, M., Ramos-Truchero, G., & Suárez-López, R. (2021). University gardens for sustainable citizenship: assessing the impacts of garden-based learning on environmental and food education at Spanish Higher Education. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 22 (3), 516-534. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSHE-06-2020-0208
DS UVaDOC
RD 18-jul-2025