RT info:eu-repo/semantics/article
T1 Validating scales to assess learning about sustainable food through university gardens
A1 Ramos-Truchero, Guadalupe
A1 Eugenio-Gozalbo, Marcia
A1 Estrada-Vidal, Ligia Isabel
K1 University gardens; Food sustainability; Questionnaire; Validation
AB Purpose-University gardens are innovative educational spaces that facilitate posingtopics relevant to civic education, such as healthy and sustainable eating. This work aimsto provide reliable quantitative tools to assess learning about sustainable food practicesafter garden-based interventions within higher education.Design/methodology/approach-Based on their previous qualitative research on learningpromoted by garden-basedinterventions, the researchers designed two Likert-scalequestionnaires. The first is the "Growing Food Habits_Purchase" (GFH_P) scale, whichinforms on the habits or profiles of people who can make food purchasing decisions. Thesecond is the “Growing Food Habits_Intake” (GFH_I) scale, which informs on the habitsor profiles of people regarding food consumption (diet).Findings- After validation, GFH_P consists of 14 items in four dimensions (reliabilitythrough McDonald’ ω = 0.721; Total Variance Explained = 52.97%), and GFH_I consistsof 12 items in four dimensions (ω = 0.872; TVE = 60.699%). These two scales constitutevaluable tools for applying before and after educational interventions at universitygardens to assess progress in food purchasing and intake habits. Their use candemonstrate the actual contribution of garden-based learning to the transition towardmore sustainable diets that is key to transforming the food system.Originality- This work responds to the need for quantitative instruments that allow for arigorous evaluation of the academic impacts of garden-based learning. To date, there wereno validated questionnaires to assess the educational impact of gardens as teachinglearningenvironments for food education.
PB Emerald
YR 2026
FD 2026
LK https://uvadoc.uva.es/handle/10324/84196
UL https://uvadoc.uva.es/handle/10324/84196
LA eng
NO International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, April 2026
NO Producción Científica
DS UVaDOC
RD 21-abr-2026