Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Practices in Garden-Based Education at Secondary School Campuses

Garden-based education (GBE) in the United States offers a multitude of student benefits such as improved motivation, connection to nature, and awareness of healthy nutritional choices. What appears to be missing in literature and practice is representation of diverse student and family cultural identities. Rooted in the New York State Education Department's Culturally Responsive-Sustaining (CR-S) Education Framework, this three-article dissertation explores the past, present, and future of CR-S practices in garden programs at secondary schools. First, a systematic search and review investigated the incorporation of CR-S practices in GBE literature published from 2012 to 2022. Articles were analyzed for the CR-S practices across diverse stakeholders (i.e., students, teachers, school leaders, district leaders, families and community members, departments of higher education and department of education) and high leverage principles (i.e., environment, instruction, curriculum and assessment, and professional learning). The systematic search and review findings indicate a focus on students and community partnerships in extant literature while CR-S practices of school and district leaders supporting GBE is underrepresented. The CR-S principles of high expectations and instruction as well as inclusive curriculum and assessment appear most frequently in literature while professional learning and welcoming environment is less present. GBE studies often report findings of student involvement in collaboration with peers and community partners but rarely with student families. The second article was a qualitative study of how educators include CR-S practices in current GBE programs located at secondary school campuses in the United States. Each participant represented their program by creating a three to five minute digital story using multimedia such as videos, pictures, and voice narration. The expectation was to represent the environment, instruction, assessment, and lessons learned in the process of the garden program. Subsequent 20 – 30 minutes interviews of each participant were completed using online videoconferencing. Results from this qualitative study indicate GBE stakeholders most represent their CR-S efforts within the principle of creating a warm and welcoming environment. Building relationships and supporting social-emotional learn (SEL) are frequently evidenced in digital stories and interviews. Student leadership and autonomy is a priority, but representation of student-led civic engagement in issues of social justice is an area for improvement. Stakeholders convey a desire to explore diverse cultures, but findings show limited evidence of rich student and family cultures being well integrated into GBE experiences. Third, practical recommendations for including CR-S practices in GBE are discussed specific to leaders in schools, districts, and higher education faculty. Resources are provided for leaders to enhance support of student, families, and communities by integrating CR-S practices into school garden programs. Opportunities are suggested such as developing professional learning opportunities for diverse stakeholders to reflect on the impacts of implicit biases. Further research is needed to better understand how GBE can be used as a springboard for exploration of issues of social justice and equity. Together, these articles provide insight into how engaged stakeholders can grow school garden-based programs that encourage and sustain the diversity of people and culture as well as plants.

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Philosophy

Level thesis:degree_level

Doctoral

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Curriculum and Instruction

Grantor

Texas Tech University

Year dc:date.issued

2023

Author dc:creator

• Jones, Kimberly

Chair dc:contributor.committeechair

• Matteson, Shirley M.

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Childers, Gina
• Patrick, Patricia Gail

• Garden-Based Education
• Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Education
• Secondary Schools

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/2346/96373

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:ttu-ir.tdl.org:2346/96373