Sustainability Education in School Garden-Based Learning

This open access book addresses sustainability education in garden-based learning settings with biological and cultural diversity as its central themes. It provides scientific background knowledge to understand biological diversity and its functional roles in ecosystems as well as didactic approaches to sensitize students for challenges related to biodiversity loss or preservation, respectively, and to further their environmental consciousness. It also addresses biodiversity education in a broader sense by discussing issues that include economic, political, cultural and ethical aspects.
This book supports teachers of all educational levels as well as pedagogues involved in non-formal training in developing concepts and learning environments for biodiversity education in garden-based learning settings and, therefore, it is of great benefit for school teachers and university lecturers working with their students in a school garden or close-to nature designed school areas. Likewise, teacher mentors and trainers at universities, school leaders and policymakers responsible for the laying-out of school grounds can benefit from the information compiled in this volume.

Stefan Jarau is a professor of general science education and its didactics at the University College for Teacher Education Vorarlberg, Austria. His teaching areas cover the natural sciences, global learning, education for sustainable development and outdoor learning. His research focuses on children’s knowledge of plants and animals, their attitudes towards environmental issues, conceptual learning in primary school students and school garden education.
Dorothee Benkowitz is a professor of biology and its didactics at the University of Education in Karlsruhe, Germany. She is head of BAG Schulgarten, an association for educators and pedagogues involved in school gardening. Her research interest is the impact of school gardening on the realization of education for sustainable development. She created a university garden together with students to strengthen their self-competence in outdoor and garden-based learning.