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Abstract
This randomized controlled trial or ‘true experiment' examines the effects of a school garden intervention on the science knowledge of elementary school children. Schools were randomly assigned to a group that received the garden intervention (n = 25) or to a waitlist control group that received the garden intervention at the end of the study (n = 24). The garden intervention consisted of both raised-bed garden kits and a series of 19 lessons. Schools, located in the US states of Arkansas, Iowa, Washington, and New York, were all low-income as defined by having 50% or more children qualifying for the federal school lunch program. Participants were students in second, fourth, and fifth grade (ages 6–12) at baseline (n = 3,061). Science knowledge was measured using a 7-item questionnaire focused on nutritional science and plant science. The survey was administered at baseline (Fall 2011) and at three time points during the intervention (Spring 2012, Fall 2012, and Spring 2013). Garden intervention fidelity (GIF) captured the robustness or fidelity of the intervention delivered in each classroom based on both lessons delivered and garden activities. Analyses were conducted using general linear mixed models. Survey data indicated that among children in the garden intervention, science knowledge increased from baseline to follow-up more than among control group children. However, science knowledge scores were uniformly poor and gains were very modest. GIF, which takes into account the robustness of the intervention, revealed a dose–response relation with science knowledge: more robust or substantial intervention implementations corresponded to stronger treatment effects.
Acknowledgements
We would like to express our gratitude to the dozens of Cooperative Extension Educators in IA, AR, WA and NY who partnered with us and were essential to the completion of this study; to the teachers and principals who collaborated in this effort; and to the thousands of elementary school students who participated. Thanks go also to the dozens of Cornell University students who served as research assistants, helping with a wide variety of tasks.
Disclosure Statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors. The contents of this publication do not necessarily reflect the view or policies of the US Department of Agriculture, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the US Government.
Notes
1. ‘Language arts' in the USA refers to English language and literature.
2. Cooperative Extension is a program that exists in each of the 50 US states as a mechanism to share knowledge in order to promote health and well-being. The academic center of extension is the more than 100 land-grant colleges and universities throughout the US Cooperative Extension educators, based in county offices in each state, disseminate information to their communities and collaborate with academic researchers, as in this study.
