The Real Impacts of School Gardens: How to Make Change & Measure it

1. The Real Impacts of School Gardens: How to Make Change & Measure it Abby Jaramillo, Urban Sprouts Michelle M. Ratcliffe, Ph.D., Ecotrust

2. Our shared history WWI & WWII 1946 - 1st School Lunch 1970s ? 1991 • First Wave: 1891 - 1944. Issue: National Security • Second Wave: 1970s. Issue: Environmentalism • Third Wave 1990s + Issue: . . . 1891

3. Examples of WW I Recruiting Posters for the US School Garden Army Poster photos from Victory Grower - http://groups.ucanr.org/victorygrower

4. Issues today • Children's academic achievement • Failing public schools • Environmental degradation • Global climate change • Oil dependence • Hunger • Obesity • Urban violence • Community access to healthy food • Consumerism and Marketing

5. Our shared present WWI & WWII 1970s 1991 Strengthening Schools & Greening School Grounds 1891

6. Our shared present WWI & WWII 1970s 1991 Help youth to: succeed academically, eat better, exercise, protect the environment, and develop resiliency 1891

7. Our shared present WWI & WWII 1970s 1991 Improve public health & environmental health 1891

8. Our shared present WWI & WWII 1970s 1991 Support economic development & community food security 1891

9. Our shared future WWI & WWII 1970s 1991 Are we thinking big enough? 1891

10. Why do we need a Program Model? • Not guessing what works – existing theory and the body of knowledge from multiple fields inform our work. • A recipe for success – what ingredients we must add in order to get the outcomes we desire. • Evidence of outcomes – Inputs and outcomes are tested by research and evaluation to show impact in the real world. • A Measurement tool – The model guides all our practices, shows how well we’re doing, and tells us where to make improvements at every step.

11. Understanding “The SCT”: The Basic Theory Source: Bandura, 1986

12. Starting Point: We want Behavior Change!  K,  A  B Changes in Knowledge and Attitudes are not the same as changes in Behaviors. Programs that DO lead to behavior change are: 1. Theory-driven & behavior-based 2. Deliver adequate number of lessons to affect desired K, A & B (for school gardens, 10 hrs will increase K, 20 hrs for A, 50 hrs for B) 3. Includes an environmental or situational component.

13. Personal Sharing Activity One-minute silent reflection exercise: • Think about a time in your life when you felt successful, like you were doing great things. If you can, choose a nature-based experience. • Some questions to consider: • What were the things you were doing? • How did you feel? • Who was there with you? • What were all the things in your surroundings? • What did you achieve?

14. Sharing and Analysis Personal Factors: how did you feel? Environmental Factors: what was around you? Behavioral Factors: what were you doing? Turn to the person next to you. You will each have one minute to share. Briefly describe the experience you just reflected upon, by answering these three questions.

15. Personal Story Sharing • Environmental Factors(around me) • Example: At summer camp as a youth, we went hiking and backpacking in nature and all the people there were caring and friendly. • Personal Factors(I felt, learned) • Example: I felt confident, like I could succeed at doing something difficult. I learned to care about nature. • Behaviors(I did) • Example: I climbed mountains. Now, I never litter in the woods and I’m always a low-impact hiker.

16. Common Assumption Environment (Program or Intervention) Behaviors

17. Social Cognitive Theory Environment Behaviors Personal Source: Bandura, 1986

18. 2. Creating the Theory-based Model (Urban Sprouts Model of Garden-based Education) Source: Michelle M. Ratcliffe, Ph.D., 2007

19. Environmental Factors The School Learning Environment • Curricular learning environment • Physical learning environment • Social learning environment

20. Curricular learning environment • Hands-on learning experiences • Interdisciplinary curriculum • Placed-based curriculum • Project-based curriculum Urban Sprouts students observe the properties of different soil samples.

21. Physical learning environment • A diversified landscape • Safe places before and after school • Opportunities to eat and cook with vegetables • Opportunities to perform eco-actions • Opportunities to nurture living things • Places for refuge • Places to connect with nature • Visual reinforcement of learning • Visual and sensory aesthetics Garden signs reinforce learning at Life Lab Garden, Santa Cruz, CA

22. Social learning environment • Cultural exchange • Democratic participation • Fostering relationships • Intergenerational mentoring • Meaningful participation in community • Meaningful participation in school • Modeling healthy behaviors and eco-action • Visual and sensory aesthetics A parent mentors a student at a family Garden Work Day, Burbank MS, San Francisco

23. SCHOOL LEARNING ENVIRONMENT • Curricular learning environment • Physical learning environment • Social learning environment • Personal Factors: • Knowledge acquisition • Development of life skills • Academic & cognitive skills • Social & moral development ** • Attitudes & preferences • Student Behaviors: • Academic achievement** • Health behaviors • Environmentally responsible behaviors • Community-level Outcomes: • Public health** • Environmental quality ** • Economic development ** • Social capital **

24. Personal Factors Development of the Whole Child: • Knowledge acquisition • Development of life skills • Academic & cognitive skills • Social & moral development • Responsibility, patience, focus, gentleness, respect, citizenship skills • Problem Solving: teamwork, multicultural cooperation • Autonomy: self-efficacy, self-awareness, mastery • Sense of Purpose: pride, ownership, happiness, sense of accomplishment, work ethic, cultural identity • Attitudes & preferences

25. Knowledge acquisition Urban Sprouts students teach their peers to read Nutrition Facts on food labels.

26. Development of life skills Urban Sprouts students cook food from the garden with guest Chef Rania from NextCourse.

27. Academic & cognitive skills Students observe insect predators on plants: ladybugs and aphids.

28. Social & moral development Youth developmental or Resiliency assets Students learn teamwork in the garden and self-efficacy as they practice leadership.

29. Attitudes & preferences • Ecoliteracy • Empathy • Systems thinking • Ecological knowledge • Environmental responsibility & ethics • Health & Nutrition • Preferences towards fruits and vegetables • Attitudes towards healthy foods • Attitudes towards school, science, and learning

30. School Learning Environment: • Curricular learning environment • Physical learning environment • Social learning environment • PERSONAL FACTORS: • Knowledge acquisition • Development of life skills • Academic & cognitive skills • Social & moral development ** • Attitudes & preferences • Student Behaviors: • Academic achievement** • Health behaviors • Environmentally responsible behaviors • Community-level Outcomes: • Public health** • Environmental quality ** • Economic development ** • Social capital **

31. Behaviors Individual Student Behaviors: • Academic achievement • Health behaviors • Environmentally responsible behaviors

32. Academic achievement • Academic performance • Student & teacher enthusiasm • Students’ ownership of learning process • Student attendance A student teaches peers, parents, siblings, and a teacher how to identify and save seeds.

33. Health behaviors • Fruit & Vegetable Consumption • Fruit & Vegetable Preferences • Physical Activity Students harvest, cook, and eat collards, kale and other greens from the garden at MLK MS, San Francisco.

34. Environmentally Responsible Behaviors (Eco-actions) Students teach peers about worm bins, composting, and recycling at home.

35. School Learning Environment: • Curricular learning environment • Physical learning environment • Social learning environment • Personal Factors: • Knowledge acquisition • Development of life skills • Academic & cognitive skills • Social & moral development ** • Attitudes & preferences • STUDENT BEHAVIORS: • Academic achievement** • Health behaviors • Environmentally responsible behaviors • Community-level Outcomes: • Public health** • Environmental quality ** • Economic development ** • Social capital **

36. Community-level Outcomes • Public health • Environmental quality • Economic development • Social capital Parents and youth build the school garden at Burbank MS.

37. School Learning Environment: • Curricular learning environment • Physical learning environment • Social learning environment • Personal Factors: • Knowledge acquisition • Development of life skills • Academic & cognitive skills • Social & moral development ** • Attitudes & preferences • Student Behaviors: • Academic achievement** • Health behaviors • Environmentally responsible behaviors • COMMUNITY-LEVEL OUTCOMES: • Public health** • Environmental quality ** • Economic development ** • Social capital **

38. School Learning Environment: • Curricular learning environment • Physical learning environment • Social learning environment • Personal Factors: • Knowledge acquisition • Development of life skills • Academic & cognitive skills • Social & moral development ** • Attitudes & preferences • Student Behaviors: • Academic achievement** • Health behaviors • Environmentally responsible behaviors • Community-level Outcomes: • Public health** • Environmental quality ** • Economic development ** • Social capital **

39. Social Cognitive Theory Environmental Personal Behavioral Source: Bandura, 1986

40. The School Learning Environment: • Curricular learning environment • Physical learning environment • Social learning environment • Student Behaviors: • Academic achievement** • Health behaviors • Environmentally responsible behaviors • Personal Factors: • Knowledge acquisition • Development of life skills • Academic & cognitive skills • Social & moral development ** • Attitudes & preferences • Community-level Outcomes: • Public health** • Environmental quality ** • Economic development ** • Social capital **

41. Resiliency Model Personal Traits Social competence Autonomy Problem solving Sense of purpose Behaviors Academic achievement Health Success in life External Developmental Supports Opportunities to meaningfully participate in school & community Caring relationships with youth & adults High youth centered expectations Source: Benard, B., 2004

42. Synthesis of the Social Cognitive Theory and Resiliency Model • The School Learning Environment: • Curricular learning environment • Physical learning environment • Social learning environment • Personal Factors: • Knowledge acquisition • Development of life skills • Academic & cognitive skills • Social & moral development ** • Attitudes & preferences • Student Behaviors: • Academic achievement** • Health behaviors • Environmentally responsible behaviors • Community-level Outcomes: • Public health** • Environmental quality ** • Economic development ** • Social capital **

43. Model for Garden-based Education in School Settings Source: Ratcliffe, M.M., 2007

44. 3. Using the Model in Garden-based Education Programs Source: Urban Sprouts, 2007

45. How we use our Program Model: • Garden Educators (our staff) use the model as a checklist when implementing garden-based education curriculum. • New lessons are developed based on the model. • Individual staff Performance Appraisal and goal-setting is based on the model, including a scoring rubric tied to raises in compensation. • Annual organization-wide reflection, assessment and change is guided by the model. • Program evaluation based on the model tests achievement of outcomes and is reported to funders and other stakeholders.

46. A Tool (checklist) for Educators

47. Using the Model for Program Evaluation:Data Collection Techniques Personal interviews with teachers, staff, administrators school garden leaders Focus group interviews with youth participants Online student surveys conducted at the beginning and end of the school year, including a control group (students at a similar school with no school garden) Staff self-assessment and observations

48. Sample Question from Online Student Survey

49. Evaluation Results: 2006-2008 The School Learning Environment In 2007, 121 thematic statements were identified from student focus groups, and in 2008, 222 statements were identified. Curricular learning environment (68 statements; 144 statements) • The garden was: “Better than being in class; get more out of class; fun, play; educational; learning new things; review of what we were learning; real experiences; different perspectives; Easier to learn outside than to just hear it or read about it; Learned more outside because it refreshes the brain; Something to look forward to; Helped us get through the day.” Physical learning environment (46 statements; 74 statements) • “Helped us feel relaxed and calm,” “When you help out in the garden you forget about your worries,” The garden “taught us how to cook and eat, different recipes, healthy foods, and how to get healthier.” • “I think the reason our teacher made us go outside and garden was that she wanted to teach us that one person can make a difference and we can all go green,” “They showed us how to save the earth, save worms, take care of plants, help the world, and keep the world clean and safe.” Social learning environment (3 statements; 4 statements) • Fostered relationships and opportunities to “work together,” “get to know each other,” and “to share.”

50. Evaluation Results: 2006-2008 Personal Factors “In the garden, I learned to grow up and be a successful person.” Knowledge: Increased knowledge of food literacy, organics, sugar, soda, advertising, food labels, bugs, animals, insects, decomposers in the garden, life science topics, plants and botany, soil and compost. Life skills: Learned skills needed to perform healthy lifestyle behaviors such as gardening, cooking, recycling, composting, water conservation. Social and Moral Development: In 105 statements students mentioned: Commitment; Connection to community, including learning how to help the community; Dedication; Determination; Listening, including being quiet and following directions; Participation, including being prepared and awake; Patience; Practice; Respect for and nurturing living things, including respect for plants, saving worms, helping nature, and talking to plants; Responsibility; Self control; Self-esteem, including confidence in gardening, and being comfortable with who you are in the garden; Working together, including team work, cooperation, and being nice to others. “You can use this in life,” “I learned gardening takes commitment, and love, and you need to water your plants every week, and you need some lotion for your hands too,” “I learned to work with other people instead of being all selfish.”