Date of Award

Spring 2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Committee Chair

Melissa Balknight

Abstract

Outdoor learning gardens are environments where science meets the wonder of a child as they cultivate crops within the boundaries of their schoolyard. When students have opportunities to leave the four walls of their classroom and move outdoors, their minds are awakened and they can explore, analyze, and synthesize information. This mixed methods research investigation took place in a rural North Carolina district on an elementary school campus. The study sought to consider the perceptions of teachers and parents of outdoor learning and the limitations that prevent teachers from including experiential learning opportunities for students. The methodology for the research was derived through an 11-panel focus group of teachers and parents, parent surveys, and quantitative EOG science test data. The efficacy of the study provided insight into the vision all stakeholders desired for present and future students. Students gain knowledge of careers in the science or agriculture field as they plant and harvest crops, which fosters a love for their environment and encourages responsibility, a sense of ownership in their community, and an increased motivation to be active learners in their educational journey. The results of my study provided evidence that hands-on learning is crucial to student well-being. Teacher and stakeholder perceptions proved to be an indicator of the success of a sustainable program.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License

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