Attitudes toward Plants: Comparing the Impact of Instruction through Writing & through a Botanical Garden Trip

Abstract

We designed and implemented two instructional approaches to plant education, with the intention of supporting positive attitudes toward plants among sixth-grade students (11-13 years old). In one instructional approach, students prepared a book about plants that have interesting characteristics. In the other approach, students visited a botanical garden. The purpose of the study was to compare the effects of these approaches on students' attitudes toward plants. A matched-pairs experimental design was used in the research. A total of 56 students (28 in each group) participated in the study. Data were gathered by using the Plant Attitude Questionnaire. This instrument consisted of 28 items using a five-point Likert scale and included four dimensions of attitudes toward plants: importance, urban trees, interest, and utilization. Our results indicate that instruction via writing a book about plants with interesting characteristics is a good way to support students' positive attitudes toward plants; this approach was especially effective in the dimensions of interest and utilization. The botanical garden trip was also effective, though in a more limited way, in supporting students' positive attitudes toward plants; this approach was most effective in the dimension of urban trees.