RT Journal Article
T1 School Gardens: A Multiple Case Study on Pedagogical Innovation and Community Engagement in Spain and Portugal
A1 Pozuelos Estrada, Francisco José
A1 Mora Márquez, José Ramón
A1 Rodríguez Miranda, Francisco Paula
AB The school garden has a long-standing pedagogical tradition linked to active, experiential, and community-based education, represented by authors such as Montessori, Freinet, and Dewey. Currently, its role has been consolidated as a relevant educational resource used to address the challenges of sustainability education, pedagogical innovation, and student holistic development. This research takes a qualitative approach based on a multiple case study conducted in four educational centers in Spain and Portugal. Semi-structured interviews, documentary analysis, and reflective memoranda were used. Content analysis was performed using a deductive–inductive coding approach in ATLAS.ti software v. 25th, combining literature-derived categories with those emerging from the data, following a thematic analysis (TA) approach. The results suggest that school gardens promote meaningful learning, the development of transversal competencies, improved school climate, and community involvement. Pedagogical, social, and emotional benefits were identified, as well as high levels of satisfaction among all participants. However, obstacles were found to persist, mainly related to a lack of time and teacher coordination. The study confirms that the school garden serves as a pedagogical resource with a high transformative potential. Its effectiveness depends on intentional curricular integration, teacher commitment, and the engagement of the educational community, aligning with the principles of an active, sustainable, and contextualized pedagogy.
PB MDPI
SN 2227-7102 (electrónico)
YR 2026
FD 2026
LK https://hdl.handle.net/10272/28181
UL https://hdl.handle.net/10272/28181
LA eng
NO Pozuelos Estrada, F. J., Mora-Márquez, J. R., & Rodríguez-Miranda, F. P. (2026). School Gardens: A Multiple Case Study on Pedagogical Innovation and Community Engagement in Spain and Portugal. Education Sciences, 16(4), 529. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci16040529
NO This work was funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (Grant number: PID2020-115880RB-100) and by the Andalusia ERDF Operational Program (Grant number: UHU-1256182).
DS Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Huelva
RD 30 may 2026