The school garden as a learning and environmental awareness tool for the Student Community of the Elisena Soto Institute, El Coral, Chontales, Nicaragua

Abstract

School gardens are becoming established as a fundamental educational strategy to strengthen resilience to climate change and promote environmental values through active and experiential learning. This study analyzes the school garden as a pedagogical tool for meaningful learning and environmental awareness among students at the Elisena Soto Institute, located in El Coral, Chontales, Nicaragua. The research was conducted using a qualitative approach, with a descriptive case study design, incorporating phenomenological and ethnographic methods. Semi-structured interviews, focus groups, and direct observation were employed, applying data triangulation to ensure the validity of the findings. The results demonstrate that the school garden constitutes a comprehensive educational space that fosters the construction of theoretical and practical knowledge, the development of basic scientific skills, and the promotion of environmental values. Furthermore, its significant contribution to the formation of an ecological awareness, the strengthening of collaborative work, and the adoption of sustainable practices in both the school and family environment is identified. It is concluded that the school garden transcends its productive function, establishing itself as a transformative educational resource that integrates ancestral knowledge and promotes contextualized learning. However, the need to strengthen its integration with the educational curriculum and to expand outreach strategies on agricultural practices and nutrition is recognized in order to enhance its impact on the students' holistic development.