Teachers’ Perceptions οn the Use of Botanic Gardens as a Means of Environmental Education in Schools and the Enhancement of School Student Benefits from Botanic Garden Visits

Abstract

The potential of Botanic Gardens (BGs) to contribute to environmental education is well documented. To what degree this potential is met concerning school students’ environmental education is to be considered. In Greece, Environmental Education Centres (EECs) develop Environmental Education Programmes (EEPs) for schools to implement. A questionnaire survey addressing teachers employed at the EECs in Greece investigated the use of BGs as a means of environmental education and identified their most important features in supporting school EEPs. Findings indicated that the majority of EEC teachers (90.6%) have not developed EEPs involving the use of BGs, although BGs were ranked as most suitable amongst other green spaces for conducting such programmes, particularly for primary school students. Teachers identified the need for BGs to be designed accordingly and provide the necessary infrastructure to be educationally effective that included facilitating teaching (e.g. open spaces, areas to congregate, easy access paths and indoor facilities) and plant-orientated elements as well as plant management displays. A strategy by BGs to promote their role in environmental education and a multidisciplinary design approach would maximise student benefit.