Horticultural therapy (HT) is used across the lifespan with individuals with a wide range of physical, social, and cognitive abilities. Older adults make up a large group of participants in horticultural activities. As the population of older adults grows, more adults face the risk of experiencing a dementing illness. Many families turn to institutional care programs, such as nursing homes and adult day service (ADS) programs, for assistance with the care of their relative with dementia. HT may be an appropriate activity to incorporate into dementia care activity programs, but formal evaluations of such programs are limited. The current study evaluated a 10-week HT program conducted with adults with dementia at an ADS program. Observations indicated that participants engaged in the horticultural activities for greater periods of time than the nonhorticultural activities. Participant affect during the horticultural and nonhorticultural activities was comparable. HT is appropriate for dementia care programs serving adults with a wide range of cognitive, physical, and social needs, and it should be considered as a viable alternative to more typical dementia care program activities.

Background and objective: This study aims to develop and apply programs in agriculture and life sciences for promoting divergent thinking in STEAM using classroom wall gardens. The process of the STEAM program such as presentation of the situation, creative design, and success experience is proposed to utilize STEAM education as a distinguished program. Methods: Four types of classroom wall gardens were used in this program, such as the ‘plaster pot wall garden’, ‘attachable LED wall garden’. ‘coffee pack wall garden’, and ‘hanging wall garden’ for each classroom. For this purpose, official letters were sent to relevant institutions (elementary schools) specified by the research institute, and classes were conducted on the selected elementary school students. Results: A satisfaction survey and effect analysis were conducted on the students participating in the program. The program was designed to take a total of 11 hours, comprised of teaching plans including the topics, purpose of production, subject outlines, learning goals, and elements of STEAM subjects and stages. Conclusion: According to the survey on student satisfaction and understanding, it was found that students participating in the program have a high level of understanding and participation, as well as increased interest in science. Also, the program helped the students to connect with other subject areas. The level of student satisfaction was especially high in the upper grades. It is believed that the results of this research contribute to the development of STEAM education programs in agriculture and life sciences as well as other subject areas.

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Background and objective: For effective horticultural education, it is required to develop kits for practice. In this study, we developed a horticultural kit for germination that introduces storytelling, characterization, and assembly, and investigated the educational effects of using it to study its educational differentiation and usefulness.Methods: First, we developed a seed germination kit for learning. It consists of three components: the kit main frame for hydroponics, the activity sheet for storytelling, and the instruction manual. It is made into an acrylic assembly in consideration of the ease of delivery for contactless learning. Second, we developed two programs, each using a germination kit for horticultural education (experimental group) and a general germination kit program (control group). At this time, the class consists of pre-questionnaire, the 1st and 2nd classes, observation log writing (total six times for two weeks), the 3rd class, and post-questionnaire. The experimental group and control group were separately executed. Third, the application results were compared and analyzed before and after class. As a quantification questionnaire, the effects before and after class were compared through t-test with a questionnaire on program satisfaction and attitude change toward plants. The quantitative results were analyzed through observation activity sheets and effects before and after the class were analyzed through t-test with quantification and language coding.Results: The effect of horticulture education using the developed kit was estimated by a quantification questionnaire. Both the program satisfaction and the change in attitude toward plants showed high in the experimental group, and this difference was statistically significant (p < .05). As a result of analyzing the observation paper with a qualitative questionnaire, various cognitive and affective expressions appeared in the experimental group as well as the contents of the observation paper. The number of syllables and various qualitative expressions appeared, and these differences were also statistically significant (p < .05).Conclusion: Compared to general germination activities, it was found that the germination activities using storytelling-based horticultural kits would be effective for contactless classes in the post-COVID-19 era and in increasing the educational effect of horticultural activities.

Background and objective: In order to develop basic data for horticultural education and activities for college students struggling to overcome various stress and practical problems, this study is designed to understand the actual conditions of college students' horticultural experience, knowledge, and preferences.Methods: First, the experiences of horticultural activities were classified and analyzed using Google Forms. At this time, the horticultural experience was investigated by dividing it into whether there was a plant cultivation experience, a personal plant experience, and plant purchase experiences. Second, gardening activities and knowledge and preference were analzed. Third, the correlation between plant experience and plant knowledge was analyzed, and a factor analysis was conducted to determine preferred horticultural activities and class programs.Results: In the case of experiencing plant cultivation, there was a high interest in companion plants, understanding plant management methods, preventing pests, packaging or storage methods of flowers, and social media related to plants. In the case of no experience in plant cultivation, plant indifference, difficulty in cultivation, and mental and time leisure were cited as conditions for plant cultivation. While personal plant purchasing experience is about two to three times a year, gift purchasing experience was very high, and the reason why flowers were not purchased except for gifts was because they were discarded or did not know how to store them. Plant knowledge, such as plant types, names, and breeding methods, was very low, but plant terriers showed high interest, and preferences for flower plants, foliage plants, succulent plants, and fine dust removal plants and gardens, gardens, and plantation activities were high. "Plant experience" was highly connected with the latest knowledge such as "understanding fine dust plants" (<i>p</i> < .001), especially "plant interest" was highly connected with all the horticultural knowledge presented (<i>p</i> < .001). As a result of the arithmetic factor analysis, the rotational factor analysis of the six factors showed the highest number of "plant activity" types, and the factor load was important in the order of flower complex tour, plant shop tour, water cultivation, terrarium, and indoor gardening activities. The second factor was "horticulture and horticultural activities," and the factor load was high in the order of correctional care, garden care, gardening, herb raising, and vegetable raising activities.