School gardens as a research setting for early childhood children to strengthen their environmental awareness and scientific skills

This project was conceived and executed as a case study in early childhood, given its methodological characteristics and approach. It focused on exploring a pedagogical and research initiative in a real and defined context: a public school in the town of Usme, Bogotá, Colombia. Its main objective was the creation of a school garden to strengthen environmental awareness and develop scientific skills in children. The methodology of the ONDAS program was used, which offers the possibility of putting children at the center of the research by giving them the role of co-researchers. The project was carried out in three phases: (1) Planning, where the research group was formed (22 children and 2 teachers), the need and research question were identified, and the research approach (qualitative) was determined. (2) Development, in which the intervention was designed and implemented, information was collected through the instruments of participant observation, portfolio and survey, and the triangulation of information was performed. (3) Communication, where the children shared their learning at different times and in different spaces. The results of the project showed that the children were able to develop scientific skills such as curiosity, observation, questioning and creating hypotheses, as well as creating possibilities to answer them. They also achieved an important approach to nature, which allowed them to develop an environmental awareness based on the knowledge of different natural processes, the benefits they provide and the significant role that human beings have in the care of the natural environment.