Cultivating and Growing: a Litterature Review

Research into school and community gardens has largely focused on health promotion and preventive potentials, e.g. children’s nutrition and eating habits, while there has been less research focus on learning outcomes in the form of skills, knowledge and competences. The aim of this review is to create an overview of the research literature that documents what the garden context has to offer in a pedagogical and learning perspective in relation to social competencies and identity formation. The review is based on a literature search in 9 databases and builds on 120 abstracts, 36 of which were selected for full-text reading. In total, 18 studies are included. The review of these sources is structured according to the following themes: Vulnerable groups; Community; Understanding of health, nature and environment; and, Identity and action competence. The literature shows that community building and practical gardening enhance participants’ social competences and influence the way in which they perceive themselves, both in relation to others and nature. In addition, their confidence in their own abilities is strengthened as a result of participation in school and community garden projects.