customers to choose from.” A majority of the respondents (60%) were educated about plants at higher educational institutions. The survey also found that education was an important factor in respondents’ knowledge of the issue: those who had learned about
149 POSTER SESSION 6F (Abstr. 379–386) Children and Community Education
A yearlong community education project was conducted in Edina, Minn., to teach residents about low-input lawn care techniques. Informational articles, a World Wide Web (Web) page, public seminar, and demonstration sites were the four major strategies employed by the project. Each of these teaching methods had a specific objective for influencing the lawn care knowledge and practices of Edina residents. Feedback from surveys at the completion of the project showed that printed articles had the highest familiarity. Based on these results, recommendations are given for other communities to implement low-input lawn care education programs.
One role of public horticulture institutions, and museums in general, is the education of their visitors and their community. While many gardens offer educational programming for adults and elementary school–aged children, the teenage audience seems
them. Phone (44%) and e-mail (40%) answer lines, along with small hands-on workshops (42%) and community education classes (41%) were information sources likely to be used. Lectures would be used by 26% of the respondents, but 40% said they were not
The State Botanical Garden of Georgia serves as an important academic resource for the University of Georgia by supporting interdisciplinary learning experiences in fields including botany, horticulture, environmental design, ecology, anthropology, geography, instructional technology, science education, entomology, forestry, and art. Field trips, independent study, internships, work-study and other botanical garden experiences strengthen and support the university's teaching, research and public service/outreach missions.
-secondary training in horticulture or a related discipline and PTE was a distant second (24%) ( Table 2 ). Table 2. Gardening experience and post secondary education in horticulture or related discipline of University of Minnesota Extension's Yard & Garden News
A survey of bachelor degree programs in the United States indicated that horticultural enrollment declined 4.4% between 1986 and 1988. Programs that increased enrollment (39% of those responding) were more likely to use various recruitment materials and activities than were those with declining or no change in enrollment (48% and 13%, respectively). Supply of students and time required to recruit were most often reported as high priority issues. The percentage of new majors recently graduated from high school had declined in 43% of the programs, but increases were reported in students age 22 and above, no prior horticultural experience, and interested in a part-time program. Both the direct approach, open house or personal visit, and the indirect approach, students and alumni promoting the program, were reported as effective recruitment activities.
Writing in horticulture courses helps students develop a better understanding of the subject matter and prepares them for careers where they must communicate with the general public. Three writing assignments that can be modified for use in a wide range of horticulture courses are presented, along with grading sheets. The writing assignments simulate situations that horticulturists encounter frequently; i.e., answering questions about plant materials and their utilization and maintenance or proposing site improvements or additional expenditures for maintenance programs.
Abstract
The demands placed by institutions, departments, courses, and instructors on undergraduate horticulture majors have been justified as necessary to prepare students for careers in horticulture. This unanimity of general purpose is not paralleled by agreement on the specific means to achieve educational goals. Ballinger (2) questioned the adequacy of practical training for horticultural majors. Merritt (4) saw program innovation as lagging behind changing career requirements. Some (5) argue for greater standardization in horticulture education; others (6) oppose a rigid curriculum structure.