Planning a Successful School & Community Garden Program

• Introductory Week: Welcome and Introductions
• Week 1: Growing Your Planning Team; Community Partnerships
• Week 2: Developing Garden Program Goals Using Logic Models
• There will be a week-long break between Week 2 and Week 3
• Week 3: Tapping Your Community Resources
• Week 4: Evaluation and Assessment; Building Your Curriculum Toolbox
• Week 5: Creating Sustainable Gardens; Finding Funding
• Week 6: Project Portfolio; Next Steps

You will not be able to access the material beyond two weeks after the last day of class.

Instructor: Donna Alese Cooke dmc72 [at] cornell.edu (dmc72[at]cornell[dot]edu)

Purpose

This course is perfect for educators, program staff, volunteers, volunteer coordinators or anyone wanting to develop a community garden, school garden, or garden-based learning program for youth, adults, or people with disabilities in their local community, school, Cooperative Extension, or after-school program.

Course Objectives

Upon completion of this course, participants will:

• Understand the foundations of garden-based learning and its benefits.
• Explore and identify available resources, case studies, research, and successful school and community-based garden programs.
• Utilize logic models to identify program inputs, activities, and desired outcomes.
• Use real world tools to practice and develop a garden-based learning program in alignment with program needs.
• Build a toolbox of resources and portfolio of program planning, deliverables, and strategies for sustainability.
• Utilize strategies to organize a community of volunteers and identify leadership.

Approach and Philosophy

Using a logic model approach to program development, this online course teaches methods and strategies on planning, organizing, and developing a successful and sustainable school and/or community gardening program.

This course is designed to enrich the practice of community-based gardening in schools and communities, for children, youth, and adult audiences, and to encourage a network of state and nation-wide educators, volunteers and communities who will learn and grow together.

Participants will connect with and learn from others with the same purpose, and by the end of this course, will become a more confident and knowledgeable garden-based learning educators and program organizers. 

Expectations

This course is asynchronous in its design, where students learn on a schedule at their own pace. Due dates, deadlines and self-evaluation exercises are in place to help keep students on track. Bi-weekly Zoom meetings are scheduled (dates/times TBD) for students to ask questions and work on group activities. These sessions are optional and recorded in case you miss them.

Expect to dedicate a minimum of 5-7 hours per week to the lessons, readings, discussions and assignments. A weekly Learning Journal is assigned, to reflect on learning help build a relationship with the instructor. The final, comprehensive portfolio serves as an evolving learning experience; a teaching "toolbox" complete with a developed program ready to use in the school or community  garden program.

Lessons and Assignments

Weekly modules will open on a Monday and contain the following components:

• A series of lessons that present the topic with required readings, videos, and online resources that expand upon and reinforce the material presented
• Activities and assignments that help develop your portfolio and toolbox of Garden-Based Learning program planning and activities
• Whole class forum with topics and questions for discussion, and a place to share ideas with others
• Reflective writing that cultivates a thoughtful perspective and dialogue with the course instructor
• Additional readings, activities, and relevant resources

Supplies

A computer with reliable high-speed Internet access (to view videos, view readings, submit assignments, and participate regularly in discussion forums).