Are urban green spaces used as didactical resources in Spanish Primary Education?

Abstract

Urban green spaces (UGS) are patches of nature that, when located in the vicinity of schools, can be used to encourage active learning. But when educators plan on using these spaces in their daily routine, they have to face numerous difficulties. This paper analyses the uses of UGS by primary education teachers and the influence that the distance between UGS and schools in Zamora, a small city located in NW Spain, has in their usage. Quantitative data were collected by means of a paper-based questionnaire administered to 119 students of the Primary Education Teaching Degree after their professional practice period in primary schools. In the questionnaire, composed of 20 closed-ended questions, students were asked about several aspects of their tutors’ daily use of UGS. Results show low usage of UGS by primary teachers, even though schools have very high accessibility to these spaces. Teachers largely use UGS to reinforce natural and social sciences lessons, developing activities associated with plants and nature. But there are barriers that hinder the educational use of these spaces such as curricular planning and teacher training. Nevertheless, results show that when teachers visit UGS, they use these spaces as teaching laboratories where they apply active teaching methodologies, such as inquiry-based methods. Keywords: urban green spaces; environmental.