Workshops in the mandala garden as a tool for environmental education

Abstract

Practical and interdisciplinary experiences become a valuable educational tool, both formally and informally. Among the formative sciences, landscape architecture has inspired many techniques to stimulate environmental awareness. Therefore, this work aimed to conduct gardening workshops for different audiences in the Mandala Garden as an instrument of environmental education. The workshops were conducted using methodologies adapted to the age group of each participant. The workshops were developed in two parts: a theoretical part explaining the content about plants, and a practical part involving a visit to the garden and sowing or planting activities. In total, 19 gardening workshops were held, covering five themes with different audiences, with 411 participants. Active participation was observed in all workshops, regardless of the audience. The methodological adaptations for each theme and audience allowed for individual group dynamics. Different skills were observed among the participants in interacting with each other, and with the workshop leaders, regarding the topic addressed. Finally, the interdisciplinary nature of the proposed activities allowed for socialization in a playful and educational way, highlighting the importance of preserving the environment.