이 연구의 목적은 초등교사 대상의 학교 텃밭 가꾸기 연수의 주안점을 생물다양성 교육 중심으로 하기 위하여, 텃밭 가꾸기 연수 활동을 텃밭에 자라는 토종 식물을 이용한 생물다양성 교육으로 방향 전환을 하는 것이다. 연구에 참여한 집단은 연수에 경험이 많은 교사, 발령 5년차 이내의 교사, 환경교육 전공의 초등교사 등, 총 9명이었으며, 자료는 면담 및 기존 연구 분석을 통해 수집되었다. 연구 결과는 다음과 같다. 첫째, 초등학교 교사 대상 생물다양성 및 텃밭 관련 연수의 현황을 알아본 결과 생물다양성 교육 연수는 거의 없었으며, 텃밭 가꾸기 연수는 비교적 실시되었으나 연구 내용이 텃밭을 가꾸는 원예 기술에 집중되어 있으며, 생물다양성 교육에 관련된 연수는 없었다. 특히, 초등학교 과정에서 생물다양성에 대한 기본 지식과 개념들이 여러 교과에 분산되어 있어 교사의 전문성 제고와 환경 감수성 신장을 위해 텃밭 가꾸기 활동을 이용한 생물다양성 교육 연수가 꼭 필요하다. 둘째, 환경교육 교과목이나 시간이 정해지지 않은 초등학교에서 텃밭 가꾸기 활동은 매우 효과적으로 지속가능한 교육을 할 수 있으며, 생물다양성 교육 활동을 위한 좋은 수단이 될 수 있다. 셋째, 현재 실시하는 학교 텃밭 가꾸기 연수에서 정원 가꾸기와 관련된 기술적 측면이 강조되고 있는 것을 텃밭에 자라는 토종 식물의 다양성에 대한 내용으로 전환하면, 초등교사 대상 생물다양성 교육을 중심으로 한 텃밭 가꾸기 연수 프로그램의 기초 자료를 제공할 수 있을 것이다.
The purpose of this study was to examine the orientation of gardening training for elementary school teachers, focusing on biodiversity, and how to activate the diversity of gardening with native plants in the school garden. There were a total of nine participants in the study, including high-career teachers with experience in training, young teachers with less than five years of appointment, and elementary school teachers majoring in environmental education with the data being collected through interviews and analysis of existing research. The results of the study were as follows:First, the current status of training courses related to garden for elementary school teachers and the need for training accordingly. Biodiversity training for elementary school teachers was rare even after environment education training. Gardening was included as a small portion of this training with the main focus being on gardening skills. Since the elementary school curriculum must distributed basic knowledge and concepts about biodiversity throughout many subjects, it is difficult to emphasize biodiversity without teacher intention and professional knowledge, therefore, it is essential to enhance teachers' environmental sensitivity and professionalism which can be achieved by expanding the gardening training of elementary school teachers. Second, training teachers in gardening has great environmental and educational implications. In terms of urban biodiversity and ecological well-being, gardens are a great place to provide environmental education such as sustainability and biodiversity education in elementary schools, where environmental education is not a separate subject. Gardening education can be a good means of environmental education, and could also be linked to promoting and educating students of mental health and well-being. Third, the direction of the training for the gardening teachers in elementary schools centered on environmental education was explored. It was hoped that the purpose of the training, improvement of the contents system and training method, implementation of the training materials, administrative and institutional aspects of the training policy, and the basic data of the gardening training program centered on environmental education for elementary school teachers would be helpful for the development of environmental education. It is not too much to repeat the importance of environmental education several times, but at present, environmental education training is extremely insufficient compared to its necessity. Additionally, the current school gardening training is emphasized in the technical aspect of gardening, and now it is time to change the focus. It can be a very appropriate means to cultivate students’ environmental literacy rather than simply focusing on knowledge of the environment. If we provide elementary school teachers faithfully with the training of gardening centered on environmental education, we will be able to provide environment education to elementary school students very effectively.