RESEARCH

A Case Study of Horticultural Instruction as Education of Vocational Rehabilitation: Effects of Horticulture Job Skill Course Based on Employment Practice Model on Personal Performance Indicator of Vocational Rehabilitation for University Students with Disability

This study demonstrates that a horticulture job skills course using an employment practice model significantly improves the vocational functioning of university students with disabilities, emphasizing the importance of hands-on experience and individualized mentoring. The results suggest that incorporating practical, real-world skills into horticulture education can be highly effective for vocational rehabilitation.

Program Types: Vocational

Population Groups: Children/Youth, Neurodevelopmental Differences, Students

Setting or Context: Schools/Educational Settings, Community Gardens

Health and Wellness Outcomes: Improved Cognitive Function, Sensory Stimulation

Allied Profession Intersections: Education

Type of Activity: Outdoor Gardening

Evidence Type: Case Studies

Measurement and Evaluation: Metrics for Mental Health

Research Source: Academic Journals

Access: Free

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Summary

This study examines the effectiveness of a horticulture job skills course, based on an employment practice model, on improving the vocational rehabilitation performance of university students with disabilities. The course combined classroom learning with practical experience, including field placements and service learning, to teach specific job skills like planting, managing plants, packing products, and cleaning. A focus group of industry and academic experts helped develop the employment practice model, and students were assigned job coaches as mentors to help them apply their skills in real-world settings.

The study compared an experimental group of students with disabilities who participated in the horticulture job skills course to a control group who only took a regular horticulture course focused on theory. The results showed that the experimental group made significant improvements in their vocational functioning skills, while the control group did not. The study concludes that horticulture education, delivered through an employment practice model that includes hands-on experience and individualized mentoring, is effective in improving the vocational rehabilitation performance of university students with disabilities.

Link

Kim, S. Y. (2019). A case study of horticultural instruction as education of vocational rehabilitation: Journal of People, Plants, and Environment, 22(1), 65–73

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