• Journal of People, Plants, and Environment
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.495-506
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• 2020

Background and objective: This study conducted a conjoint analysis on early childhood teachers to find out their preferences in horticultural activities that are used as a means of education in early childhood education. Methods: For the conjoint analysis, five attributes of horticultural activities were selected. Attribute 1 was method of horticultural activities, divided into two levels: exclusive and integrated horticultural activities. Attribute 2 was object of horticultural activities, divided into three levels: fruit crops, vegetable crops, and floricultural crops. Attribute 3 was activity type, divided into three levels: big and small group, free choice, and outdoor play. Attribute 4 was place for horticultural activities, and divided into two levels: indoors and outdoors. Attribute 5 was time for horticultural activities, divided into two levels: 30 minutes and 30-60 minutes. The orthogonal design was used to extract 20 profiles, after which we conducted a survey on 320 early childhood teachers and analyzed the valid responses from 257 teachers. Results: The preference of early childhood teachers showed highest importance in object (29.1%), followed by activity type (23.2%), activity method (17.4%), time (16.1%), and place (14.2%) (Pearson's R = .591, p = .008). By level of each attribute, the importance was high in exclusive horticultural activities for activity method, big and small group for activity type, vegetable and floricultural crops for object, indoors for place, and 30 minutes for time. Conclusion: The horticultural program preferred by early childhood teachers is comprised of big and small group activities using vegetable and floricultural crops, carried out indoors for 30 minutes as an exclusive class.

• Journal of People, Plants, and Environment
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.211-220
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• 2020

The purpose of this study was to analyze the frequency and contents of horticultural activities in 696 individual activities listed in 11 teacher's guidebooks of Nuri Curriculum for 5-year-olds, and to find out the perceptions of horticultural activities in the formal curriculum. The target horticultural activities that were selected were those using natural objects like potted plants, water, wind, soil, stones, etc. as the topic or subject of activities, and those with different topics but are mentioning plants or natural objects as an example at least twice. The 150 selected horticultural activities were classified by life-based theme, activity type, activity domain, and medium. As a result of examining horticultural activities by life-based theme, there were 150 horticultural activities (21.55%): 40 in Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter (5.75%), 34 in Animals, Plants, and Nature (4.89%), 22 in Environment and Life (3.16%), 19 in Our Country (2.73%), and nine in Our Neighborhood (1.29%), nine in Various Countries of the World (1.29%), four in Health and Safety (0.57%), four in Living tools (0.57%), four in Transportation (0.57%), three in Kindergarten and Friends (0.43%), two in Me and My Family (0.29%; χ²=130.427, p < .001). As a result of examining horticultural activities by activity type, there were 61 free choice activities (40.67%), 80 large and small group activities (53.33%), and nine outdoor play activities (6.00%), indicating that outdoor play was the fewest activity type (χ²=54.040, p < .001). The results of analyzing horticultural activities by activity domain showed that there were 25 in conversation (16.67%), 19 in science (12.50%), 14 in art (9.33%), 14 in cooking (9.33%), 10 in fairy tales (6.00%), nine in music (6.00%), eight in language (5.33%), eight in number operation (5.33%), eight in others (5.33%), six in children's plays (4.0%), six in games (4.0%), four in body and movement (2.67%), three in stacking (2.00%), three in roles (2.00%), three in rhythm (2.00%), two in children's poems (1.33%), two in field experience (1.33%) and one in outside play (0.67%; χ²=87.600, p < .001). As a result of examining the mediums used in the horticultural activities, 46 activities (30.67%) directly used plants as the mediums, 11 activities (7.33%) used soil such as stones, gravel, and earth as the mediums instead of plants, four activities (2.67%) used dry plants such as branches and dry leaves as the mediums, and 89 activities (59.33%) used videos, photos of plants, and pictures of plants as the mediums (χ²=121.307, p < .001).

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.133-142
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• 2015

This study aimed to identify the exercise intensity associated with four common physical activities for adults (running, skipping rope, walking, and muscle strength exercises) and two horticultural activities (creating a vegetable bed and garden maintenance). For this experiment, 19 males (mean age: $25.8{\pm}2.3$ years) randomly participated in the activities at a glasshouse at Konkuk University. Each of the six activities lasted for 5 minutes; the subjects rested for 5 minutes during intervals between the activities. A portable metabolic analyzer was used to store the oxygen and energy consumption values obtained upon measurement of each activity. In addition, a wireless heart rate monitor was used to measure the subjects' heart rate. According to the results, the four types of physical activities and two horticultural activities carried out by the subjects are moderate- to high-intensity activities [i.e., $3.8{\pm}0.9$ to $9.9{\pm}2.1$ metabolic equivalents (METs)]. Running ($9.9{\pm}2.1$ METs) and skipping rope ($8.8{\pm}2.2$ METs) were categorized as high-intensity physical activities, whereas creating a vegetable bed ($5.0{\pm}1.2$ METs), walking ($4.9{\pm}0.8$ METs), muscle strength exercises ($4.5{\pm}1.3$ METs), and garden maintenance ($3.8{\pm}0.9$ METs) were classified as moderate-intensity physical activities. The exercise intensities of horticultural activities in this study were similar to those of walking and muscle strength exercises. Therefore, participating in these horticultural activities is expected to garner health benefits similar to those reaped from the physical activities described in the current study.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.940-958
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• 2016

The objective of this study was to analyze the kinematic and kinetic characteristics of two horticultural activities: seed sowing and planting plant. Thirty-one male university students (aged $26.2{\pm}2.0years$) participated in this study. Kinematic factors (movement times, peak velocity, joint angles, and grasp patterns) were assessed using a three-dimensional motion analysis system while the subjects performed the horticultural activities. Kinetic factors (muscle activation of eight upper-limb muscles: the anterior deltoid, serratus anterior, upper trapezius, infraspinatus, latissimus dorsi, biceps brachii, brachioradialis, and flexor carpi radialis) were assessed using surface electromyography. The acts of seed sowing and planting plant were comprised of five tasks which included six types of phases: reaching, grasping, back transporting, forward transporting, watering, and releasing. The movement times, peak velocity, joint angles, and grasp patterns were significantly different across the tasks involved in the horticultural activities. All eight muscles of the upper limbs were utilized during the horticultural activities, and the muscle activation of the serratus anterior was the highest compared to that of the other muscles tested. The kinematic and kinetic characteristics of these horticultural activities showed similar characteristics to reaching and grasping rehabilitation training and daily living activities. The present study provides reference data for common horticultural activities using a kinematic and kinetic analysis.

• Journal of People, Plants, and Environment
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.475-484
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• 2020

Background and objective: Horticultural activity is one of the most basic elements of horticultural therapy, which brings about therapeutic effects for participants through various plant-related activities. The main objective of this study was to verify the results of previous research, which suggested six types of activities from the exploratory factor analysis. Methods: To meet the purpose of this study, a questionnaire was designed to determine the preferences for 6 types of the horticultural therapy activities. The survey was conducted on 703 people from March 7 to June 20, 2019. The data of 674 cases were used into the final analysis, excluding unreliable responses. Descriptive statistics, and reliability analysis were performed using IBM SPSS Statistics 25, and confirmatory factor analysis was performed using IBM SPSS Amos 21. Results: First, horticultural therapy activities were classified into 6 types from the exploratory factor analysis, as conducted in previous research. The confirmatory factor analysis provided that the fit of the final model was satisfactory with χ² = 1,300.590 (p < .001), RMR = .045, GFI = .876, RMSEA = .062, NFI = .914, TLI = .905, CFI = .914. Conclusion: This result revalidated that the mode with 6 types of horticultural therapy activities from previous research is appropriate criteria for the classification of horticultural activities. The model could be used to design more systematic horticultural therapy programs that meet the needs or circumstances of the subject, or that are suitable for necessary therapeutic intervention methods.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.517-525
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• 2010

Horticultural therapy is a complementary therapy by trained professionals utilizing plant and horticultural activities as media to pursue the positive change of clients, which resulting from stimuli of plant nature, activities, and interaction with other people. Outdoor horticultural activities provide clients with the opportunities of the contact to nature such as fresh air and sunlight as well as plants. But the importance of plant nature to client's health has not been fully acknowledged compared to that of therapist's role and activities in horticultural therapy in Korea. In horticultural therapy it is possible for client to participate on the various levels from passive viewing to active gardening according to the client's ability. Therefore it is necessary for horticultural therapists to consider the therapeutic factors of plant nature to maximize the therapeutic effect of horticultural therapy. The purpose of the research is to clarify the therapeutic factors in the contact of client with plant nature and to emphasize those importance in horticultural therapy. From the review of the experimental researches five therapeutic factors were revealed: Natural light, plant natural view, natural sound, aroma(volatile oils of plants), and plant itself. This paper raises the importance of outdoor activities in horticultural therapy and the necessity for severely handicapped clients to the contact with plant nature, though passively.

• FLOWER RESEARCH JOURNAL
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.214-219
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• 2009

The current study was based on a survey of 429 middle school students (202 male and 227 female students) who lived in Ansan City. Most students (74%) had an experience in horticultural activities during or after elementary school years (male 43%, female 41%). Middle school students answered that they most frequently learned about growing up vegetables and plants among horticultural activities (male 73%, female 79%) and they thought horticultural activities are very important for education purpose such as environmental education. The most preferred horticultural activities program was utilizing vegetables and plants of which students generally had no experiences. That male students (46%) answered that the most interested aspect of horticultural activities in growth process of vegetables and plants while female answered (36%) the importance of plant life. However the most unfavorite aspect of horticultural activities was the time-consuming as a 58%, and then boring (33%).

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.772-783
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• 2015

This study focuses on horticultural activities using colorful food to reduce diets unbalanced in vegetables and to increase emotional intelligence. Horticultural activities using colorful food vegetables were based on 'Health in Daily Life' in the '7th Kindergarten Curriculum'; to improve the dietary habits of the young children, the program was also linked with a parents' education program. The research was conducted with a total of 70 children from classes for four-year-olds in three child-care centers located in Seoul. The horticultural activities based upon nutrition education included activities using colorful food vegetables and nutrition education. For the nutrition education group, only nutrition education was provided, while neither horticultural activities nor nutrition education were provided to the control group. The study was conducted from September to December 2011. A total of twelve sessions were conducted once a week for 60 minutes each. According to the result, after the horticultural activities with colorful food vegetable were conducted, both the nutrition education group and horticultural activity & nutrition education group showed improvements in 'Nutrition Knowledge' compared to the control group. Regarding 'Unbalanced Diet Behaviors', the horticultural activities & nutrition education group showed meaningful decreases compared to the control group. Moreover for preference of fruits and vegetables, the horticultural activities & nutrition education group revealed meaningful improvements. In conclusion, colorful food vegetable horticultural activity could be an effective approach to resolve the imbalance of health caused by unbalanced diets as children who participated in the colorful food vegetable horticultural activities continued to respond spontaneously to the colors of vegetables and fruits and showed joy and kept voluntarily eating them.

• Journal of People, Plants, and Environment
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.355-364
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• 2019

This study was conducted to find out the effects of agro-healing activities and strolling on the physiological conditions of patients with chronic metabolic diseases. A total of 11 subjects participated in agro-healing activities, and their average age was 49.6±11.3. Changes in their salivary cortisol were compared and analyzed before and after participating in the agro-healing activity program, and it was found that the stress hormone decreased after participating in the program. Differences in brain wave between before and after participating in agro-healing activities and strolling were measured, and the ratio of alpha to high beta (RAHB) of subjects increased in most of the measured points after participating in agro-healing activities. In addition, the increase in the value in the temporal lobe (T3) that controls mortor skills and occipital lobe (O2) that controls visual functions indicates that the activities were effective in improving relaxation and stability. The relative low beta (RLB) power spectrum of subjects also statistically significantly decreased in the right occipital lobe (O2) that controls visual functions, the relative mid beta (RMB) and relative high beta (RHB) power spectrum decreased in the left temporal lobe (T3) and the right occipital lobe (O2). These results indicate that the activities were effective in improving relaxation under no stress and tension. The systolic and diastolic blood pressure of subjects after participating in agro-healing activities decreased from the prehypertension level to the normal level. These results indicate that horticultural activities and visual elements in healing farms, such as agro-healing activities and strolling, have positive impacts on patients with chronic metabolic diseases accompanied with diabetes or high blood pressure by increasing the brain activity and psycho-physiological conditions of participants.

• Journal of agriculture & life science
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• v.43 no.5
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• pp.27-32
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• 2009

This study purposed to examine the effect of the horticultural therapy on activities of daily living and cognitive function of demented old adults in facilities. According to the results of evaluating BADL, the ability to perform daily activities decreased from 9.71 to 9.21 in the control group, but in the experimental group, the ability to perform daily activities increased significantly(p=.009) from 10.86 before the horticultural therapy to 12.43 after the therapy. According to the results of evaluating K- MMSE, the score decreased from 10.57 to 9.07 in the control group, but the experimental group showed a significant improvement in cognitive functions from 10.43 before the horticultural therapy to 13.29 after the therapy(p=.003). As presented above, the horticultural therapy was effective in improving activities of daily living and cognitive function of demented old adults.