Elementary School Teachers' Awareness of Forest Welfare Services and Promotion of Strategies for School-based Health Promotion Programs Using the Forest

Miju Kim; Kyung-Sook Bang; Insook Lee; Sungjae Kim; Yunjeong Yi; Young Ran Chin; Hyojeong Moon; Ei-Yan Ha

doi:10.16952/pns.2019.16.1.1

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Kim, Bang, Lee, Kim, Yi, Chin, Moon, and Ha: Elementary School Teachers' Awareness of Forest Welfare Services and Promotion of Strategies for School-based Health Promotion Programs Using the Forest

Original Article

Perspectives in Nursing Science 2019; 16(1): 1-11.

Published online: 30 April 2019

DOI: https://doi.org/10.16952/pns.2019.16.1.1

Elementary School Teachers' Awareness of Forest Welfare Services and Promotion of Strategies for School-based Health Promotion Programs Using the Forest

Miju Kim¹, Kyung-Sook Bang², Insook Lee², Sungjae Kim², Yunjeong Yi³, Young Ran Chin⁴, Hyojeong Moon⁵, Ei-Yan Ha⁶

¹Associate Professor, Department of Health Administration, Seoul Cyber University, Seoul, Korea.

²Professor, College of Nursing · The Research Institute of Nursing Science, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea.

³Assistant Professor, Department of Nursing, Kyung-In Women's University, Incheon, Korea.

⁴Associate Professor, Department of Nursing, Chungwoon University, Hongseong, Korea.

⁵Graduate Student, College of Nursing, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea.

⁶Graduate Student, Graduate Department of Forest Therapy, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Korea.

Corresponding author: Bang, Kyung-Sook. College of Nursing, Seoul National University, 103 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul 03080, Korea. Tel: +82-2-740-8819, Fax: +82-2-765-4103, ksbang@snu.ac.kr

Received 7 December 2018 Revised 7 March 2019 Accepted 19 March 2019

The Research Institute of Nursing Science Seoul National University

Abstract

Purpose

This study was conducted to identify the perceptions toward school forest programs related to forest welfare services in elementary schools and suggest strategies to activate new programs.

Methods

A mixed method research was performed. Four teachers and one forest therapist participated in a focus group interview; 162 teachers answered a survey.

Results

The teachers were aware of the effects of the forest program, but there were some barriers, including the question of whether there was an accessible forest, school forest management problems, the risk of teachers' work overload, and the lack of program diversification for elementary students. Solutions included the expansion of school forests and forest facilities available to students, development of a variety of programs, provision of appropriate information on available facilities, and cooperation with educational institutions for institutionalization and increased effectiveness of school-based forest utilization programs. In addition, a scientific basis for data accumulation is needed.

Conclusion

The Ministry of Forestry is cooperating with the Ministry of Education and local education offices to activate a forest-use health promotion program for elementary school students. Additionally, to utilize the forests in regular education courses, teachers should strive to spread positive awareness of forests.

Keywords: Forests, Schools, Child, Health promotion

Figures and Tables

Table 1

Characteristics of Participants (N=162)

Table 2

In School and out of School Forest Related Programs (N=162)

Table 3

Recognition on the Effects of Forest Program (N=158)

Table 4

Recognition on Application and Obstacles of Forest Programs (N=162)

Table 5

Recognition on the Facilitating Strategies for Forest Program (N=162)

Notes

This research was supported by Korea Forest Service in 2016.

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