This study was conducted to find out the value of using succulents as a healing resource and to test the effectiveness by preparing a horticultural activity program using succulents and applying it in practice.
First, a preference survey was conducted...
This study was conducted to find out the value of using succulents as a healing resource and to test the effectiveness by preparing a horticultural activity program using succulents and applying it in practice.
First, a preference survey was conducted for teachers to develop horticultural activity programs using succulents. The questionnaire consisted of 5 demographic information questions, 3 questions about horticultural activities and awareness of horticultural activities using succulents, and 5 questions about the growth type of succulents, planting type, willingness to pay for each session, activity time for each session, and the ratio of succulents to the entire session. The survey was conducted from June 5, 2023, to August 21, 2023, using the Internet survey (Naver form). Excluding unfaithful answers, 98 surveys were conducted. The statistical processing method was coded in Excel, followed by frequency analysis and cross-analysis, and statistical significance was confirmed at the level of p<0.05 through the χ² test. As a result, the gender of the subjects was 19 males (19.4%) and 98 females (80.6%). In terms of age, 39 people (39.8%) were in the 51-60 age group, and 22 (22.4%) were in university, 18 (18.4%) in middle school, 16 (16.3%) teachers in kindergarten, 16 (16.3%) in elementary school, 14 (14.3%) in high school, and 12 (12.2%) teachers in after school. The academic background was 42 bachelor’s degree (42.9%), 23 completion of a master's course (23.5%), 21 master degree (21.4%), 3 doctor degree (3.1%), 6 completion of a Ph.D. program (6.1%), and 3 others (3.1%). Looking at the work experience, 29 (29.6%) had more than 15 years of teaching experience, 23 (23.5%) had less than 1 year, 17 (17.3%) had more than 10 years to less than 15 years, 15 (15.3%) had more than 1 year to less than 15 years, and 14 (14.3%) had more than 5 years to less than 10 years. As a result of the survey, 87 people (88.8%) had experience in horticultural activities, and 75 people (76.5%) had experience in horticultural activities using succulents. 28 people (28.6%) answered "good fertility" as an advantage of horticultural activities using succulent plants, 26 (26.5%) answered "strong vitality," 21 (21.4%) answered "the shape or color is unique," 17 (17.3%) answered "easy to obtain," and 2 others (2.0%) answered "the ability to purify air." In the survey of succulents' preference, the classification of succulents was preferred in the order of 36 (36.7%), 15 (15.3%) in the shrub form, and 12 (12.2%) in the colony form. The method of planting succulent plants was 43 people (43.9%), 35 people (35.7%) planting one by one, and 20 people (20.4%) using special soil. The cost of materials using succulents for each session was 33 people (33.7%) for less than 15,000 won to less than 120,000 won, 30 people (30.6%) for less than 10,000 won to 15,000 won, and 26 people (26.5%) for less than 10,000 won. The activity hours of each session using succulents were 43 people (43.9%) for 1 hour to 1 hour and 30 minutes or less and 35 people (35.7%) for 1 hour or less. The percentage of succulents used to the total number of sessions was 20% with 40 respondents (40.8%).
Second, a preference survey was conducted for the application of horticultural activities of succulent plants through conjoint analysis. Attributes and levels were selected. Attribute 1 was presented as the growth form of succulent plants in eight levels: upright, shrub, clustering, rosette, tower, grape bunch, creeping and irregular. Attribute 2 is a type of planting for the use of succulent plants, and is composed of three levels: single planting, group planting, and succulent art. As for attribute 3, when the total number of sessions was set to 8, it was set to 2 levels less than 2 times (~25%) and 4 times or more (50%~). Attribute 4 was the activity time for each session, which was less than 1 hour, 1 hour to 2 hours, and 2 hours or more. As a result, the preference for applying the horticultural activity program to succulents was in the order of growth type of succulents (40.2%), activity time per session (33.9%), planting type of succulents (14.8%), and ratio of the number of sessions using succulents to the total number of sessions (11.1%). The preference for each attribute by level was in the order of irregular growth (Partutility=.020), 1 to 2 hours of activity per session (Partutility=.256), succulent art (Partutility=.037), and the proportion of the number of sessions using succulent plants to the total number of sessions (Partutility=.017).
Third, the value of succulents as a agro-healing resource was investigated through an expert Delphi survey. The expert panel was intentionally sampled as education experts, including three horticultural professors (16.7%), four social welfare professors (12.2%), three psychology and counseling professors (16.7%), two healing farmers (11.1%) in professional practice, two special activity teachers (11.1%), two health care professionals (11.1%), and two succulent cultivation experts (11.1%). The number of degree holders was eight (44.4%), three doctors (16.7%), three masters (16.7%), one master (5.6%), and three bachelor's (16.7%). The experience was found to be 7 people (38.9%) for 5~10 years, 4 people (22.2%) for 20~30 years, 3 people (16.7%) for 15~20 years, 2 people (11.1%) for 10~15 years, and 2 (11.1%) for 30 years or more, and it was found that they secured expertise in each field. As a result of the 1st to 3rd Delphi surveys, a total of 41 items were drawn by collecting opinions from 7 items most suitable for healing agriculture using succulents, 4 items for applying healing agriculture using succulents, 5 items for the difference between healing agriculture using succulents and other plant resources, 10 items for healing agriculture using succulents, 7 items for healing agricultural activities using succulents, and 8 additional opinions that can be applied to healing agricultural activities using succulents.
Finally, the effect of healing agricultural activities using succulents on middle school students' self-esteem and interpersonal relationships was investigated. Reflecting previous studies, the growth pattern of succulent plants was irregular, rosette, and shrub type, and the planting method was composed by applying succulent art using group planting and special soil, activity time was 1 hour 30 minutes, and 50% of the total number of sessions using succulent plants. The program was held for a total of 8 sessions, from march 11 to april 28, 2025, for a total of 8 weeks, except for a break of 10 minutes from 13:30 to 15:20. The subjects were first-year students of B middle school in K-si, Gyeongsangnam-do, 26 in the control group and 26 in the experimental group, a total of 52 students. Rosenberg's self-esteem scale and interpersonal change scale were used as evaluation tools. As a result, looking at the change in self-esteem of middle school students through healing agricultural activities using succulents, the control group improved from 40.8±6.4 points to 42.0±7.1 points but no significance was confirmed(p=.520). In the case of the experimental group, it was significantly improved from 40.1±6.3 points to 43.9±5.2 points(p=.020), and the effect of healing agriculture using succulents could be objectively confirmed. Looking at the change in the interpersonal relationship of middle school students through horticultural activities using succulents, the control group improved from 92.4±13.2 points to 96.9±13.5 points but no significance was confirmed(p=.120). In the case of the experimental group, it was significantly improved from 95.5±10.6 points to 101.2±9.5 points(p=.036), confirming the effectiveness of horticultural activities using succulents.
Through the above results, the preference for horticultural activity programs using succulents and the value of succulents as a healing resource were confirmed. The program reflecting the research results was conducted for actual middle school students to objectively confirm the effectiveness of the healing agricultural program using succulents.