How likely are Pakistani Schools to adopt Vegetable Gardens? Predicting the likelihood using the theory of Planned Behavior

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to predict the likelihood of the school principals and science teachers across the selected government high schools of Rawalpindi city in using school gardens whereby the theory of planned behavior is used as a predictive model for the study. A quantitative research method with a descriptive, exploratory research design was employed. Multistage stratified random sampling was employed. Survey method was employed for elicitation of responses from the sample (n=132). The response rate was 92.0% whereby 122 filled questionnaires were received, teachers (n=100) and principals (n=22). The research instrument comprising of six sections of which five sections aligned with the theory of Planned Behavior (attitudes, Perceived Behavior Control, subjective norms and intentions) was employed. A data set of 122 responses was subjected to descriptive and inferential analysis through SPSS version 20. Regression analysis, Independent sample t-tests and ANOVA tests were also applied. The key findings indicated that a) all the three components of theory of planned behavior i.e., affective and cognitive attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control significantly (p<.001) predicted intentions to use school vegetable gardens; b) The demographic variable of gardening or farming in personal time rendered a significant and positive effect (p<.001) on the all the components of theory of planned behavior; c) significant differences were observed between the two groups of those who gardened or farmed in their personal time and those who did not in relation to the components of theory of planned behavior, whereby the group that gardened or farmed in personal time reported higher mean scores on all components of theory of planned behavior.