Abstract
This study investigated attitudes, evaluation and the corresponding requirements for lectures of horticulture and agriculture by students enrolled in educational programs to become kindergarten and nursery school teachers. Twenty-one students were involved in horticultural and agricultural research, and the plant material, objectives and achievements of the research were investigated. The horticulture and agriculture programs were evaluated using a questionnaire by 21 students from the department of early childhood care and education in Fukushima College. The major theme of research by the students was the ‘Culture of vegetable crops for eating’, which was performed by 13 students. The major objectives of the research by the students were “the pleasure of growing” and “the pleasure of eating”. The eating programs were highly evaluated; cooking curry with saffron rice using cultured vegetables and sweet potatoes cultured by the students, which were roasted over fallen leaves fire, were the most highly evaluated. Rice culture was rated seventh, mostly by students who had not undertaken the lecture program. The results indicated that horticultural and agricultural programs should be included in the training of kindergarten and nursery school teachers because the students found them useful for early childhood care and education.
