Agriculture education
Agriculture education is a wide subject which deals with the principles of science and business management. Students are enriched with knowledge and skills of problem solving which they apply in global society. Focusing on historical perspective of agriculture education, The Morill Act was established and played a crucial role of developing the land-grant college system where people were provided with knowledge, skills and moral standard (Moore, 1987). With this development, both citizens and politicians were interested in shaping their lives through agriculture education in the newly established college. During this period, there was a debate on whether the land-grand college should provide a vocational education or broad education. The debate created a conflict and new programs which blocked the success of land-grant colleges were established (MOSS & LASS, 1988).
The National Society which was formed in 1906 supported the vocational training and incentive aid to provide knowledge and skills to citizens, develop economy and a well structured society. In 1917, the National Society passed the Smith-Hughes Act and it was set for the purpose of engaging teachers and students in vocational subjects, employment training, career counseling and agriculture competency. After the establishment of Acts on vocation education, John Dewey established the pragmatic philosophy in 20th century and there was a need of providing practical skills to both men and women in developing a skillful agriculture system in the rural communities (MARCUSIALAN, 1986). This period concentrated on science of education based on classroom work in order to prepare students in socio and economic problem solving and provide teachers with best practices, teaching materials and teaching programs.
In 1970, there was introduction of philosophical writing which emphasized on preparing students with employment, vocational agriculture and dealing with food crisis. It was important for teachers to do experiential learning to solve problems in environmental level. Empirical investigation was valued for improving social behavior and for the creation of life-oriented environment. It was then found that there was a need for education change with respect to philosophy theory in order to meet the changing demands (Barrick, 1989). Education lacked theoretical framework and so by 19990, the education was changed and new approaches such as technical agriculture, human development and experiential learning g was implemented. It was believed that the three domains could help students in understanding both humanistic and idealistic ideas.
Having understood the agricultural education and its history, changes on past educational principles would lead to various implications on modern education. With respect to the agriculture education magazine, a change from past curriculum indicates that there are new features in agriculture education which students should learn in order to fit in the new global agriculture market. For example, for various decades the past education has concentrated on vocational education and this indicates that a change will lead to new education curriculum and new learning environment. The National Research Agenda is working with AAAE in expanding the agriculture education so that students can be a position to solve complex problems in the changing world (Harder & Brashears, 2016).
A change in past curriculum will imply that educators will set a new curriculum based on EBooks and talking text. (Cano, 2005) assert that teachers will have to incorporate new teaching methods which will make learning and teaching easier. Rather than focusing on vocation education, EBook learning with instructor’s manual (with features like video clips, fact sheets PowerPoint slides) will help teachers to provide students with knowledge and skills. In addition, EBook curriculum will enhance performance as students are able to write notes, conduct research and to interact with their teachers. The technological change will also bring PDA curriculum where students engages in meaningful activities through computer use. Unlike tradition curriculum, PDAs in agriculture education will help student to use technology and search photograph species, plants and become connected with real learning of the agriculture nature. A change in traditional education will create a new curriculum based on internet learning where both teachers and students will find important information based on agriculture. Internet will advanced searching methods where students will concentrate on important activities, comprehensives research and understand the wide-ranging concepts of the subject (Harris, 2005). Computer games are another program of the study which will be developed while changing the traditional curriculum. The new curriculum will help students to examine the real world and understand the important things which they will apply in real life (Kuenzi, 2005).
Other point is that a change will lead to implementation of new teaching methods based on instructional learning and textbooks. This approach will help teachers to gain accountability and improve students’ performance. Agriculture textbooks are very important as they contain essential skills (Lee, 2005). Other implication of changing the education is that new curriculum will include games and simulations which increase the learning activities and students’ performance. In learning agriculture, structional resources such as games and simulations will play a crucial role of motivating students and providing them with learning skills which they will apply in global markets. Games and simulation helps students to practice the gained knowledge evaluate weaknesses in knowledge; create summary activity and new concept with relation to education (Knobloch, 2005). Other implication of change is that a new curriculum based on actively teaching will be implemented in agriculture education. Unlike vocational learning, actively learning means that students need motivation in classroom for them to engage in classroom participation. In new curriculum, teachers will have the opportunity to motivate students by being enthusiastic, fair grading, equality and professional experience (Faulker &Baggett, 2005). Students need to be prepared to enter in the real world, and thus actively learning should be valued as it will facilitate fun learning and enhance the interest of student in learning.
Reference
The Agricultural Education Magazine, September October2005Volume 78Issue 2
Barrick R. Kirby (1989). AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION: BUILDING UPON OUR ROOTS*
Harder, T G. Roberts & Brashears, M. T. (Eds). (2016). American Association for Agricultural Education
national research agenda: 2016-2020. Gainesville, FL: Department of Agricultural Education and
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Moore E. Gary (1987). The Status of Agricultural Education Prior to the Smith-Hughes Act. The
Agricultural Education Magazine Feb. 1987; Vol. 59; Num. 8.
MOSS W. JEFFREY & LASS B.CYNTHIA (1988). A History of Farmers Institutes. 62, number
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MARCUSIALAN (1986). The Ivory Silo: Farmer-Agricultural CollegeTensions in the 1870s
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