IRANIAN AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION AND EDUCATION JOURNAL
Year:2006 | Volume:2 | Issue:1|Papers Count:10

The role of education in enrichment and improvement of human resource, economy and increasing production productivity can not be neglected. The purpose of this study was to investigate the view points of agricultural education specialists regarding objectives, programs and process of employing learners in secondary agriculture education system. The research method used was a descriptive-correlation. Survey method was used to gather data. The population of this study included specialists of secondary agriculture education system. Content and face validity of the instrument were established by a panel of experts consisting of faculty members and specialists in the field of secondary education. Instruments reliability was estimated by calculating Cranach’s alpha coefficient by SPSS/win. Reliabilities of the instruments were 0.83 for expert's questionnaire.The findings of this study showed that from the specialist's view points training skill worker for secondary agriculture education system and its compatibility with job market gained first priority and entrepreneurship was stated as the least priority. Also, highest priority in process of motivating learners to study agriculture disciplines was identified and given to rural students as stated by the specialists. From the specialist's view point educational programs and lessons are appropriate in content. However, they indicated that the educational content is more theoretical than practical. Therefore, it has little compatibility with the agriculture job markets. In the same path, development in exporting agricultural goods in job creation in agriculture sector was highly prioritized from the specialist's view point.

The purpose of this descriptive-corelational research was to identify the main expected professional competencies of agricultural graduates (B.Sc), as perceived by managers and employers. The statistical population of this study was the public, private, and cooperative managers and employers engaged in agricultural sector in Mazandaran, Khuzestan, Kermanshah and Hamedan province. A statistical sample of 212 members was randomly selected by applying stratified random sampling method. A questionnaire was developed by the researchers to gather research data. Factor analysis showed that seven highest ranked competencies for graduates of higher agricultural education institutions are communication, professionalism, problem-solving, vocational ethics in agriculture moral, administrative and general qualities. For development of these competencies, the new didactical arrangements including problem orientation, experiential learning and fundamental changes in the teaching and learning process are proposed.

The results of a national research on broiler farms in Iran show that the mortality and feed waste in Iran are 3 and 1.5 times more than international standards, respectively. According to this research insufficient broiler farmers' knowledge and skill are causing the abovementioned mortality and feed waste. An education program, based on a Quasi-Experiment with a control group was carried out to decrease wastes in broiler farms. Three centers from 12 with medium wastes in Fars Province were considered for experiment. The farmers were supposed to rearing broilers after participation in education. The participants were selected, randomly. They completed the same questionnaire before and after education. The same number of broiler farmers completed the questionnaire as a control group. The collected data were analysis by SPSS. The comparison of results before and after education as well as control group shows the effectiveness of education on mortality and feed waste and cost per unit of meet production. This paper presents an educational model for reductions in mortality, feed waste and cost per unit of meet production for broiler farms which are the second biggest industry after oil industry in Iran.

The relationship between a student's educational major and his individual characteristics, personally traits and social behavior (Which in turn determine an individual student's success) make one think more seriously of the way students are selected for entry into higher education and further studies. The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between four variables (Cognitive entry behavior, personality traits, social origin and interest) as effective factors in agriculture student's selection and their educational success in his studies. The sample consisted of 655 students who had entered college of agriculture of Tehran University during the years 1990-1999. High school grade point average, the final grade point average, passing M.S. entrance exam, were selected as indicator of success in this study. The results showed that father's education, to be a more effective factor in school's success of agricultural students as compared with other factors in social origin. Fathers' residence (rural versus urban) and occupation (farmer versus non-farmer) did not effect school's success. Personality traits based upon NEO questionnaires did have any effect either. Interest in major did not contribute to students' success. This finding which is contrary to general finding by others' can be explained with regard to low interest in agriculture major by students. Among the entrance exam test subjects such as English as a second language, Arabic, Chemistry and Geology were more effective. Among the variables such as cognitive entry behaviors, social origin, interest and personality traits, cognitive entry behaviors (entrance exam) had more effect on B.S. grade points average and acceptance of the student for M.S. and Ph.D. degree programs.

The linkage between sustainable agriculture, poverty and agricultural extension efforts and their impacts on rural centers in Behbahan Shahrestan has been discussed in this paper. Data were collected from 200 farmers in 40 villages of this Shahrestan. A multi-stage stratified random sampling technique was used for selecting villages and farmers. The findings of path analysis in three different causal models provide the complexity of relationships between variables and environmental degradation so that there is a causal relationship between poverty and unsustainability. Lack of direct causal effect of use of technology and extension efforts on sustainability in three models indicated the structural and institutional limitations of extension in diffusion of appropriate technologies. Finally, recommendations regarding regional planning with respect to socio-economic characteristics and changing from TOT approach to other alternatives and revising the education programs of extension agents are provided.

In Iranian aquaculture information system, collecting and generating information as other functions can be performed by fish farmers. Given this, development of function of libraries and printed materials with emphasis on Guilan province Fish Farmers Society (120 samples of Fish Farmers) as a sub-system of Iranian aquaculture information system was studied. Tracing the development of printed materials and libraries as "The support agricultural development since three thousand years ago to 1998 was considered by quantitative and qualitative methods. Studying 5729 pages of 445 documents concerning aquaculture in various types, which had been published till 1997, showed a remarkable growth in recent years. These had been kept mainly in public and expertise libraries. 46 percent of the literate fish farmers hold at least one printed document that 37 percent had read it once and 27 percent twice or more.The study showed that fish farmers who are more literate, younger with more land ownership read and kept more printed materials and there was a positive and significant relation between having printed material and its reading. Chronological and quantitative survey showed a growth in reading and keeping printed materials. In addition, three who were in search of further information for their production, read and kept more printed materials, by the time in sample. Lending books and magazines, introducing printed materials to others was popular; Only 6 out of 120 fish farmers those who had diploma or higher educational degree had used the printed materials in the field of fish farming that was kept in the public and expertise libraries. Comparative study of used media such as radio, TV and printed materials indicated that majority of fish farmers preferred printed materials because of access to more information permanently in addition to availability of specialized subjects, possibility frequent referring and easy learning. Therefore, the role of printed materials in technology transfer and productivity improvement aimed at "awareness" and "changing attitudes" is of prime important.

This study attempted to investigate the job placement of Agriculture- Jihad VOTECH graduated students who studied in Khorasan Education Complex from 1996 to 2002. Population of this study was 942 KAJEC graduated students. Using Cochran formula, 269 graduated students were selected as sample group by means of stratified random sampling with proportional allocation. Data for the study obtained from a review of literature, case studies, and a mail questionnaire. The validity and reliability of the questionnaire were also confirmed. Findings of the study showed that, 38% of the sample group were employed and 62% were unemployed; Considering the graduated students in military service, 43% of the them are the potential skilled work power willing to be employed in the relevant work places; 44% of the employed graduated students were in governmental, sector 43% in private sector and 13% ran their own business (so called self-employed); 77.5% of the sample group were generally pleased with their education and experiences at KAJEe. To improve the quality of education in KAJEC, it is suggested to develop vocational skilIs, improve practical experience of faculty members, and provide more academic advising and counseling, and morejob placement support for the KAJEC students.