New approaches in Agricultural education
3/7/2017A change in the agricultural teaching curriculum opens the road to a new era of skills training. The new approach will enable the sector to expand education to include a broad range of innovation and leadership skills.
A change in the agricultural teaching curriculum opens the road to a new era of skills training. The new approach will enable the sector to expand education to include a broad range of innovation and leadership skills.
Sue Pratt, member of the Agricultural Teachers Association of Balaklava High School, has emphasised the use of new technologies like drones and entrepreneurship skills in the freshly upgraded curriculum of 11 and 12 year level students.
She explained that she had observed a change in the methods agriculture was taught and approached in the past 10 years of teaching students. She further added that students are now starting to consider it as a more professional and viable career choice. In the past decade of teaching, she affirmed that students have shifted their perspective from “I want to work in Agriculture because I like plants or animals” to “I see it a good career option”.
Agricultural field has managed to establish a successful presence in University study programs and one factor that contributes to its success was the improved ways the sector is presented and taught to students.
The area’s agricultural teachers also participated in Mount Compass as a component of the ATASA conference and general meeting held twice a year. Mr Pratt revealed that the meeting assisted in the promotion of professional skills and the provision to teachers of the latest industry news and educational approaches.
Since a good number of agriculture teachers don’t have a supporting faculty, this conference and network is vital for helping new teachers upgrade their skills.
Many educational institutions include agricultural or related sections in their teaching curriculum. One such school is St. Marks college in Port Pirie which offers long-term courses in agriculture.
The college also possesses a vineyard with cattle and goats, the first being present at the Royal Adelaide Show. Apart from these, there are also aqua-culture components on offer and wine-production activities.
Students receive knowledge on shearing techniques and other areas of farming. There is also farm equipment for practical purposes.
As many education institutions are found in prime agricultural regions, it is vital that the school programs fit to the needs of the rural community of the region. The ultimate aim of course is to encourage students in considering agriculture as a prospect career path.