Com o propósito de criar estratégias de fortalecimento e preservação da agricultura familiar, agricultores do Sudoeste do Paraná, apoiados por lideranças locais, inspirados em iniciativas francesas, implementaram as Casas Familiares Rurais como uma forma de educação possível para melhorar a qualidade de vida na agricultura, oferecendo a seus filhos uma formação adequada, baseada em sua realidade e que viesse ao encontro de suas necessidades proporcionando a seus filhos perspectivas de permanecer no meio rural, exercendo plenamente sua cidadania com trabalho e dignidade. Entender esse modelo é fundamental, já que as Casas Familiares Rurais têm-se espalhado pelo Brasil como uma estratégia de desenvolvimento do espaço rural, mantendo o vínculo com a terra e a cultura local, e, ao mesmo tempo, oferecendo formação para os jovens agricultores através das suas realidades. Portanto, o objetivo desta pesquisa foi investigar as possibilidades e limitações do Ensino através da Pedagogia da Alternância nas Casas Familiares Rurais do Sudoeste do Paraná (Regional I da ARCAFAR-SUL) no período atual. Os métodos de investigação utilizados foram a pesquisa bibliográfica, análise de dados secundários e pesquisa de campo (documental e questionários. Como principais conclusões destaca-se que: a Pedagogia da Alternância pode ser um grande contributo para a formação integral, fazendo-se um esforço nas diferentes situações em que a educação de alguma forma precisa ser mais específica, onde a realidade local possa ser considerada em sua sabedoria e as experiências vivenciais aproveitadas como subsídios de formação profissional e humana. Nestes lugares, como nas comunidades de agricultores familiares, a Pedagogia da Alternância faz diferença. Suas especificidades metodológicas, seus princípios e fundamentos contribuem para o desenvolvimento humano e do meio, atingindo assim seus dois grandes objetivos. Porém, ela não é a solução para todos os problemas de educação em todos os lugares. Ela é singular, para lugares específicos, como tem sido para o Sudoeste do Paraná. / With the purpose of creating strategies for strengthening and preservation of family farms, farmens southwestern Paraná, supported by local leaders, inspired by French initiatives, implemented the Rural Family Houses as a form of education possible to improve the quality of life in agriculture, offering their children a proper education, based on their reality and to come to meet their needs by providing their children the prospect of remaining in rural areas, fully exercising their citizenship and work with dignity. Understanding this model is important, since the Rural Family Houses have spread throughout Brazil as a strategy for rural development, keeping the bond with the land and local culture, while at the same time offering training for young farmers through their realities. Therefore, the aim of this research was to investigate the possibilities and limitations of Teaching through the Pedagogy of Alternation in Rural Family Houses in Paraná (the Regional I ARCAFAR-SUL) in the current period. The research methods used were a literature review, secondary data analysis and field research (documents and questionnaires). As main conclusions highlight that: the Pedagogy of Alternation can be a major contribution to the integral formation, making an effort in the different situations that education somehow need to be more specific, where the local reality can be considered in their wisdom and life experiences exploited as subsidies for vocational training and human. In these places, like the communities of family farmers, the Pedagogy of Alternation makes a difference. Their specific methodological principles and foundations contribute to human development and the environment, thus achieving its two main objectives. However, it is not the solution to all problems of education everywhere. It is unique to specific places, as it has been to the Southwest of Paraná.

Com o propósito de criar estratégias de fortalecimento e preservação da agricultura familiar, agricultores do Sudoeste do Paraná, apoiados por lideranças locais, inspirados em iniciativas francesas, implementaram as Casas Familiares Rurais como uma forma de educação possível para melhorar a qualidade de vida na agricultura, oferecendo a seus filhos uma formação adequada, baseada em sua realidade e que viesse ao encontro de suas necessidades proporcionando a seus filhos perspectivas de permanecer no meio rural, exercendo plenamente sua cidadania com trabalho e dignidade. Entender esse modelo é fundamental, já que as Casas Familiares Rurais têm-se espalhado pelo Brasil como uma estratégia de desenvolvimento do espaço rural, mantendo o vínculo com a terra e a cultura local, e, ao mesmo tempo, oferecendo formação para os jovens agricultores através das suas realidades. Portanto, o objetivo desta pesquisa foi investigar as possibilidades e limitações do Ensino através da Pedagogia da Alternância nas Casas Familiares Rurais do Sudoeste do Paraná (Regional I da ARCAFAR-SUL) no período atual. Os métodos de investigação utilizados foram a pesquisa bibliográfica, análise de dados secundários e pesquisa de campo (documental e questionários. Como principais conclusões destaca-se que: a Pedagogia da Alternância pode ser um grande contributo para a formação integral, fazendo-se um esforço nas diferentes situações em que a educação de alguma forma precisa ser mais específica, onde a realidade local possa ser considerada em sua sabedoria e as experiências vivenciais aproveitadas como subsídios de formação profissional e humana. Nestes lugares, como nas comunidades de agricultores familiares, a Pedagogia da Alternância faz diferença. Suas especificidades metodológicas, seus princípios e fundamentos contribuem para o desenvolvimento humano e do meio, atingindo assim seus dois grandes objetivos. Porém, ela não é a solução para todos os problemas de educação em todos os lugares. Ela é singular, para lugares específicos, como tem sido para o Sudoeste do Paraná. / With the purpose of creating strategies for strengthening and preservation of family farms, farmens southwestern Paraná, supported by local leaders, inspired by French initiatives, implemented the Rural Family Houses as a form of education possible to improve the quality of life in agriculture, offering their children a proper education, based on their reality and to come to meet their needs by providing their children the prospect of remaining in rural areas, fully exercising their citizenship and work with dignity. Understanding this model is important, since the Rural Family Houses have spread throughout Brazil as a strategy for rural development, keeping the bond with the land and local culture, while at the same time offering training for young farmers through their realities. Therefore, the aim of this research was to investigate the possibilities and limitations of Teaching through the Pedagogy of Alternation in Rural Family Houses in Paraná (the Regional I ARCAFAR-SUL) in the current period. The research methods used were a literature review, secondary data analysis and field research (documents and questionnaires). As main conclusions highlight that: the Pedagogy of Alternation can be a major contribution to the integral formation, making an effort in the different situations that education somehow need to be more specific, where the local reality can be considered in their wisdom and life experiences exploited as subsidies for vocational training and human. In these places, like the communities of family farmers, the Pedagogy of Alternation makes a difference. Their specific methodological principles and foundations contribute to human development and the environment, thus achieving its two main objectives. However, it is not the solution to all problems of education everywhere. It is unique to specific places, as it has been to the Southwest of Paraná.

Shortly after independence, Namibia embarked on a major process of educational reform. It was in this reform that the apartheid educational legacy was redressed. Namibians viewed the apartheid educational system as being irrelevant and that it did not meet their needs and expectations. One of the reform aims was to involve education in the development of knowledge and skills for self sufficiency and sustainable development, therefore Agriculture was incorporated into the school curriculum as a key area to achieve this aim. Learners taking the subject are expected to be equipped with relevant theoretical and practical skills that provide a sound foundation in this discipline. This case study was undertaken to gain a better understanding about how the participating teachers perceived and implemented the Agriculture curriculum at the senior secondary school level in their schools. In carrying out the case study a qualitative research method was employed using semi-structured interviews, observation and document analysis for data collection. It would appear from this study that Agriculture is unable to fully achieve the reform ideals at the senior secondary school level, as sixteen years after independence these teachers are still teaching the subject to learners with very limited resources and academic support. This scenario shows that there are marked inconsistencies between policy and praxis, between the stated goals and aims of the reform and the curriculum designed to achieve these. In this half-thesis I therefore argue that without well qualified teachers, suitable resources and infrastructure to implement the curriculum in these schools, the pre-vocational nature of the subject as suggested in the subject policy document will be compromised. The study concludes by proposing certain teaching strategies and possibilities for systemic development that can be used to effect quality curriculum implementation in the region where the research was situated.

No description available.

Master of Science

Master of Science

Middle school programs in agricultural education are unique educational experiences that provide middle school aged children in Virginia with a basic understanding of agriculture and its applied sciences. Curriculum innovations such as the one for Virginia middle schools provide guidance for teachers in the field and offer a base from which programs can operate. However, the benefits of educational innovations are never fully realized until the teacher in the classroom adopts and implements the changes. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between teacher characteristics and the adoption of agriscience curriculum in Virginia middle school agricultural education programs. The population for this study consisted of the 57 middle school teachers of agricultural education in Virginia. All of the teachers were surveyed with an 81% response rate obtained. Selected conclusions drawn from the findings were: 1. There are two distinct groups of middle school agricultural education teachers in Virginia, those who are teaching a large part of the approved curriculum and those who are teaching only a small portion of the curriculum. 2. Teacher attitude toward agriscience is a significant predictor of the amount of agriscience curriculum taught. 3. Teacher knowledge of agriscience is a significant predictor of the amount of agriscience curriculum taught. 4. Teacher expectations of agriscience curriculum is a meaningful predictor of the amount of agriscience curriculum taught. Selected recommendations drawn from the findings and conclusions are: 1. Given the existence of the significant contribution of the teachers’ positive attitude toward the amount of agriscience curriculum taught by middle school teachers of agricultural education in Virginia, more effort by teacher education, the Virginia Department of Education, and agricultural interests in Virginia should be devoted to building positive attitudes toward agriscience. 2. Given the significant contribution of the teachers’ knowledge toward the amount of agriscience curriculum taught by middle school teachers of agricultural education in Virginia, more effort is needed by teacher education to prepare prospective teachers in agriscience content and methodology as part of their teacher preparation. The Virginia Department of Education and agricultural interests in Virginia should also commit to teacher training through inservice and other activities involving agriscience education. / Ph. D.

This study identified and rated the leadership competencies that were considered needed by young farmers and should be taught in the young farmer instructional program. The participants in the study were the young farmer advisors, certain young farmer members, state staff, and teacher educators. All participants were from the state of Virginia. The participants rated a list of 43 leadership competencies according to the following rating scale: 4...High Importance, 3... Medium Importance, 2...Low Importance, and 1...No Importance. The mean of the ratings for the four groups were computed as well as the total mean for all groups. The total mean for all competencies was 2.5 or above. All competencies were placed in the medium to high importance category. The ratings of the four groups were examined to determine if the groups rated the competencies similarly. The two groups who rated the most competencies similarly were the advisors and the members. The groups who rated the fewest competencies similarly were members and state staff, and state staff and teacher educators. Also, the respondents ranked the top ten competencies. The competencies which were ranked the top ten are listed below: Bank Competency 1 37. Assume responsibility. 2 34. Cooperate with others. 3 36. Develop enthusiasm. 4 38. Learn to be fair in dealings with others. 5 30. Speak effectively to others. 6 31. Listen effectively to others. 7 39. Participate in community activities. 8 18. Obtain participation by all members. 9 1. Open and close a meeting correctly. 10 32. Accept others as they are. / Ed. D.

The study was conducted in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, in the town of Pietermaritzburg, at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. The aim of the research was to analyse to what extent organic farming is part of the curriculum at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) in the Faculty of Science and Agriculture. The objectives of the study consisted of determining what is currently offered in terms of organic farming or sustainable agriculture; identify what the perceptions of students and lecturers are about organic farming; and identify the challenges faced by academics and stakeholders in organic farming. The research method used to achieve the objectives was qualitative; it was done through interviews, site visits and observations. The data analysis used Microsoft Excel and SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences) for interpretation and coding. This process was based on the data analysis spiral, as described by Creswell (1998) cited in Leedy and Ormrod (2005). The research found that in the UKZN current curriculum there is a presence of modules dealing with organic farming to a small extent. The perceptions of academic staff concerning organic farming were related to sustainability, environmental protection, use of alternative methods for food production, human health protection and knowledge for future generations. Organic farming was regarded as a crucial approach on different levels, including food security, environment, economy and market. The challenges in organic farming field are more related to costs involved in production, lack of interest or awareness, yield production (very poor and not competitive); limited career opportunities; lack of expertise in the organic domain, lack of government support and intense competition with chemical companies. The research recommends an enhancement of organic farming training in the curriculum at UKZN/PMB; involvement of students in developing the curriculum; government support for organic agriculture; more research exploring the merits and disadvantages of organic farming; assessment of farmers’ knowledge and skills in marketing; initiation of partnerships between organic farmers, processors, retailers; and government, to study a range of issues related to organic farming. / Thesis (M.Agric.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2010.

The lack of first-hand experience or knowledge about farming in the general population of the United States is a concern among scientists as many current environmental issues are strongly linked to agriculture. Developing agricultural literacy and an appreciation for our dependance on limited resources is important for preparing future generations to make informed decisions on environmental and sustainability issues. Support for incorporating agriculture into the science curriculum at the pre-college level comes from a variety of sources including The National Research Council, education administrators, cooperative extension directors and college professors. Minto-Brown is a multi-use city park in Salem, OR including a wildlife refuge and 240 acres of farm fields. This curricular unit is part of an education program at Minto-Brown, developed in response to recent controversy over pesticide use in the park. The unit, "Sharing the Land!" is designed for grade levels 5 and 6. It addresses issues on sustainability in agriculture and interactions between agriculture, wildlife and recreationists. Problem solving skills are emphasized in the various activities. Library research and personal interviews provided technical information for the unit and classroom observation and testing were used in designing activities. Materials for the unit, (a teaching kit) can be checked out from the Community Education Office, 2575 Commercial St SE, 97302. / Graduation date: 1994