The Development of Training Curriculum on Leadership in Agricultural and Environmental Education Activities Using a University’s Farm as a Learning Resource

Abstract

The objective of this research was to develop a training curriculum on leadership in agricultural and environmental education activities through participation among the researchers, supervisors of the Student’s Farm Club, lecturers in charge of courses on professional experience in agricultural and environmental education, training resource persons, and students joining the project. The research participants were mutually responsible for analyzing the readiness of the Department’s Farm for the provision of agricultural and environmental education activities for school and community youth, and for developing a training curriculum on leadership in agricultural and environmental education activities. The research process involved three consecutive stages— namely, situational analysis and needs identification, training curriculum design and planning, and training curriculum implementation and evaluation. It was found that the Department of Human and Community Resource Development’s Farm was ready for the provision of agricultural and environmental education activities for school and community youth in three aspects—fundamental factors, experience in activity provision, and the organizational network in support of activity provision. In response to the development of a training curriculum on leadership in agricultural and environmental education using the institution’s farm as a learning resource, seven training activities were involved in the curriculum: 1) game and recreation activity arrangement, 2) learning activity design, 3) bird watching, 4) water ecology and quality analysis, 5) insect ecological systems exploration, 6) trainer and group dynamic activity leader’s attribute development, and 7) agricultural and environmentalcamp activity organization which integrated activity leaders’ skills, learning management techniques, and the body of knowledge on agriculture and the environment. In addition, participant students reported that the appropriateness of the seven activities to be implemented in an actual context was at a high level.