Exploring the Process of Designing an Effective Post-Secondary Curriculum in Preparing Agricultural Education Graduates for the Nigerian Workforce

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Date
2019-05-24
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Volume Title
Publisher
American Association for Agricultural Education (AAAE) Proceedings of the Annual National Research Conference
Abstract

The problem of the ineffective curriculum has been identified as one of the major challenges facing the field of Agricultural Education in Nigeria. The purpose of this study was to explore the process of designing the current curriculum of all the courses that are being taught by professors in the Department of Agricultural Administration at [University] in Nigeria; and determine whether the curriculum aligns with the needs of the industry. The theoretical framework guiding this study is the program planning theory. This study used a phenomenological inquiry into the professors conscientious meaning experience and that of the alumni in the department. We used a purposive sampling method to select participants, as we needed individuals who are close to the phenomenon. The sample comprises of 9 participants (N=9), which include 4 professors and 5 alumni. We collected data by means of a standardized open-ended questionnaire. Results indicated four themes from the data analysis: 1) Background information about the department; 2) Professors' role in the development of the curriculum; 3) Process involved in designing the curriculum, and 4) Considerations for designing the curriculum. The result of this study enabled us to make recommendations to help improve the department's curriculum.

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Keywords
Curriculum design, Post-secondary curriculum, Agricultural education, Nigeria
Citation