Defining the knowledge base of our profession: a look at agricultural and extension education in the 21st century

Abstract

The profession of agricultural and extension education has increased in complexity in response to the demands of the changing field of agriculture and the need for educators who are responsive to those demands. A standardization of the knowledge base of the profession is seen as necessary in light of geographic mobility, the nationwide emphasis on assessment, and the need for a public relations tool that clearly articulates the concepts forming the framework of agricultural and extension education. In this study a panel of experts consisting of agricultural and extension education leaders nationwide, responded to open-ended and Likert-type surveys online as part of a Delphi technique to establish the knowledge base for agricultural and extension education. Three rounds of the Delphi technique were used. A minimum of 13 of the 24 panel members were required to respond to each round. Ninety-five statements were initially generated by 16 panel members in response to an open-ended statement in Round I which asked the participants ??What are the articulated understandings, skills, and judgments that serve as the foundation of knowledge (??the body??) for professionals in agricultural and extension education??? These statements were presented to the panel members in Round II. Two-thirds of the panelists had to ??Strongly Agree?? or ??Agree?? with each item for it to be retained for Round III. Based on the responses of 14 panelists in Round II, 67 items were retained for Round III, and one item was added based on panel input. After Round III, three items were eliminated due to lack of twothirds achievement of ??Strongly Agree?? and ??Agree?? ratings by 17 respondents. Thus, 65 statements established the knowledge base of agricultural and extension education in this study. Among the knowledge base are concepts related to traits of effective educators; management issues; environmental impacts on instruction; curriculum development; learner-based contextual, applied pedagogical strategies; leadership development; communications; assessment strategies; community and collegial connections; integration of technology; critical thinking and problem solving; and teaching as a changing process grounded in sound theory.