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Date: Fri, 19 Nov 1993 16:57:47 CST6CDT
From: "Duane H. Bajema" <BAJEMA@DEFENDER1.DORDT.EDU>
To: Multiple recipients of list AGRIC-L <AGRIC-L@uga.cc.uga.edu>
Subject: agricultural education
I am responding to Steven Jakobi's question of the future of
agriculture education. The topic is important and worth discussion.
My major concern is that we are overspecializing at the high school
level. I contend that it is most important that students understand
the systems and cycles (biological) that are in force as students
interact with agriculture on the high school level. The future of
agriculture still finds its roots (no pun intended) in the
biological. Many ag students spend their time on production skills
without having a good handle on the existing biological
systems in which those skills are used. As environmental concerns
increase, I see agricultural education moving from the production
orientation of "how to do" things to more of emphasis of how things
work - the science of the production. I am not sure where a balance
exists, but I see ag education realigning and trying to correct
itself. I am not a critic of vocational education but rather a
proponent of swinging vocational education back toward a more obvious
science base.
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Duane H. Bajema e-mail bajema@dordt.edu
Agriculture Department 712/722-6275 office
Dordt College 712/722-1198 FAX
Sioux Center, IA 51250
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