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As Chinese agricultural schools have gradually transferred from ineffective academic institutions to vocational education, the need for renewing teachers’ attitudes, knowledge, and skills to implement the curriculum innovations is evident. The purpose of this study was to describe teachers’ perceptions toward teacher training and reforms of curriculum and instruction in agricultural schools in China. The population for the study was teachers in 12 agricultural schools. A systematic random sampling technique generated a sample of 398 teacher participants. The results revealed that teachers supported curriculum reforms and they were interested in trying new ideas in their teaching practice. They believed that high quality of teacher training and professional development programs would help them to carry out the reform initiatives in curriculum and instruction. They also thought that knowledge and skills of teachers, attitudes of teachers, and new facilities and equipment were important factors affecting the process of curriculum reforms in agricultural schools. Therefore, policy makers and administrators should seize this opportunity to develop effective teacher education programs and address the needs of teachers in the process.

The purpose of this study was to identify the topics and teaching methods appropriate in a beginning international agriculture undergraduate course. A three round Delphi procedure was used to solicit expert opinions regarding important topics and effective teaching methods to deliver an international agriculture course for U.S. undergraduate students. The results revealed that the highest rated topics needed to be included in the international agriculture course were: role of agriculture in economic development; globalization and the implications/affect on agriculture; the role of culture in agricultural international development; definition of a developing country and a developed country; why a world-view is important to today’s agricultural producers and leaders; and agricultural extension and education systems in different countries. The top five teaching methods suggested by the panel of experts included experiential learning; presentations and dialog with those who have worked long term in relevant countries; field studies/trips to view various agricultural practices (one-three weeks); internships; and field trips to a country. Educators might consider the directions provided by this panel of experts when they develop coursework in international agriculture.

Agricultural schools in China have undergone numerous transitions as the system is shifting from non-effective academic institutions to vocational-oriented education brought by China’s economic reforms during the past two decades. Changes of traditional curricular and instructional methods have been recognized as an important strategy to strengthen vocational offerings of the existing agricultural educational system. The purpose of this study was to examine teachers’ current and desired knowledge and skills related to curriculum and instruction. The population for the study was teachers of 12 agricultural schools in China. A systematic randomization resulted in a sample of 398 participants from the population. A survey questionnaire was constructed and used to collect data from randomly selected teachers. The results showed that teachers indicated a significantly lower level of current knowledge and skill and they desired to have a higher level of knowledge and skills regarding curriculum and instruction. Teachers also indicated that they were particularly in lack of expertise in educational technology and curriculum and innovative teaching. Based on the results from this study, a need for teacher training and professional development is evident at these 12 schools. It is strongly recommended that teachers should be given opportunities and support to attend teacher training and professional development programs, which will increase their current knowledge base and enable them to successfully implement curriculum innovations.

In response to the nation’s economic and agricultural system reform, Chinese agricultural schools have begun the transformation from academic institutions to vocational and technical education. Significant efforts have been made to reform the curricula, as it is the key element needed for the formation of the new educational system. Prior to the nation’s reform starting in 1978, the curriculum in agricultural schools was theoretical information based and the instruction was teacher-centered. Students usually had little involvement in teaching and learning. In addition, the value of practical “hands-on” experiences in agricultural education had been neglected. During the past decade new ideas and approaches in curriculum development and instruction have been gradually incorporated into the agricultural vocational education through new policy initiatives and a pilot project launched by the Food and Agriculture Organization of United Nations during 1994-1998. The decentralization is one major feature of these changes. Introduction/Background China is undergoing a large transformation as its economic system is shifting from a centrally planned to a market-driven system (State Council, 1999). Agriculture the traditional foundation of Chinese society faces an especially great challenge in restructuring its system to meet the needs of the market economy. In particular, agricultural education is playing an important role in preparing people for a new phase of rural development. During the past decade, agricultural schools have started to take actions to reform their existing educational systems and to strengthen their vocational programs (Ministry of Agriculture, 1997). There are 360 agricultural schools distributed among the provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities throughout China. Agricultural schools are typically resident schools that require students to pass standardized admission exams. Schools usually enroll graduates from junior secondary schools and each program lasts for three or four years. The average enrollment for each school ranges from 1000-3000 students. One-third of agricultural schools are governed at the provincial level, while two-thirds are administered by prefectures. None of the schools falls directly under the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA). However, the Ministry undertakes the function of guidance and macro-management for all agricultural schools. In the past, agricultural schools were academic institutions classified as secondary specialized schools. The mission of these schools was officially described as to train intermediate-level specialists who were political and technical experts. Students were required to master basic theory, to have specialized knowledge, and to develop practical technical skills. Graduates from these schools were graded as “middle-level specialists” (Henze, 1984). Students were usually trained theoretically and narrowly. Most subjects studied in the schools were academic and usually had little relevance to the students’ workplace and reality. Upon leaving school, graduates were often assigned jobs according to a centrally organized plan. Just like graduates from higher education institutions or at least in theory every graduate would be assigned to a job position that could be characterized as “white collar.” In recent years, significant changes have taken place to reflect the continued reform and the development of the “socialist market economy.” Today, jobs for graduates are no longer guaranteed and the government can only hire approximately 50% of agricultural graduates (Chen, 2000). As a result, it is becoming increasingly difficult for an agricultural graduate to find a job in the public sector. Accordingly, graduates need to find their employment in the private sector or they need to be self-employed. Students’ education has become more purposive and selective, since it now must relate to their training and to employment opportunities in the labor market. Moreover, the feedback to schools has indicated