Investigation on comparison of effects of focus group and lecture teaching methods on learning of students (Higher Education Center for Agriculture in the Khorasan Razavi)

The present research was carried out to compare the effects of focus group and lecture teaching method on the educational performance of discontinuous undergraduate students of cattle production course in livestock feed processing methods lesson, in the framework of quasi-experimental study using a pretest-posttest with control group .Statistical population included all students of cattle production course in livestock feed processing methods lesson in Higher Education Center of Jihad-Agriculture of Khorasan Razavi at first semester academic year 89-88, (47student), The students were homogenized based on the average of technician scores, acceptance quota, age, technician field, pre-test scores and previous semester scores average(42 student) and were divided in to two experimental and control groups with 21 student in each group. Survey instruments included demographic information form, test questions, lesson plan related to pattern of focus group teaching and Student Feedback (only in the experimental group). Results showed that there was significant and positive correlation between scores average of technician courses with scores average of previous semester and post-test scores. Also, there was significant and position correlation between scores average of previous semester with post-test scores and pre-test scores with post-test scores. The comparison of means between teaching methods score in pre-test and post-test indicated that there wasn't significant difference between scores mean in focus group pattern in the pre-test between control and experimental groups but there was significant difference in post-test. The results of final survey from experimental groups showed that students had more satisfactory from focus group method than lecture method.