Qualitative Study of the Principles of Interdisciplinary Approach in Curriculum by Looking at the Field of Agricultural Extension and Education

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Department of Agricultural Extension and Education, Faculty of Agricultural Economics and Development, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran

2 Department of Agricultural Extension and Education, Faculty of Agricultural Economics and Development, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran.

Abstract

Excessive proficiency and the loss of relevance and thematic correlations of a discipline with other disciplines and the peripheral world have removed university disciplines from their main function. In this regard, the country's comprehensive scientific map emphasizes the development of interdisciplinary programs as a major strategy. Interdisciplinary approach, interconnecting different perspectives of different disciplines to integrate theories, concepts, tools, techniques, and achieving cognitive development to survey a complex subject or problem. The purpose of this paper was to study the necessities, achievements, atributies and the principles of using an interdisciplinary approach in curriculum from the perspective of faculty members and interdisciplinary curriculum specialists and the field of agricultural extension and education. Semi-structured interview was conducted using a snowball sampling method with 29 experts in person, face to face, telephone and Correspondence interview to reach the data saturation stage. The data was processed and analyzed by the researcher in a questionnaire, using qualitative and quantitative content analysis method during the open coding process and in two stages of initial and secondary coding. Identification codes and the main categories and concepts were extracted. The findings showed that the most prominent feature of the interdisciplinary approach is the interaction, the communication and the purposeful integration of the disciplines. The most important interdisciplinary necessity was problem-oriented, and the achievements of this approach are multi-dimensional human education with a comprehensive and systemic thinking. In view of the results, it is suggested that both a content-based and skill-oriented curriculum approach be considered as a general principle in the revision of agricultural extension and education curriculum.

Keywords

Extended Abstract

Interdisciplinary is a sign of the crisis of traditional approaches and conventional models of curriculum planning and the usual structures of educational groups and academic specialties. The interdisciplinary approach is a scientific look at curriculum planning in which the methodology and language of more than one scientific discipline are consciously used to investigate a topic, issue and problem. Excess of specialization and loss of connection and thematic correlations of a discipline with the subjects of other disciplines and the surrounding world have removed academic disciplines from their main function. Today, our focus and understanding of agriculture is increasingly emphasizing on integrated and integrated agricultural system, and agents in the field of agricultural promotion and development, both in the theoretical field due to its multidisciplinary nature and in the field of practice due to the complexity of the activism situation, need to take advantage of thinking and systems methodology. The interdisciplinary approach is the interweaving of different disciplinary perspectives in order to integrate theories, concepts, tools, techniques and to achieve cognitive progress, in order to investigate a complex issue or problem. The interdisciplinary curriculum focuses on real-life issues and problems related to work and professional life and work-based learning situations.

The purpose of this article was to investigate the features, necessities, achievements and principles of using the interdisciplinary approach in the curriculum from the point of view of faculty members and experts in the field of interdisciplinary curriculum and agricultural extension and education. By using the purposeful snowball sampling method, interviews were conducted with 29 experts, by phone and face-to-face until reaching the data saturation. The data collection tool was a semi-structured interview, which qualitative and quantitative content analysis methods were used to analyze the data. Based on the background of the research, the central questions were determined and the interview form was developed. The interviews were face-to-face, telephone and written. The data were processed and analyzed in each question using the method of qualitative and quantitative content analysis by open coding process and in two stages of primary and secondary coding. Codes were identified and main categories and concepts were extracted.

The findings showed that the most obvious feature of the interdisciplinary approach is interaction, communication and purposeful integration of disciplines; problem-oriented; and paying attention to high-level thinking skills. The most important interdisciplinary needs were the problem-oriented, multifaceted and systemic nature of the agricultural process and sustainable development, as well as the importance of multidimensional human education. The results showed that one of the important advantages of the interdisciplinary approach is that the learner gets a broad opinion and people are trained who are not single-minded. The experts stated that the achievement of this approach was the training of people with the power of thinking and the ability to face problems and solve them. The experts acknowledged that there is no difference between major-oriented and interdisciplinary curriculum in terms of constituent components, and the most emphasis was placed on practical and coherent content, teaching problem-solving skills, paying attention to the capabilities and competencies of faculty members, and communication and teamwork, and teaching methods. The determination of learning experiences and activities as components of interdisciplinary curriculum was not considered. They emphasized that the interdisciplinary curriculum was not implemented in Iran based on the correct assumptions, and the two problem-oriented and student-oriented discussions did not play a significant role in its organization. As a general suggestion, it is necessary to consider both content-oriented and skill-oriented curriculum approaches in the revision and organization of the agricultural extension and education curriculum with an interdisciplinary approach.

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Iranian Journal of Agricultural Economics and Development Research
Volume 54, Issue 1
March 2023
Pages 329-346

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