Focusing Agricultural Education Research: An Agenda For The Graduate Student

Abstract

The agricultural education profession has been challenged to focus its research as a means to further develop the discipline. Recognizing that much of the research in agricultural education is conducted by graduate students under the supervision of mentors, the purpose of this article is to present an agenda for focusing research by graduate students in agricultural education. The thouhts presented are inteded to provoke a discussion among agricultural education graduate students and their mentors and to guide individualized action by graduate students. The plan includes eight action points for graduate students: (1) assess professional experiences, (2) understand the discipline, (3) review trends and priorities, (4) study requirements ofpositions, (5) identify mentors, (6) build on a theoretical base, (7) practice good science, and (8) become a scholar. Action on these points can help develop a new generation of scholars in agricultural education and strengthen the contribution of graduate student research to the discipline.