REVISITING SUPERVISED AGRICULTURAL EXPERIENCE

Abstract

The professional and research literature in education show overwhelming supportfor experiential learning such as that typified by the Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) program. The agricultural education literature advocates SAE as an integral component of our total program. At the same time, some authors have suggested changes to SAE while others have questioned the appropriateness of some aspects of the program as it is currently conceptualized. The authors of this paper conducted a Delphi study using agricultural teacher educators, agricultural education teachers, state agricultural education supervisory staff members, and professional from the industry of agriculture to examine the efficacy of and structure of SAE as we move into the next century. They conclude that SAE remains a viable component of a comprehensive program of agricultural education but that its definition needs to be broadened and that its structure needs substantial expansion to accommodate the realities facing agricultural educators today.