Development Model of Professional Farmer in Northeastern Vocational Institute of Agriculture

Abstract

                  The objectives of this study were (1) to study the students, instructors and administrators’ opinion relating to professional farmer development factors, (2) to analyze and synthesize prototype characteristics of professional farmers, (3) to analyze and develop a professional farmer development model, (4) to experiment and assess the professional farmer development model, and (5) to compare instructors and students ‘opinions towards the development model of professional farmer.

                  This research was a mixed methods consisting of five steps as follows: 1) study of factors related to professional farmer development. The study used qualitative and quantitative questionnaires to collect data. The simple samplings, 10 deputy directors of academic affairs, 50 instructors and 240 students, was randomly selected from the population of 1,480 people. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. 2) model development using qualitative interview forms. 10 professional farmers were from simple random sampling and data were analyzed using data classification and content analysis. 3) evaluation of the development model was collected by using focus group as a qualitative data. Simple random sampling were applied, and the samples were 18 members of the councils of the Agricultural Vocational Institute Northeast region, 10 directors of the College of Agriculture and Technology In the northeastern region, 10 deputy director of academic affairs, 10 of heads of vocational education programs for rural development. Data was analyzed by data classification and descriptive statistics. 4) the sample of 40 students were used in model pilot experiment using qualitative and quantitative questionnaires. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and 5) evaluation of model pilot experiment was collected using qualitative and quantitative questionnaires. 10 directors, 10 teachers and 240 students were simple random sampling from 1,480 people. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics.

                  The findings were as follows: (1) the factors related to professional farmer development were that instructors played a role as a director in managing learning. Learners learnt by doing in the fields. Learning content was modern. Learning media motivated learners. And there were agricultural demonstrations and modern farms. (2) To the characteristics of professional farmers, farmers should have knowledge in marketing, processing and producing. Regarding attitude, famers should have knowledge, self- confident and community network. Regarding skill, farmers should know about the career, marketing and technology. (3) The development model of professional farmer consists of career analysis, curriculum development, preparing lesson plans, promoting students, career based learning management and the development processes. (4) The experimental group's opinions toward before and after using the development model of professional farmer were statistically significant differences. (5) Instructors and students’ opinions towards the development model of professional farmer were statistically significant differences.