Open-ended Cases in Agroecology: Farming and Food Systems in the Nordic Region and the US Midwest

Abstract

Our aim is to describe open-ended case studies for learning real-life problem solving skills, and relate this approach to conventional, closed-ended decision case studies. Teaching methods are open-ended cases in agroecology, an alternative to traditional strategies that lead students through prepared materials and structured discussions to determine an outcome already known to the instructor. Our method promotes a culture of curiosity. Multiple evaluation criteria show how this learning strategy provides students with practice in researching, envisioning and designing potential scenarios for clients in the field. In agroecology case studies, students and instructors are co-learners in a discovery process that includes gathering information from key clients, interviewing major stakeholders, and building an understanding of the current context of the local farming and food systems. Two agroecology courses in Norway, a field course in the US Midwest, and an experimental course in Sweden and Vietnam illustrate this learning strategy. Student evaluations of learning have been highly positive, and skills and methods from courses have been applied in their thesis projects and professional careers.

Practical results reveal that students are well prepared for an uncertain, complex, multi-dimensional and dynamic future, have the capacity to develop alternative future scenarios, and have practiced methods to evaluate options based on production, economic, environmental and social criteria and impacts. This innovative strategy is offered as a complement or alternative to conventional decision case studies and evaluated as an approach to experiential learning, an important and effective method for adult learners.     

Testing the effectiveness of the Developing Inclusive Youth program: A multisite randomized control trial

The Developing Inclusive Youth program is a classroom-based, individually administered video tool that depicts peer-based social and racial exclusion, combined with teacher-led discussions. A multisite randomized control trial was implemented with 983 participants (502 females; 58.5% White, 41.5% Ethnic/racial minority; M_age = 9.64 years) in 48 third-, fourth-, and fifth-grade classrooms across six schools. Children in the program were more likely to view interracial and same-race peer exclusion as wrong, associate positive traits with peers of different racial, ethnic, and gender backgrounds, and report play with peers from diverse backgrounds than were children in the control group. Many approaches are necessary to achieve antiracism in schools. This intervention is one component of this goal for developmental science.     

Implementation of engineering product design using international student teamwork—to comply with future needs

This paper describes a semester concerned with international student teamwork. Here we emphasize the development of technical as well as personal competencies. Participants have completed at least four academic semesters at university or college. Students are given an opportunity to use their acquired knowledge, to develop a deeper insight of technical subjects and integrate them through product development. One hundred and ninety-five students from 14 different countries have joined since the start in 1995. The paper reports our experience of product design implementation in an integrated engineering context. Design is not an isolated activity; it must be integrated with the entire spectrum of activities within the company. The designer must learn to appreciate the requirements of marketing and work within the bounds of available technology. The course teaches that collaboration and co-operation are vital activities of every designer. It is important to ensure that the product designed fulfils the market needs and can be manufactured competitively. A system to assess both individual contribution and group performance is reported. This semester has proved to be an effective way to develop skills needed and to develop students' international awareness alongside their enhanced technical skills. This semester contributes to developing European competitiveness.     

Agroecology Education: Action-oriented Learning and Research

Abstract

Purpose: This article examines and evaluates the potential contributions from action learning and action research with stakeholders to higher education in agriculture and food systems.

Design/Methodology/Approach: The research is based on our experiences over the past two decades of running PhD courses and an MSc degree programme in Agroecology in Norway that have attracted students from the Nordic region and other countries.

Findings: We conclude that collaborating with non-university stakeholders as an integral part of a university course or programme serves four main purposes, two directly related to learning and two that can be considered as practical implications. Firstly, it enables learning about complex topics, a learning that cannot be achieved by merely reading or listening. Secondly, the real-life flare of such activities provides the students with enthusiasm and energy to delve into theory.

Practical Implications: Thirdly, students collaborating with non-university stakeholders connect university and society. Fourthly, this process builds social relevance and civic engagement not found in conventional courses or curricula.

Originality/Value: The article presents conceptual foundations and practical implementation of a unique educational programme in agriculture and food systems.     

Effects of the 2003 Quality Reform on Gender Gaps in Student Learning Outcomes in Norwegian Higher Education

In 2003, the Norwegian higher educational system was reformed. The reform, known as the 2003 Quality Reform, introduced changes in the teaching model and student assessment. The authors wished to study how these changes affected male and female students. Therefore, they addressed student learning outcomes, measured through examination results, with respect to gender. Analysis of 5,772,811 examinations from 1990 to 2009 revealed a switch in average performance, from men performing equally well or better than women to women performing better than men. However, greater male than female variability in performance did not change. The effect of gender persisted when controlling for age, subject, home municipality, and type of institution. Overall, women and older students seem to benefit from the changes introduced by the reform more than men and younger students.     

Bewegung und Sport in Ganztagsschulen

Results of the PISA survey in 2000 led to a rethinking of the German educational system. One of the consequences of this was, for example, the initiation of the investment program Zukunft, Bildung und Erziehung (IZBB; 2003–2009) by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, which aims to accelerate the expansion of all-day schools nationwide. In the German educational system, this reform mainly affects the time that students spend at school. Thus it can also have an impact on their level of activity. However, at present, research has no unambiguous answer as to whether this is accompanied by an increase or decrease of students’ activity level. Against this background, the objective of this review is to analyze, as well as evaluate, the state of German-language research regarding offers and impact of physical activity (PA) in all-day schools. By means of a systematic literature review, 37 relevant publications out of 2,847 results were found. On one hand, the results of the quantitative analysis illustrate a lack of nationwide investigations. One of the most noticeable results is that, except for one study, there are only cross-sectional studies, hence meaningful longitudinal investigations are absent. On the other hand, analysis and presentation of current research content points out that there are, for instance, insufficient spatial structures for PA in all-day schools. Furthermore, ambivalent results can be found in PA providers’ composition as the proportion of external PA providers varies between 19 and 80?%. Overall, there are similarities in scattered research fields, but it becomes apparent that the current state of research is rather heterogeneous. Therefore further studies are urgently needed for an improved evaluation of PA opportunities for children and adolescents in all-day schools.     

Introducing Simulation via the Theory of Records

While spreadsheet simulation can be a useful method by which to help students to understand some of the more advanced concepts in an introductory statistics course, introducing the simulation methodology at the same time as these concepts can result in student cognitive overload. This article describes a spreadsheet model that has been successfully utilized to introduce simulation as early as the third week of class—within the context of assigning probabilities—using a topic that students find immediately interesting: the theory of records. Use of this simulation in early class sessions not only facilitates student learning of later material but also builds a simulation knowledge base that can be leveraged in other classes.     

Gender and the 2003 Quality Reform in higher education in Norway

The Bologna Process in Europe aims to develop a coherent and compatible European higher educational system. In Norway, the Quality Reform in 2003 was the first step on implementing the Bologna Process. Internal quality assurance systems have produced several publications on internal indicators, such as student progress and teaching staff work loads, of the Quality Reform. To our knowledge, possible gender differences of these changes have yet to be evaluated. We therefore analyzed data on grades from the University of Oslo before and after the Quality Reform with regard to gender differences. Data on examinations from 1990 to spring 2007 (495,334 examinations) were analyzed using relative percentage graphs. The results show that female students have benefited more than males from the change of system: for several disciplines, male average grades were better than female average grades before the change, and female average grade were better than male average grades after the change. Male students show greater intrasex variability both before and after the introduction of the Quality Reform.