Future education in ecological agriculture and food systems: A student-faculty evaluation and planning process

Three graduate-level short courses on ecological agriculture and food syste ms were held in 1995-1997 in Norway to introduce systems thinking, creative research methods, and innovative learning approaches. In 1999, a three-day evaluation and planning workshop was held to assess course impacts, to det ermine relative importance of content areas, to compare learning methods wi th special attention to case studies, and to vision and develop action plan s fur future education in the region. Students and faculty agreed that soft systems research methods and varied learning processes in the course were more valuable than specific technical content that can be learned in other venues. Nine priority education areas were identified for ecological agricu lture: (1) systems thinking, (2) research methods, (3) farmer/stakeholder p articipation, (4) improving production methods, (5) relating agriculture to ti,od systems, (6) learning about learning, (7) values and ethics, (8) fac ulty development and institutional change, and (9) agricultural and food po licy. We explored current knowledge and future educational importance of ea ch area, and found that case studies can integrate many of these topics. Fo ur specific priority educational needs were identified through visioning to ward an action plan fur the region: (1) publish a Nordic teaching text in e cological agriculture, (2) expand the network of educators and researchers with a short course for faculty, (3) broaden the focus from farm production to food systems by including additional disciplines and themes, and (4) co ordinate thesis research activities in ecological agriculture among univers ities. Evaluation and planning were efficient and productive in this short workshop, due to prior organization and creating ownership in the process a nd the future education plans, and all participants were involved in writin g this final document.