Enhancing Agricultural Education across the Curriculum

Transcription

1 Enhancing Agricultural Education across the Curriculum Dianne Stuart Queensland Agricultural Educators Conference Rockhampton 14 January 2015

2 Presentation Overview Introduction Background industry outlook Misconceptions Australian Government policy settings AgriFood response Food in the Curriculum Agriculture in Education Role for agriculture teachers

3 AgriFood Skills Australia - national body responsible for skills and workforce development for the Australian agrifood industry and regional Australia AgriFood works across the entire agrifood supply chain, providing a nationally comprehensive skills information brokerage role, translating between industry, research, training providers and government AgriFood develops and implements workforce development strategies and industry validated work standards to meet the current and emerging needs of agrifood enterprises, employees and students. Vision: the sustainable growth of Australia s agrifood industry through world class enterprise capability

4 Australia is endowed with natural resources, progressive farming practices, reputation for quality produce and geographic proximity to the fastest growing markets.

5 Agriculture Industry Snapshot Value of production - $137b pa 12% of GDP 93% of Australia s domestic food supply Exports - $30b annually 126,000 full-time farmers Ag and related industries 1.6m jobs 2.8% productivity growth past 30 years $500m pa in R&D

6 Reality Check - Agribusiness in Australia World s driest continent Plenty of land, but limited ability to use it productively a constraint to agribusiness Farm sector s share of national income down from one-sixth of the economy in 1965 to just one-fiftieth today So, is there potential for optimism in the sector?

7 Can Australia catch the growing wave of demand for higher value food products? World population growing by 60 million people pa over the next 20 years* from 7 billion to 9 billion by 2050) Income growth in key emerging markets is critical. As income grows, kilojoule demand increases. Hence.. A switch to protein from grains and cereals to meat, dairy and vegetables *Positioning for Prosperity Catching the Next Wave Deloittes 2014

8 Agribusiness is Australia s forgotten hero. The sector is ideally placed to capitalise on a world-wide leap in demand for higher-value food products. (Deloitte, Building the Lucky Country, 2014)

9 Australia has what it takes A lower $A - benefit to exports could drop to US80c Increasing demand for fresh high-quality products from growing Asian and African middle class Food security reputation for quality and supply reliability Ability to innovate improve yields from poor and dry soils Increased productive capability from genetically modified organism technology An expanding aquaculture industry Growth of on-food farms eg producing algae for fuel Enhanced land use from better managed and priced water

10 But there are Challenges Aging farming workforce (average age 52) Attraction of higher paying jobs for younger family members/farm workers Investment required - estimated $400b for farm ownership transitions and a further $600b to improve productivity Shortage of suitably qualified agribusiness graduates -50% drop in agricultural qualifications over last 10 years Rebuilding damaged trade relations eg live cattle to Indonesia Inadequate and inefficient infrastructure Pressures on arable land urban fringes Climatic variation shifting rainfall patterns Opposition to foreign investment and ownership of farmland

11 In the next 50 years we will need to produce as much food as we have in the preceding ten thousand years * Generating significant social, environmental and economic challenges, requiring: Competent, confident and innovative responses Graduates with a sound understanding of agriculture, food systems and environmental management HENCE Growing demand for skilled graduates with agricultural knowledge Increased and varied career prospects BUT Many Australian universities are finding it hard to attract students to their agricultural courses. * Deloitte corporate video

12 Careers in agriculture are suffering a severe image problem - Agricultural educators have a vital role to play.

13 Perceptions of the industry need to change Primary production (pre farm gate ) not a large employer - less than 2% of workforce in developing countries; Agriculture and related industries 1.6m in jobs in Australia in packaging, logistics, commerce and research; 50% of these in capital cities; Young people with an agriculture related university degree are critical players; Graduates with highly developed problem solving and communication skills are increasingly sought after by industry.

14 Misconception 1 - Agriculture equals farming Hands-on farm related activities fundamental but small component of agriculture Just one of many varied processes needed for wellfunctioning agriculture and food systems Ability to generate new opportunities and innovation increasingly viewed as critical skills for the sector Agriculture is much broader than farming. Is a fundamental pillar of the Australian economy

15 Misconception 2 - Agriculture is a single discipline and can be taught like maths, chemistry etc The study of agriculture is by definition multidisciplinary It is increasingly trans-disciplinary - combining the study of all the natural sciences, engineering, plus the social sciences such as geography, economics, business and law.* * Holger Meinke Agriculture for the Curious, 2015

16 The Imperative: tell it how it is - the value chain of on and off-farm businesses Pre-farming supply sector On-farm production Post farm-gate processing and marketing Associated advisory and financial sectors Requires knowledge & practice of sustainable land and whole landscape management Includes humanitarian work - the International Aid effort

17 Misconception 3 Australia - the future food bowl of Asia An ill-informed notion must be put in context current world population 7 billion Estimated world population in billion The reality: Current Australian population 23 million 0.3% of world population; Australia can currently feed 60 million people has land and water resources to feed up to 200 million people but this is just 3% of world population

18 Agribusiness: A Potential Productivity Driver? Only if we. Promote our produce more effectively Invest cleverly in new business opportunities Create greater efficiencies Invest in dryland farming technologies Attract capital - transition from family to corporate farms Improve infrastructure available to the sector Export knowledge to assist those producing the remaining 97% of world food production

19 And there are New Challenges Increasing productivity sustainably Ensuring quality, equity and accessibility of our food and fibre products Maintaining the viability of our farmers Complementing agricultural knowledge with environmental knowledge Foreseeing emerging risks and consequences eg of new research, technology and management practices

20 AgriFood Skills Australia Policy Position Strengthening Agricultural Education Encouraging agricultural colleges to diversify income sources and provide greater flexibility in training delivery; Promoting the need for clear advice and information on education pathways for agricultural careers; Working with governments and other organisations to attract young people into a career in the industry; Facilitating closer collaboration between regional universities, training organisations and industry to assist create qualifications producing sufficient highly skilled job-ready young people. AgriFoodSkills Australia Submission to Agricultural Competitiveness Green Paper 2014

21 Agriculture and Food in the Australian Curriculum Taking Agriculture into schools A partnership between the Australian Government s Department of Agriculture and AgriFood Skills Australia

22 Agriculture and Food in the Australian Curriculum A clearly defined and tested strategy: Raising awareness of and enhancing teaching and learning about the Australian agriculture, food and the supply chain Supporting teachers in the implementation of the new Australian Curriculum in English, Maths, Science, History, Geography and Technologies Raising awareness of career opportunities in agriculture and food systems to young people

23 Over its 15 month duration - July October 2014, the Programme: Appointed a national team of six qualified teachers; Engaged 14,677 students in classroom presentations - range of topics linked directly to the new Australian curriculum; Provided professional development to 1,000 classroom teachers and 1,100 teacher trainees; Produced an initial series of curriculum-linked educational resources; Equipped participants with curriculum focussed teaching resources; Promoted career opportunities in agriculture and food systems Demand far exceeded expectations

24 Food in the Curriculum Evaluation Positive feedback from teachers and students Well designed teacher workshops High quality teaching resources Links to Australian curriculum in design and implementation Timeframe far too short career component compromised Inability to reach greater numbers

25 Educational Materials Yr 5 History: Agriculture in Colonial Australia Yr 5 Geography: Investigating Agriculture in Australia Yr 6: So you Think you Know where your food comes from Free resources print,usb and online

26 Uniform format across all three Resources Unit Overview Links to the Australian Curriculum knowledge, understanding, skills and achievement standards Key focus questions Identified learning outcomes Selection of activities teacher flexibility to adapt and modify, cut and paste Hyperlinks to additional resources Assessment and Extension options Suggested background reading for teachers

27 Yr 5 History: Agriculture in Colonial Australia 1800s Overview of Activities - Settlement Patterns in the 1800s - River Road and Rail - Life on a Sheep Station s House - Where would we be without farming - Some of us are migrants - maybe farmers too

28 Yr 5 Geography: Investigating Agriculture in Australia Overview of Activities Factors that shape the human and environmental characteristics of places - Investigating Australia s Landforms and Climate - Using our Environment - an Agricultural Perspective - Visit a farm - Influence of People on the Murray-Darling Basin - Living in a Fishing and Farming Village in Cambodia

29 So you think you know where your food comes from Suitable for Yrs 4-6 Inquiry based units, using food and agriculture themes Powerpoint of student activities and tasks for Yrs 4-6

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31 LT1 > Activity 1 > Work Task 1 So What Do You Eat? Most common foods eaten by people in your class? 1. Select a spokesperson for your group. 2. Make a list of all the food common in your group. 3. Why do you think these ones are the most common? 4. Make a list of those that are fresh and those that are processed. 5. Where does most of the food you eat come from? (the supermarket, grown in Australia? if not where is the food grown?). 6. Collate the groups findings in a table (sample provided What are your favourite foods?). 7. Construct a column graph and/or pie chart to display your findings demonstrating the most common foods to the least common. 8. So what % of the food eaten by your group might be fresh or processed? 9. Write a short piece explaining your groups graphs, which your spokesperson will share with the class. So Let s Talk About The Food You Eat > So What Do You Eat?

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33 LT2 > Activity 2 > Work Task 4 > Assessment So How About Growing Your Own Garden From Paddock/Ocean to Plate As a team of four (4): 1. Choose one food you have talked about eg milk, eggs, bread, meat, fish 2. Create a flow chart showing the steps in the process from paddock to the plate You will need to think about sequence. Cook Eat Learn

34 Policy Overview: Australian Government Priority Education, Skills, Training and Labour One of 11 key policy ideas,* focusing on: Establishing comprehensive education for an agricultural career at secondary and tertiary level. Critical role of VET as well as higher education Clear career pathways to attract highly skilled people to operate the latest technology and drive productivity growth An education system that builds the next generation of farmers * Agricultural Competitiveness Green Paper. September 2014

35 Australian Government Priority Education, Skills Training and Labour Australian Curriculum review: Working towards ensuring the Australian Curriculum provides flexibility in teaching so schools can improve understanding of food and fibre production, agricultural and primary industries in Australia. Teaching agriculture: $2 million - Agriculture in Education - developing new resources to help teachers better understand food and fibre production and processing and promote the range of agricultural careers available.

36 Agriculture in Education Enhances teacher understanding of food and fibre products and processes Provides strategies for incorporating agricultural concepts in the Australian curriculum Promotes greater appreciation of the importance of agriculture to the Australian economy and our way of life.

37 Agriculture in Education Videos Agriculture Facts Australian Curriculum Introduction to Agriculture

38 Paddock to Plate Suite of Resources Curriculum Learning Area: Design and Technology Years 3 and 4 Changes - Fresh and Processed Food How many Roads has my Food Travelled? Get your hands on my Food

39 Year 5 Maths Agriculture in Education Measurement and Geometry Using Agriculture in Maths to design a farm Money and Financial Mathematics Designing and Making a Financial Plan for a Market Garden

40 Year 8 Maths Statistics and Probability - Data representation and Interpretation Curriculum Content Description: Investigate the effect of individual data values, including outliers, on the mean and median ACMSP207 Learning Outcome: Students explain issues related to data collection and the effect of outliers on means and medians of that data

41 Year 9 Maths Statistics and Probability - Data representation and Interpretation Curriculum Content Description: Construct back-to-back stem-and-leaf plots and histograms and describe data, using terms including skewed, symmetric and bi modal ACMSP282 Learning Outcomes: - Students calculate relative frequencies to estimate probabilities, list outcomes for two-step experiments and assign probabilities to those outcomes - Students construct histograms and back-to-back stem and leaf plots

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43 What needs to be done? Address the misconceptions - walk the talk Generate discussions - importance of sustainable production of food and other raw products Promote the growing range of careers that matter ie agribusiness Provide a mentoring role to other teachers Initiate team teaching opportunities Spread the word about new related education materials Work together