Model of Enhansing the Quality of Agricultural Education Network (SHAK) as Perceived by Learners

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Assistant Professor, Khorasan Razavi Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO) , Mashhad, Iran Po Box :19395-1113

2 Assistant Professor, Agricultural Education and Extension Institute, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Tehran, Iran

3 Associated Professor, Iranian Research Institute of Plant Protection (IRIPP), Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Tehran, Iran

4 Assistant Professor, Institute of Agricultural Education and Extension, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Tehran, Iran

10.22092/jaear.2023.361895.1938

Abstract

Agricultural Education Network is the educational network based on the website of the Institute of Agricultural Education and Extension, to improve the level of knowledge and job skills and professional behavior of agricultural stakeholders. The multiplicity of effective factors and variables in e-learning makes it necessary to pay attention to the quality of educational services in this system. Accordingly, the main purpose of this survey research was to analyzing components of service quality model of agricultural education network (SHAK) as perceived by learners. Statistical population of the study consisted of learners (N= 19310), out of whom 388 people determined as sample using Cochran's formula and stratified random sampling. Data were collected through a questionnaire; validity of questionnaire was approved by a panel of experts and construct validity (AVE≥0.96). Reliability of the questionnaire was approved by calculating the Ordinal Theta (θ≥0.93) and composite reliability (CR≥0.87). The collected data were analyzed by SPSSwin22 and LISREL software. The overall ranking of the SHAK service quality components showed that from the point of view of learners, the "educator" and "content" components were in the highest ranks and "planning and implementation" and "infrastructure - support" components were in the lowest ranks. Additionally, the results of the confirmatory factors analysis illustrated that the service quality model of the agricultural education network has six main components including: infrastructural-support, planning and implementation, content, educator, learners and results. Accordingly, it is recommended to improve the SHAK service quality through: improving the notification of courses, system upgrade, planning, adapt courses to the needs of the learners, updating the content, improving teaching skills and motivating learners.

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References

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