Elements of Experiential Learning in Agricultural Higher Education as Perceived by the Students

Experiential learning is a fundamental model of teaching and learning in agricultural education. Accordingly, the purpose of this survey research was to analysis the elements of experiential learning in Iranian higher agricultural education system. The statistical population of the study consisted of 20518 graduate students of Iranian agricultural colleges out of which 380 students selected as sample, using Cochran formula and proportionate stratified random sampling technique. Data were collected by applying a questionnaire developed for the study and were analyzed using SPSSwin/v.19 and LISREL/v8.5. Validity of the questionnaire was approved by a panel of experts and construct validity using AVE Index (AVE= 0.84-0.96). In order to measure the reliability of the questionnaire, ordinal Alpha coefficient and composite reliability (CR) were calculated (α= 0.83-0.93; CR= 0.96-0.98). Results of prioritizing dimensions of four elements of experiential learning in higher agricultural education system indicated that in the element of curriculum, educational evaluation held the highest and educational needs and goals held the lowest ranks; in the element of teacher’s characteristics, skill dimension held the highest and motivational – interactive dimensions held the lowest ranks; in the element of student’s characteristics, motivational dimension held the highest and interactive dimension held the lowest ranks and in the element of organizational factors, infrastructure dimension held the highest and financial dimension held the lowest ranks. Confirmatory factor analysis revealed that indicators used for measuring curriculum, instructors' characteristics, learners' characteristics and organizational factors were appropriate and models fitness indexes were at desirable level.