Engaging today’s agriculture students is not an easy feat. You may have noticed that there are some unique differences between the Generation Z students that sit in your ag classroom today and the millennials you previously taught. Research shows that today’s students are even more tech-savvy and can multi-task even faster. Plus, if you can believe it, they have an even shorter attention span than their predecessors.
The standard classroom model where an educator stands in front of the class and lectures simply doesn’t work for these students. Generation Z students want to be successful — in fact, the desire to change the world is a hallmark of this generation – but they will disengage with the discussion if they don’t feel connected or if they don’t see the relevance.
Did we mention that Generation Z students are used to immediate feedback? Current technology has made them used to finding out anything, anytime, anywhere — the world is literally at their fingertips. Today’s agriculture students don’t just want to hear about a topic; they want to see it, touch it and feel it.
Engaging today’s students in agriculture education
- Replace lengthy PowerPoint presentations with brief presentations that incorporate polls, activities and hands-on demonstrations every few slides.
- Use videos, online activities and group work in addition to the textbook. By varying their focus, you’ll help keep it.
- Use hands-on learning aids like our animal models, or our bovine and swine skills simulators. These larger-than-life models can be taken apart and put back together as students explore each animal’s internal and external anatomy, while our simulators allow for consistent, repeated skills practice.
- Don’t forget that “Why” is as important as “What.” Generation Z students need to know that what they’re learning is relevant. By answering the “Why” question with evidence-based reasoning before teaching the “How,” you’ll assure them that the concept you’re about to teach applies to real life.
- Incorporate soft skill development whenever possible. Your students will come to you with a varying degree of these skills, but you know all employers will look for them. Collaborative work helps build communication skills. Assignment tweaks and activity changes help build flexibility. Open-ended questions help build problem-solving skills. Reflection activities help build critical thinking skills.
Looking for more ways to incorporate soft skills into your agriculture classroom? Use this free guide to get five ideas, plus free posters.
Engagement matters
With nearly 60,000 high-skilled agriculture and related job openings expected annually in the U.S. over the next five years, it’s more important than ever to ensure that today’s agriculture students are engaged. By creating an interactive, hands-on learning environment where they can engage in active learning opportunities, you’re setting your students up for success.
More resources
Looking for more ways to engage today’s agriculture students? Consider these resources:
- Download our free agriculture career exploration lessons to explore opportunities in animal science, plant science, vet science and more
- Discover new ways to incorporate soft skills into your classroom with these resources
- See the learning aids that top agriculture educator wish lists by exploring our best sellers
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