Improving Students’ Learning in Group: In the Case of 2016 Graduating Class 3rd Year Rural Development and Agricultural Extension Students on the Course Value Chain Management in Agriculture

Abstract

Education is base for every development agenda. Exerting effort on the education development is one of crucial issues throughout the world. Improving education quality in Ethiopia is currently needs applying different student centered teaching learning methods with aim of achieving worthwhile output. The objective of this study is to identify the major factors that affect the implementation of students’ group discussion, to examine the attitude of students towards the implementation of group discussion and to suggest possible solutions that can improve students’ group discussion in the course value chain management in agriculture. Group discussion is one of methods to improve students learning. Graduating class students in Wolaita Sodo University under the College of Agriculture, department of Rural Development and Agricultural Extension on the course Value Chain Management in Agriculture is used to test the teacher and students performance on the use of group discussion. Large class size, low interest of some students on group learning, dominance of group discussion by high achievers, seating arrangement style, shortage of resources are some of major factors that affect the implementation of students’ group discussion. For the specific subject under study, the result indicated that, the subject matter instructor performing well in the student centered learning by using group work, pair work and assignment. The possible solutions to improve the group learning are applying gallery walk teaching for large class size, providing awareness on group learning importance by some experts and responsible bodies, providing teaching materials before the lesson in groups and if possible individually, motivating the students to participate in the class room and provide the students various tasks and let them do by themselves first and then group discussion as per need and also arrange tutorial classes.

Keywords: Group Learning, Teaching Methods, Value Chain Management

DOI: 10.7176/JEP/10-16-03

Publication date:June 30^th 2019