A dozen students from Texas Tech Universitys Department of Agricultural Education & Communications had an enriching summer academic experience, spending 15 days (Jun. 15-29) in Greece embracing agricultural education and communication programs coupled with tours of historical landmarks highlighting the rich history of an ancient civilization.
The study abroad opportunity was led by the Department of Agricultural Education & Communications Professor David Lawver and Assistant Professor of Practice in Agricultural Education Chelsea Hatch.
“Our main focus of this trip was to see how agricultural education is taught in Greece and emphasized how youth are exposed to agriculture,” Hatch said. “Our students got to see a great example of how agriculture is embedded into the American Farm Schools curriculum for their high school students.”
American Farm Schools takes a very hands-on experience when it comes to teaching agriculture, she added, and the students learned from this practice and plan to incorporate that into their future classrooms or in their future careers.
One of programs goals was to allow students to see and experience the unique ways the Greeks are bridging two industries - agriculture and tourism - to educate the public on traditional agricultural production practices while still celebrating their cultural heritage. Students had the opportunity to experience hands-on production of food, fiber, and natural resources, as well as cultural and historical sites.
From learning about the nations Vocational High School of the American Farm School to olive oil tasting and sensory analysis and precision agriculture and drone spraying, the students were immersed in a variety of educational activities focused on promoting agriculture to a variety of audiences.
Among the agricultural tours were Mariannas Vineleaves; Gerovassiliou Winery; Epiros Dairy Products, Karimalis Winery & Farmhouse, and the Womens Agricultural Cooperative of Rahes. In addition, students had an opportunity to view several Greek cultural landmarks, including Mount Olympus, UNESCO World Heritage Monasteries, along with Athens Acropolis Hill and Parthenon.
Techs Department of Agricultural Education & Communications has 15 faculty members with more than 280 undergraduate students and 115 graduate students. Faculty members specialize in one of three disciplinary areas: teacher education, agricultural communications, and agricultural leadership. Masters degrees are available in agricultural education and agricultural communications, and a departmental Ph.D. program allows students to focus on any of the three areas. In addition, graduate certificates are available in agricultural leadership and agricultural communication.
CONTACT: Scott Burris, Chair, Department of Agricultural Education & Communications, Texas Tech University at (806) 834-8689 or scott.burris@ttu.edu
0729NM24