Examining the use of group projects in agribusiness courses to enrich overall student learning

Rachna Tewari, Kishor Luitel, Joey Mehlhorn, J. Ross Pruitt, Scott Parrott and Jessica Crews Garcia

No 252765, 2017 Annual Meeting, February 4-7, 2017, Mobile, Alabama from Southern Agricultural Economics Association

Abstract: A clear majority of agribusiness programs require their graduates to successfully complete relevant coursework in both quantitative and theoretical areas. Instructors often make use of group projects to promote student participation, inculcate team working skills, and to enhance students’ soft skills for service related jobs in the agricultural industry. In these projects, student groups work on project milestones followed by instructor feedback for improvement. Project completion is marked by student teams’ engagement in interactive group activities such as presentations, debates, and sales pitches. The objective of this study is to evaluate the use of group projects for enhancing student learning in various agribusiness courses using an online survey tool. It is observed that students’ performance and the overall learning experience is enhanced using group work in agribusiness courses. Results indicate that students find value in these interactive projects, which facilitates a higher level of learning. Students also feel confident about their soft skills, and can better enunciate and express their viewpoints among an audience.

Keywords: Agribusiness; Teaching/Communication/Extension/Profession (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 13
Date: 2017
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-edu and nep-ppm
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ags:saea17:252765

DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.252765

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