Thinking Critically About Agricultural Issues
No hay miniatura disponible
Fecha
Autores
Título de la revista
ISSN de la revista
Título del volumen
Editor
Resumen
Descripción
The agricultural sector of the United States provides an
enormous number of issues that require critical thought and
evaluation, such as low farm prices, soil depletion, free trade
agreements, food safety, rural depopulation, water quality, and
farm subsidies. Individuals addressing these issues bring with
them different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. Often,
these differences result in divergent and conflicting opinions on
agricultural issues. The objective of this paper is to describe
how critical evaluation of agricultural issues in the classroom can
lead to greater comprehension, refinement of opinions and ideas,
and a passion for lifelong learning.
Class discussions and weekly writing assignments on
agricultural issues can be used effectively to increase awareness
and knowledge of the many perspectives that exist on agricultural
issues. Challenging students to write an essay from a perspective
different than their own, reading and evaluating a book that
provides an "urban" perspective on agriculture, or interacting with
an expert on sustainable agriculture can provide an exhilarating
experience for many students. Knowledge concerning opposing sides
of an issue provides a solid foundation for the development,
reevaluation, and refinement of their own values and beliefs.
The process of critical thinking about agricultural issues
challenges students to become actively involved in lifelong
learning. The challenge of understanding why individuals and
groups have such widely divergent opinions on the same issue can
provide a stimulating intellectual environment that students carry
into their career and life. Ideas from and past experiences with
a senior-level discussion course on critical thinking about
agricultural issues are summarized and evaluated in this paper.