Analyze trends and issues of the past to determine how they have shaped today's workforce development curriculum.

Explore federal and state legislation that has had an impact on curriculum development.

Identify current trends and issues in workforce development education that are affecting decisions made in agricultural education and extension curriculum development today.

Analyze current trends and issues in relation to their influence on curriculum decisions made in your local setting.

Trends and issues in our society, especially those related to the economy of our country, have always had a great impact on curriculum. Societal trends and issues often drive the creation of federal and state legislation that mandates the creation of new educational curriculum and/or its' format and delivery. Continue our blast to the past and then enjoy our trip into the future as we explore several societal trends and issues. As you travel, try to project the need for workforce development and extension curriculum in the future.

Re-read the article " A New Association in Born", Techniques, February 2002, p. 20-44. ( If you are enrolled in the class you should have received a copy in the mail).

Read Chapter 11 in Curriculum Development in Vocational and Technical Education by Finch and Crunkilton (1999) to get an overview of curriculum initiatives created to prepare students to enter the workforce. Click to see a presentation about workforce development issues.

View the PowerPoint, "Current Trends and Issues in Workforce Development Education" by downloading it here. Consider how these current trends and issues in agriculture, education, and extension could influence agricultural education curriculum during the next twenty years.

Weekly Assignment:


Due by Sept. 25 midnight

Review last week's historical timeline assignment. Using the Techniques Feb. 2002 historical review articles mailed to you, add societal trends and issues to your timeline. (An example to help you get started: World War II should have been included in last week's timeline- this week beside it you would put the "training of women for non-traditional jobs" as a related trend or issue). Put your timeline with the societal trend and issues on our Vista Webct site to share with others by Tuesday Sept.25. Between Sept.25 and Oct.8 look and see if others identified trends/issues that you missed and add those to your timeline. Then e-mail me your corrected one by Tuesday Oct.8.

Consider the trends and issues regarding school to work, agriculture and society in your community or the community where you work. Make a list of five or more trends or issues that could affect the types of extension programs or courses that you might teach. For example; I live in Chatham County. I might list niche farming, urban growth, preservation of natural resources, non-native populations, accountability and competency based education to my list.

Post your timeline with trends and issues to Vista WebCt by Sept.25. E-mail your list of trends and issues to bwilson@ncsu.edu by Sept.25.

Please name the file attachment as yourlastname4: for example, mine would be wilson4.doc