1. A new educative role and expectations
Call: IT02-KA KA2 - Cooperation for Innovation and the Exchange of Good Practices-Strategic Partnerships for adult education
PILOT TRAINING COURSE ON
MULTIFUNCTIONAL FARMERS' EDUCATIVE ROLE
Marsaskala, Malta 14 – 18 May 2018
Activity C2 - Blended mobility of adult learners
A new educative role and expectations
Dr Antonietta Stinga 1

2. What is a professional role?
Definition:
A role is the set of individual behaviours, in a specific context (social, work, business ...) to meet other people’s expectations.

3. A professional role is:
what one person actually does (role related tasks)
using the available resources (in the work context) and his/her own competence profile
responding to requests from one or more users / customers;
collaborating with other system elements (business associates or customers themselves).
looking forward to results (which can be educational / recreational)
acted in an integrated system where his/her responsibility / legitimacy are recognized
acted on the basis of legitimacy

4. The pace of social change and the new expectations of schools / families / citizens have broadened and deepened farmers’ roles.
The changes in the Common Agricultural Policy and Rural Development Plan have definitely pushed European farmers to look for new forms of income through multi-functionality.

5. Rural sociology has changed too: in Europe, many people, even with studies and curricula not connected to agriculture, make the choice to become agricultural entrepreneurs, just to apply themselves in a job which is education at sustainability.
Furthermore the choice of investing in a multifunctional farm requires a lot of commitment and a lot of training; thus farmers' demands are becoming more and more complex.

6. In particular, schools are now expected to deal effectively with a more diverse society, to promote social cohesion, to address the individual needs of learners and prepare all students for participation in a society in which they will be required to be flexible, adapt to new demands, ready to understand the changes.

7. From here a new demand of services for the agricultural world arises, so as we said, this need generates:
a new cultural approach to the theme of sustainability;
a new role of the farmer in society;
a new job and business opportunities.

8. Naturally, so that one can be accepted in the new role of educator, it is necessary that a social system (and also political, if the word is not too big) exists which can legitimize the role itself.

9. For this reason, in addition to the training commitment itself,
the CRANE project also includes a phase of dissemination of the results
and involvement of the institutions on the topic.
Maybe it is only a small drop ... But it is better than nothing.

10. Farmers now need to be prepared for a range of tasks at all levels.

11. manages to organize the learning process (of course according to school necessity and it will especially concern the non-formal aspects of didactics)
addresses each student’s individual learning needs / expectation
addresses cross curricular themes, like social responsibility

12. 4. integrates theory and laboratory within the non-formal teaching
develops and participates in national projects
5. assumes new managerial and shared roles
6. builds learning communities with external agencies
(museums / environmental associations / research groups
on the territory / local tourism ....)

13. Now I would like to share with you few reflections about “adult learning”.
I think that the starting point of our educational session should be the knowledge and working experience of the participants.

14. The approach is competency based.
It is aimed at improving the skills of participants
to implement and evaluate different approaches.
The emphasis is on the practical application of the content
of a sustainable education.

15. During the training the participants are asked to plan how they could apply
how the newly acquired knowledge and skills when they are back in their
working situation.
Finally, farmers are practical, they focus on the aspects of a lesson
most useful to their work.
Therefore we must tell participants clearly how the course will be useful
to them on the job.

16. Practice exercise: to design a draft for a service
of education to sustainability in an
agritourism / educational farm