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RDEV40790

Academic Year 2026/2027

Agricultural Education (RDEV40790)

Subject:
Rural Development
College:
Health & Agricultural Sciences
School:
Agriculture & Food Science
Level:
4 (Masters)
Credits:
10
Module Coordinator:
Dr Sinéad Flannery
Trimester:
Autumn
Mode of Delivery:
Online
Internship Module:
No
How will I be graded?
Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

The purpose of this postgraduate module is to facilitate learners in developing their knowledge and expertise in relation to agricultural education module and programme delivery in the Vocational Education and Training (VET) sector. The module will explore philosophies and theories of education, including pedagogical/andragogical/heutagogical skills and strategies, assessment and feedback, and module and programme design. It will introduce learners to new ideas and concepts surrounding agricultural education design, delivery, assessment, and feedback. The module will support students in building their confidence for classroom and practical based teaching as it presents developmental opportunities in teaching, assessment, session planning, and programme/module design. This will enable learners to design and create their teaching practice using an educationally holistic approach. The module is suitable for students interested in a career in agricultural education and/or extension where students want to deepen their understanding of education learning theories and philosophies to support better classroom and practical-based teaching and learning. Over the course of the module, learners will experience design thinking processes, working in multidisciplinary teams to critically review agricultural education module/programme delivery at the Vocational Education and Training (VET) level while also establishing their own personal teaching philosophy.

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

On completion of this module students should be able to:
• Demonstrate an advanced and integrated understanding of educational theories and philosophies which support classroom and practical-based teaching
• Critically reflect on agricultural education module and programme delivery and educator professional development
• Critically reflect on module and programme design, delivery, assessment, and feedback
• Create a teaching philosophy specific to the student as an educator/extension agent in demonstrating and supporting their approach to teaching and learning, assessment, and feedback
• Demonstrate an advanced and integrated understanding of constructive alignment between learning outcomes, teaching methods, and assessment regimes
• Develop a range of intra- and inter- personal skills including teamwork, collaboration, communication, and presentation skills

Indicative Module Content:

Overarching content includes:
• Overview of agricultural education
• Training of VET agricultural educators
• Educational learning theories and philosophies
• Assessment and feedback principles
• Approaches to teaching and learning
• Module and programme design principles

UNESCO highlights a set of key competencies that support individuals in their development and support society in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UCD has adapted these competencies and is combining them with others to form a general framework of learning competencies. This module will help you develop the competencies below to the levels specified. 
Learning Competency Additional Information Level

Collaboration

 The ability to learn from others; to understand and respect the needs, perspectives and actions of others (empathy); to understand, relate to and be sensitive to others (empathic leadership); to deal with conflicts in a group; and to facilitate collaborative and participatory problem solving. Competent

Critical Thinking

 The ability to question norms, practices and opinions; to reflect on one’s own values, perceptions and actions. Competent

Systems Thinking

 The ability to recognize and understand relationships; to analyse complex systems; to think of how systems are embedded within different domains and different scales; and to deal with uncertainty. Advanced Beginner

Strategic

 The ability to collectively develop and implement innovative actions that further sustainability at the local level and further afield. Not addressed

Integrated Problem Solving

 The overarching ability to apply different problem-solving frameworks to complex sustainability problems and develop viable, inclusive and equitable solution options that promote sustainable development, integrating the competencies in this list. Advanced Beginner

Self-awareness

 The ability to reflect on one’s own role in the local community and (global) society; to continually evaluate and further motivate one’s actions; and to deal with one’s feelings and desires. Novice

Normative

 The ability to understand and reflect on the norms and values that underlie one’s actions; and to negotiate values, principles, goals, and targets, in a context of conflicts of interest and trade-offs, uncertain knowledge and contradictions. Not addressed

Anticipatory

 The ability to understand and evaluate multiple scenarios for the future – possible, probable and desirable; to create one’s own visions for the future; to apply the precautionary principle; to assess the consequences of actions; and to deal with risks and changes. Not addressed

Digital Literacy and Judgement

 The ability to access, evaluate, create and communicate information in digital environments; to engage critically, ethically and responsibly with digital technologies and digital information; to understand their opportunities, limitations, risks and impact on individual’s digital identities; and to exercise informed judgement in digital participation and decision-making. Not addressed

AI Literacy & Agency

 The ability to understand, critically evaluate and responsibly engage with artificial intelligence; to recognise how AI systems are shaped by human values; to assess their ethical, social and environmental implications; and to exercise human judgement, agency and accountability in AI-related contexts. Not addressed

Wellbeing

 Wellbeing is having the resources and skills to meet life's challenges, including attributes such as personal development skills, resilience, stress management, strengths, lifestyle skills, nutrition, physical activity, sleep, alcohol/substance use, academic skills, time management, goal setting, interpersonal skills, group work, communication. Not addressed

The United Nations identified seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as core to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and UCD contributes in general to SDG 4 Quality Education. Further SDGs explored within this module if relevant are listed below. A scale of 1 - 5 indicates the extent to which the SDG is covered.


Goal Name Description Coverage

Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all 2
 

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Specified Learning Activities

100
Autonomous Student Learning

80
Lectures

12
Tutorial

12
Total

204

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
Student-centred learning and the flipped classroom as a total approach to the curriculum design will be applied. Students will be supported and scaffolded in their learning through a series of synchronous and asynchronous learning. Asynchronous learning will be used to provide students with the flexibility to complete e-lecture material in their own time. This will allow students to take the time to carefully consider and analyse content and reading material in advance of the synchronous lectures held on alternating weeks. This supports the flipped classroom approach to teaching and learning. The module requires active, autonomous and collaborative student engagement. Teaching approaches include self-directed learning and collaborative learning with peers in the form of active/task-based learning, peer and group work, and reflective learning. Synchronous, in-person online tutorials will be held on alternating weeks where student learning from the asynchronous material will be supported through in-class discussions and dialogue around students’ experiences and opinions, drawing on the required readings and material provided. A combination of the following will form the teaching and learning activities for this module:
• Self-directed learning
• Collaborative learning
• Online, pre-recorded e-lectures (asynchronous material)
• Synchronous lectures
• Autonomous learning
• Learning through assessment
• Group work
• Reflective learning

AI Use Permitted for Limited Support: Students may use AI tools for limited support in this module (e.g. idea generation, practice questions, or as a study aid). However, students remain fully responsible for the accuracy and reliability of their learning. Any use of AI must be cited appropriately.

For assessment, you may use AI for planning, idea development, and research. Your engagement with AI stops when you begin to create your submission. Your final submission should therefore be authored entirely by yourself and should show how you have developed and refined these ideas. You should keep a comprehensive record of all outputs generated by AI, and may be required to document these as part of the activities, or present them on demand.

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 

Assessment Strategy
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade Component repeat (in-module) Offered
Assignment(Including Essay): Agricultural Educator Brochure/Poster Week 7 Standard conversion grade scale 40% No
40
 No
Group Work Assignment: Group oral presentation based on a critical evaluation of an agricultural education module/programme. Week 11 Standard conversion grade scale 40% No
60
 No

As part of UCD's student support, under the Additional Consideration policy, extensions may be available for the following assessments in the module: Assignment (including essay/poster), Portfolio, Reflective Assignment, Report(s), and Individual Project.


Carry forward of passed components
No
 

Remediation Type Remediation Timing
In-Module Resit Prior to relevant Programme Exam Board
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Group/class feedback, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Group feedback will be provided orally to students post-assessment

Name Role
Dr Tomás Russell Lecturer / Co-Lecturer

Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.
Autumn Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - Autumn: All Weeks Tues 13:00 - 13:50
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