Kiumars Zarafshani

Bio: Kiumars Zarafshani is an academic researcher. The author has contributed to research in topics: Agricultural education & Population. The author has an hindex of 2, co-authored 2 publications receiving 22 citations.

Are Agricultural Graduates Meeting Employers' Expectations? A Perspective from Iran.

Abstract: A high level of personal capacity, the relevant professional competence and technical skills are essential for a graduate's successful transition to the workplace. The purpose of this survey was to identify the main competencies that higher agricultural education graduates should possess, based on the perceptions of potential agricultural employers. The population of this study comprised public, private, and cooperative managers and employers in the agricultural sector in the provinces of Mazandaran, Khuzestan, Kermanshah and Hamedan (N=485). A sample of 212 employers was selected using a stratified random sampling method. A four-part instrument in the form of a questionnaire was developed by the researchers to gather the required data. Factor analysis was used to elicit the preferences of employers for key competencies. The results show that employers value generic competencies relatively higher than field-specific competencies for agricultural graduates entering the agricultural field. The generic competencies identified include communication skills, problem-solving ability, agricultural ethics, business and computer skills, and general administrative skills and abilities, such as leadership and team-work. Technical skills and agricultural professionalism were identified as field-specific competencies. To develop these competencies, a new didactical arrangement, including supervised agricultural experience programmes, experiential learning, and fundamental changes in the teaching and learning process are proposed.

Are agricultural graduates meeting employers' expectations? A perspective from Iran : research article

Abstract: A high level of personal capacity, the relevant professional competence and technical skills are essential for a graduate's successful transition to the workplace. The purpose of this survey was to identify the main competencies that higher agricultural education graduates should possess, based on the perceptions of potential agricultural employers. The population of this study comprised public, private, and cooperative managers and employers in the agricultural sector in the provinces of Mazandaran, Khuzestan, Kermanshah and Hamedan (N=485). A sample of 212 employers was selected using a stratified random sampling method. A four-part instrument in the form of a questionnaire was developed by the researchers to gather the required data. Factor analysis was used to elicit the preferences of employers for key competencies. The results show that employers value generic competencies relatively higher than field-specific competencies for agricultural graduates entering the agricultural field. The generic competencies identified include communication skills, problem-solving ability, agricultural ethics, business and computer skills, and general administrative skills and abilities, such as leadership and team-work. Technical skills and agricultural professionalism were identified as field-specific competencies. To develop these competencies, a new didactical arrangement, including supervised agricultural experience programmes, experiential learning, and fundamental changes in the teaching and learning process are proposed.

General Perceived Self-Efficacy of Iranian College of Agriculture Students

Abstract: This exploratory descriptive study examined the utility of the social cognitive theory in assessing generalized perceived self-efficacy of agricultural students at Razi University. Two hundred college students majoring in agricultural extension, plant science, animal science, water engineering, and crop science participated in the descriptive survey. Agricultural students were efficacious in handling challenging tasks in diverse situations. Male students were more efficacious than the female students. There were no significant differences in general self-efficacy scores across student classifications and majors. Implications of gender differences are discussed.

Designing a model for entrepreneurial intentions of agricultural students

Abstract: The authors used Ajzen's theory of planned behavior and Shapero's entrepreneurial event model as well as entrepreneurial cognition theory to identify the relationship among entrepreneurial skills, self-efficacy, attitudes toward entrepreneurship, psychological traits, social norms, perceived desirability, social support, and entrepreneurial intentions. The authors defined the antecedents of entrepreneurial intention in agricultural students. The data were collected from a survey given to students at Iranian Azad University. The survey received 146 effective responses. Based on the findings from the structural equation model, the order of effect of latent variables on entrepreneurial intention was entrepreneurial skill (63%), self-efficacy (44%), attitude toward entrepreneurship (38%), psychological traits (11%), and social norms (0.08%).

Incorporating an Authentic Learning Strategy into Undergraduate Apparel and Merchandising Curriculum

Abstract: An authentic learning strategy fostering students' active learning was studied using the scenario of a real-world project. Students from two different classes at two different universities worked as clients or consultants to develop an apparel sourcing strategy. Quantitative and qualitative data were gathered from 44 undergraduates enrolled in apparel and merchandising classes to assess students' learning experiences from the project. According to the findings, students had a positive learning experience overall, gaining practical competencies and experiences from various perspectives needed to solve the problems. These results were further confirmed by emerging themes in the qualitative data—namely, improved communication skills, enhanced professionalism through real-world experiences, team building, learning through interaction, and improved research skills. The evidence suggests that incorporating an authentic learning strategy in higher education by providing real-world experiences can benefit student...

Employability Determinants of Senior Agricultural Students in Iran

Abstract: Internationally, employability has recently become an increasingly controversial issue in higher education. The emergence of knowledge-based economies, accompanied by the by-products of globalization, has forced agricultural higher education systems all around the world to think twice about the quantity and quality of their courses. On one hand, there has been a surplus of highly educated graduates seeking a career, while on the other hand, potential employers complain of a skill-mismatch phenomenon. Employability is defined as the perceived ability of conquering sustainable employment appropriate to one’s qualification(s). This study evaluates factors influencing the employability of senior agricultural students at the level of Bachelor of Science (BSc) using a descriptivecorrelation survey methodology. A sample of 274 out of 979 senior agricultural students was selected from agricultural faculties of five universities located in the western provinces of Iran through a stratified random sampling technique. Students showed moderate employability levels, which were significantly different depending on their field of study. The path analysis technique revealed that social class, university obligations, mastery in generic competencies, and agricultural background were the most important factors affecting students’ perceived employability, respectively.

Graduate Employability Skills: Differences between the Private and the Public Sector in South Africa

Abstract: The article reports on a comparison between the private and the public sector with reference to an evaluation of employability skills of graduates in a sample consisting of employers from the Mangaung area, South Africa. A quantitative study was conducted using an unabridged questionnaire, with a Cronbach’s alpha of .97 and an inter-item correlation of .405340. The sample consisted out of 250 private-sector and 253 public-sector respondents. The results indicate that the only statistically significant differences between the private and the public sector in terms of graduate employability skills are self-responsibility and interpersonal skills. Indicative of the notion that the differences between the private and the public sector are becoming less marked, and that the employability skills that are sought by the public sector are similar to those that are sought by the private sector. Based on the findings of the research project, recommendations are made concerning course curricula in order to ensure that graduates are employable irrespective of sector. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2015.v6n3s2p345