Educational Pathology of Agricultural Technical High Schools in Hamedan and Kurdistan Provinces

This study aimed at a pathological study of agricultural high schools in Hamedan and Kurdistan provinces. This mixed method study involved three groups of teachers and administrators، students، and graduates. The samples were selected from four agricultural high schools including 165 students، 38 teachers and administrators، and 30 graduates. Data were collected using a researcher-made questionnaire and semi-structured interviews. The questionnaire’s reliability (Alpha=0. 85) and validity were established. Interview questions were also face- and content-validated. Descriptive، analytic، exploratory and content analysis methods were used to analyze data. The results indicated that the problems of the high schools could be grouped into five categories of planning and course content، teaching methods، tools and equipment، teachers’ skills، and evaluation methods. The most important problems however were lack of educational tools and equipment and their out-datedness، inattention to practical examinations، difficulty to find jobs for the graduates، using old teaching methods، and unsuitable planning of agricultural courses. The most important solutions suggested included a) to renew and equip the high schools by new tools b) conducting ongoing in-service training for the teachers c) using more meticulous evaluation methods involving varied assignments and tasks، d) planning to solve the students'' employment problems.