Development, implementation and evaluation of a hub and spoke multi-institutional national model to tertiary education in sheep and wool science
E. K. Doyle
A C , S. W. Walkden-Brown A and P. J. Sommerville B
A School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, NSW 2351, Australia.
B Australian Wool Education Trust, PO Box 240, North Melbourne, Vic., Australia.
C Corresponding author. Email: edoyle3@une.edu.au
Animal Production Science 61(16) 1734-1743 https://doi.org/10.1071/AN21056
Submitted: 5 February 2021 Accepted: 12 August 2021 Published: 7 October 2021
Journal Compilation © CSIRO 2021 Open Access CC BY-NC-ND
Abstract
Context: The sheep and wool industry is an important and established primary production entity for Australia. Specialised tertiary education in the field of sheep and wool is pivotal to the advancement of the industry. Sheep and wool education has evolved over time synchronously with changes in the presentation of tertiary teaching. The face-to-face teaching and 4-year specialised degree in animal and wool science has now developed into an online learning system, with individual units made available to students across the country. This is delivered using a hub institute, University of New England and spoke universities across Australia.
Aims: The study evaluated the development and delivery of the hub and spoke method of tertiary education in sheep and wool science.
Methods: The data for this study comprised routine information gathered during university enrolment and specific student survey data from two questionnaires. The first questionnaire was an annual (2010–2017) survey of enrolled students (n = 289) and the second questionnaire was a survey of graduates from 2012 to 2015 (n = 128) from sheep and wool science.
Key results: Student numbers studying sheep and wool science in the hub and spoke program have increased three and a half fold in 10 years. The employment success of students studying the sheep and wool units is over 50%.
Conclusions: Utilising a hub and spoke model for online education delivery allows one university to specialise in a specific curriculum that can be offered across multi-institutions.
Implications: The tertiary training package, developed by the sheep and wool industry, has provided an estimated 400 graduates into the industry in 10 years.
Keywords: sheep and wool, agriculture education, agricultural employment.
References
AWET (2006) Australian Wool Education Trust Progress Report. Available at www.woolwise.comAWET (2018) Australian Wool Education Trust Annual Report – 2018/2019. Available at www.woolwise.com
Cottle D (2003) Sheep and wool science education at Australian universities. Wool Technology and Sheep Breeding 51,
Cottle D, Williams M (2006) Future human capability building in the sheep and wool industry. International Journal of Sheep and Wool Science 54, 62–69.
Hynd P, Auer P, Crook B, Hocking Edwards J, Daily H, Osborne L (2000) The development of a wool education resource database. Asian-Australian Journal of Animal Science 13, 30–38.
Kennedy J (2010) The role of The University of New South Wales in the Advances in Wool Technology and Sheep Breeding since 1951. International Journal of Sheep and Wool Science 58, 6
McClymont GL (1996) All flesh is grass. Inaugural lecture, 11 July 1955. In ‘Rural science: philosophy and application’. (Ed. JS Ryan) pp. 1–12. (University of New England: Armidale, NSW, Australia)
Norton A (2016) Mapping Australian higher education 2016. Grattan Institute, 81.
Nulty DD (2008) The adequacy of response rates to online and paper surveys: what can be done? Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education 33, 301–314.
| The adequacy of response rates to online and paper surveys: what can be done?Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Pratley JE, Acuna TB (2015) From adversity comes strength – repositioning education in agriculture. In ‘Proceedings of the 17th ASA conference’, 20–24 September 2015, Hobart, Tas., Australia. Available at www.agronomy2015.com.au
Pratley JE, Crawley N (2018) Graduate destinations in Agriculture. Agricultural Science 29/30, 6–15.
Welsman SJ (2006) ‘Demand for CRC-UNE educational resources and industry short courses.’ (Report delivered to The Sheep Industry CRC and the University of New England: Armidale, NSW, Australia)
