Forecasting doctoral-level content in international agricultural and extension education2010: viewpoint of fifteen engaged international scholars

Given an increasingly interconnected world with an expanding knowledge base, this research engaged 15 international scholars to resolve two research questions: (a) what are the knowledge objects that are essential for the doctoral-level professional working in international agricultural and extension education in 2010, and (b) what are the knowledge domains that coalesce and organize knowledge objects by general principles? Using the Delphi method, scholars engaged in three rounds to identify, rate, and confirm consensus on knowledge objects (KOs) and knowledge domains (KDs) for agricultural and extension education2010. KOs consisted of fundamental and powerful concepts, knowledge, paradigms, skills, and/or theories. From a submission of 335 KOs, 240 distinct KOs were rated; the number was reduced to 173 KOs as agreed to by the expert panel. Researchers merged the 173 statements into 126 unique KOs and assigned them to one of 12 knowledge domains. Knowledge domains were defined as related KOs organized by general principle. The expert panel reached agreement on the 12 KD categories and the placement of 126 KOs that delineate the field of study. Reprinted by permission of the Editorial Board of the Journal of International Agricultural and Extension Education, the official peer-reviewed, refereed publication of the Association for International Agricultural and Extension Education. Permission to reprint is granted to the International Bibliography of the Social Sciences for indexing and archival purposes.