Constructivism as a Framework for Adult Agricultural Education in Delta State

This study investigated the application of constructivist learning theory in adult agricultural education programme design and delivery in Delta State, South South Nigeria. Agricultural extension education remains a central element of Nigeria's food security strategy, yet its instructional approaches frequently rely on transmission models that fail to leverage adult learners' extensive experiential knowledge. The study adopted an action research design involving three agricultural adult education facilitation teams across Delta State's three senatorial districts. Each team underwent a twelve-week constructivist instructional reorientation intervention, with pre- and post-intervention assessments of both facilitator practice quality and learner agricultural knowledge construction outcomes. Constructivist practice observation rubrics, learner knowledge assessments, and facilitator reflective journals formed data collection instruments. Findings revealed significant improvements in both facilitator constructivist practice scores and learner agricultural knowledge construction outcomes following the intervention. Learners in constructivist-aligned classes demonstrated better integration of new agricultural knowledge with prior farming experience, stronger problem-solving application, and more persistent adoption of improved practices compared to pre-intervention controls. Facilitators initially resistant to constructivist approaches reported positive attitude shifts following collaborative reflection on learner outcome improvements. The study advocates for constructivist pedagogy as the foundational framework for agricultural adult education in Delta State, recommending systematic reorientation training for agricultural extension educators, revisions to extension programme curricula along constructivist principles, and the development of learner-centred farmer field school models. Keywords: constructivism, agricultural education, adult learning, Delta State, farmer field schools.