Evaluation criteria for farmers' training and consulting services

Straipsnyje nagrinėjami ūkininkų mokymo ir konsultavimo bendri bruožai ir ypatumai andragogikos mokslo kontekste. Šių paslaugų teikimo ypatumai pasireiškia mokymo ir konsultavimo tikslo koncepcijoje bei paslaugų teikėjų sistemoje. Siūloma ūkininkų mokymo ir konsultavimo paslaugų kokybę vertinti pagal bendrus švietimo paslaugų vertinimo kriterijus: prieinamumo, patikimumo, kompetentingumo, tikslingumo, vertingumo. Jei pirmieji trys kriterijai yra valstybės reguliavimo sferoje, tai paskutinieji du priklauso nuo paslaugų teikėjų ir yra mažiausiai teoriškai ir empiriškai tyrinėtiFarmers' training and consulting is understood as a process through which farmers receive assistance and expertise in a particular area, acquire new knowledge, develop their understanding, skills, etc. Farmers' training and consulting is distinguished by the same characteristic features as the object of andragogy: a new concept of educational goal, transfer of priority from training to learning, a new approach to education continuance and to education delivery systems. Peculiarities of this process occur, on the one hand, at the formulation of strategic goal (,.top-down" approach) and, on the other hand, within diversification of service providers, as well as state interference in the education process and its regulations. The quality assessment of country's farmers training and consulting services can be investigated referring to the general education quality assessment criteria, such as availability, reliability, competence, purposeful ness and worthiness. If the state strongly influences development of first three criteria, the last two criteria depend on service providers and are theoretically and empirically poorly studiedVytauto Didžiojo universitetasŽemės ūkio akademij