The study applies a deductive approach to specific areas of education and training within the general trends in aquaculture, covering the main traces of PILOT training in fisheries as a niche discipline. Current paper, targeted at educators, focuses on the results of a questionnaire survey of 94 educators. Our main objective was to assess the presence of aquaculture-related knowledge content and associated methodologies in the classroom and the general digital literacy of educators.
Our questionnaire study was structured around the following research questions:
Q1: To what extent do the surveyed teachers deal with the aquaculture sector, which includes pond fish farming, intensive (precision) fish farming and natural aquatic fish farming (including angling), in their teaching?
Q2: What digital competences do respondents have and how do they integrate digital skills into their learning and teaching processes?
Q3: Based on your experience as an educator, what traditional and modern methodologies/tools are most effective in engaging learners?
Q4: Based on the teachers’ perceptions, how could sector professionals help promote aquaculture among educators?
According to the teachers who responded, the initiation of discourse and the establishment of cooperation between the professional actors of the sector and teachers working in agricultural education is crucial for the positioning and attractiveness of the aquaculture sector for young people. Companies should also put more emphasis on creativity and marketing, by producing online content, organising technical presentations and factory visits.
The work is supported by the Ministry of Agriculture under grant project HAGF/212/2023; and special thanks to the teachers who filled in the questionnaire.