investigating the expectations of agricultural students from agricultural operations course in zanjan university

in order to produce agricultural products, modern techniques are being used in agriculture sector. to respond to the changes effectively, students should prepare themselves applying practical trainings. the aim of this descriptive study was to analyze students’ expectations and demands regarding agricultural operations course in the faculty of agriculture, zanjan university. 114 students were selected through random sampling technique. the validity of the questionnaire was confirmed by a group of experts. cronbach’s alpha was calculated (0.83 for the current status index and 0.88 for the desired status indicator). results revealed that there was a considerable gap between students’ expectations and the present status, particularly in terms of using modern irrigation techniques in agriculture, mechanization of crop harvesting and cultivation. the results of the factor analysis showed that students’ expectations can be classified into four categories namely mechanization, scientific learning experience, compiling experiences, and traditional activities.