Openness and Preparedness of Senior FFA Members Toward Technology in Agriculture

Abstract

School-Based Agricultural Education provides students the opportunity to engage with new and emerging agricultural technologies. Employers value employability skills such as openness, preparedness, and adaptability. However, the Agricultural Education literature is limited on the preparation of students in these skills. We conducted a descriptive study to explore how open and prepared 2020-2021 high school senior members of the National FFA Organization were for 10 selected new and emerging Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources (AFNR) technologies. Additionally, the study evaluated the methods through which members learned about technology. An overview of students’ contact with the 10 selected technologies and their experiences using these technologies contributes to an understanding of methods used in the classroom and how adaptable students may be for emerging technologies in the future. The study occurred in fall 2020 with 1,528 respondents completing the online survey. Almost all respondents reported personal access to a smart phone and computer at home with internet access. Respondents reported use or contact with the 10 selected technologies with that contact most often being in the agriculture classroom/laboratory. Respondents reported self-perceived very strong adaptability, high openness, and average preparedness. This could imply study respondents are open to new and emerging AFNR technologies but not prepared.