Teaching and Learning in Agronomy: One Hundred Years of Peer‐Reviewed Conversations

Abstract

The American Society of Agronomy (ASA) published its first peer‐reviewed article about teaching in Volume 1 of the Proceedings of the American Society of Agronomy (PASA), and has built on that foundation for 100 yr. Articles have also appeared in the Journal of the American Society of Agronomy (JASA) from 1913 to 1948, in Agronomy Journal (AJ) from 1949 to 1971, in the Journal of Agronomic Education (JAE) from 1972 to 1991, and in the Journal of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Education (JNRLSE) from 1992 through the present. The ASA CD archives were used to locate publications through 2001, and the ASA/JNRLSE websites for 2002–2006 papers. The objectives of this article were to: (i) celebrate the centennial milestone by recounting the collective accomplishments of teaching manuscripts, and (ii) identify key trends in ASA teaching publications over the society's first 100 yr. In the 1920s, 28 papers were published, focusing on the development of courses and curricula for the emerging study of agronomy. From 1954 to 1971, articles on agronomic education were included in JASA or AJ, but set apart in a separate category. With journals dedicated to teaching (JAE and JNRLSE), the modern era (1972–2006) has seen much higher publication rates. Initiatives have included: writing skills, simulation models, international development, capstone courses, diversity support, engaging games, reflective memoirs, decision cases, new undergraduate programs, and web lessons. Through JNRLSE, ASA is well‐positioned to be a leader in the publication of peer‐reviewed teaching materials into the 21st century.