Agricultural Education Teachers Research Articles

Comparison of preservice teachers’ time allocation and performance evaluations while student teaching: An exploratory study

Student teachers’ experiences during their internship are crucial in their development as a teacher. In agricultural teacher education programs, it is common for student teachers to record where their time is allocated each week on categorized timesheets. The purpose of this study was to examine the preservice teachers' performance over the 14-week student teaching experience and how their performance was affected based on their weekly allocation of time. It was found that hours spent on observation had a small, positive effect on teacher professionalism and reflective and autonomous practitioner performance constructs. In addition, hours logged for direct student contact had a small positive effect on the reflective and autonomous practitioner construct. However, the measures of model fit suggest that these effects were trivial. Time allocations were excessive and sporadic. Therefore, discussion regarding the expectations of appropriate thresholds and distributions of time for student teachers and trainings on time management strategies should be conducted across the profession. Additionally, continued research should be conducted on student teachers’ time allocation and its effect on their performance.

External Perceptions of the Oklahoma Youth Expo's March 2020 COVID-19 Response

Livestock shows are a prevalent part of youth agricultural programs in the United States, but they are not well understood, particularly in terms of risk and crisis communication. Through in-depth qualitative interviews, this study evaluated the perceptions of Oklahoma agricultural education instructors, Extension agents, and parents of youth exhibiting at the 2020 Oklahoma Youth Expo (OYE). The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic caused the stock show to cancel in the middle of its schedule. The study evaluated perceptions of the event through the lens of crisis communication as it relates to brand reputation and crisis management. The study was guided by situational crisis communication theory. The results of the interviews indicate that OYE’s brand reputation was not harmed as a result of the crisis, and some responses indicate that participants may have increased their respect of the organization. Instead, participants directed fault toward city officials who cancelled the stock show. Future research is recommended to evaluate how other stock shows responded to the 2020 COVID-19 outbreak, as well as assessing how stock shows continued to deal with the pandemic in subsequent years.

Determining the professional development needs of Iowa school-based agricultural education teachers related to program design, leadership, and SAE development

School-based agricultural education (SBAE) teachers face challenges and difficulties while working in the agricultural education profession. Burnout, work and family life balance, and time management are just a few of the challenges. The professional development needs of agricultural educators should be addressed. Fessler and Christensen (1992) indicated a teachers’ work and personal lives change throughout their career, therefore, professional development differs from the beginning of their profession. Malcolm Knowles' (1980) theory of andragogy was utilized as the conceptual framework for this study. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the professional development needs of SBAE teachers in the state of Iowa. The SBAE teachers are perceived to have some level of professional development needs for topics related to program design and management. Leadership and SAE development were reported to represent areas of need. Professional development focusing on the development and use of advisory councils should be provided for Iowa SBAE teachers at various venues. The Iowa SBAE teachers should use the SAE For All (National Council for Agricultural Education, 2017) guide as a resource for developing and advising students on SAE projects.

A national review of state standards relevant to SBAE teacher performance and program quality

Because of discrepancies among U.S. states regarding how they assess school-based agricultural education (SBAE) teacher performance and program quality, little knowledge has existed regarding how these differences might influence critical decisions regarding hiring, pay, promotion, and dismissal. In response, the purpose of our study was to examine commonalities and differences in state-level program quality standards of teacher and program performance expectations for SBAE in the U.S. To accomplish this, we analyzed documents containing teacher and program standards used by state SBAE leaders. Using cognitive sensemaking as our lens, we found states that measured SBAE teacher and program standards using a variety of formats and methods, emphasizing teacher engagement in professional development, organization of course syllabi and lesson plans, program safety, and health protocol adherence. We also found little mention of instructional practice as a prominent metric for success and no delineation regarding standards for teachers' years of experience. We discuss the merits of these documents and encourage practitioners to critically examine their intent and use them moving forward.

Exploring how an integrated skills acquisition activity impacts the teaching ability and perceived self-efficacy to teach agricultural technical skills of preservice teachers

School based agricultural education (SBAE) teachers are required to have expertise in pedagogy and a complex array of agricultural content areas. This study integrated an experience with agricultural technical skills and pedagogical experimentation for preservice teachers in a teaching methods course. An integrated skills acquisition (ISA) treatment based on an experiential learning cycle and specific to each skill was developed to provide guided instruction for technical skills demonstrated in a microteaching. Treatment and control groups were compared and measured on their self-efficacy to teach an agricultural technical skill and their ability to teach an agricultural technical skill. The treatment group received guided instruction for skills and the teaching method while the comparison group were only guided through the teaching method. The treatment group participants increased their self-efficacy to teach and ability to teach agricultural technical skills. The comparison group had no statistically significant changes in self-efficacy or ability to teach agricultural technical skills.

Examining level of school garden integration among Georgia elementary agricultural education teachers

This study used the GREEN (Garden Resources, Education, and Environment Nexus) tool to examine the level of school garden integration in elementary agricultural teachers’ classrooms. The tool describes the 19 necessary components (e,g., organizational support, garden space) for gardens to become integrated within the school. This study utilized mixed methods with a concurrent triangulation design based on quantitative data obtained from an online questionnaire and qualitative data collected from focus groups. The findings were used to validate the findings produced by the other method. The population consisted of elementary agriculture teachers in Georgia. Though a definitive model does not yet exist for elementary agriculture education, it was clear that teachers rely on hands-on, experiential teaching activities such as garden maintenance tasks and taste tests. Teachers struggle most with volunteer and parent involvement and social events in the garden, largely because of the lasting impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Future research should consider how the results of the GREEN tool can shape professional development topics and help teachers set goals to improve their garden’s level of integration. Research should also examine how COVID-19 impacted school garden programs.

A Comparison of Curricular Resource Use of Florida School-Based Agricultural Education Teachers by Career Stage

There is considerable variability in the design and quality of resource provided to teachers. There is also a lack of empirical backing guiding the process of curricular resource design, specifically as it relates to teachers in different stages of their careers. The purpose of this study was to explore curricular resource use by Florida SBAE teachers based on experience level. A census of Florida school-based agricultural education teachers was conducted. The instrument asked teachers to identify which resources they used and provided follow-up instruments for the resources selected to determine the pedagogical design capacity related to each resource. Respondents were found to use similar amounts of resources across all career stages. When comparing means related to PDC, a significant difference was only found for one resource. Overall, these findings showed that teachers use similar amounts of resources regardless of career stage and PDC for various resources remains stable across career stages. There is a slight increase in the frequency of use for teachers in the early career stage. This study provides an overview of how PDC changes depending on the resource being used across career stages. Resources should continue to be developed to teachers across all career stages.

Determining the Effects of Response Mode and Incentives on Survey Response Rates of School-based Agricultural Education Teachers: An Experimental Study

A decline in response rates was found for agricultural education research studies using survey research methods. The use of incentives and various response modes can affect survey response rates and were the focus of this experiment. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of survey response mode and incentives on response rates when surveying SBAE teachers. Findings revealed a significant increase in response rates for groups receiving an incentive. No significant differences were found between groups using different survey response modes. When examining summated scale scores for each construct in the questionnaire, participants answering on paper scored more positively in four of the six constructs compared to web responses. Recommendations for practice included using mixed response modes when financially feasible and oversampling to achieve the desired sample size to represent a population. Further research on the effects of communication mode on response rates is needed. An examination of why differences in scale scores occur with different response modes is recommended.

Measuring the perceived usefulness of social media professional learning networks to elevate agricultural development

Elevating agricultural development requires attention to aspects beyond production such as education and professional development. Individual demands for professional development have influenced the augmentation of recreational social media platforms as vicarious and functioning professional networks as well. The study’s purpose was to understand agricultural education teachers' perceived usefulness of professional social media use to better prepare themselves for positively impacting agricultural development. A random sample of secondary agriculture teachers responded to a self-administered survey instrument. New teachers perceived social media to be useful and also reported a greater number of minutes of use per week for professional purposes; this trend declined with increased years of teaching. Behaviors which teachers reported, in combination with their perceived usefulness and reported use, suggested professional social media use is supportive of andragogical assumptions. The elements of teachers’ professional learning network activitiesinstrument could serve as a valuable tool in explaining the variance in teachers’ professional social media use. Data can be used to inform the development of online professional learning experiences and in preparation of new professionals. Future research should explore the extent to which learning networks prepare agricultural preservice teachers and offer professional learning for practicing teachers to improve online and social media communications for all learners.

Factors relating to agriculture teachers’ perceived use of instructional methods

School-based agricultural education (SBAE) teachers have been encouraged to use a variety of instructional methods. Despite teacher education programs covering numerous instructional methods and promoting active teaching strategies, prior research has indicated teachers’ predominant use of teacher-centered methods. Guided by social cognitive theory, we sought to determine relationships between teachers’ use of instructional methods, belief of method effectiveness, and teacher characteristics. We developed a web survey and administered it to all Florida SBAE teachers. We analyzed 146 usable responses using means, standard deviations, frequencies, zero order correlations, and mixed selection step-wise linear regressions. Findings indicated the most commonly used teaching methods were lecture-discussion, cooperative learning, demonstration, and paired/small group discussion. Teachers believed demonstration and cooperative learning to be most effective and debate and role-play least effective. Significant and positive correlations were found between belief of method effectiveness and method use for lecture-discussion, cooperative learning, demonstration, and paired/small group discussion. Regression models revealed similar trends, with the exception of lecture-discussion. We recommend pre-service and in-service teacher education programs emphasize the importance of student-centered instruction. In this effort, facilitators of teacher education programs should recognize the positive relationships between teachers’ beliefs of a method’s effectiveness and use of that method.

Technical Agriculture Skills Teachers Need to Teach Courses in the Plant Systems Pathway

Agricultural teacher education programs are designed to prepare competent teachers who are ready to teach students in public schools. One aspect of agricultural teacher education is ensuring teachers are ready to lead instruction in various aspects of school-based agricultural education (SBAE), such as teaching students various technical agriculture skills. As part of a larger study, we used a three-round Delphi study to identify the technical agriculture skills SBAE teachers in Illinois and Iowa need to effectively teach courses in the Plant Systems pathway within the broader Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources (AFNR) Career Cluster. A panel of 27 experienced SBAE teachers nominated by their colleagues contributed data for our study. Eighteen teachers participated in all three rounds. At the conclusion of our Delphi study, we identified 82 technical agriculture skills. To help ensure teachers are competent and prepared to teach courses in the Plant Systems pathway, we suggest several approaches agricultural teacher educators should consider: (1) facilitating opportunities to implement technical agriculture skill development opportunities within agricultural teacher education programs, (2) engaging with agricultural faculty who teach technical agriculture courses to pre-service teachers, and (3) using our list of 82 skills as a springboard to facilitate future scholarly inquiry on the topic. While our results are not generalizable beyond the SBAE teachers in Illinois and Iowa, we do believe our findings are valuable to SBAE stakeholders. To enhance generalizability and provide a more thorough exploration of teachers’ technical agriculture skill needs, replication of our study should occur in other states.

Curricular Resource Use and Pedagogical Design Capacity of Florida Agricultural Education Teachers

A nationwide standardized curricular resource does not exist for school-based agricultural education. Teachers rely on several resources to develop instruction for students. Pedagogical Design Capacity (PDC) examines teachers’ capacity to perceive and mobilize existing resources to develop instructional episodes. The purpose of the study was to determine the curricular resources used by Florida school-based agriculture education teachers and examine the PDC of Florida teachers for the resources they use. A census of Florida agriculture teachers was employed using an online instrument developed by the researchers adapted from previous studies. A response rate of 49.6% (n = 248) was obtained. The instrument was developed to determine the resources used by Florida teachers and examine their PDC with each resource. Respondents indicated using a mean of 8.6 resources with varying degrees of frequency. Various patterns of curricular use for the resources were found. Correlations between the use of specific resources was not found above a moderate level. Florida agriculture teachers rely on a variety of resources to develop instruction. These findings point to the potential for the continued development of various types of resources including resources that generate ideas for teachers, resources that provide lesson structure, as well as scripted lesson plans. We recommend future studies to examine the design features of specific curricular resources that can inform the development of future resources. We also encourage instruction to help inservice and preservice teachers understand and develop their PDC.

The Perceptions of School-Based Agriculture Teachers on Extended Contracts

Agricultural education, like many other disciplines, is experiencing a shortage of school-based agricultural education (SBAE) teachers. We examined the perceptions of Pennsylvania SBAE teachers regarding extended contracts as they have been identified as a possible tool to improve recruitment and retention. The purpose of the study was to sample SBAE teachers in Pennsylvania to analyze their perceptions of extended contracts' impact on teachers, programs, and the profession. To do so, data were collected from a survey and interviews of SBAE teachers. Survey results revealed SBAE teachers perceive extended contracts to affect recruitment and retention of the profession. Additionally, extended contracts are perceived to be beneficial to the teacher and their program. Qualitative analysis of the interview participants identified three major themes including the need for extended contracts, the lack of knowledge provided on extended contracts, and the desire for consistency across the state.

The Best of Both Worlds: Exploring the Experiences of Alternatively Certified Agriculture Teachers

Alternative certification is often seen by policymakers and local school districts as the answer to the teacher shortage problem. Yet, little is known about the experiences of alternatively certified teachers in agricultural education. This case study sought to explore the experiences of alternatively certified agriculture teachers through a composite case study grounded in Dewey’s conception of experience. The participants for this study included four early career alternatively certified teachers in Wisconsin. Our findings illuminate insights regarding the fortuitous nature of alternatively certified teachers entering the classroom, the importance of their prior experiences, their passion for the content, the hurdles of becoming certified, and the significance of support. This is the first study of its kind in agricultural education to examine the first-hand accounts of alternatively certified teachers in an attempt to understand the benefits and challenges and the stepping stones leading to alternative certification. How are alternatively certified teachers becoming certified? What personal and professional experiences are they utilizing in the agricultural education classroom? It is critical that we do not disregard these teachers or their valuable experience, but instead seek to understand their background and certification process to ensure continued school-based agricultural education success.

Exploring Relationships Between Career Retention Factors and Personal and Professional Characteristics of Illinois Agriculture Teachers

The shortage of school-based agricultural education (SBAE) teachers in the United States has been a chronic issue for decades. Besides not having sufficient graduates in our teacher preparation programs, the number of SBAE teachers annually leaving the profession further exacerbates the problem. While the reasons why SBAE teachers leave the profession are well-documented, little research has examined career retention factors and the reasons they stay. The purpose of our study was to determine the relationships between selected career retention factors and specific demographic characteristics of SBAE teachers. Using a census design, we administered an electronic questionnaire to all 432 SBAE teachers in Illinois to determine perceived levels of occupational commitment, work engagement, and work-life balance and their relationship to nine demographic characteristics. We found no significant differences among the career retention factors under investigation and sex, marital status, parental status, possessing CASE certification, length of teaching contract, and the number of teachers employed in the agriculture department. However, we did discover that occupational commitment was significantly higher for both SBAE teachers who were fully-state certified and those with an advanced degree. Further, our findings indicate late-career teachers possess significantly higher levels of occupational commitment and work engagement than those in the novice or mid-career professional life stages. A large, positive relationship was found between levels of work engagement and occupational commitment. Two small, negative relationships existed between perceived levels to achieve a work-life balance and both work engagement and occupational commitment. Recommendations for practitioners and researchers are provided.

Positive thinking and its relationship to the level of ambition among teachers of physical education in Nineveh Governorate

The aim of the research is to:- 1- Identifying the level of positive thinking and the level of ambition among male and female teachers of agricultural education in Nineveh Governorate. 2- Identifying the level of positive thinking and the level of ambition of physical education teachers in Nineveh Governorate according to gender variables (males - females). 3- Identifying the relationship between positive thinking and the level of ambition among male and female teachers of physical education in Nineveh Governorate. The researcher used the descriptive approach using the survey and correlation method, and the researcher used the computer program (SPSS). The researcher reached the following results:- 1- The positive thinking of physical education teachers in Nineveh Governorate is characterized by a high level. 2- The level of ambition of physical education teachers in Nineveh Governorate is characterized by a high level. 3- The positive thinking and level of ambition of physical education teachers are characterized by a high level, according to gender variables (males - females). 4- There is a relationship between positive thinking and the level of ambition among male and female teachers of physical education in Nineveh Governorate. Recommendations and Suggestions:- 1- Urging male and female teachers in the Education Directorates of the Ministry of Education and School Sports Activity to organize educational lectures on the concepts of positive thinking and the level of ambition. 2- Conducting a similar study for other segments of society (employees, university professors, lawyers).

The essence of agricultural education teachers motivational beliefs across career stages

The purpose of this study was to examine the belief systems of agriculture teachers related to student motivation across career stages. We employed a phenomenological approach of focus groups to capture teachers’ lived experiences. Data analysis revealed differences among teachers regarding locus of motivation, belief origination, motivational context, and student outcomes focus. Additionally, shared motivation beliefs included fostering caring relationships, differentiated motivational strategies, struggles with implementation of experiential learning, and success breeds success. Recommendations include professional development for early career teachers, increased focus on intrinsically-based motivational strategies, and additional research on the transitional period between career stages for motivational beliefs.

Transformative Learning in an African American Agriculture Course

Despite agricultural education’s prioritized efforts to increase diversity, people of color remain minimally represented. The overwhelming majority of all School-Based Agricultural Education (SBAE) teachers are White, non-Hispanic. The limitations of SBAE teachers’ prior experiences or knowledge base of ethnic and racial diversity could lead to challenges in successfully supporting minority students. Agricultural education programs play an essential role in supporting preservice teachers’ attainment of deeper understanding by providing multicultural education curriculum that encourages growth in their critical awareness of diverse cultures. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the transformative learning experience of students completing an African American (AA) Agriculture course. This study analyzed responses provided by students both at the beginning and end of the course experience to understand if and to what degree the transformative learning process occurred. Findings revealed evidence of transformative learning among the students in the way of six emergent themes that described their perceptions, attitudes, and beliefs about AA agriculture when comparing responses acquired before and after the completion of the course. With the limited representation of AA teachers in SBAE programs, the evaluation of the transformative learning process of students in this course may open the door to create a more culturally inclusive environment in SBAE and the agricultural industry as a whole.

Course Development to Address Horticulture Gaps in an Agricultural Education Undergraduate Program

Education teacher licensure programs face a growing list of coursework needed to meet requirements with a shrinking number of credit hours available. A new course – ‘Greenhouse and Landscape Fundamentals for Educators’ was developed at Purdue University with an Agricultural Education Teacher Licensure B.S. degree program. Data utilized in creating the course included: 1) an evaluation of current Agricultural Education coursework; 2) a review of state and national Agricultural Education content and academic standards; and 3) a survey of current Indiana Agriculture teachers. Responses from the survey (n=72) of high school teachers of horticulture and/or landscape management show 61% of respondents had teaching greenhouses at their schools, and 62% reporting they were not confident with operating and maintaining a greenhouse based on bachelor level coursework they took. Respondents indicate needing more coursework in several topics: greenhouse management, landscape design, landscape installation and maintenance, and plant identification. Results pointed to gaps in existing required coursework. The new course was specifically tailored to meet the needs of the Agricultural Education undergraduate students, and equip them with information and resources to call upon when they begin their teaching careers.

The Importance of FFA and SAE Activities: A Comparison of Texas Principals’ and Teachers’ Perceptions.

The relationship between principals and school-based agricultural education (SBAE) teachers is crucial for SBAE program success. According to educational leadership theory, principal perceptions of a program can lead to support and student achievement. There is a gap in the literature concerning principal perceptions of specific FFA and SAE activities within the last 30 years. Findings from this survey design study showed both principals and SBAE teachers perceived FFA and SAE activities were important, and no significant difference was found between principals and SBAE teachers on the perceived importance of FFA or SAE activities. It was recommended SBAE teachers continue to educate administrators about FFA and SAE activities and maintain an effective line of communication to maintain the current positive perceptions held about SBAE program components. Additional research should be conducted to determine how principal perceptions of SBAE programs lead to support as well as determine what SBAE teachers view as adequate administrative program support.