Beginning Agriculture Teachers Research Articles

A qualitative analysis of agriculture teacher’s attitudinal changes toward the teaching profession in the first three years of teaching

This longitudinal qualitative phenomenological case study seeks to understand beginning agriculture teachers’ experiences and how their attitudes toward teaching evolve over time. The research included visits to the teachers’ facilities, monthly interviews, reflection exercises, and focus groups. Initial coding included magnitude and in vivo coding methods followed by rounds of focused, axial, and theoretical coding. Based on the individual and collective experiences of the eight teachers gathered monthly over three years, their experiences at the beginning of the year followed a similar path to prior studies. However, following the mid-fall semester “slump” the agriculture teachers in their first, second, and third years had a different experience than prior studies suggested. They experienced a second spring semester “slump” in their attitude toward teaching. While some teachers finished the year strong, others struggled to the end. The teachers described their attitudes toward teaching as more extreme in the monthly interviews but held an overall positive attitude toward teaching when reflecting on the year as a whole at the conclusion of each of the three years. Facilitators of early career teacher support programs should become aware of the highs and lows beginning teachers face and develop programs to help them navigate the challenging times. Recommendations for future research included conducting a similar study with a more diverse population of teachers in a variety of schools and communities.

Accomplishments and Challenges Experienced by Beginning Agriculture Teachers in their First Three Years: A Collective Case Study

Studies show beginning agriculture teachers have different experiences than their seasoned colleagues, but how are their experiences different? This phenomenological collective case study tells the story of traditionally certified beginning agriculture teachers throughout their first three years of teaching. The study began with eight teachers in their first year and concluded with six teachers completing three years of teaching. Data collection included an on-site visit with an observation of teaching, tour, and an in-person interview followed by monthly phone interviews throughout the three academic years. Each year concluded with the teachers completing a reflection guide and participating in a focus group. The collective strengths and challenges the teachers faced were presented and organized by each year of experience. The findings highlighted areas the profession should support beginning agriculture teachers by including increased feedback and mentoring for teachers, resources on student management, work/life balance, seeking funding, and community relations.

Induction Programs for Beginning Agriculture Teachers: Research-Based Recommendations on Program Structure and Content

The shortage of teachers, specifically agriculture teachers, has been established and literature shows us why some teachers choose to leave. The question remains, how can we provide induction programs to agriculture teachers that support their unique needs and ultimately retain beginning agriculture teachers in the profession long term? This longitudinal qualitative case study began with eight traditionally certified beginning agriculture teachers and concluded with six completing the three-year study. The collective case study gathered data from site visits, monthly interviews, and annual focus groups. Recommendations were made for components that should exist in an induction program for beginning agriculture teachers. The content beginning teachers may need, how to structure a program, and items mentors and facilitators need to be aware of when providing a comprehensive program are provided. Recommended components include developing a supportive community among the teachers, providing “as needed” resources, multiple mentors, feedback on teaching, and structured reflection.

Analysis of the Level of the Teacher Efficacy of Beginning Agriculture Teachers in Eswatini

Over the past decade, researchers continually emphasized the role of teacher efficacy in teaching effectiveness. A descriptive survey was used to investigate the level of teacher efficacy of beginning agriculture teachers in Eswatini. The population of the study were senior secondary school beginning agriculture teachers in Eswatini. The study is a census, involving all senior secondary school agriculture teachers who had up to five years of agriculture teaching experience. 161 agriculture teachers participated in the study. Data were collected using a self-administered modified Teachers’ Self-Efficacy Scale (TSES) with a .92 reliability coefficient. The data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Beginning agriculture teachers were moderately efficacious in classroom management, instructional strategies and student engagement. Gender, subject specialization and affiliation to professional development bodies accounted for significant differences in teacher efficacy on selected agriculture teaching tasks. Beginning agriculture teachers are capable of getting the desired learning outcomes from senior secondary school agriculture students as indicated by the moderate level of teacher efficacy. Pre-service teacher training programmes should strengthen curriculum content on ways of engaging students.

Psychometric Properties of an Agriculture Teacher Efficacy Scale for Senior Secondary Schools in Eswatini

Teacher efficacy is an important motivational attribute influencing teacher performance and student learning outcomes. Teacher efficacy is multidimensional yet inconsistencies exist on the nature of construct that best measure teacher efficacy across different subjects and contexts. The purpose of the study was to explore the psychometric properties of the agriculture teacher efficacy scale adapted from the Teacher Self-Efficacy Scale (TSES) of Tschannen-Moran and Hoy (2001). Data were collected from 161 beginning agriculture teachers at senior secondary schools in Eswatini. Item analysis and exploratory factor analysis (EFA) using principal component and verimax rotation were used to analyse the data. The findings indicate that the agriculture teacher efficacy scale was reliable (.92) with inter-item correlation value of .41 to .67 and items discrimination index of ≥ .40). EFA revealed that the agriculture teacher efficacy scale had four factors explaining 47.7% of variance among the items which were instructional strategies, student engagement, classroom management, and practical work management. Conclusion was, the scale is valid to assess agriculture teacher efficacy. Recommendation was, further testing the agriculture teacher efficacy scale across school levels in teaching agriculture.

School Culture's Influence on Beginning Agriculture Teachers' Job Satisfaction and Teacher Self-Efficacy

This study explored first and second year agriculture teachers’ job satisfaction and teacher self- efficacy through their perceived levels of school culture support. Prior research indicated one possible contributor to poor teacher retention is a lack of belonging teachers feel to their schools. Data were collected from beginning teachers in three states and stepwise multiple regression techniques were used to analyze the data. The researchers found that colleague support was statistically significant contributors to beginning teachers’ efficacy. District and school administration, colleague, and financial supports were all statistically significant contributors to teachers’ job satisfaction. These findings provide support for further research to explore gaps in the profession’s understanding of the role school culture plays for agriculture teachers. Recommendations include incorporating positive relationship-building techniques into pre-service and teacher induction programs and making beginning teachers aware of materials used in promoting agricultural education programs and building administrative relationships.

Influence of Knowledge of Content and Students on Beginning Agriculture Teachers’ Approaches to Teaching Content

This study explored experiences of beginning agriculture teachers’ approaches to teaching content. The research question guiding the study was: how does agriculture teachers’ knowledge of content and students influence their process of breaking down content knowledge for teaching? The researchers employed a grounded theory approach in which five beginning teachers were interviewed and observed teaching a lesson. The researchers found beginning teachers’ knowledge of content and students greatly influenced how they broke down content knowledge for student understanding. Five major themes emerged: students’ prior knowledge and enrollment in sequences of courses influenced content covered, student engagement methods were not primarily driven by content, differing perceptions of content difficulty for students shaped teaching decisions, deconstructing content for students was deemed important by teachers, and teachers engaged in a form of learning egocentrism. These findings support further research on teachers’ development of pedagogical content knowledge, including knowledge of content and students overtime as it was found to be an influential knowledge base. Recommendations include providing teachers with more opportunities to explore integrating student’s prior knowledge into the curriculum and incorporating student thinking about agriculture content more specifically in teacher preparation.

Deconstructing Content Knowledge: Coping Strategies and their Underlying Influencers for Beginning Agriculture Teachers

The purpose of this grounded theory qualitative study was to explore how beginning agriculture teachers break down content knowledge for student understanding. The overarching theme that emerged during data collection and analysis was beginning teachers self-perceived content knowledge deficiency in various subjects within agriculture. This initial finding guided subsequent collection and analysis which focused on how teachers coped with this feeling of inadequacy in content and the underlying influencers that guided those actions. Various coping strategies occurred during planning and in-the-moment teaching stages. Underlying influencers for choosing a particular coping strategy included a combination of internal and external influencers. External influencers included structure of the school environment, individual department structure, and offering agriculture courses for core content credit. Internal influencers included teachers’ content interest, perceived credibility as a content teacher, and philosophies regarding agricultural education. Recommendations include reconciling the purpose of agricultural education in teacher preparation programs, creating more accessible professional development opportunities, and examining experienced teachers in the field for similar findings.

The Influence of Time Management Practices on Job Stress Level among Beginning Secondary Agriculture Teachers

Monitoring the stress of teachers continues to be important – particularly stress levels of beginning agriculture teachers. The study sought to describe the relationship between beginning teachers’ perceived ability to manage their time and their level of stress. The Time Management Practices Inventory and the Job Stress Survey were used to measure and collect the data. The study was comprised of 36 beginning secondary agriculture teachers in Missouri. A highlight of the findings suggests that beginning teachers tend to perceive themselves as good managers of time when compared to norm data. Additionally, on average, these teachers are not in a state of stress. Low to negligible relationships exist between the seven time management practices and teachers’ scores on the job stress, job pressure, and lack of support indices.

Determining the Critical Skills Beginning Agriculture Teachers Need to Successfully Teach Welding

Determining the Critical Skills Beginning Agriculture Teachers Need to Successfully Teach Welding

Agricultural Education Perceived Teacher Self–Efficacy: A Descriptive Study Of Beginning Agricultural Education Teachers

The purpose of this study was to describe beginning agriculture teachers’ perceived agricultural education teacher self–efficacy. Additionally, the researcher sought to describe the relationship among teachers’ demographic characteristics and their agricultural education teacher self–efficacy. An instrument specific to agricultural education was developed to answer the research questions. The instrument had three domains: Classroom, FFA, and SAE. The teachers in this study all had less than four years of teaching experience. Almost all of the teachers intended to remain in the profession of agricultural education. Teachers reported favorable perceptions of their student teaching experience and their first year of teaching. Teachers were the most efficacious in the classroom domain, and the least efficacious in the SAE domain. This finding indicates a need for additional professional development in the SAE domain. The teachers’ perceptions of their student–teaching experience and their first year of teaching were positively related to their teacher self–efficacy. Males had higher teacher self–efficacy than females. Individuals who were not involved in high school agricultural education or FFA had higher teacher self–efficacy in the classroom domain, but lower teacher self–efficacy in the SAE and FFA domain.

Characteristics of Beginning Agriculture Teachers and Their Commitment to Teaching

The purpose of this study was to describe the characteristics of beginning agriculture teachers and their perceived likelihood of teaching secondary agriculture in the future. Information was gathered from secondary agriculture teachers across the U.S. who were in their second year of teaching agricultural education during the 2003–2004 academic year. A survey instrument was created specifically for this study through which information about the experience of beginning teachers, the demographic characteristics of the beginning teacher, and the perceived likelihood of teaching secondary agriculture in the future was gathered. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and a multiple regression analysis. While nearly three–fourths of the respondents reported they were highly likely to teach secondary agriculture one–year from the time of the survey, less than one–third reported they were highly likely to do so at five years, and only 15% reported they were highly likely to do so twenty years from the time of the survey. No statistically significant relationship was found between the characteristics of beginning teachers and their perceived likelihood of remaining in the profession.

BEGINNING AND MENTOR AGRICULTURE TEACHERS’ PERCEPTIONS OF PSYCHOSOCIAL ASSISTANCE, SIMILARITIES, AND SATISFACTION

The purpose of the study was to describe the extent to which a formal mentoring relationship met psychosocial needs of beginning agriculture teachers and to describe the extent of satisfaction with the dyad relationship. The accepting sample consisted of Missouri agriculture teachers (n = 40) in their first year of teaching during the 2003-2004 school year, and their formal mentors (n = 40) provided by school districts. Data were collected using the Mentoring Relationship Questionnaire (MRQ) developed by Greiman (2002). This instrument consisted of both a beginning teacher version and mentor version. From the findings of the study it was concluded that formal mentors provide psychosocial assistance to beginning agriculture teachers. Psychosocial assistance was intended to enhance a sense of competence, identity, and effectiveness in beginning teachers and consisted of support encompassing the functions of acceptance, counseling, friendship, role modeling, and social. It was found that beginning agriculture teachers and formal mentors who perceive they are similar to their dyad partner are more likely to have a satisfying mentoring experience. Dyad partners who recognize that they have similar values, attitudes, working styles, and teaching philosophies are more likely to have a positive mentoring experience, successful relationship, and satisfactory interaction.

Problems Facing Beginning Agriculture Teachers

One of the most pressing issues facing agricultural education as a profession is the shortage of qualified teachers to fill existing and future secondary agricultural education vacancies. To date, the agricultural education profession has been only moderately effective in recruiting and retaining teachers (Camp, Broyles, & Skelton, 2002). The purpose of this study was to develop a consensus listing of the major problems facing beginning agricultural education teachers. By gaining a better understanding of the major problems beginning agricultural education teachers face, pre-service teacher education programs can better prepare potential teachers to deal with these obstacles. Likewise, professional development programs for current teachers could be established and/or modified to address these problems. This study utilized the Delphi method to develop this listing of major problems. An expert panel of teachers with three or fewer years of experience was established. This panel identified 11 major issues facing beginning agriculture teachers. The top five, as rated by the panel members, were: organizing an effective alumni chapter, organizing an effective advisory committee, organizing and planning FFA chapter events and activities, the management of student discipline in the classroom, and recruiting and retaining alumni members.

An Assessment Of The Inservice Needs Of Beginning Teachers Of Agriculture Using Two Assessment Models

The purpose of the study was to identify and prioritize the inservice needs of beginning teachers of agriculture in the state of Missouri. The target populations for the study consisted of beginning agriculture teachers in Missouri during the 1994-95 academic year (N=37) and members of the Joint State Staff in Agricultural Education, which included teachers educators and state supervisor (N=16). Census populations were used. The Borich needs assessment model was used to assess the perceived level of importance and competence of beginning teachers regarding 50 professional competencies. A quadrant analysis utilizing discrepancy scores from beginning teachers and the Joint State Staff for each of the 50 professional competencies was also performed. From the results of the Borich needs assessment model, 12 competencies were identified as having a greater need for inservice education. As a result of the quadrant analysis model, 16 competencies were identified as having a greater need for inservice education. In general, the inservice needs identified using the Borich needs assessment model corresponded with the inservice needs identified by the quadrant analysis model.

THE INSERVICE NEEDS OF BEGINNING TEACHERS OF AGRICULTURE AS PERCEIVED BY BEGINNING TEACHERS, TEACHER EDUCATORS, AND STATE SUPERVISORS

The purpose of the study was to identify and prioritize the inservice needs of beginning agriculture teachers in the state of Missouri. The target populations for the study consisted of beginning (first- and second-year) agriculture teachers in Missouri during the 1994-95 academic year (N=37) and members of the Joint State Staff in Agricultural Education, which included teacher educators and state supervisors (N=16). Census populations were used. An instrument, using the Borich needs assessment model, was developed to assess the perceived level of importance and perceived level of competence of beginning teachers regarding 50 professional competencies. Twelve of the 50 professional competencies were identified by the beginning teachers as having a greater need for inservice education. The technical agriculture competencies were ranked lower in priority for inservice when compared to professional competencies in the areas of instruction, program planning and evaluation, and program administration. In general, the ranking of the inservice needs by the beginning teachers did not correspond with the rankings of the inservice needs as perceived by teacher educators and state supervisors.