Career Development Events Research Articles

School-Based Agricultural Education Teachers’ Interest in and Confidence for Preparing Students to Compete in Career Development Events

School-based agricultural education (SBAE) teachers have an obligation to teach students about agriculture and prepare them for agricultural careers. Yet, considering the vast number of sectors within the agricultural industry, this task can be daunting. One way teachers can accomplish this mission is through preparing their students to participate in Career Development Events (CDEs). This study assessed SBAE teachers’ level of self-efficacy for each of the 33 CDEs recognized and offered at the [State] State FFA Interscholastic Event. The SBAE teachers surveyed in the study expressed a greater interest in preparing their students in 32 of the 33 CDEs than they did their confidence to prepare them. Such perceptions may lead to a reluctance to prepare students for CDEs, especially in areas where teachers feel less efficacious, which could cause students to have less awareness of, appreciation for, and preparation in various agricultural careers. The findings of the study have implications for the professional development needs of inservice SBAE teachers. Such professional development should be provided to develop SBAE teachers’ perceived inadequacies by targeting the CDEs with the greatest mean difference scores. Specific focus should be placed on food science and technology, veterinary science, and meat evaluation and technology CDEs. SBAE teachers should be provided opportunities to develop mastery in these areas by pairing teachers with expert mentors across the state to allow for vicarious experiences to evolve and complement their perceived shortcomings. Additional research should ensue to determine the impact CDEs have on students’ future career choices and employability.

A pilot program to expand career opportunities in conservation for students of color

AbstractThe Scholars for Conservation Leadership Program (SCLP) is a pilot initiative designed to expand career development opportunities to undergraduate students of color in their senior year who are interested in pursuing a career in conservation and/or employment with a land trust organization. Through SCLP, undergraduate seniors engage in career development activities and events, network with conservation practitioners, receive mentorship from a Conservationist of Color group member with similar career interests, attend the Land Trust Alliance Rally National Land Conservation Conference (LTA Rally Conference), and can qualify for a paid year‐long fellowship with a land trust. This study explores the evidence gathered during the program to determine if the SCLP achieved the initial desired outcomes. Two cohorts of scholars have participated in the pilot program activities and events. Both cohorts were asked to complete surveys before and immediately after attending the LTA Rally Conference as well as 6–9 months following the conference to share their experiences and perspectives about the program. The evidence strongly suggests that the SCLP pilot initiative is achieving the programmatic outcomes of expanding career development opportunities to students of color, increasing their interest in pursuing a career in conservation and/or working with a land trust organization.

Mississippi Career and Technical Education Teachers’ Perception Toward Implementing a Food Science Toolkit Designed to Increase Food Science Curriculum Use in Mississippi

A pilot test implementing a food science toolkit designed to increase student awareness, interest, and knowledge of food science academic and career pathways in Mississippi Career and Technical Education (CTE) courses was conducted to determine teachers’ perceptions of the food science education resources. After implementing the food science toolkit in their CTE course, four teachers individually participated in a semi-structured interview to capture each teacher’s detailed experience implementing the food science toolkit. The results of this study revealed that teachers are interested in teaching food science at the secondary education level to increase student knowledge of food science and enhance student performance at the FFA food science career development event. Teachers also revealed their positive experience implementing the food science toolkit and their intentions to continue to use the food science toolkit in their CTE courses to further increase their exposure to food science competencies. Teachers perceived that the food science toolkit increased student exposure to, engagement in, and interest in food science academic and career pathways, which encourages students to select and pursue a career in food science.

Practical and Pertinent: Describing the Need for Meaningful Professional Development Among Agricultural Educators

Practical and Pertinent: Describing the Need for Meaningful Professional Development Among Agricultural Educators

Filling the Third Circle with Interdisciplinary Lesson Planning: A Case Study of Pre-Service Teachers

The three-circle model of agricultural education focuses on the importance of in-class instruction, supervised agricultural experiences, and FFA involvement. The agricultural communications career pathway is available to students through agricultural communications supervised agricultural experiences (SAE) programs and career development events within FFA. However, specific curriculum that teaches agricultural communications in the classroom is not readily available. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine the interdisciplinary lesson planning and integration process of pre-service teachers with focus on opportunities and limitations to teaching communication in the agriculture, food, and natural resources (AFNR) curriculum. In this case study, four pre-service teachers worked with agricultural communications faculty to develop communication curricula and lesson plans to be incorporated into high school AFNR classrooms. These pre-service teachers developed interdisciplinary lessons prior to student teaching and, when appropriate, used these lessons in their classrooms. While current research regarding teaching science in the AFNR curriculum is ongoing, the literature is silent regarding teaching social sciences such as communication in the AFNR curriculum. These pre-service teachers want more opportunities to develop interdisciplinary lessons. They believe teaching communication skills while tying them to the content area can improve student knowledge, retention, and engagement in the learning process while exposing them to the agricultural communications career pathway.

Keystone Malaria Symposium 2022: a vibrant discussion of progress made and challenges ahead from drug discovery to treatment

Keystone Malaria Symposium 2022: a vibrant discussion of progress made and challenges ahead from drug discovery to treatment

Examining Differences in Noncognitive Skills for State-Level Career Development and Leadership Development Event Participants

Educators are increasingly pressured to include experiences for students which will help develop noncognitive skills. Noncognitive skills lie outside of the physiological ability to process information and encompass adjacent concepts including soft-skills, 21st century skills, or employability skills. Grit, optimism, and self-efficacy are three noncognitive skills which overlap substantially with the three-component model for agricultural education. In agricultural education, Career and Leadership Development Events (CDE/LDE) allow students to work persistently toward a task and develop expectations for ability to perform and outcomes of the competitive event along with other actions researchers have concluded can help build noncognitive skills in adolescents. This study was designed to describe the grit, optimism, and self-efficacy of CDE & LDE competitors in Idaho and determine if differences exist between students who performed at the gold-rank level, and those who did not receive a gold ranking in their respective events. This study was a census of all students (N = 413) who competed at a CDE or LDE at the 2018 Idaho Leadership Development Conference. Results of independent samples t-tests revealed differences between both grit and self-efficacy scores of participants based on ranking and differences in self-efficacy based on event type. The conclusions drawn from this study allow us to recommend areas for continued examination related to noncognitive skills in agricultural education, and practical solutions for agricultural educators to enhance noncognitive skills in their classrooms.

Call for applications for ACS Bridge Project Travel and Professional Development Award

The American Chemical Society is inviting applications for the ACS Bridge Project Travel and Professional Development Award, which provides support to underrepresented students to attend an ACS national meeting and/or another online career and professional development event of the recipient’s choice. The award will cover the registration, travel, and lodging costs for attendance at an ACS national meeting and/or fees of another online workshop, course, or virtual event. There are two categories for this award: undergraduate students and graduate students. Both categories are open to students from groups traditionally underrepresented in the chemical sciences. These include Black, Latinx, and Indigenous students. Applicants must be US citizens. Students can apply at cenm.ag/bridgetravel . All applications require a letter of recommendation from the student’s mentor. Applications for this award are accepted on a rolling basis, however those interested in applying to attend the ACS Fall 2022 national meeting must apply by July

Hot Off the Press: Addressing gender inequities: Creation of a multi-institutional consortium of women physicians in academic emergency medicine.

Hot Off the Press: Addressing gender inequities: Creation of a multi-institutional consortium of women physicians in academic emergency medicine.

Classroom and Contest Overlap: Implications for Student Performance

The three-circle model of agricultural education serves as a cornerstone of the discipline; however, empirical evidence analyzing the overlap between components of the model is lacking. The current study explored the overlap between classroom instruction and FFA via a researcher-created Career Development Event and Curriculum Scale (CDECS) within the context of Environmental and Natural Resources curriculum and the Environmental Skills Career Development Event (CDE) in Michigan. Leveraging the ecological systems theory, results from the CDECS were compared to student performance in the Environmental Skills CDE as well as evidence of knowledge transfer. Findings indicated teachers had moderate overlap between classroom curriculum and the Environmental Skills CDE, as measured by the CDECS. In addition, results indicated small, positive correlations between the teacher-reported CDECS and student achievement in the CDE as well as their knowledge transfer. Findings provide empirical evidence of the relationship between classroom and FFA overlap and student performance. Further, findings provide practitioners, teacher educators, CDE coordinators, and researchers with a foundation from which to build additional understanding of the relationships between elements of the three-circle model.

Black in Immuno ‐ amplifying, celebrating, and supporting Black voices in immunology

Black in Immuno ‐ amplifying, celebrating, and supporting Black voices in immunology

Implications of the COVID-19 pandemic on school-based agricultural education teachers in South Carolina

Understanding a complete school-based agricultural education (SBAE) program and the many tasks at hand for the teacher are critical in determining the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on SBAE teachers. The human capital theory was used to undergird this study, focusing on the components impacting the effectiveness of SBAE teachers. The purpose of the study was to determine the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic on SBAE teachers in South Carolina (SC). This non-experimental survey research study reached 46.5% of SBAE teachers in SC through the electronic distribution of a 27-item survey instrument implementing a then-now design. SBAE teachers in SC felt less prepared to deliver relevant classroom instruction, supervise supervised agricultural experiences - projects, advise FFA members, and train Career and Leadership Development Events teams now than they did prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, while they feel more prepared to teach student virtually than ever before. The pandemic impacted the preparedness and self-efficacy of SBAE teachers, impacting both their career and personal life satisfaction. Moving forward SBAE teachers should evaluate their roles and responsibilities associated with their career and determine how to best bring balance into their lives. Additional research on the roles and responsibilities of SBAE teachers post-pandemic should also be considered.

More Than Winning: A Mixed Methods Grounded Theory Investigation of the Career Development Event Preparation Process

Preparing teams to compete in Career Development Events (CDEs) is a significant teacher concern yet is potentially a highly motivating and impactful component of a total school-based agricultural education program. This mixed methods, grounded theory study, observed seven agriculture teachers preparing CDEs teams over four months of CDE competitions from the local chapter level and progressing to the state level competition. The study aimed to examine the action of CDE preparation and determine if similar patterns existed for successful teachers when preparing CDE teams. Each teacher was observed onsite during a CDE practice, and we used an observational instrument to document the preparation strategies utilized. Following the observed practice, we interviewed all the participants. The data were analyzed, and a pattern of structured instructional activities emerged. Additionally, a theory was developed to conceptualize the process of preparing CDE teams. From the findings, it is recommended that agriculture teachers use a combination of motivational and instructional strategies while identifying and controlling for intervening issues to enhance their desired student outcomes for preparing CDE teams.

Exploring Stress and Recovery Among High-Achieving Career Development Event Teams: A Mixed Methods Study

School Based Agricultural Education (SBAE) teachers can experience physiological stress through their various roles and responsibilities, including preparing Career Development Event (CDE) teams. Through CDE participation, students can encounter numerous benefits, but these academic competitions could be catalysts for stress. The purpose of this exploratory case study was to contextualize the experiences of high-achieving SBAE teachers and CDE participants through the lens of stress and resilience. Using a concurrent triangulated mixed methods design, physiological, quantitative data were collected through ambulatory heart rate monitors, and qualitative data were collected through teacher and CDE participant daily journals. We found that teachers encountered stress reactions the majority of the time with little to no recovery, where students experienced a more extensive range of stress reactions and recovery within the quantitative analysis. Both CDE contextspecific and role-specific stress catalysts existed within the qualitative and convergent analysis. SBAE teachers and CDE participants should utilize strategies that address both (a) sleep deprivation and (b) anticipatory and in-action stress to allow for increased cognitive performance and resilience.

Teacher Philosophies of Career Development Events: Implications for Curriculum in Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources Education

Student engagement in Career and Technical Student Organizations (CTSOs) offer tremendous opportunities for content learning, leadership development, and career preparation. Included in the scope of CTSOs are skills contests, competitions designed to test student knowledge and skills within respective content areas. Within school-based agricultural education, these skills contests are called career development events (CDEs). Building upon existing research identifying the importance of CDE preparation to student performance and knowledge transfer, the current study quantified CDE preparation occurring within agricultural education classrooms, educator philosophies of CDEs, and the relationship between philosophies and CDE preparation. Findings indicate the majority of responding teachers held a student development philosophy and incorporated moderate to high amounts of CDE preparation within their classroom curriculum. Additionally, findings suggest a practically significant relationship between teacher philosophies and CDE preparation, with teachers possessing a competition and achievement philosophy facilitating the highest amount of CDE preparation during classroom instruction. In total, findings provide important insights into CDE preparation within agricultural education as well as a template for evaluating similar relationships throughout other CTE areas.

The 2019 FASEB Science Research Conference on Matricellular Proteins in Inflammation and Tissue Remodeling, July 14-19, 2019, Lisbon, Portugal.

The 2019 FASEB Science Research Conference on Matricellular Proteins in Inflammation and Tissue Remodeling, July 14-19, 2019, Lisbon, Portugal.

Exploring Motivational Strategies, Outcomes, and Theories within the Career Development Event Preparation Process

Due to the competitive nature of Career Development Events (CDEs), teachers must utilize various instructional and motivational strategies to engage students and encourage student participation. This qualitative intrinsic case study analyzed the motivational practices of a previously successful agriculture education teacher to determine the motivational strategies and the underlining motivational theories utilized during the CDE preparation process. Researchers conducted field observations and interviews during CDE practices. The teacher employed numerous motivational strategies to improve the motivation and preparation of the CDE teams. The teacher’s motivational strategies can be aligned to the theories of self-determination theory (SDT), expectancy-value theory (EVT), goal setting, and mastery goal orientation. Through this analysis, the researchers developed a visual model to align the progress of motivation and preparation, theories, related strategies, and subsequent student outcomes. Teachers should use the findings to reflect on their current CDE motivational practices, determine how their strategies align with the visual model and develop a set of motivational strategies to achieve the desired student outcomes within the CDE preparation process. More research should be conducted to better understand the use of motivational strategies and theories within the CDE preparation process.

The Coach Phenomena: Examining the Validity of the Kolb Educator Role Profile in Preservice Agricultural Education

Over the last three years, agricultural educators have demonstrated a strong preference for the coaching role, as defined by the Kolb Educator Role Profile (KERP). The purpose of this collective case study was to better understand why this dominant coach preference exists in Oklahoma preservice agricultural educators. Kolb Educator Role Profile (KERP) results, and semi-structured interviews to understand the choice rationale of preservice agricultural educators, were coded to determine the assessment’s qualitative validity. Two theoretical themes to address key issues emerged: (a) KERP theoretical perspectives and (b) espoused theories. An adapted KERP framework reflects the case’s diverging conceptualizations. Four theoretical categories describe the educator roles in agricultural education: (a) the friend, (b) the know-it-all, (c) the sounding board, and (d) the career development event (CDE) coach. Two theoretical categories capture conceptualization of learning modes: (a) student-first versus book-knowledge focus and (b) dialogue versus hands-on focus. Espoused theories of the preservice agricultural educators reveal KERP item statements were chosen that (a) reflect how I was taught, (b) connect to what I am good at, (c) involve action and real-world, (d) let agricultural education be different, (e) focus on personal growth of students, (f) are what I think students like, and (g) I understand. Recommendations for both improved validity and practice are provided.

137 Impact of Career Development Events on motivation to major in animal science

Abstract Previous research has shown that motivated youth typically select activities that incorporate existing interests and may influence their career choices. Involvement in the National FFA provides opportunities for youth to develop skills and knowledge through events known as Career Development Events (CDEs). These events are designed to motivate students and encourage leadership and career development. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of participation in CDEs on student motivation and preparation to major in animal science. The study was guided by a researcher-developed instrument, measuring motivation and preparation on a Likert-type scale of 1–5. The sample population was junior (13%) and senior (87%) animal science majors at a southern Hispanic serving institution, enrolled within an advanced animal nutrition course. The instrument had a Cronbach’s alpha posttest reliability of .883, with inter-reliability of .610 for preparation and .887 for motivation. The sample population consisted of 24 students, of which 50% identified as Hispanic and 31% as Caucasian. Out of the 24, 16 had participated in CDEs, resulting in a response rate of 67%.The overall mean scores for motivation were 3.85 (SD= 1.20) and 3.79 (SD = 0.72) for preparation (Scale of 1–5). The highest mean scores were found within the motivation statements, “Competing in CDEs influenced my decision to major in animal science” (M = 4.0) and “Competing in CDEs motivated me to attend college” (M = 3.94). The highest scores for preparation were found within the statement “Competing in CDEs prepared me to be successful in my chosen career” (M = 4.13). Females were found to have higher mean scores overall, with students identifying as Caucasian having a higher mean score over Hispanic students and Seniors scoring slightly higher. Overall the scores were moderate and showed a need for continued study in this area.

Doctoral Trainee Preferences for Career Development Resources: The Influence of Peer and Other Supportive Social Capital

Doctoral Trainee Preferences for Career Development Resources: The Influence of Peer and Other Supportive Social Capital