High School Agriculture Teachers Research Articles

Factors that Motivate High School Agriculture Teachers to Teach

The purpose of this research was to describe the factors that motivate high school agriculture teachers to teach. The motivation to teach included intrinsic motivations, extrinsic motivations, and altruistic motivations. This was a census study using an online questionnaire that was sent to all (N = 252) high school agriculture teachers in Iowa. The Tailored Design Method with five contacts was used for data collection. The overall response rate was 47% (n = 119). Motivational factors were measured using a four-point Likert-type scale with the following response options: 1 = strongly disagree, 2 = disagree, 3 = agree, and 4 = strongly agree. Confirmatory factor analysis and maximum likelihood factor analysis were used to identify factors underlying individuals’ motivation to teach. Means and standard deviations were 3.24 (0.13) for intrinsic factors and 2.55 (0.19) for extrinsic factors, respectively, indicating these factors influenced individuals’ motivations to teach. In this study, altruistic factors retained through factor analysis aligned with the intrinsic factors. The findings were consistent with previous studies on intrinsic and extrinsic motivations based on self-determination theory. Even though teachers were drawn to the profession more strongly by intrinsic factors, both intrinsic and extrinsic factors are important in motivating agriculture teachers to teach. The study has implications for the design of induction and mentoring programs and for the administrative support of teachers.

Factors Affecting the Teaching Attitude of High School Agriculture Teachers in the Philippines

Factors Affecting the Teaching Attitude of High School Agriculture Teachers in the Philippines

High School Agriculture Teachers' Intentions to Continue Teaching

A descriptive survey study was used to examine factors that influence high school agriculture teachers' intentions to continue teaching in Iowa. The online questionnaire was administered to 252 agriculture teachers, and 119 teachers completed the survey. A four-point Likert-type scale was used to measure agriculture teachers' intentions to continue teaching. The overall mean and standard deviation is 2.64 (.64) for the eight influential factors, which indicates that these factors slightly influenced teacher intentions to continue teaching. The multinomial logistic regression model using the stepwise forward method was used to predict the likelihood of individuals' plans to continue teaching. The model was statistically significant (χ2 = 39.97; p = 0.01), and the following significant, influential factors can explain 31 percent (Pseudo R2=.31) of the variance: teacher recognition (p=.001), teaching as a right career (p=.035), family expectation of staying (p=.035) and teaching makes oneself feel good (p=.040). Findings from this study support evidence from previous research that reported teachers with strong self-esteem and belief that teaching is the right career for them and will remain longer in the profession.

High School Agriculture Teachers' Career Satisfaction and Reasons They Stay in Teaching Profession

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the reasons why high school agriculture teachers remain in teaching. A descriptive census study was implemented on agriculture teachers (N=252) utilizing an online validated questionnaire in Iowa. A total of 119 agriculture teachers completed the questionnaire with a response rate of 47%. A four-point Likert-type scale from 1=strongly disagree, 2=disagree, 3=agree, and 4=strongly agree was used to measure reasons why teachers stay in the teaching. Mean and standard deviation was 2.88(.32) for overall reasons to stay in teaching demonstrating these reasons influenced teachers to remain in teaching. Findings shows more than half teachers (f=54, 45.4%) plan to remain in teaching for 11 or more years. Further crosstabulates analysis on years of teaching experience variable with three different plans to stay shows that substantial number of late-career teachers plan to stay in short time (50%), 33.7% mid-career teachers plan to stay for 11 or more years, and newly teachers plan to stay for less than 10 years (42.9%). Findings are consistent with literature that reported years of teaching experience which was a predictor for teacher retention.

Agriculture Teacher Awareness and Application of Self-Regulation Strategies

This qualitative study investigated four rural Kansas high school agriculture teachers’ comprehension and implementation of self-regulation strategies in their own professional growth and in their instructional practice. The participants included two males and two females, each one having between five and 20 years of teaching experience. Participants were interviewed three times, using symbolic interactionism as the philosophical overview and the Seidman technique of interviewing. Three questions guided this study: 1) how do rural Kansas high school agriculture teachers make meaning of self-regulation and the processes needed to facilitate self-regulation, 2) in what ways do teachers self-regulate for their own professional growth purposes, and 3) what strategies do teachers use to foster self-regulation in their students? Findings suggest while participants described utilizing strategies associated with self-regulated learning, they most closely associated self-regulation with effort and motivation. Key implications for practice include incorporating a self-regulated learning focus into preservice education, specifically during microteaching and student teaching experiences. Recommendations for future research include exploring the effectiveness of self-regulated learning instructional strategies that hold promise for teaching teachers and students to utilize self-regulation cognitive strategies.

Improving Genetic Engineering Secondary Education Through a Classroom-Ready Online Resource

ABSTRACTGenetic engineering has long been used in food production in the United States. However, consumers' science literacy in genetic engineering is poor. Teacher knowledge, time, and resources are lacking in science curriculums on genetic engineering. Through interviews conducted with six high school agriculture teachers we show how a new online resource, The Journey of a Gene, addresses these barriers to help improve their knowledge and increase time spent on genetic engineering. The positive outcomes support funding for genetic engineering education. Education is key to help consumers make informed purchasing decisions and societal decisions about advancing genetic engineering research.

Part of What We Do: Teacher Perceptions of STEM Integration

This study explored three high school agriculture teachers’ perceptions of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) integration through interviews. The approach was constructivist and data were analyzed according to the framework of integrated STEM education presented in a National Academy of Sciences report. Each participant agreed to complete three interviews that first investigated past experiences, then present perceptions, and lastly reflections on meaning. A total of about six hours of interview data were analyzed using the constant comparative method. Teacher perceptions were outlined individually and then compared. The teachers shared similar perceptions related to time constraints, the effects of STEM integration, concerns about rapport with students, how agricultural education has changed, and curricular resources. Perceptions aligned well with the framework of integrated STEM education because teachers described increased student interest, motivation, and career-readiness due to agriculture programs, and these perceptions were in some cases supported by non-agriculture teachers. Misconceptions of STEM education included incomplete definitions of engineering education and viewing the use of instructional technology as STEM education. Teacher educators may benefit from increased insight into the perceptions of veteran teachers.

Factors Contributing to Attrition as Reported by Leavers of Secondary Agriculture Programs

There exists in our profession a persistent shortage of quality teachers in our high school agricultural education classrooms. A multitude of studies have identified challenges faced by agriculture teachers, however, few, if any, have investigated reasons for attrition by directly asking leavers why they left. This study sought to identify reasons for leaving the profession as perceived by former high school agriculture teachers. Nine former secondary agriculture teachers were interviewed. Themes emerging from this qualitative case study include 1) passions for the profession, 2) alternative opportunities, 3) expectations, 4) burdens, retrospectively and 5) people. Teachers were passionate about their students, their content area and competition inherent in agricultural education. All of the participants had chosen to accept alternative employment opportunities. Former teachers recalled having high expectations for themselves and their career, and perceiving others to have high expectations as well. The teachers recalled the burdens of their job retrospectively, and people played an integral role in their career as well as their decision to leave the profession. Former teachers were satisfied while teaching, but found greater benefit in alternative opportunities. Recommendations include encouraging realistic expectations, developing mentor programs for novice teachers, and strengthening the benefits of remaining in the profession.

Dogs in the Hall: A Case Study of Affective Skill Development in an Urban Veterinary Program

High school agriculture teachers often incorporate live animals into the curriculum to enhance educational experiences, increase student interest, and motivate students to learn about animal topics (Phipps, Osborne, Dyer, & Ball, 2008). As a component of classroom instruction, livestock or companion animals may be housed at a school and routinely used as a teaching aid (Talbert, Vaughn, & Croom, 2005). Live animals have provided opportunities for students to develop career skills, including caring for and safely handling the animals as well as managing an animal production operation. Beyond the classroom, students can also develop animal–related skills through livestock exhibition programs, supervised agricultural experience projects, and work–based learning programs (Bailey, Hughes, & Moore, 2004;Robinson & Haynes, 2011). While agriculture teachers utilize animals to enhance teaching and learning, the social and emotional benefits of regular animal interaction has not been well documented for high school students.

Integrating Agricultural Entrepreneurship into High School Agriculture Curriculum

The purpose of this study was to identify and describe high school agriculture teachers’ perceptions regarding entrepreneurship and determine their entrepreneurial leanings toward and interest in integrating entrepreneurship concepts into their curricula. Respondents perceived that entrepreneurship is a learned skill, creativity and innovation can be nurtured, and almost everyone has potential to research and create a business. A majority of the respondents perceived that entrepreneurs can have global influence, can create wealth and jobs, and are driven by desires to create their own destinies. Regarding their own inclinations to start enterprises, a majority of the respondents indicated that they occasionally or frequently considered starting their own enterprises. About ten percent of the respondents indicated that they always saw business opportunities and desired to establish and become bosses of their own businesses. Forty–three percent of the respondents frequently or always integrated entrepreneurial concepts into their courses and nearly sixty percent of the respondents nurtured students’ business ideas. However, just about thirty percent of the teachers frequently or always engaged students in specific product creation, marketing, sales, and evaluation. Nearly all (98.7 percent) of the respondents agreed that agriculture teachers should integrate entrepreneurial concepts into their curriculum.

Identifying Confidence Levels and Instructional Strategies of High School Agricultural Education Teachers When Working with Students with Special Needs

The purpose of this study was to identify confidence levels of high school agriculture teachers when working with students with special needs and to determine what strategies teachers are using within their classrooms. One state was randomly selected from each of the six National Association for Agricultural Education regions and a stratified random sampling method was used. A random sample of 333 was selected with a response rate of 62%. Participants completed a questionnaire that measured teacher confidence, identified the teaching strategies that were being used, ascertained the perceived effectiveness of the strategies, and collected demographic information. Data analysis indicated that teachers are using recognized practices in their classes, though they are more likely to use practices that are easy to implement and that benefit more students than specific individualized strategies. Overall, teachers are confident in their abilities; however, they disagree that their teacher training programs and in–service opportunities have prepared them to work with students with special needs. Multiple regression analysis was used to determine predictors of confidence, and the model for total teacher confidence accounted for 11.7% of the variance. The total regression model involved in–service participation, age, and having a friend or family member with a disability.

Sustainable Agriculture: Teacher Beliefs and Topics Taught

Sustainable agriculture (SA) is not fully understood. What is being taught about SA by high school agriculture teachers is also unclear. The purpose of this study was to identify the beliefs of high school agriculture teachers about SA and to examine the extent they teach SA. A mailed questionnaire was used to collect data from a random sample of 844 teachers in the North Central Region (NCR) of the United States. Teachers agreed to concepts about SA and taught selected SA topics to a moderate extent, emphasizing topics related to ecological and social dimensions of SA compared with topics having economic dimensions. In addition, teachers indicated the following topics to be most frequently taught: soil testing, crop rotation, food safety, water quality, and use of animal manure. Results of this study indicated that agriculture teachers do not include much about SA in their curricula. Further investigations into the barriers regarding infusion of SA into the curriculum would help explain what is required to enhance instruction in this subject matter.

Relationship between teaching competence and academic performance of high school agriculture teachers in Swaziland

No Abstract. UNISWA Research Journal of Agriculture, Science and Technology Vol. 8(2) 2005: 103-107

A Delphi Study Of Agricultural Teacher Perceptions Of Problems In Student Retention

The objective of the study was to identify the major problems facing high school agriculture teachers in retaining students for secondary agricultural education programs as identified by agriculture teachers. To accomplish this objective the Delphi technique of obtaining group consensus was employed. The study used a series of four mailed questionnaires. The first round of the study used a questionnaire with an open-ended question. In the second questionnaire, respondents were asked to rate the items identified in round one on a five-point Likert-type scale. In the third round panel members were asked to indicate whether they agreed or disagreed with the statements from round two, and to provide comments if they could not agree with the summary findings. The fourth and final round produced concensus on ten of the statements from round three. The major problems identified by the Delphi technique in the successful retention of students in high school agricultural education programs were: scheduling difficulties, lack of guidance counselor support, the image of agriculture, increased graduation requirements, scheduling barriers created by college entrance requirements, competition from other school activities, block scheduling, the image of the local agriculture program, and the quality of the local agriculture instructor.

HEARING LOSS AND HEARING CONSERVATION PRACTICES AMONG AGRICULTURE INSTRUCTORS

This study was designed to determine the extent of hearing loss experienced by high school agriculture teachers in West Virginia, and the hearing conservation practices used by those teachers and their students. Data regarding teacher training and characteristics were collected and teachers were tested for auditory sensitivity. More than three-fourths of the teachers tested were found to have high frequency hearing loss. Most teachers had not received information in college concerning hearing conservation. More than a third never wear hearing protection in their school shops and only about five percent always do. More than half the teachers reported difficulty in getting students to use safety and health equipment, with safety glasses and hearing protection presenting the greatest problems. The authors suggest that hearing conservation instruction begin in teacher preparation programs and that intensive inservice programs be provided for current teachers. They further suggest that information regarding hearing conservation methods and practices be incorporated into appropriate units and lessons, and that hearing protection equipment be provided by the schools and routinely used by teachers and students.

The Use Of International Technologies In Agricultural Education

No abstract available