School-based Agricultural Education Teachers Research Articles

School-based agricultural education teachers’ lived experience of integrating virtual reality into their classroom

Agricultural Education uses a combination of classroom and laboratory instruction, experiential learning, and leadership education to prepare students for jobs in industry. With the recent promotion of Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and Mixed Reality (MR) as an option for educational programs, this technology allows teachers to incorporate experiential learning and give students real experiences who otherwise might not have the opportunity. VR has been used across many industries, such as medicine, construction, manufacturing, military training programs, tractor and machinery operation, as a form of training. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore [state] SBAE teachers’ lived experiences of incorporating a VR experience and technology into their curriculum. Eleven teachers participated in semi-structured interviews to describe their lived experiences. Three themes and 11 sub-themes emerged from those results. Participants described their experience as one that provided valuable benefits, introduced new challenges, and a semi-realistic interpretation of a hands-on activity. VR can be successfully integrated into skill-based instruction by ensuring that teachers and students have positive user experiences, addressing students’ performance, and providing a realistic interpretation of a hands-on activity.

Impact of sequential professional development of school-based agricultural education teachers: In-service implications for safety training

Impact of sequential professional development of school-based agricultural education teachers: In-service implications for safety training

Determining professional development needs of school-based agricultural education teachers for working with English language learners

English Language Learners (ELLs) are one of the fastest growing student populations in the United States. However, teachers, including school-based agricultural education (SBAE) teachers, report being underprepared to teach ELLs. Skills needed to teach ELLs were identified and categorized using Coady et al.’s model for preparing effective teachers of ELLs. The purpose of this study was to describe current SBAE teacher perceptions and needs related to strategies for working with ELLs in the agriculture classroom. This was accomplished through a Borich needs assessment using an online survey of [State] SBAE teachers. Less than half of respondents reported receiving training in 37 out of the 41 ELL teaching strategies. The greatest professional development need was communication with ELLs and their parents. The results of this study were consistent with previous research, which reported that SBAE teachers received little training in working with ELL students. When examining teachers’ competence for working with ELL students, there were no teaching and learning strategies where teachers felt more than somewhat competent. Professional development should be provided to help improve teachers’ communication with ELL students and their parents, and teacher preparation programs should provide experiences to allow preservice teachers to work with ELL students.

The state of agricultural mechanics in the preparation of school-based agricultural education teachers

Agricultural mechanics is a primary subject area in school-based agricultural education (SBAE). Despite a high prevalence in SBAE, preservice and in-service SBAE teachers have frequently expressed concerns regarding teaching agricultural mechanics. Early 21st century research documented the characteristics of preservice SBAE teacher training in agricultural mechanics, although more recent studies have suggested that the agricultural mechanics training requirements have changed. This study sought to compare the agricultural mechanics preparation of preservice SBAE teachers between 2000 and 2021. A survey instrument was distributed to a representative of every institution with an undergraduate SBAE teacher preparation program in the contiguous United States, resulting in an 86.7% response rate. The results were compared to previous studies from 2000 and 2005. A reduction in the average number of required agricultural mechanics credit hours was found. Faculty perceptions of importance and preservice teacher preparation had increased slightly; however, deficits were found in all competency groups. Further research is warranted to determine the perceptions of preservice and in-service SBAE teachers regarding agricultural mechanics. Recommendations include that teacher educators evaluate current preparation methods for preservice SBAE teachers and provide professional development in the areas where the greatest training deficits were observed.

A national study assessing the influence of perceived challenges faced by school-based agricultural education teachers on their ability to do their job

A national study assessing the influence of perceived challenges faced by school-based agricultural education teachers on their ability to do their job

Evaluating the preparation of pre-service school-based agricultural education teachers in laboratory-based courses

This study sought to examine laboratory-based instruction for pre-service school-based agricultural education (SBAE) teachers at various institutions across the nation. While research has indicated that laboratory-based instruction in SBAE programs is commonplace (Shoulders & Meyers, 2012), a myriad of literature has noted SBAE teachers are not adequately prepared to teach, manage, and facilitate learning activities in SBAE laboratories upon completing their teacher education programs (Burris et al., 2005; Hainline & Wells, 2019; Shoulders, 2012). 
 To better understand the current state of SBAE pre-service teacher training in laboratory instruction, we surveyed 33 agricultural education certifying institutions across the country. Many of these institutions indicated they required pre-service teachers to take two laboratory-based instruction courses in the areas of agricultural mechanics (96.9%) and welding metal fabrication livestock (83.9%). However, only 46.7% of the responding institutions required students to take a greenhouse management course, and 29% required pre-service teachers to take a meat science course. The findings of this study also highlight if the laboratory-based courses had a pedagogical component, and the teacher educators were asked to provide their perceptions for a need for expansion of instruction in each context. Recommendations for practice and further investigation were provided.

Attitudes and professional development needs of school-based agricultural education teachers related to inclusion, diversity, and equity

This study aimed to describe school-based agricultural education (SBAE) teachers' attitudes regarding inclusion, diversity, and equity (IDE) and prioritize the need for IDE-related professional development. A series of survey questions were used to describe the sample of SBAE teachers and their attitudes toward IDE and inclusive teaching practices. Most participants agreed that their programs should create an inclusive environment where all students can benefit from their program, have equal opportunities, and demographically mirror their school's student population. However, the profession remains split on whether there are problems with IDE and whether changes are needed. This response is likely the result of today's polarized culture. The Borich Needs Assessment Model was used to determine the perceived level of importance and ability of SBAE teachers regarding 11 professional development statements related to IDE. All professional development needs were assessed and ranked using mean weighted discrepancy scores (MWDS). The top three IDE-related professional development need areas among SBAE teachers were (a) tapping into students' lived experiences (cultural capital) when teaching, (b) identifying curriculum resources to enhance inclusivity, and (c) advocating for minority students.

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 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.

Identifying the Characteristics of Effective School-Based Agricultural Education Teachers: A National Census Study

School-based agricultural education (SBAE) and its teachers must remain current with the times to be effective. Producing an abundance of competent, highly qualified, effective, SBAE teachers is an ongoing prerogative, and measuring effective teaching in SBAE is difficult due to the complexity and uniqueness of the demands of the position. The purpose of this study was to identify the self-perceived characteristics of effectiveness of SBAE teachers nationwide. The effective teaching instrument for SBAE teachers (ETI-SBAE), supported by a conceptual framework considering the potential factors impacting the effectiveness of SBAE teachers, was used to determine teacher effectiveness scores in this non-experimental, descriptive survey research study. All SBAE teachers across the country were included in the study’s frame. After multiple rounds of data collection, 2807 SBAE teachers responded to the study with complete data sets. It was found that these teachers are diverse and have a variety of needs depending on the state from which they responded and their years of experience. A wide range of personal and professional characteristics were identified. Based on their composite sum effectiveness score, SBAE teachers who intended to remain in the profession through retirement were statistically significantly more effective than those who did not intend to retire or were still undecided.

Factors Influencing the Decsion of Illinois School-based Agricultural Education Teachers to Remain in the Profession

Due to the overwhelming number of teachers exiting the profession each year, recruitment and retention efforts continue to be a high priority for stakeholders within agricultural education. Specifically, teacher attrition has been identified as one of the leading problematic issues hindering growth of school-based agricultural education (SBAE) programs in the United States. Researchers tell us reducing teacher attrition rates could be a key factor in balancing supply and demand within the profession. Unlike many previous studies that have examined why teachers leave the profession, the purpose of our study was to investigate factors that contribute to a SBAE teacher’s decision to remain in the profession. We designed and administered an electronic questionnaire to describe leading factors impacting an Illinois agriculture teachers’ decision to remain in the profession and determine if significant differences existed among teachers in their various professional career stages. Among all teachers, personal influences and working conditions were found to be most influential in a teacher’s decision to remain in the profession. Several significant differences were discovered among groups, with most factors belonging within the compensation construct. Guidance on how to increase SBAE teacher retention rates and recommendations for future research are included.

Identifying Tennessee school-based agricultural education student growth and program accountability metrics

Over the years, accountability in education has transformed from the primary focus being the school as a whole to the individual teacher. The purpose of this study was to determine the metrics Tennessee school-based agricultural education teachers perceive as indicators of excellent total programs (classroom instruction, FFA, SAE), and a modified Delphi study was used to seek a consensus. The following nine metrics were retained: (a) pesticide certification, (b) program of activities, (c) number of students participating in CDEs, (d) chapter community service hours, (e) total number of FFA activities, (f) number of CDEs coached, (g) at least one proficiency at regional level, (h) one American degree every 3 years, and (i) percentage of students with SAE. Overall, the metrics agreed upon are narrow in focus and all but one is a record of activity and not direct measures of students’ knowledge or skills. As a result, the measures do not include student growth or value-added scores or authentic assessments of 21st century skills. Additional research is needed to further investigate the metrics that should be used to measure a school-based agricultural education program’s success in Tennessee and across the nation.

A Regional Study of the Agricultural Mechanics Knowledge and Skills Needed by School-based Agricultural Education Teachers

A priority of agricultural teacher education programs is to develop technically competent, prepared school-based agricultural education (SBAE) teachers. SBAE teachers should be knowledgeable in various agricultural subject matter, such as agricultural mechanics. Using Roberts and Ball’s (2009) Content-based Model for Teaching Agriculture as the conceptual framework for our study, we used a three-round Delphi technique to identify the agricultural mechanics knowledge and skills SBAE teachers in Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas need to successfully teach agricultural mechanics courses. Spread across all four states, a panel of 47 SBAE teachers with expertise in agricultural mechanics contributed data for our study. Thirty-five teachers participated in all three rounds. After all three rounds were completed, 71 technical agricultural mechanics knowledge and skill items (e.g., circular saw use, computer numerical control [CNC] systems use, etc.) and 49 agricultural mechanics “teacher skill” / laboratory management knowledge and skill items (e.g., budget management, developing a student traffic control system, etc.) were identified. We recommend various efforts to help expand teachers’ competence in these items should be undertaken within these states, including: (1) establishing and expanding partnerships with agricultural industry stakeholders to provide professional development opportunities for SBAE teachers, (2) realigning agricultural teacher education courses and experiences to better reflect teachers’ agricultural mechanics knowledge and skill needs, and (3) facilitating opportunities for teachers to develop competence in agricultural mechanics through SBAE teacher-led training. To help provide systematic, consistent examination of teacher competence needs in agricultural mechanics, replication of our study should occur at regular intervals.

School-Based Agricultural Education Teachers Competence of Synchronous Online Instruction Tools During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic forced educators to move course delivery to online learning with little or no advanced training. One of the immediate concerns of the online course delivery was readiness in using the synchronous learning tools available to school districts. Additionally, moving all students to online learning environments presented a challenge for those teachers who knew little about accessibility tools. The purpose of this study was to assess the awareness and self-perceived competence levels of SBAE teachers in South Carolina related to synchronous online instruction and application of accessibility tools during the COVID-19 pandemic. The majority of the teachers indicated they used Google Meet as the institution's synchronous delivery platform. Of those using Google Meet, their ability to use the mobile application to start meetings and use virtual backgrounds was low. The second most used synchronous delivery platform was Zoom. Some of the skill gaps SBAE teachers listed while using Zoom included breakout rooms, the polling feature, and removing unwanted participants. SBAE teachers reported very low competence in using accessibility features provided in Microsoft Word and PowerPoint applications. Recommendations included future in-service training for SBAE teachers in using advanced levels of Zoom, Google Meet, and WebEx features. Also, training for SBAE teachers on the importance of accessibility and the tools provided is warranted. Faculty teaching educational technologies in pre service programs for SBAE teachers are also encouraged to adapt curricula to support these skills.

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.

Comparing the self-efficacy of Florida school-based agricultural education teachers delivering online and in-person instruction

The purpose of this study was to examine the self-efficacy of Florida SBAE teachers for in-person and online instruction. The methodology included a descriptive survey approach to determine the self-efficacy of Florida SBAE teachers. A census of SBAE teachers was conducted in the Fall of 2020 and Spring of 2021. The population included a total of 500 SBAE teachers in the Florida. Major findings included a significantly different self-efficacy score for in-person instructors (M =4.22, SD = 0.48) when compared to instructors who taught online (M = 2.98, SD = 0.67). Navigating online platforms for teaching, coupled with the conditions in which teachers had to move to online instruction during COVID-19 could have reduced the self-efficacy of teachers. Recommendations include training for teachers on how to navigate online platforms, as well as professional development to enhance skillsets of teachers in pedagogical practices for engaging online learners. Teachers should look for support from their peers who are proficient in online teaching. Preservice teacher education programs should consider integrating online delivery instructional practices into existing coursework and moving back to in-person instruction when it is safe to do so.

The Impacts of COVID-19 on school-based agricultural education teachers in the U.S.

The COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 disrupted education all over the world. Teachers and students were forced to adapt to online learning. In the U.S., school-based agricultural education (SBAE) teachers faced challenges in delivering what is traditionally a hands-on curriculum. This study used a Pedagogical Design Capacity framework to understand the experiences of four SBAE teachers at different career stages and different geographic regions of the U.S. Our results showed dissatisfaction over initial changes, frustrations over changes to program outcomes, and impacts to teacher well-being. Recommendations for research, practice, and policy are provided.

School-based Agricultural Education Teachers’ Experiences During a Year-long Field Test of the CASE Mechanical Systems in Agriculture (MSA) Curriculum

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) applications have become increasingly more commonplace in school-based agricultural education (SBAE) settings in the past few decades. In recent years, Curriculum for Agricultural Science Education (CASE) programming has provided a practical outlet for STEM-focused, inquiry-based teaching and learning activities. The CASE Mechanical Systems in Agriculture (MSA) course was recently field-tested nationally with several SBAE teachers. Framed within Rogers’ (2003) diffusion of innovations theory, we sought to study six teachers’ experiences when implementing the CASE MSA curriculum throughout the 2018-2019 academic year. Using qualitative research methods, we conducted multiple one-on-one interviews with each SBAE teacher at different parts of their respective academic years. Data were coded in accordance with Merriam’s (2009) recommendations. Four dominant themes emerged: (1) the journey toward innovation; (2) learning as you go; (3) logistical and implementation challenges; and (4) students’ needs and preferences. Several prominent sub-themes emerged as well. Our findings highlight that although challenges existed, the CASE MSA curriculum was suitable for enhancing the rigor and relevance of these teachers’ agricultural mechanics curricula. We recommend CASE MSA curriculum stakeholders collaborate to continuously improve its design and flexibility.

Exploring Curriculum Congruence and Connectivity within School-Based Agricultural Education

Teacher connectivity represents a relatively new and exciting construct within school based agricultural education. Existing research identifying a relationship between teacher connectivity and career commitment illuminates the need for additional research on teacher connectivity within schoolbased agricultural education. Framed using the Relational Theory of Working, the current research analyzes four facets of teacher connectivity (i.e., connection to the community, curriculum, school, and other school-based agricultural education teachers) alongside curriculum congruence, years of teaching experience, and teacher certification type. Results illustrate, among the majority of respondents, personal interest toward an agricultural subject exceeds the presence of that topic within their program. Across all areas studied, only 17.65% of responding teachers experienced alignment between their personal interests and level of curriculum represented within their program. Furthermore, results from this investigation highlight connectivity is highest among teachers who experience congruence between the presence of their curriculum and their personal interests, teachers later in their career, and teachers traditionally certified. In concert, results highlight teacher characteristics which may predispose a teacher to struggle establishing connections within the profession. Recommendations for research and practice are framed by aligning the theoretical framework, findings, and conclusions.