Secondary Agricultural Education Research Articles

Educational and training innovation opportunities in the aquaculture and fisheries sector of Hungarian secondary agricultural education

AbstractAmong the challenges of the aquaculture sector, the present study tries to focus on the necessary modernisation and innovation of the Hungarian sector education by strategically outlining the possibility of a niche secondary-level fisheries PILOT (experimental) training. It is obvious that the “launching” of such a shortage training level is a very complex and long-term task, but in our opinion not unfeasible. To this end, we are considering the development of a multi-stage action plan, the first milestone of which will be a thorough situation survey of the aquaculture education community. The study applies a deductive approach to specific areas of education and training within the general trends in aquaculture, covering the main traces of PILOT training in fisheries as a niche discipline. Our first paper, targeted at educators, focuses on the results of a questionnaire survey of 94 educators. Our main objective was to assess the presence of aquaculture-related knowledge content and associated methodologies in the classroom and the general digital literacy of educators. Our objectives also focus on the general digital readiness of vocational trainers and on the patterns of “professional marketing” opportunities that aquaculture professionals can express.

Coping with transitions during the COVID-19 global pandemic: A case study of early career teachers’ experiences in secondary agricultural Education

The year 2020 marked an era of change and demanded that educators across the globe adapt in new and innovative ways. In secondary agricultural education, teachers experienced significant transitions as a majority of K-12 schools shifted to remote, distance, and online instructional models. Therefore, teachers’ position requirements, obligations, and expectations began to shift dramatically, creating unique challenges for early career teachers. As such, the purpose of this study was to explore the transitions that early-career SBAE teachers in [State] experienced while teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through our analysis, four themes emerged: (1) situation, (2) self, (3) support, and (4) strategies. In the first theme, the early career teachers gave voice to how situational factors greatly influenced the professional transitions they underwent as a result of COVID-19. Self, the second theme, represented the different internal mechanisms, or sources of strength, participants used during the transition process. Meanwhile, support reflected the external support systems participants used during their time of transition into a virtual teaching format. The last theme, strategies, provided insight into the approaches that participants used to address and reduce the negative effects of the pandemic on their teaching. Going forward, we provide critical implications to stoke changes so that early career teachers can better cope with transitions during periods of stress in the post-COVID-19 era.

Virtual mentoring in agricultural education: Describing digital literacy, technology self-efficacy, and attitudes toward technology of secondary agricultural educators

Digital literacy, technology self-efficacy, and attitude toward technology play an impactful role in the life of teachers. Proficiency in digital literacy and technology self-efficacy, along with a positive attitude toward technology, can predict and shape an educator's capacity to implement best practices for teaching and learning with technology. This study examined the effects of participation in a virtual mentoring program on the digital literacy, technology self-efficacy, and attitude toward technology of secondary agriculture teachers. We found secondary agriculture teachers who had participated in a virtual mentoring program exhibited higher overall digital literacy levels and technology self-efficacy levels than those secondary agriculture teachers who had not participated in a virtual mentoring program. Pragmatic implications include a defined opportunity for agricultural education leaders to develop appropriate and beneficial tools and materials to assist in-service agriculture teachers in developing digital literacy skills, technology self-efficacy skills, and a positive attitude toward technology. Recommendations for future research include examining different means of establishing virtual mentoring relationships between secondary agriculture teachers and exploring virtual professional development opportunities designed to help educators develop digital literacy, technology self-efficacy, and a positive attitude toward technology.

Science Citizenship through Secondary Agricultural Education

Global society has major scientific challenges to solve over the coming decades including climate change and food insecurity. Considering school-based agricultural education can play an important role in developing scientifically literate and civically engaged citizens to help address these challenges, this study sought to describe and compare Pennsylvania agricultural education students’ science literacy, civic engagement, and science citizenship. In addition, the purpose of this study was to determine which variables of science literacy and civic engagement best predicted students’ science citizenship. Using a descriptive-correlational research design, the study utilized a questionnaire adapted from three existing instruments to measure science literacy, civic engagement, and science citizenship. Data was collected from a proportionate stratified random sample of Pennsylvania agricultural education programs for a total of (n = 197) students. The multiple linear regression model was found to be a significant predictor of students’ science citizenship and explained 57.8% of the variance. Civic skills efficacy, civic participation, value of science, science skills, and civic duty were significant predictors of students’ science citizenship. Recommendations from results include incorporating civic education that builds students civic skills into agricultural education curriculum, educating pre-service agriculture teachers how to incorporate civic engagement into their programs, and further research to determine the extent to which agriculture teachers currently support students’ civic engagement in their programs.

Hybrid Vigor: A Quantitative Analysis of Job Satisfaction of United States School Based Secondary Agricultural Education Classrooms

The balance between work and personal life has seen a renewed focus in the years since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the years leading up to the work stoppage in 2020 a growing body of literature was being compiled that agriculture teachers, as many of the American population do, suffered from a lack of balance between personal and work life. This study sought to examine the way agriculture teachers spent their time, how they viewed their job satisfaction, and if any relationships exist between them. A national sample of agriculture teachers (N = 570) was conducted and when the results were interpreted it was found that agriculture teachers are majority female (51.9%), almost all took agriculture courses in high school (89.3%), were active in FFA in high school (81.9%), and many continued that membership into college (44.9%). Most teachers spent some time outside of school hours preparing for class, SAE supervision, and other school-based activities, but most of their time was spent on FFA activities. Teachers reported some time spent in domestic, civic/religious, and recreation time outside of work. Teachers had a heavy slant towards positive job satisfaction, (M = 1.86, SD = .788) on a one through five scale with one being extremely good and five being extremely bad. Significant correlations were found at a small level (Cohen, 2013) between time in SAE, time in recreation, and salary range with job satisfaction. Significant linear (p < 0.05) regressions were calculated with salary, time in SAE’s, time spent in recreation. Time spent in recreation provided the best fit.

Aspiration Level of Undergraduates and Post Graduate Agriculture Students

The focus on career and career preparation has long been a major component of secondary agricultural education programs. Aspiration can be defined as hope or ambition of achieving something. The occupational choices for agricultural students are many, varied and chosen based. The study was carried out in college of Agriculture, Jabalpur, JNKVV with the total sample of 120, level of occupational aspiration of undergraduate and postgraduate students were determined. The socio personal traits of the Undergraduate(UG) and Postgraduate(PG) result found that majority of the students enrolled were male for undergraduate and postgraduate, had attended the medium of school as hindi for both UG and PG, nearly half of the respondents fathers were in government services for both UG and PG, both UG and PG graduates majority mothers were housewives, family size was small(55%) for UG and 50.00 per cent medium family size for PG Students, and academic performance, UG and PG students had secured 1st division. The result concluded that in socio personal traits of both the undergraduate and postgraduate students had medium level of occupational aspiration i.e 53.40 and 51.60 respectively.

Accommodating Students with Exceptionalities in Secondary Agricultural Education: Experiences During Student Teaching

Contemporary trends in agricultural education demonstrate a need for secondary teachers to obtain more knowledge and skills regarding accommodating students with exceptionalities. As such, the purpose of this case study was to understand the experiences of student teachers (N = 4) at Louisiana State University as they developed inclusive educational environments and provided accommodations for students during their student teaching practicum. As a result of our analysis, participants’ experiences were interpreted through Dunkin’s and Biddle’s model of teaching and learning that included three key variables: (1) presage, (2) context, and (3) process. Presage variables described the role of the student teachers’ personal characteristics and professional experience in influencing how they accommodated students. The second theme, context variables, illustrated the various situational elements the student teachers perceived affected their ability to accommodate the learning of students with exceptionalities, such as communication with other school professionals as well as local school policies and practices. Finally, process variables, reflected the participants’ specific activities and demonstrated their need for additional professional development and training. Moving forward, we recommend that teacher preparation programs enhance preservice teachers’ awareness of the learning needs of students with exceptionalities through early fieldbased experiences that feature best practices concerning creating inclusive classroom environments and accommodating students before they begin student teaching.

Pedagogical Support is a Necessary Condition for Creation and Development of a System of Lifelong Rural Education Providing the Training of High-quality Agricultural Specialists

Currently, there are two main options for training agricultural specialists in the Russian Federation. The first option is studying in a college (technical school) or mastering university programs through bachelor's, specialist and master's programs. The second way is to form a stepwise organisation of continuous agricultural education: a specialised general education school, a college (technical school), a university, and an institution of additional professional education. Insufficient attention to the change and development of new social statuses by students makes it difficult to fully disclose the educational potential of the system of continuous agricultural education. Thus, it is necessary to organize pedagogical support for students' adaptation to current changing academic situations. It is also essential to consider lifelong agricultural education not only as advanced training in the workplace, but also as a transition from specialized training in a secondary general education school to secondary agricultural vocational education, and then to the development of programs of higher agricultural education and subsequent regular, professional development throughout the entire period professional activity.

Examining Likeness Among Secondary Agriculture Youth

Likeness, also known as homophily, describes the tendency for individuals to seek out others who are socially similar to themselves. As a society, we are attracted to “like” behaviors, but subconsciously the value placed on likeness can lead to undesirable outcomes including segregation, reduced diversity in peer groups, and narrower social interactions. Homophily behaviors present major limitations to multicultural group interaction and can negatively impact the recruitment and retention of diverse groups. The purpose of this study was to determine if homophily behavior exists among Kentucky secondary agricultural education youth toward three binary variables: a) farm background/non-farm athlete; b) Black student white student; and c) gay student/straight student. Senior level high school students throughout the state were randomly assigned two, of eight, mock student profiles to determine if they were “like” them or “different” than them. Student participants reported homophily-likeness toward students who were white and perceived differences in likeness from students who were Black or gay. Further analysis suggested that students were open to likeness if the mock student profile reflected a minimum of two similar variables to their own demographic. Continued critical research, conversation, and professional growth in homophily is necessary to avoid particular group extraction and to promote inclusion and diversity initiatives in secondary agricultural education.

Agricultural Mechanics Preparation: How Much Do School Based Agricultural Education Teachers Recieve?

The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine the amount of preparation Iowa inservice secondary agricultural education teachers received in agricultural mechanics at the university level. Secondary School Based Agricultural Education instructors attending the Iowa Association of Agricultural Educators’ summer conference were given a paper-based survey instrument to report their perceptions of the agricultural mechanics skills and training they had received at the postsecondary level. Agricultural education teachers indicated that safety, welding, and construction were among the skills with highest concentration of instruction received at the postsecondary level. The areas in which teachers received the least amount of preparation were surveying, technology, and tractor skills. The overall lack of instruction in agricultural mechanics at the postsecondary level may lead to inexperienced and underprepared teachers. We recommended weekend or summer training be offered for inservice teachers who did not receive or received very little training at the postsecondary level. It is also recommended postsecondary institutions organize consistent ways in which agricultural mechanics courses are offered so that preservice agriculture teachers receive appropriate training prior to entering the profession.

In-Service Agricultural Mechanics Needs of Montana Mid-Career Agricultural Educators

Agricultural mechanics—a pillar of many secondary agricultural education programs—is a dynamic, constantly changing field, requiring educators to continually evolve their programs to maintain relevance. This study explored the in-service agricultural mechanics needs of Montana mid-career agricultural educators. We used mean weighted discrepancy scores and descriptive measures to analyze demographics and perceived levels of importance and competency to teach agricultural mechanics content areas. The areas of highest perceived importance of teaching were welding safety, mechanical safety, and construction and shop safety. The areas that educators felt least competent to teach were differential leveling, profile leveling, and cleaning motors. Mean weight discrepancy scores revealed the greatest discrepancies between importance and competence to teach in the areas of electrical safety, computer aided design, and differential leveling. Agricultural educator associations and industry experts should collaborate with advisory groups, local businesses, and organizations such as the Chamber of Commerce to determine the relevance of low-ranking content areas and create professional development opportunities for educators in these areas.

¡Somos Nosotros! Lived Experiences of Latinx ELL Youth Enrolled in Secondary Agricultural Education

This study examines the inherent relationship Latinx English-Language Learners students have with their agriculture teacher and the overall agricultural education program at four rural high schools. It is based upon a series of 11 focus group interviews with two U.S. born and 27 immigrant students from Central America and Mexico, all of whom were in at least their second year of enrollment in secondary agricultural education. The study also includes direct observations of classrooms and peer interactions. Four themes emerged that reflect White students creating an unaccepting dynamic, ignorance toward the Latinx students passion for agriculture, high respect toward the agriculture teacher and a program culture that is currently not relatable to Latinx youth. Recommendations for pedagogical approaches that encourage English comprehension should be implemented into the agricultural education programs along with bold initiatives that gives voice for Latinx students throughout the program, specifically the FFA organization. Additional research that further replicates this study is necessary as well as an understanding of teacher’s current knowledge and skills for teaching Latinx ELL youth.

Application of a Simulation Model in an Agricultural Vocational School Through Examples from the Livestock Sector

In today’s education system, it is possible to prepare a skilled workforce within the framework of public education, higher education and vocational training outside the school system. One of them young people need to be prepared for activities that require adaptability and perseverance. In contrast, there has been a level of development in agriculture that neither teacher training nor vocational training can keep up with, as a result of which it is not possible to teach in the same wayas before. Significant renewal is needed in secondary agricultural education. One of the areas of this is the renewal of technical and IT training, the improvement of the standard of practical education following technological innovations. Numerous researches show that educators need to breakaway from the “outdated” methods used so far, more emphasis should be placed on motivation and practice, as these graduates will ultimately be business leaders who will coordinate the work of their professionals (Berke and Kőmüves, 2016; Kőmüves, Berke and Póra, 2016). It is therefore important and necessary to apply and put into practice the ever-expanding innovative teaching methods. As an innovative pedagogical method, I examined the possibilities of applying the simulation model I created, as this model can point to interdisciplinary relationships that enable students to study an economic process in a broader, more complex light by broadening their knowledge and reflectiveness.

Improving Knowledge Gain in Secondary School Agricultural Education through Supervised Agricultural Experience Programme (SAEP) in Migori County, Kenya

This study focused on determining the influence of SAEP on knowledge gain in secondary school agricultural education among Form Three students in Migori County, Kenya. It zeroed on analysing the differences in knowledge gained in agriculture between two groups, one taking part in SAEP and the other not taking part. It utilised quasi-experimental design, particularly the pre-test and post-test none-equivalent control group design incorporating a sample of 384 forms three agriculture students in Migori County. A test for measuring learning outcomes was used to collect data before and after the programme. Analysis of data was done using SPSS (Version 22). Descriptive statistics were used to present and describe data while inferential statistics were used test hypotheses at α = 0.05. The study established that there was a statistically significant difference in the acquisition of knowledge of specific agriculture content between secondary school agriculture students exposed to SAEP as opposed to the control group.

A Multi-State Evaluation of Secondary Agricultural Education Students’ Performance on Industry-Based Standards

This examination of secondary agricultural education students’ performance was used to determine if students could perform up to industry standards. In this study, the industry standard were blueprints created by engineers at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Students had to fabricate a Cost-effective Roll-Over Protective Structure (CROPS) to be placed on a tractor within their community. All the pieces of the CROPS were inspected by an outside consultant with experience with inspecting projects and visual inspection of welds. It was found that students struggled the most with fabricating the axel brackets. The axel brackets required the most drilled holes and cuts of all the pieces therefore creating more areas where mistakes could be made. Students fabricated the vertical support tubes with the most accuracy. According to the DataDriven Decision Model (DDDM), teachers analyzed student work, provided feedback, and need to incorporate this new knowledge into their future instruction to increase the accuracy of their students’ fabrication skills. Teacher trainers are recommended to incorporate this performance data into the summer training to better prepare teachers. The inclusion of teaching strategies need to be created for secondary teachers such as peer evaluation of measurements prior to drilling and cutting.

Images from the Trenches: A Visual Narrative of the Concerns of Agricultural Education Majors

This study described how agricultural education majors at Louisiana State University visually represented and narrated their concerns about teaching. To accomplish this, students captured photos during early field experiences (EFEs) and then critically reflected on those experiences through focus group interviews during the Fall 2018 and Fall 2019 academic semesters. As a product of our analysis of data, we offered a visual narrative of students’ concerns through three themes: (1) Blurred Expectations: Representations of Incompetence; (2) Framing Success: Depictions of Achievement; and (3) The Narrowest Lens: Views of Time. As a result, the first theme represented how students grappled with feelings of incompetence. In the second theme, they depicted success as a secondary agricultural education teacher as winning banners and awards, from which emerged key tensions. As students assigned meaning to this concern through the co-construction of knowledge, their perspectives began to mature and evolve. The final theme spoke to how the EFEs opened students’ eyes to the realities of teaching, especially regarding the time required to be effective. As such, we offered recommendations and implications for teacher preparation programs to better respond to the concerns of agricultural education majors preparing for careers as secondary teachers.

BEGINNING OF PRIMARY AND SECONDARY AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION IN KATERINOSLAVSKY AT THE EARLY XX CENTURY

The institutional formation of primary and secondary agricultural education was the result of the response of local governments and the provincial administration to the economic crisis caused by the effects of the drought series. The regional economy needed a skilled workforce capable of mastering modern agricultural technology and innovative agro-cultural innovations. The proposal to create an elementary educational institution of agricultural education was put forward on June 30, 1894 at the meeting of the provincial assembly by the deputy of the Verkhnodniprovsky County Zemstvo E.I. Ostroukhov, whose initiative was supported by the deputy corps. Subsequently, in November 1899, the Verkhnodniprovsky Agricultural School was opened, on the basis of which the educational and production model of the primary agricultural education institution for the Dnieper region was developed. The substantial expansion of the area of primary vocational agricultural education was significantly slowed down by the economic crisis of 1900-1903.The next stage in the development of vocational agricultural education in Katerynoslav province is related to the legislative activity of the autocracy. In particular, on May 26, 1904, the Russian Emperor Nicholas II approved the «Regulations on Agricultural Education», which defined the general legal principles and order of functioning of secondary and lower educational institutions of agricultural education. However, the obstacles to the implementation of regional educational projects were the military-political events of the Russo-Japanese War and the Revolution of 1905-1907, which caused a financial crisis that made it impossible for the intensive development of the educational environment. The new attempt of meaningful expansion of the space of lower and secondary vocational-technical agricultural education falls during the period of Stolypin agrarian transformations of 1906-1911. models of rational land use. At the meeting of December 15, 1909, the Katerynoslav Provincial Zemsky Meeting approved a new target program aimed at establishing a network of lower agricultural educational establishments in the province. The practical implementation of this document led to the emergence of a number of primary agricultural schools. On the eve of the First World War, new educational establishments were opened - practical agricultural schools, which were engaged in the training of technicians for certain branches of agriculture: horticulture, viticulture, horticulture. During the First World War, new centers of agricultural education emerged - agricultural shelters, which provided the function of social care for orphans.

Overcoming Resistance to Service-Learning’s Use in the Preparation of Teachers for Secondary Agricultural Education: A Reframing of the Method’s Diffusion Challenges

Although service-learning (SL) has shown promise, its adoption as a method of instruction in secondary agricultural education remains tentative. As such, this philosophical investigation examined how resistance to SL might be uniquely manifested in the context of teacher preparation and the implications for agricultural education if viewed through the lens of Rogers’ (2003) diffusion of innovations theory. After synthesizing related research and theory, we argue the method of instruction’s barriers to adoption include not only a misalignment between teacher educators’ beliefs and practices, but also result from a lack of knowledge, including (a) awareness, (b) how-to, and (c) principles (Rogers, 2003). We also posit that contextual influences at three levels – personal, institutional, and societal – drive or constrain teacher educators’ knowledge of SL during the innovation-decision process. By reframing the problem in this way, implications emerge regarding the difficulties teacher educators may experience as they cross contextual borders and attempt to overcome the knowledge deficiencies likely to influence their pedagogical decision-making. In this regard, we offer an expansion to Rogers’ (2003) innovation-decision process so teacher educators can forecast, isolate, and address better the contextual challenges and knowledge-related problems likely foregrounding their resistance to adopting SL as a method of instruction. Keywords: Diffusion of Innovations theory; innovation-decision process; resistance; service learning; teacher preparation

The Dimensions of Professional Development Needs for Secondary Agricultural Education Teachers Across Career Stages: A Multiple Case Study Comparison

This study sought to understand the professional development needs articulated by secondary agricultural education teachers across three career stages. To accomplish this, we collected data from secondary agricultural educators (N = 66) in Louisiana. Then, we performed a cross-case analysis to compare and contrast themes and axial codes. Through our analysis, three themes emerged in each case: (1) presage variables, (2) context variables, and (3) process variables. The themes represented the various dimensions of professional development that teachers expressed they desired to facilitate student success better. In particular, the Early Career Teachers’ non-traditional backgrounds often limited their exposure to opportunities; therefore, they desired more knowledge and skills in technical agricultural concepts. Meanwhile, Mid-Career Teachers were more stable and confident in their roles as secondary agricultural education teachers; nevertheless, they were frustrated because of various contextual forces that complicated their job duties. Finally, Career Teachers were experiencing career wind-down and had unique professional development requests to help them cope better with contextual changes influencing their responsibilities. Findings from this study, therefore, suggested that although areas of commonality exist across career stages, it is critical to differentiate professional development across programmatic dimensions of agricultural education.

Continuing Professional Education and Collaborations Between University Faculty and Agricultural Education Teachers

The call for agricultural education programs to integrate more rigorous scientific and technology- driven content has left many secondary agricultural education teachers unprepared (Baker, 2015). New content that addresses the changes in the agricultural industry has required secondary agricultural teachers to seek continuing professional education. This case study examined one secondary agricultural education program and how the teachers in that program have taken advantage of continuing professional education opportunities to change local program content. The study shows that through collaborations with the faculty at the university and the secondary agricultural education teachers, continuing professional education can drive the changes needed to design and develop a relevant agricultural education program. It is through collaborations that the participants in this study connected continuing professional education with curriculum development, to focused on student needs and the expectations for their success after leaving the secondary program. Finally, the rigorous local program’s content has emerged from the small group discussions and one on one experiences of the teachers in this program collaborating with faculty at the university. It is through these unique continuing professional education experiences that teachers built a network that keeps them abreast of changes in the industry and provides an avenue for their lifelong learning experiences.