Education Commons^™

Becoming Agricultured: Creating An Agriculture Literacy Podcast For Consumers, Madalyn C. Souza

Agricultural Education and Communication

Today’s consumers want to become more aware of where their food comes from. There is a need and a desire to bridge the gap between consumers and production agriculture. One way to reach consumers is through audio podcasts. Podcasts are digital audio recordings that are streamed online. The podcast Becoming Agricultured will be a platform to show the relationship between agriculture and the environment, food, fiber and energy, animals, lifestyle, the economy and technology. The podcast is aimed to tell agriculture's story through factual research and personal accounts of those involved in different sectors of the agriculture industry and cultivate …

Ffa Informational Video In Spanish, Tess J. Johnston

Agricultural Education and Communication

According to California Agriculture Education there are 89,000 FFA students enrolled in 334 high schools throughout the state and of those students, 53% are of Hispanic descent (California Agriculture Education, 2019). Yet there are limited materials available in Spanish for these parents and students in the California FFA Organization. It is critical for more resources to be developed and made available for students, families, and communities to facilitate a smooth transition into FFA involvement.

This project will be a video resource in Spanish that explains the background of FFA, how it is structured, and give perspectives from FFA advisors, past …

Creating A Livestock Show From The Beginning For The Benefit Of Youth In The Agriculture Industry And Continuing The Tradition Of Showing, Chloé Fowler, Matthew Durian

Agricultural Education and Communication

Youth throughout the country have been shown to benefit through organizations focused on leadership and real-world tangible skills. Organizations such as the National FFA Organization and 4-H Youth Development are key organizations for this growth. Livestock shows are another layer to these organizations and youth development. “Livestock shows provide interactions through different environments that expose participants to different cultures,” (Davis, 1998).

For these reasons it is important to provide more opportunities to the next generation of agriculture. There are currently 28 different livestock jackpots within the state of California throughout one year, (CJLA, 2020). Due to the large geographic landscape …

The Effect Of An Educational Workshop On High School Future Farmers Of America Parliamentary Procedure Leadership Development Teams, Brooke Gilstrap, Alyssa Snow

Agricultural Education and Communication

Within the California Future Farmers of America Association (FFA), there are a variety of Leadership Development Events (LDE’s) including the Parliamentary Procedure contest. Within this contest students sharpen their knowledge through reviewing Robert's Rules of Order and applying this knowledge to an exam as well as a live demonstration. Through this contest, students also improve upon their public speaking skills and research agricultural education and industry issues. Students compete in several invitational contests before entering the sectional, regional, and state levels of competition where their advanced knowledge comes into play with a wider audience. Over the span of California, there …

Proposal To Implement A Peer Mentorship Program Project, Paige H. Wilson, Mitchell L. Cameron

Agricultural Education and Communication

California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo’s College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Science (CAFES) needs a peer mentor program modeled after the Orfalea College of Business’ (OCOB). Younger students who have mentors do exponentially better than students who do not. Upperclassmen gain a sense of fulfillment from helping younger, less experienced underclassmen. Rodger’s research provides insight into students’ academic success when paired with a peer mentor. Those who participated in a full year of peer mentoring had considerably higher grades than the control group. A specific group of students who benefit from programs like these are students who struggle …

Creating Online Training Modules For Student Employees At The California Polytechnic State University Dairy Using Train Trac, Olivia K. Taylor

Agricultural Education and Communication

The purpose of this project was to create training modules for the Cal Poly Dairy. The author’s goal was to incorporate the safety aspect of dairy work into the modules as well. To properly obtain all the necessary information for the modules, the author first had to compile lists from the Cal Poly Dairy’s written standard operating procedures. From here, the majority of time was used to gather video and picture content using a surface tablet that would later be used in the online modules. Once the content was gathered, it had to be organized into files for each module …

Farming Forward, Karina Medrano

Agricultural Education and Communication

How can the next generation be inspired to be problem solvers and innovators in order to impact the global food system? With the large millennial generation it is as important as ever to develop new platforms to spread agricultural awareness and literacy. With the millennial generation being increasingly connected to technology and media platforms, understanding how to create a mainstreamed farming blog will be valuable in reaching the future generation of agriculturalists.

This project will develop a proposal for a farming blog platform and review essential elements to include within a blog ranging from an up to date news section …

Agricultural Sciences Outreach Program, Maghan Lea England, Sophie Lorraine Johnston

Agricultural Education and Communication

The College of Agriculture, Food, and Environmental Sciences (CAFES) mission statement and vision of the Agricultural Education and Communication Department is to develop future leaders, educators, and communicators to advance and advocate for the agricultural industry in a global economy (AGED, 2018). Student organizations, such as Agriculture Ambassadors and Agriculture Leadership Society, facilitate several outreach events to engage and excite prospective students in pursuing their higher education goals in agriculture at Cal Poly (CAFES Ag Council, 2018). In order to maintain growing student numbers, the Agricultural Education and Communication Department, specifically, the Agricultural Science major needs revamped recruiting efforts and …

Hosting The Third Annual Young Women In Agriculture Career And Leadership Seminar, Emma E. Morris, Madyline J. Braught

Agricultural Education and Communication

Agriculture has traditionally been a male-dominated industry; however, recent years have shown a significant growth in female presence. Women are beginning to take leadership roles both on the farm and within advocacy, lobbying, and business entities in the industry. According to the latest agricultural census data from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), in 2012, women farmers controlled seven percent of the nation’s farmland (Census, 2014). Additionally, women held leadership roles in 14 percent of the nation’s two million farms (Census, 2014). This data is several years old, and likely the numbers have grown since the last census was …

Agriculture Ambassador State Conference, James Andrew Broaddus, Quincie A. Gourley

Agricultural Education and Communication

The Agriculture Ambassador organization at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo focuses on promotion of higher education, agriculture, and professional development among its members and community contacts. In 2018, the organization hosted the Agriculture Ambassador State Conference to bring together Californian Agriculture Ambassadors and industry professionals for workshops and advocacy planning. “Exposure to the different forms of leadership through out-of-classroom involvement offers concrete experiences and background knowledge upon which students can draw as they integrate leadership theories and skills,” (Fritz, S., 1998, p.58). Industry professionals have cited the need to emphasize soft skill development through college level education (Robles, …

Soil Science In Precision Agriculture Lesson Plan, Carson Ellis Cronkright

Agricultural Education and Communication

Due to the increasing demands for the American agricultural industry to provide exceptional products at an increasing rate of production, as well as implement the practice of sustainable farming, it is imperative that more modern concepts be taught at a younger age (Ray, 2013). In order to inform students of advancements and the future of agriculture in the United States, curriculum and lesson plans should reflect this movement in industry in order to provide relevant information and maintain the highest quality of education possible. This project will provide a constructed lesson plan as one example of adopting more progressive methods …

Ag Buddies: Making Connections With Agriculture Leaders And Elementary Youth, Lacee Holloway, Rachel Dewar, Mickey Guerra, Chantal Herrera

Agricultural Education and Communication

The author Bill McBean defines being a leader as, “exhibiting moral and ethical courage and setting an example for everyone.” Leadership begins at an early age and demonstrating the right way to lead and how to teach others should be instilled in a child when they are young enough to develop the right tools for success. Future Farmers of America and the agriculture programs that it is integrated into are prime examples of what being a leader inhibits. The National FFA Organization states that, “they taught us that agriculture is more than planting and harvesting — it's a science, it's …

Fishing For Answers: Barriers To Secondary Agricultural English Course Adoption, Sydney Arlene Keen

Agricultural Education and Communication

Wamba (2012) said, “...literacy education plays an important role in moving people out of poverty toward greater self-sufficiency post-graduation” (p. 109). Nearly 47% of first-time California community college students are enrolled in remedial English coursework (Student Success, 2015). Further, California high school dropout rates are at 11% due to “school-related reasons…implying a lack of engagement and lack of perceived relevance” in curriculum (Gottfried & Plasman, 2017, p. 30). Literacy in our high school classrooms must be addressed.

Career and Technical Education (CTE) coursework has been linked to lower dropout rates; particularly in grades 11 and 12 (Gottfried & Plasman, 2017). …

Cal Poly Farmers Picnic, Emily Anne Dale, Riley Nilsen, Jack Gavron

Agricultural Education and Communication

Agriculture can be seen as the world’s most essential industry. Many products people use daily come directly from agriculture, including the food placed on people’s tables. Knowing where that food comes from, and the overall importance of agricultural education is vital in the United States and the world. This message needs to be shared beyond the classroom: we need agriculture to survive.

According to the United States Department of Agriculture, “in 2012, there were 3.2 million farmers, ranchers and other agricultural managers and an estimated 757,900 agricultural workers legally employed in the U.S.” (USDA, 2012). These findings concluded that less …

Converting Agricultural Lesson Plans To Be Common Core Compliant For Grades 3-5, Hattie Kaymarie Jameson, Brittany Rose Withnell

Agricultural Education and Communication

There are few Common Core approved lesson plans for teachers to incorporate into traditional science programs in California. The Farm Bureau’s Ag in the Classroom (AITC) program provides K-12 educators lesson plans with an agricultural focus. Only 13 out of 45 of the lesson plans that the California AITC website offers are Common Core approved (Learn About Ag, 2017).

Agricultural literacy is valuable to consumers, can lead to careers in agriculture, and can create a greater understanding of the world and of science for students. The agricultural lessons give students a real life relationship with what they are learning and …

Egg Awareness, Hailee J. French

Agricultural Education and Communication

In 2008, Proposition 2 passed, forcing all egg producers in California to provide more room inside of cages to their laying hens. The Humane Society of the United States [HSUS] initiated this battle and won but, less than a decade later decided that still wasn’t enough room for the birds. HSUS is now pushing to have a new measure on the ballot in November 2018 forcing all egg producers in California to produce their eggs cage free.

This project will survey the California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo campus to gauge the campus’s understanding of egg production in California. …

Agricultural Communications Lesson Plans For High School Agriculture Programs, Caitlin Anne Stanton

Agricultural Education and Communication

In today’s workforce, individuals are expected to be able to communicate effectively through all means of communication. This includes video, graphics, emails, social media, and in person. In the agriculture industry, these means of communication have become crucial to promoting agricultural literacy throughout the world. It is important for young people to have a grasp on professionally utilizing these communication methods so that they can use them in future careers as well as advocating for the agriculture industry. The role of technology and social media is rapidly increasing in everyday life and becoming a key learning tool in secondary education. …

Capturing The History Of California Polytechnic State University's College Of Agriculture, Food And Environmental Sciences, Sabrina Lee Hall

Agricultural Education and Communication

The objective of this senior project was to capture the history of California Polytechnic State University’s (Cal Poly) College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences (CAFES). The importance of this topic lies in both the legacy and future of CAFES. Many individuals at Cal Poly are not familiar with the agriculture program’s history. The makeup of this population ranges from current agriculture students to administration. In order to continue the CAFES legacy, history must be captured, recorded and documented. It is critical this history is preserved to educate and share with future generations, current students and faculty.

Visuals And Pathways In The Agricultural Industry, Stephanie Contreras, Chris Curiel

Agricultural Education and Communication

Agriculture is the largest industry in California worth nearly $37.5 billion. The agricultural industry generates $100 billion in related economy (NASDA, 2017). It is imperative all students learn the importance of agriculture in their lives. For students who have a Future Farmers of America (FFA) chapter at their school, the program enables students to be exposed and embrace the value agriculture. However, there is a lack of value given to agriculture by students who do not have either an FFA chapter or agriculture related courses taught at their school.

The purpose of this project is to interact with and educate …

"Tagged" An Agricultural Education Immersion Program, Angelica A. Aldana

Agricultural Education and Communication

According to the 2014 National Association of Agricultural Educator’s (NAAE) National Teach Ag Campaign Report, a total of 96 agricultural teaching positions went unfilled across the nation. California is located in the region with the highest number of unfilled positions. 739 teachers left the profession nation-wide, testifying to the growing issue of retention in the field of Agricultural Education. In order to help further recruitment efforts for students to consider agricultural education as a profession, the findings of this research will support the need for an Agricultural Education Immersion Program.

This project outlines a plan for an Agricultural Education Immersion …

Elementary Education Goat Video: "I Goat This!", Laurie M. Sisler

Agricultural Education and Communication

The purpose of this project was to create an interactive educational video to expand the agricultural knowledge of children in third through fifth grade. The video features goats in effort to improve the next generation’s enthusiasm about agriculture. Consumer agricultural literacy has declined due to most people living at a distance from the farm. Specific objectives were to include interesting information about the terminology used and the tendencies of goats.

The process involved researching this information, contacting the actor, professors, and goat herder, filming the goats multiple times for different animal tendencies, and editing the final video. The video turned …

An Educational Video: Cal Poly Dairy Calf Management Procedures, Katie Nicole Vierra, Anthony Joseph Ferdinandi

Agricultural Education and Communication

In particular, dairy production in California is ranked one of the top five states in the United States that produces approximately 40 billion pounds of milk per year. California’s dairy industry is not only the largest milk producer in the nation, but it is also the most financially prominent in the agricultural industry. This industry lead is merely because of its careful management practices. The way calves are raised depend on the resources used, the natural environment present, and the operation of the dairy farm. Essentially, there are numerous ways to care for a cow and calf. However, the aim …

Aged 220 Youth Conferences Course Workbook, Kenna Rae Sandberg

Agricultural Education and Communication

A sea of blue and gold covers the streets of downtown Fresno every April for the annual California FFA State Conference. The days are packed with recognition, motivational speakers, workshops, and experiences that will last a lifetime. FFA members attending have the privilege of participating in workshops presented by college students including Fresno State, Chico State, UC Davis, and Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. These workshops are dedicated to helping develop premier leadership, personal growth, and career success. At Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, a class is offered every winter, specifically designed to help students create a workshop for the …

California Middle School Agriculture Program Enhancement, Claire L. Schauer

Agricultural Education and Communication

California is known for its progressive movements and highly regarded education system. California education is faced every day with how to improve and innovate its system even more. Hence, the importance of proposed middle school agricultural programs. In this piece, the author provides research to show why California not only needs to adopt middle school agricultural programs, but also develop standardized curriculum to encourage the success of the program, students, and teachers. Using past and current studies, the author explores different emphases on curriculum topics and needs. The author discusses methods, results, and conclusions from the studies analyzed.

A Handbook For Angling In The Eastern Sierra Nevada Between The Areas Of Bridgeport And Lone Pine, Rachel M. Martin

Agricultural Education and Communication

The purpose of this project was to compile a handbook to recreational fishing in the Eastern Sierra Nevada between the areas of Bridgeport and Lone Pine, California. During the summer, fishing is one of the most popular recreational pursuits in this region. It is important for anglers to have access to a concise, accurate, and thorough resource that can be used for reference to the sport of angling in this region of the Eastern Sierra, and a handbook such as this does not currently exist. This handbook was created with anglers in mind. It is concise, travel-friendly and provides up-to-date …

Agricultural Communication Transfer Student Guide, Carly Victoria Boudreau

Agricultural Education and Communication

The purpose of this project was to create a brochure students will use as an informational tool that would in turn make them successful in the agricultural communication major.

The final product was a brochure designed to provide information that will guide students from when they are accepted into Cal Poly agriculture communication major until they graduate. Areas of focus include advising, involvement, opportunities, internship, and graduation requirements.

Water Filtration Lesson Plan For Ag In Motion, Kelly C. Dawkins

Agricultural Education and Communication

The purpose of this project was to create a new lesson plan for the Ag in Motion program. The Ag in Motion program brings science activities to middle schools that may not have the resources to provide hands-on laboratory activities. The organization suggested developing an activity regarding water and its properties. A water filtration activity was developed by working with the Director of Ag in Motion and conducting research regarding hands-on learning. The lesson plan was designed to meet Next Generation Science Standards and show students the importance of clean water supplies. This lesson plan includes a materials and procedure …

A Website Of Agriculturally Related Activities For Elementary Grade Levels, Bailey M. Kirby

Agricultural Education and Communication

The purpose of this project is to develop a website containing agriculturally-related activities designed for the elementary classroom, including kindergarten to fifth grade. This website was created in order to bring agriculture into the elementary classroom and introduce the topic to students at an earlier age because the subject is currently only taught at the high school level. Two activities were created for each grade level and fit into the current curriculums for those grade levels. The website was designed in a way that teachers will be able to continually submit activities to be added to the website at any …

Ag In Motion, Kerri Bermudez, Annelise Jensch, Michaela Stone

Agricultural Education and Communication

The purpose of this project was to gauge the interest levels of Ag in Motion for the Central Coast. Positive feedback would allow the project to continue on after this project is finished. Ag in Motion is an important asset to middle school aged children because they have the opportunity to learn about agriculture and it’s value. This is especially important considering California is number one producer of agricultural commodities in the United States.

The Central Coast is defined as these three counties: Monterey County, San Luis Obispo County, and Santa Barbara County. An online survey was developed and sent …

Western Line Design: Design Instructions For Western Line Arrangements, Katelyn Montague

Agricultural Education and Communication

The purpose of this project was to create an instructional booklet that would act as a supplement for high school floral design students and instructors as they created the five Western Line design styles. The booklet includes high-quality photographs and step-by-step instructions on how to construct each of the Western Line designs (vertical, horizontal, formal, informal and l-shape). It also includes a profile for each arrangement and a list of materials that are needed to create each design. This instructional booklet will be an important addition to floral design classes, which are present in many agriculture departments in high schools. …