Education Commons^™

Characteristics Of Award-Winning Children’S Books About Agriculture: An Analysis Of Content, And The Perspectives Of Authors, Illustrators, And Publishers, Addison L. Beckham

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this two-article qualitative study was to characterize children's literature about agriculture and to describe the perceptions of authors and illustrators who are responsible for writing and designing these successful publications. This will result in the ability of organizations like Feeding Minds Press to provide writers, illustrators, and publishers with effective strategies and techniques to improve the accuracy and overall quality of children’s literature about agriculture. Few parameters exist for authors of children’s books about agriculture (Biser, 2007). These parameters are necessary to ensure the quality and accuracy of these educational efforts (Serafini, 2012). Though Feeding Minds Press …

Advancements In Middle School Agricultural Education: An Examination Of Emerging Trends And Exemplary Programs, Jacob P. Englin

LSU Master's Theses

Recent trends in agricultural education have demonstrated that the number of middle school programs and students has been increasing. Despite this, middle school agricultural education students, teachers, and programs often have been considered to be underserved. For example, teachers at this level have expressed that they often lacked the training and resources to meet the needs of this diverse learning population. Even so, middle school agricultural education teachers have continued to provide quality learning experiences for their students. In response, this investigation’s purpose was to examine current trends of middle school agricultural education and the quality of learning conducted by …

Student Perceptions Of Male And Female Instructors In A Post-Secondary Welding Course, S. Kjersti R. Decker

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Agricultural mechanics and welding have traditionally been perceived to be careers reserved for males, yet more females have entered professions using welding such as agricultural education. This research was developed because of the lack of gender research in welding. The purpose of this study was to examine students’ perceptions of learning from a male instructor versus a female instructor in a post-secondary welding course. We examined associations and differences between students’ preference of a male and a female welding instructor as well as individual self-efficacy and perceptions towards using welding technology. The population for this study was undergraduate students and …

School-Based Agricultural Education Teachers: Self-Efficacy With Face-To-Face, Remote, And Hybrid Instruction And Perceptions Of Professional Development Regarding Technology Integration, Gayle Clark

Theses and Dissertations

This three-article dissertation examined the perceptions of school-based agricultural education teachers in Tennessee, Mississippi, and Alabama on self-efficacy and professional development activities since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The first article was an examination of teacher self-efficacy in delivering instruction in three classroom settings: face-to-face, remote, and hybrid, which is a combination of face-to-face and remote simultaneous instruction. The second was a descriptive study of teacher experiences and perceptions of professional development activities related to instructional technology over the past two years. The third article examines the correlation between each of the teacher self-efficacy instructional setting constructs and perceptions …

Kentucky Agricultural Education Teachers’ Perceived Barriers Of Delivering Instruction Through Internet-Based Distance Learning Amid The Covid-19 Pandemic, Jeci Crane-Bohannon

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

In the spring of 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic brought about a multitude of challenges around the world. Mass closures of public places seemed to happen overnight and instantaneously. Essential workers kept the world afloat to the best of their abilities, but the harsh reality quickly settled in that education was not considered essential in the view of a worldwide pandemic. Educators worked continue the education of their pupils while trying to minimize movement and limit social gatherings leaving schools around the world reeling to find their ground in an abrupt switch from in-person learning to internet-based, distance education. Globally, the …

The Development, Implementation, And Evaluation Of The Hybrid-Online Hatch-Out Program, Tannah Leigh Christensen

Theses and Dissertations

In today’s society, the majority of our population lacks knowledge about agriculture and its importance. Therefore, there is a demand for agricultural programs to increase a general knowledge of agriculture. This study aimed to develop, pilot test, and evaluate the Hybrid-Online Hatch-out Program. Due to limited resources with the current Hands-on Hatch-out program, this Hybrid-Online Hatch-out Program could reach a larger population of youth and aid in educating more youth about poultry (one of the largest sectors of agriculture). The RE-AIM framework (Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance) was utilized to guide the evaluation process. The program was pilot-tested in …

Socioscientific Issues In School-Based Agricultural Education: Describing And Exploring Factors Of Integration, Michelle S. Burrows

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Socioscientific issues (SSI) are complex issues which are scientific in nature and have societal impacts. Many SSI have connections to agriculture and as such should be included in agricultural education curriculum. A clear understanding of what school-based agricultural education (SBAE) teachers know about SSI is needed. The purpose of this research was to explore the knowledge and integration of SSI among SBAE teachers by describing and explaining the factors that influence integration. This quantitative survey research was guided by the SSI-based instruction framework and the three-component model of agricultural education. The population for this study was all SBAE teachers in …

The One – Way (Agri)Cultural Mirror: A Case Study Of How Young Agriculturalists Understand And Experience Culture, Janiece M. Pigg

LSU Master's Theses

As the global economy continues to transform how society operates, cultural competence has become a buzzword in education, professional development, research, government, and healthcare (Gay, 1994; Gallus et al., 2014). Cross et al. (1989) developed the most accepted definition of cultural competence: “a set of congruent behaviors, attitudes, and policies that come together in a system, agency, or among professionals and enable that system, agency, or those professionals to work effectively in cross-cultural situations” (p. 13).

Despite this, little to no research has been devoted to understanding cultural competence in agriculture. Thus, a need emerged to describe the cultural competence …

The Perceived Importance And Ability Of Secondary Agricultural Education Teachers Regarding Accommodating Students With Exceptionalities: A Mixed Methods Study, Raegan Ramage

LSU Master's Theses

Each year, the number of students who have a documented disability in public schools in the U.S. has increased. However, SBAE instructors continue to identify a lack of confidence when teaching students with exceptionalities. This lack of confidence is exacerbated by a lack of professional development opportunities and preservice training offered by teacher preparation programs regarding teaching students with special needs. To better understand this complex issue, this mixed methods investigation sought to describe Louisiana SBAE instructors’ previous educational experiences focused on accommodating students with special needs and describe their desired professional development opportunities regarding accommodating students with special needs. …

The “Case” For Assessments: An Evaluation Of Case End Of Course Assessments And Teacher Motivation, Andrew Lawrence Hauser

Theses and Dissertations--Community & Leadership Development

Curriculum for Agricultural Science Education (CASE) End of Course (EoC) assessments are summative assessments used to evaluate the CASE curriculum. This quantitative study explored the effects teacher motivation has on student performance on CASE EoC assessments. CASE teachers (n= 55) who participated in the study responded to the 28-item CASE End of Course Assessment Teacher Motivation Questionnaire on a 5-point Likert-type scale. The researcher conducted a Pearson r Correlation test to determine a relationship between questionnaire mean values and secondary student assessment data. Results from the study outline frequency of responses, perceived value and expectancy mean values, and correlations …

Perceptions And Instructional Practices Used By West Virginian Secondary Agricultural Teachers In Meat Science Education, Kindra D. Carr

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

A focus on classroom integration of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) concepts has resulted in secondary teachers broadening the scope and delivery of STEM principles in their classes. Because agriculture classes allow students to convert abstract ideas into concrete ideas, they provide a useful setting to teach STEM concepts. Using secondary agricultural classes to teach science is effective and has contributed to higher standardized science test scores, as opposed to a science class alone. West Virginia is known for meat processing facilities and meat technology learning activities in its public schools. However, little is known about how the content …

An Examination Of Single-Sex Secondary Agricultural Education Classrooms: The Effects Of Teacher Expectancy, Brett Morris Wasden

Theses and Dissertations--Community & Leadership Development

The effectiveness of single-sex classrooms in the United States remains unclear. To address this issue, the purpose of this quasi-experiment was to examine single-sex classrooms in secondary agricultural education classrooms in Kentucky. Data were collected through quantitative pretests and posttests from student participants (n = 168) and teacher participants (n = 8). The findings indicated that student participants in single-sex classrooms had higher academic performance, better attendance, and an increased gain in interest in the agriculture, food, and natural resources career pathway. Students participants in coeducational classrooms had less discipline referrals. Teacher participants’ expectation were related to student …

Development And Validation Of An Agricultural Literacy Instrument Using The National Agricultural Literacy Outcomes, M. Rose Judd-Murray

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study was conducted to develop a standardized agricultural literacy assessment using the National Agricultural Literacy Outcomes (NALOs) as benchmarks. The need for such an assessment was born out of previous research, which found that despite numerous programs dedicated to improving agricultural literacy, many students and adults remain at low or very low levels of literacy. Low literacy levels lead to negative associations with the production and processing of food, clothing, and shelter, as well as misinformed public perceptions and policies. Agricultural literacy researchers recognized that the development of a standardized assessment for post-12^th grade, or equivalent, could unify …

Agricultural Education Teachers' Perceptions And Use Of Environmental Education In Louisiana Schools, Olivia M. Soler

LSU Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to describe the status of environmental education (EE) in Louisiana high school agriculture classrooms. A census of Louisiana Agriscience Teacher Association (LATA) members was conducted to understand their perceptions, attitudes, and barriers regarding EE implementation. Icek Ajzen’s Theory of Planned Behavior was utilized as the theoretical framework. Data were collected through an online survey research method and analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results suggest that most LATA members incorporate EE into their curriculum relatively sparingly, perceive EE to be beneficial for students, and are in need of funding to incorporate EE into their curriculum as …

Factors Affecting Illinois Legislators' Perceptions Of School-Based Agricultural Education, Perry William Harlow

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined factors contributing to Illinois General Assembly members’ perceptions of school-based agricultural education. Personal characteristics and multiple media sources were examined to determine if any of these factors affected their perception of school-based agricultural education. These factors included the population area of where the legislator grew up, the population area of the district the legislator represents, the geographical location of the legislator’s district, whether the legislator lived on a farm, and whether the legislator worked on a farm. The factors also included frequency of seeing information about school-based agricultural education on multiple media source including television, radio, newspaper, …

Effects Of Standards-Based Grading On Students In Agricultural Education, Matthew Tripp

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Standards-based grading is being discussed more frequently in the field of education as school districts either explore or adopt this grading method. This study examined the effects of standards-based grading on achievement and perceptions of students enrolled in high school agricultural education courses. This nonequivalent quasi-experimental study focused on how students’ perceptions of classroom feedback, abilities, and opportunities to redo assessments were affected by the implementation of a standards-based grading method. Participants in this study were students who enrolled in a quarter long Home Maintenance course that used standards-based grading methods to assess student mastery on specific content standards in …

Case Study Of Skills Developed During Employment At Kentucky Ffa Summer Camp As A Young Adult, Kelly W. Rexroat

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to provide a qualitative case study analysis of the soft skill development of summer camp staff members at the Kentucky FFA Leadership Training Center and to look at whether or not the leadership development focus of the camp program had an increased impact on the development of the staff members’ leadership skills. For years, FFA summer camp programs have been developing the leadership qualities of FFA members and preparing them to take on leadership roles for the upcoming year. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with former Kentucky FFA summer camp staff members from 2008 to …

Successful Secondary Agricultural Programs Outside The Classroom: A View Of Champions, Andrew Bolton

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to study select secondary agricultural education programs and determine common traits among these programs which lead them to be successful in a number of different areas including: Career Development Events (CDE) winners, Leadership Development Events (LDE) winners, agricultural science fair winners, chapters of elected state FFA officers, proficiency award winners, national chapter awards, and state fair market show results. This study utilized a modified Delphi approach consisting of three rounds to reach consensus on the importance of traits related to successful SAE and FFA programs. Many traits were identified but the most important traits …

Experiences Of Agricultural Education Preservice Teachers Engaging In Critical Friendships, Sable Sellick

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Like educators in other disciplines, agricultural education preservice teachers must find ways to improve as teachers using methods such as reflection or peer observation. Critical friendship combines both, promoting reflection through the use of a critical friend who observes an individual’s teaching and provides constructive criticism to help the individual advance their practice. This qualitative study sought to use the critical friendship concept to assist agricultural education preservice teachers in reflecting on their teaching techniques. Participants were randomly assigned to one of two groups; one group selected a critical friend in agricultural education, and the other group selected a critical …

Advisory Councils In School-Based Agricultural Education Programs In Tennessee, Samantha Renee Ogle

Masters Theses

Advisory councils are essential to successful, working relationships among school-based agricultural education programs and the surrounding community. The purpose of this study was to describe how school-based agricultural education programs implement and utilize advisory councils in Tennessee and to determine agricultural education teachers’ perceptions of program advisory councils. Findings indicated 76.5% of program respondents had an active advisory council. The results indicated a positive perception of advisory councils; however, most teachers felt they could better utilize their advisory council. The belief that the agricultural education teacher is the leader of the program’s advisory councils was also implied. Future research is …

A Day In Their Shoes: Lived Experiences Of Five Agricultural Education Teachers Working With English Learners, Julie A. Ketterling

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation took a phenomenological approach in order to take a deeper look into the experiences of five agricultural education teachers that taught English Learner (EL) students and factors that affected those experiences. Dunkin and Biddle’s (1973) Teacher Model provided the conceptual framework and underpinnings for the literature review. The study identified a pilot study teacher with EL experience and 4 agricultural education teachers that taught agricultural education at schools with at least a 15% EL student population. The interviews were semi-structured in nature and each was audiotaped and later transcribed. Each of the transcribed interviews was coded. Through a …

Expectancy-Value In The Enrollment Factor Of Agricultural Education Youth, Morgan Schafbuch

Theses and Dissertations--Community & Leadership Development

This quantitative study considers the motivating factors for enrollment in secondary agricultural education courses from students whose home background is not from a farm. This study utilizes expectancy-value theory, and looks at students (n=211) from different agricultural backgrounds and the impact on their ability beliefs, expectancies for success, and usefulness, importance, and interest for enrollment in agricultural education courses. The results indicate that students who have no affiliation to a farm have the highest ability beliefs and expectancies for success towards agricultural education in relation to students who are from traditional agricultural backgrounds.

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 …

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 …

Farming: It's Not Just For Farmers Anymore, Jennifer Schmidt

Pomona Senior Theses

Agricultural education, originally the province of land grant institutions, has recently entered the liberal arts curriculum. This represents a profound shift from the origins of agricultural education, when it was intended primarily as vocational training for future farmers, and has important implications for the future of the American food system. The first chapter of this thesis addresses the history of agricultural education: what was it originally like, and why did it come to be heavily criticized in the late twentieth century? Formal agricultural education changed significantly in response to these criticisms, making it more environmentally sustainable and bringing it into …

Preservice Candidates' Rating Of Effectiveness In Agricultural Education Through Structured Communication With Cooperating Teachers, Christopher Lee Hunt

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The relationship between cooperating teacher and student has been found as one of the key elements that affect the overall teaching efficacy of student teachers and their decision to enter the teaching field after graduation (Edgar, 2007; Edgar, Roberts, & Murphy, 2011,2008; Kasperbauer et al., 2007a; Roberts, Greiman, Murphy, Ricketts, Harlin, & Briers 2009; Roberts, Harlin, & Briers, 2007, Roberts, Harlin, & Ricketts, 2006; Roberts Mowen, Edgar, Harlin & Briers, 2007, Stripling, Ricketts, Roberts & Harlin, 2008; Wolf, 2011; Wolf et al., 2010). Therefore, determining impacts towards teaching efficacy during the student teaching experience could play a vital role in …

Teacher Internship Report - Paramount Bard Academy, Erin M. Hanger

Agricultural Education: Graduate Internship Reports

This internship project includes required documents of validation in meeting quality criteria for secondary-level programs of instruction in agriculture. These documents are often used for the Agriculture Incentive Grant review process conducted by California Department of Education representatives. Currently, Paramount Bard Academy does not qualify for such funding. Since the Agricultural Incentive Grant is not available to Paramount Bard Academy, the internship project was directed at the development of a comprehensive program plan for Paramount Bard Academy. Paramount Bard Academy is a developing program, of less than four years, that has been benefited by this internship project.

Characteristics Of Quality Agricultural Magazine Capstone Courses Based On The Five R'S Model, Traci Nicole Rushing

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study sought to assess students' and instructors' perceptions regarding the value of an agricultural communications magazine capstone course at three universities that were identified as exemplary in an effort to describe the characteristics leading to the course's success. Using a qualitative survey methodology, the investigator administered an open-response survey, conducted personal interviews with purposively-selected students in each course and the instructors, and made field observations. Both the interviews and the surveys consisted of six, in-depth questions crafted after Andreasen's (2004) of a successful magazine capstone course. Based on students' and instructors' perceptions through the lens of Andreasen's (2004) model, …

Cultivating The Compass: Examining The Role Of Emotional Appraisal And Professional Agency Among Stakeholders In Kentucky Agricultural Education, Savannah Faye Robin

Theses and Dissertations--Community & Leadership Development

Agricultural Education has been informed by four major areas including agricultural education (teaching and learning), educational policy, agricultural policy (industry collaboration) and research. Historically agriculture teachers have been removed from the policy process affecting their profession in these four areas (Thompson, 1963). A review of historical literature suggests that only twice have teachers been involved in the policy process. The purpose of this study was to examine the involvement levels of stakeholders in agricultural education across the state of Kentucky. Specifically, examining the emotional appraisal of specific issues in agricultural education and if the emotions of stakeholders influence their involvement …

Effect Of High School Completion Of The Agricultural Education Program On The Rate Of Return On Investment For The Commonwealth Of Virginia, Phillip Scott Bevins

STEMPS Theses & Dissertations

This research study sought to determine the effect high school completion of the agricultural career and technical education program has on the rate of return on investment by public schools in Virginia. The research questions guiding this study included: (1) Were students able to find employment related to the agricultural career and technical education program they completed, (2) What federal and state funding was allocated for students participating in the agricultural career and technical education programs in the state of Virginia, (3) Was there a significant level of tax revenues generated by incomes from those who participated in the agricultural …