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In Journal, Quantitative, Teaching & Learning in Undergraduate Academic Programs, Vol. 67

Investigating Structured Communication between Teacher Candidates and Cooperating Teachers at Multiple Universities

Chris L. Hunt & Don W. Edgar
Preservice teaching experiences lay the foundation for agricultural education graduates to enter the teaching field (Lawver & Torres, 2011). The overall teacher candidate experience allows candidates to develop lessons and lead classroom learning events while participating in courses that allow them to actually be “students of education” (Edgar, 2007, p. 2). Furthermore, teaching-efficacy has shown to impact individual’s entrance to the field of teaching (Wolf, et al., 2010). The purpose of this study was to assess teaching efficacy and the relationship of teacher candidates and cooperating teachers via a structured communication instrument. To determine if a difference existed in teaching efficacy an ANOVA was used. The overall model was not significant (Between Groups, F = .57 and p = .69)…

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In Extension Education, Journal, Quantitative, Teacher Education & School-based Ag. Education, Vol. 67

4-H Members’ Motivating Factors for and Deterrents to Participation in an International Experience Program: Development of the 4-H International Experience Program Questionnaire

J.C. Bunch, Melissa Cater, & Shelli D. Rampold
As transportation and communication systems evolve, the ability of youth to participate in international experience program (IEP) improves. However, not all youth will choose to participate in an IEP even if an IEP is readily available. Understanding the motivating factors for participation in an IEP and deterrents to participation in an IEP can assist program developers better market available experiences. In order to assess factors that inhibit or promote participation in an IEP, valid and reliable instruments are needed. This study describes the development and initial validation of the 4-H International Experience Program Questionnaire, an instrument designed to measure 4-H members’ motivating factors for participation in an IEP and deterrents to participation in an IEP.

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In Journal, Quantitative, Teacher Education & School-based Ag. Education, Vol. 67

Agriculture Teachers’ Preferred Teaching Partners Based on Physical and Professional Appearance

Hailey R. Gates & Catherine W. Shoulders
As new teachers enter the workplace, their ability to integrate into the school’s professional community is critical to their job satisfaction. While teachers may meet many quality indicators of good teaching, his or her ability to integrate into a professional community can be shaped instead by coworkers’ initial perceptions of his or her physical and professional appearance. In this study, we asked a convenience sample of agriculture teachers attending the National FFA Convention to select their ideal teaching partners based on their physical and professional appearance. Results displayed a strong preference for male teaching partners, regardless of age and attire…

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In Extension Education, Journal, Quantitative, Vol. 67

Beliefs and Attitudes of 4-H Agents About Global Agriculture Issues

Sara D. Hurst, T. Grady Roberts, & Amy Harder
It is increasingly urgent for 4-H youth to be prepared to enter careers that will provide solutions to complex agricultural challenges including global food security, climate change, and renewable energy resources. Are 4-H agents ready and willing to lead programs that incorporate global concepts and content? According to a national survey of randomly selected 4-H agents nationwide, overall, 4-H agents had favorable personal beliefs and positive attitudes about what youth should learn. They also had a wide variety of personal experiences, but agent beliefs and attitudes did not vary based on those experiences. Results indicate conditions are conducive to agents leading globally-oriented programs. Future research should examine the actual behaviors of 4-H agents.

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In Journal, Quantitative, Teaching & Learning in Undergraduate Academic Programs, Vol. 66

Effect of the Inquiry-Based Teaching Method on Students’ Content Knowledge and Motivation to Learn about Biofuels

Carmelita E. Goossen, F. Richie Roberts, Amanda Kacal, Ashley S. Whiddon, & J. Shane Robinson
Students in secondary education are failing in science and are not prepared adequately for college. This deficit has led to the use of innovative teaching methods, including inquiry-based instruction. Inquiry-based instruction has gained popularity because of its realistic and problem- based strategy. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of inquiry-based instruction, compared to lecture, on the content knowledge and motivation for completing a science-based laboratory activity of pre-service agricultural education teachers (N = 41) at Oklahoma State University. Students were assigned randomly to either an inquiry group or lecture group in the completely randomized 2×2 design. A biofuels unit…

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In Journal, Quantitative, Teacher Education & School-based Ag. Education, Vol. 66

Benchmarking Self-Efficacy of Early-Career Agricultural Science Teachers in [State]

Bodie Carroll, John Rayfield, & Tim Murphy
The purpose of this study was to determine the self-efficacy of early-career agricultural science teachers from Texas, in the three domains of agricultural education: classroom instruction, FFA, and supervised agricultural experience (SAE). This descriptive study was conducted using a random sample of first, second, and third year agricultural science teachers. A response rate of 50.6% was achieved (N=168, n=85). The respondents completed an online survey using the Qualtrics™ system. The survey included 49 likert scale…

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In Ag. Literacy, Journal, Quantitative, Vol. 66

Undergraduate Students’ Knowledge of International Agricultural Issues by Academic Standing

Sarahi Morales & M. Todd Brashears
Future agricultural professionals and scientists will be required to have broader perspectives and apply their technical knowledge to keep pace with global trends. The purpose of this study was to assess and compare United States (U.S.) and Latin American (L.A.) students’ knowledge of international agricultural issues. A modified version of the International Agricultural Awareness and Understanding instrument by Wingenbach et al. (2003) and Hurst (2013) was used. Findings in this study were similar to previous studies indicating a continuing lack of knowledge regarding international agricultural issues among undergraduate students.
Despite an overall increase in students’ scores…

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In Journal, Quantitative, Teacher Education & School-based Ag. Education, Vol. 66

Are Champions Born or Made? Differences Between Low Performers and High Performers in a Missouri Career Development Event

Erica B. Thieman, William A. Bird, Stacy K. Vincent, & Robert Terry, Jr.
The purpose of this descriptive-correlation study was to describe and identify the differences between high performers and low performers among participants in the Missouri FFA Livestock Evaluation Career Development Event. The variables of interest included: marital status of parents, Free/reduced lunch status, Individual Education Plan (IEP) status, academic grade level, cumulative grade point average, and previous Career Development Event (CDE) experience as factors related to the individual’s performance. Characteristics investigated in this study were determined from a review of related literature on student achievement. This research detected differences…

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In Journal, Quantitative, Vol. 66

The Impact of Socioscientific Issues-based Instruction on College Students’ Knowledge Acquisition

Catherine W. Shoulders & Jarred D. Wyatt
The need for STEM literacy among undergraduates has fueled the exploration of innovative teaching methods in the higher education setting. Socioscientific issues (SSI)-based instruction is an instructional model that has yielded positive results in a variety of settings, including agricultural education. However, the multiple variables contributing to the impact of classroom instruction on student outcomes merits further investigation into the effectiveness of SSI-based instruction at the undergraduate level. This quasi-experimental study examined the impact of SSI-based instruction on undergraduate students’ knowledge of solar energy…

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In Journal, Quantitative, Teacher Education & School-based Ag. Education, Vol. 65

Professional Development Needs of Tennessee School-Based Agricultural Education Teachers

Danielle E. Sanok, Christopher T. Stripling, Carrie A. Stephens, John C. Ricketts, Christopher M. Estepp, & Nathan W. Conner
School-based agricultural education (SBAE) teachers feel the skills and knowledge they bring into the classroom may be inadequate for providing their students with the tools needed to face the changing world. The purpose of this study was to explore the professional development needs of Tennessee school-based agricultural education teachers. In addition, this study sought to determine if differences existed in the professional development needs of Tennessee school-based agricultural education teachers based on selected demographic variables. The sample for this descriptive study was 127 SBAE teachers in Tennessee. The researchers modified an existing survey instrument and used descriptive statistics to describe the demographic data and professional development delivery preferences. To describe the professional…

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