Instructor Levels of Importance and Competence With Alabama Agricultural Mechanics Standards
Keywords:
Curriculum, Content Pathways, Industry Standards, Instruction, MechanicsAbstract
School-based agricultural education (SBAE) teachers formally acquire requisite skills across many content-based curricula pathways. This study aimed to understand Alabama agricultural mechanics teachers’ perceived levels of competence with and the importance of Alabama agricultural mechanics standards. The participants were purposively stratified, including being a practicing SBAE teacher in Alabama with experience teaching agricultural mechanics, access to agricultural mechanics laboratory spaces, and currently teaching SBAE. The average participant in this study was a white male teacher who had been teaching for six to 11 years, and either was currently teaching or had taught agricultural mechanics in the past. Participants reported their perceived levels of importance and competence using interval-based measurement scales framed using the Borich Scale Analysis. The conclusions of this study suggested that standards connected to General Safety (Standard 1) and Electrical Wiring Tools (Standard 9) were “Very important.” While nine of the remaining ten standards (2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11, & 12) were determined to be “Important.” More research needs to be done to understand the perceived barriers agriculture instructors in Alabama experience when implementing the agricultural mechanics curriculum standards in their classrooms.
References
Alabama High School Athletic Association. (2022). 2024 reclassification.
Alibaygi, A., & Zarafshani, K. (2008). Training needs of Iranian extension agents about sustainability: The use of Borich's need’s assessment model. African Journal of Agricultural Research, 3(10), 681–687. http://www.academicjournals.org/AJAR
Blackburn, J. J., Bunch, J. C., & Haynes, J. C. (2017). Assessing the relationship of teacher self-efficacy, job satisfaction, and perception of work-life balance of Louisiana agriculture teachers. Journal of Agricultural Education, 58(1), 14–15. https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.2017.01014
Borich, G. D. (1980). A needs assessment model for conducting follow-up studies. Journal of Teacher Education, 31(3), 39-42. https://doi:10.1177/002248718003100310
Byrd, A. P., Anderson, R. G., Paulsen, T. H., & Schultz, M. J. (2015). Does the number of post-secondary agricultural mechanics courses completed affect teacher competence? Journal of Agricultural Education. 56(1), 20-31. https://doi:10.5032/jae.2015.01020
Clemons, C. A., Heidenreich, A. E., & Lindner, J. R. (2018). Assessing the technical expertise and content needs of Alabama agriscience teachers. Journal of Agricultural Education, 59(3), 87–99. https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.2018.03087
Clemons, C. A., Lindner, J. R., Murray, B., Cook, M. P., Sams, B., & Williams, G. (2018).
Spanning the gap: The confluence of agricultural literacy and being agriculturally literate. Journal of Agricultural Education, 59(4), 238–252. https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.2018.04238
Dillman, D. A., Smyth, J. D., Christian, L. M. (2014). Internet, phone, mail, and mixed-mode surveys: The tailored design method (4th ed.). John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Duncan, D. W., Ricketts, J. C., Peake, J. B., & Uesseler, J. (2006). Teacher preparation and in-service needs of Georgia agriculture teachers. Journal of Agricultural Education, 47(2), 24–35. https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.2006.02024
Eck, C. J., & Edwards, M. C. (2019). Teacher shortage in school-based, agricultural education (SBAE): A historical review. Journal of Agricultural Education, 60(4), 223–239. https://doi:10.5032/jae.2019.04223
Garton, B. L., & Chung, N. (1996). The inservice needs of beginning teachers of agriculture as perceived by beginning teachers, teacher educators, and state supervisors. Journal of Agricultural Education, 37(3), 52-58. https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.1996.03052
Hancock, G. T., McKibben, J. D., & Lindner, J. R. (2022, October 26 - 29). HEARING in practice [Paper presentation]. 41st Annual National Ag Mechanics Professional Development Blue Ribbon Research Conference. Indianapolis, IN, United States. http://dx.doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.19739.23840/1
Hancock, G. T., McKibben, J. D., Byrd, A. P., Lindner, J. R., & Clemons, C. A. (2023). Hearing education in agriculture: Re-evaluating interest, needs, and growth. Journal of Agricultural Safety and Health, 29(2), 109–120. https://doi.org/10.13031/jash.15331
Hainline, M. S., & Wells, T. (2019). Identifying the agricultural mechanics knowledge and skills needed by Iowa school-based agricultural education teachers. Journal of Agricultural Education, 60(1), 59–79. https://doi:10.5032/jae.2019.01059
Harlin, J. F., Roberts, T. G., Dooley, K. E., & Murphrey, T. P. (2007). Knowledge, skills, and abilities for agricultural science teachers: A focus group approach. Journal of Agricultural Education, 48(1), 86–96. https://doi:10.5032/jae.2007.01086
Hubert, D. J., & Leising, J. (2000). An assessment of agricultural mechanics course requirements in agriculture teacher education programs in the United States. Journal of Southern Agricultural Education Research, 50(1), 24–31. http://www.jsaer.org/pdf/vol50Whole.pdf
Howerton, T., Clemons, C. A., & Lindner, J. R. (2019). Perceived factors that influence the success of vertical transfer students in agricultural education: A Delphi study. Journal of Agricultural Education, 60(3), 32-46. https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.2019.03032
Layfield, K. D., & Dobbins, T. R. (2002). Inservice needs and perceived competencies of South Carolina agricultural educators. Journal of Agricultural Education, 43(4), 46–55. https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.2002.04046
Lindner, J. R., Murphy, T. H., & Briers, G. E. (2001). Handling non-response in social science research. Journal of Agricultural Education, 42(4), 43–53. https://doi.10.5032/jae.2001.04043
McKibben, J. D., Clemons, C. A., & Nurradin, M. (2022a). Hybrid vigor: A quantitative analysis of job satisfaction of United States school based secondary agricultural education classrooms. Journal of Agricultural Education, 63(2), 238–250. https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.2022.02238
McKibben, J. D., Giliberti, M., Clemons, C. A., Holler, K., & Linder, J. R. (2022b). My ag teacher never made me go to the shop! Preservice teachers’ perceived self-efficacy in mechanics skills change through experience. Journal of Agricultural Education, 63(3), 283–296.
McKibben, J., Holler, K., Clemons, C., & Lindner, J. (2023). Locus of control and pedagogy in skill-based agricultural mechanics. NACTA Journal, 67(1), 257 – 261.
McKibben, J. D., & Murphy, T. H. (2021). The effect of authenticity on project-based learning: A quasi-experimental study of STEM integration in agriculture. Journal of Agricultural Education, 62(1), 144–155. https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.2021.01144
National Council for Agricultural Education (2023, December). AFNR standards. https://thecouncil.ffa.org/afnr/
Newcomb, L. H., McCracken, J. D., & Warmbrod, J. R. (1993). Methods of teaching agriculture (2nd ed.). Interstate Publishers, Inc. https://doi:10.5032/jae.2001.04043
Parr, B., & Edwards, M. C. (2004). Inquiry-based instruction in secondary agricultural education: problem-solving - an old friend revisited. Journal of Agricultural Education, 45(4), 106–117. https://doi:10.5032/jae.2004.04106
Pense, S. L., Freeburg, B. W., & Clemons, C. A. (2015). Implementation of common core state standards: Voices, positions, and frames. Career and Technical Education Research, 40(3), 157 - 173. https://doi.10.5328/cter40.3.157
Ray, B. L., Clemons, C. A., McKibben, J. D., Lindner, J. R., Fuhrman, N. E., & Barlow, R. J. (2022). Implementing forestry and natural resource curricula in Georgia. A quantitative analysis of perceived barriers towards implementation. Journal of Agricultural Education, 63(3), 149-165. https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.2022.03149
Rice, A. H., & Kitchel, T. (2018). Agriculture teachers' integrated belief systems and its influence on their pedagogical content knowledge. Journal of Agricultural Education, 59(1), 51–69. https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.2018.01059
Salem, M., Doss, W., & Estepp, C. (2023). Determining professional development needs of school-based agricultural education teachers for working with English language learners. Journal of Agricultural Education, 64(4), 48 – 61. https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.v64i4.91
Saucier, P. R., & McKim, B. R. (2011). Assessing the learning needs of student teachers in Texas regarding management of the agricultural mechanics laboratory: Implications for the professional development of early career teachers in agricultural education. Journal of Agricultural Education, 52(4), 24 - 43. https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.2011.04024
Saucier, R. P., Vincent, S. K., & Anderson, R. G. (2014). Laboratory safety needs of Kentucky school-based agricultural mechanics teachers. Journal of Agricultural Education, 55(2), 184-200. https://doi:10.5032/jae/2014.02184
Shoulders, C. W., Blythe, J. M., & Myers, B. E. (2013). Teachers’ perceptions regarding experiential learning attributes in agricultural laboratories. Journal of Agricultural Education, 54(2), 159-173. https://doi:10.5032/jae.2013.02159
Sorensen, T. J., Tarpley, R. S., & Warnick, B. K. (2010). Inservice needs of Utah agriculture teachers. Journal of Agricultural Education, 51(3), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.2010.03001
Steffes, T. L. (2020, July 24). Smith-Hughes Act. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Smith-Hughes-Act
Talbert, B. A., Vaughn, R., Croom, B., & Lee, J. S. (2014). Foundations of Agricultural Education. Pearson Education, Inc.
Wells, T. & Hainline, M. (2024). Examining differences in teachers’ agricultural mechanics professional development needs: A national study. Journal of Agricultural Education, 65(1), 245 – 264. https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.v65i1.2473
Weeks, K. J., Lawver, R. G., Sorensen, T. T., & Warnick, B. K. (2020). Do teachers have the skills: 21st century skills in the agricultural education classroom? Journal of Agricultural Education, 61(4), 127 – 142. https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.2020.04127
Yopp, A., McKim, B. R., Moore, L. L., Odom, S. F., & Hanagriff, R. (2017). A multidimensional needs assessment of social emotional learning skill areas. Journal of Agricultural Education, 58(1), 186–206. https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.2017.01186
