Archives

• Vol. 76 No. 04 (2026)

• Vol. 75 No. 01 (2025)

  The manuscripts in Volume 75, Issue 1 (2025) of the Journal of Southern Agricultural Education Research (JSAER) address teacher preparation and professional development in agricultural mechanics, the communication of agricultural innovations through Extension, and instructional design strategies for improving student learning outcomes in technical agricultural courses.

  Teacher Professional Development in Agricultural Mechanics

  • Early-Career PD Needs: Using mean weighted discrepancy scores, a quantitative study of early-career Georgia agriculture teachers identifies welding and metal fabrication — particularly AWS welding standards, structural welding procedures, and principles of metallurgy — as the areas of greatest professional development need, underscoring the gap between teacher preparation programs and the technical demands of the classroom.

  Agricultural Communications and Extension

  • Rethinking the Linear Model: A philosophical analysis drawing on diffusion of innovations theory, knowledge management frameworks, and organizational management models proposes a new communications framework for the agricultural and natural resources Extension context. The framework introduces and operationalizes the role of the "Ag Communicator" — a distinct position bridging knowledge creators and disseminators — to promote clearer, more efficient, and non-linear communication of turfgrass and broader agricultural innovations.

  Instructional Design and Student Learning

  • Situated Learning in Small Engines: A quasi-experimental study evaluates the effects of instructional treatments grounded in situated learning theory on student knowledge, self-efficacy, and interest in a college-level small engines course. Findings reveal that precision measurement instruction produced significant knowledge gains, while both topics showed modest decreases in self-efficacy and interest following instruction, pointing to the need for instructional designs that simultaneously sustain student engagement and promote knowledge acquisition.

• Vol. 74 No. 01 (2024)

  The manuscripts in Volume 74, Issue 1 (2024) of the Journal of Southern Agricultural Education Research (JSAER) focus on strengthening agricultural education through improved STEM integration, better-prepared and supported teachers, workforce alignment, and more inclusive classrooms.

  STEM Integration and Academic Alignment

  • Current STEM Integration Levels: A quantitative study of SBAE teachers in Oklahoma and South Carolina finds that science is the most commonly integrated STEM component, with teachers reporting greatest confidence in science and least in engineering, highlighting gaps for teacher preparation programs to address.
  • Educator Confidence and Gender: Research in Alabama, Georgia, and Florida reveals that female agricultural educators rated their confidence in integrating STEM into several AFNR content pathways statistically lower than male colleagues, particularly in Power, Structural, and Technical Systems, pointing to the need for targeted professional development.
  • CTE Supervisor Perceptions: A survey of Florida CTE supervisors finds positive views of teachers' integration capacity, but supervisors noted that only some programs consistently incorporate science, mathematics, and reading, and identified academic integration as an area needing greater emphasis in preservice preparation.
  • Guidance Counselors and Agriscience: Qualitative interviews with Nebraska guidance counselors reveal that while counselors recognize real-world applications in agriscience courses, limited knowledge of the science content within those courses prevents many from awarding science credit, urging agriscience instructors to better communicate what they teach.

  Teacher Preparation, Hiring, and Retention

  • Superintendent Hiring Priorities: A quantitative study in Oklahoma determines that superintendents prioritize teaching credentials and classroom performance when hiring and evaluating SBAE teachers, but place little value on candidates' ability to connect STEM or core academic concepts to agricultural curriculum.
  • New Teacher Concerns: A needs assessment of beginning agriculture teachers in North Carolina's DELTA induction program identifies program management and planning as the highest area of need, with teacher concerns concentrated around task-related challenges.
  • Challenges Facing Arkansas SBAE: Focus groups with Arkansas agricultural teachers surface a wide range of personal and professional challenges anticipated over the next decade, including teacher shortages and program sustainability, framed through Chapman's model of teacher retention.
  • Agricultural Mechanics Competency: A study of Alabama agricultural mechanics teachers finds that General Safety and Electrical Wiring were rated highest in importance, while gaps between perceived importance and competence across other standards suggest barriers to full curriculum implementation.

  Workforce Readiness and Extension Education

  • Industry Skills Gap: Florida's Young Farmers and Ranchers Leadership Group identifies critical thinking, communication, time management, and genuine work ethic as essential skills lacking in entry-level applicants, challenging SBAE programs to more intentionally develop professional and attitudinal dispositions alongside technical skills.
  • Extension and Technology Adoption: A phenomenological study of three greenhouse growing operations finds that miscommunication and distrust with change agents impeded adoption of an advanced growing system, offering recommendations for Extension professionals and innovators on facilitating transparent technology diffusion.
  • Land-Grant Collaboration: A qualitative case study examines 15 years of multi-institutional research combating spotted wing drosophila, an invasive berry and cherry pest, identifying strong professional relationships, shared expertise, and effective communication as the key factors sustaining an unusually long-term research collaboration.

  Equity, Inclusion, and Innovative Pedagogy

  • Urban Students of Color: A qualitative study through the lens of teachers explores the motivational barriers and enablers facing urban students of color in agricultural education, finding that negative stereotypes and limited agricultural exposure are significant obstacles to engagement and retention.
  • Gender Pronouns in SBAE: A longitudinal study tracking preservice SBAE teachers across three courses finds a decline in positive attitudes toward using students' chosen gender pronouns following student teaching, suggesting cooperating teachers' attitudes may undercut university preparation and pointing to the need for more deliberate inclusion training.
  • Agricultural Literacy and Writing: A qualitative investigation of Alabama agriscience teachers finds that while vocabulary instruction and project-based learning are common, extended individual writing is largely absent, recommending that teachers add writing exercises to deepen students' disciplinary literacy.
  • Body Mapping for Science Communicators: An innovative study uses body mapping to assess doctoral students' readiness to serve as science communicators, finding that students shifted from viewing communication as a mere tool to embracing active engagement, advocating for creative assessment methods that build metacognitive and soft skills in graduate programs.

• Vol. 73 No. 01 (2023)

  The manuscripts in Volume 73, Issue 1 (2023) of the Journal of Southern Agricultural Education Research (JSAER) focus on advancing agricultural education through strengthened teacher preparation and support, curriculum alignment, adaptive Extension programming, and a broadened commitment to equity and inclusion across the profession.

  Teacher Preparation, Effectiveness, and Needs

  • Teacher Needs in Oklahoma: A quantitative study using the Conceptual Model of Support for SBAE Teachers finds that 36 of 42 measured items reflect a need among Oklahoma agricultural educators, with program management, work-life balance, and SAE development among the most persistent concerns, calling for purposeful and individualized professional development.
  • Teaching Effectiveness and Human Capital: An exploratory study using the ETI-SBAE instrument finds that SBAE teachers attending the 2020 NAAE conference scored a mean of 81.54 out of 104 on overall effectiveness, with work-life balance and SAE supervision identified as the greatest areas of concern, and female teachers rating themselves more effective than male counterparts.
  • Preservice Teacher Readiness for Low-SES Students: A qualitative case study of eight first-year Nebraska agriculture teachers finds that while teachers felt generally prepared to work with students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, teacher preparation programs should incorporate coursework and early field experiences specifically designed to build confidence and relationship skills with this population.
  • Preservice Teachers and the AET: A study of 42 preservice teachers at Oklahoma State University tracks self-perceived and actual ability to use the Agricultural Experience Tracker across a 16-week semester, finding growth across all areas but persistently low performance in financial applications, signaling a need for targeted professional development upon entry into the field.

  Curriculum Standards and Instructional Approaches

  • Animal Science Standards Alignment: A content analysis comparing South Carolina SBAE animal science standards to national AFNR standards finds that only 31% of state standards were written at or above the Applying level, compared to 95% of AFNR standards, revealing a significant rigor gap and calling for higher-order instructional planning in preservice and in-service training.
  • Cognitive Style and Flipped Classrooms: A quantitative study at Louisiana State University examines whether cognitive style influences content knowledge gains in a flipped introductory agricultural mechanics course, finding no significant differences between student groups and recommending that educators employ diverse learning strategies to meet the needs of varied learners.
  • Experiential Learning in Animal Science: A quasi-experimental study at the University of Georgia finds that replacing weekly study sessions with experiential learning activities did not produce significant performance differences in an introductory animal science course, suggesting that experiential approaches may not uniformly benefit students learning foundational content and that further research is warranted.
  • Revisiting Teaching "In" and "About" Agriculture: A philosophical perspective examines the historical divergence between agricultural education's workforce preparation and agricultural literacy missions, proposing a conceptual framework for K-12 agricultural education that attempts to bridge gaps in career readiness and public agricultural understanding.

  Professional Development and Science Efficacy

  • Science Efficacy and Professional Development: A quantitative case study assesses teachers' personal science teaching efficacy and outcome expectancy before and after a 12-month inquiry-based professional development program in genetics, muscle biology, microbiology, and nutrition, finding positive gains on both measures that were not statistically significant, while affirming the program's potential as a tool for building science confidence in agricultural educators.
  • Technical Professional Development Needs: A multi-state study of agricultural educators in six southeastern states finds that plant science and animal systems are the greatest areas of technical professional development need, while notable differences emerge by gender and years of experience, with newer teachers expressing greater need in animal science and rural teachers showing stronger interest in natural resources.

  Extension Education and COVID-19 Adaptation

  • Extension Responses to the Pandemic: A mixed-methods study of Clemson Extension agents and advisory committee members explores how the COVID-19 pandemic reshaped programming and outreach, concluding that adaptability is the critical competency for Extension professionals navigating future disruptions and recommending that findings serve as a framework for future crisis response.
  • 4-H Virtual Programming Effectiveness: A qualitative study of South Carolina 4-H families during the COVID-19 pandemic reveals that most families were satisfied with their agent's communication and level of engagement during the transition to virtual programming, with results underscoring the importance of establishing best practices for online 4-H delivery.

  Equity, Diversity, and International Perspectives

  • Distinguished Lecture — Everyday People in Agriculture: Dr. Chastity Warren English's 2023 Distinguished Lecture calls on the agricultural education profession to confront barriers of fear, exclusion, and underrepresentation by centering the voices and experiences of diverse students and professionals, drawing on her work at an 1890 land-grant institution and challenging colleagues to become the change agents the field needs.
  • Women Agricultural Entrepreneurs in Botswana: A qualitative study of eight women in production agriculture in Botswana surfaces seven themes — including networking, leadership, family structure, and cultural context — that shaped their journeys, offering a framework for women seeking agricultural leadership in international settings where traditional cultural hierarchies have historically limited their participation.

• Vol. 72 No. 01 (2022)

  The manuscripts in Volume 72, Issue 1 (2022) of the Journal of Southern Agricultural Education Research (JSAER) address key priorities in agricultural education including teacher effectiveness during crisis conditions, student engagement in experiential learning, Extension outreach for emerging agricultural sectors, and curriculum adoption in international contexts.

  Teacher Preparation and Effectiveness

  • Teaching Effectiveness During the Pandemic: A quantitative study using the ETI-SBAE instrument measures the effective teaching characteristics of 72 preservice SBAE teachers at Oklahoma State University during the Spring 2020 COVID-19 semester, finding that all participants scored in the strong to very strong range and that those who intended to enter teaching reported higher effectiveness scores, affirming the instrument's utility for teacher preparation programs.
  • Motivating Students in SAE Programs: A collective case study of three successful agricultural educators identifies key strategies for motivating high-quality Supervised Agricultural Experience programs, including grading SAE participation, connecting projects to student interests, maintaining flexibility in SAE categories, and building programs incrementally over time, offering practical implications for both classroom teachers and preservice preparation.

  Technology Integration and Critical Thinking

  • GPS and Geocaching in the Agriscience Classroom: A quantitative study evaluating a GPS and Geocaching lesson in agriscience classrooms finds statistically significant improvements in student engagement, cognitive maturity, innovation, and overall critical thinking disposition for all participants, though geocaching integration alone did not produce additional gains, suggesting GPS-based instruction is a promising but not fully understood lever for critical thinking development.

  Extension Education and Organic Farming

  • Educational Needs of Organic Farmers: A Borich needs assessment of South Carolina organic farmers identifies managing organic crop diseases, insect pests, and weeds as the highest priority educational needs, recommending that Cooperative Extension develop targeted resources for organic producers and assess agent competency gaps to better bridge the divide between organic education and extension programming.

  International and Curriculum Perspectives

  • Curriculum Adoption in Uganda: A qualitative study interviewing eight Ugandan secondary teachers who adopted an international NGO's agriculturally-focused curriculum finds that shifting from theoretical to practical instruction, meeting students' survival needs, and changing teacher habits and perceptions of agriculture were central themes, recommending continued partnership with Uganda's Ministry of Education to explore broader national adoption of the curriculum.

• Vol. 71 No. 01 (2021)

  The manuscripts in Volume 71, Issue 1 (2021) of the Journal of Southern Agricultural Education Research (JSAER) address improving teacher preparation, expanding agricultural programs, supporting rural community wellbeing through Extension, and preparing undergraduate students for the workforce.

  Teacher Preparation and Instructional Quality

  • Student Teaching Format and Lesson Plan Quality: A quasi-experimental study at Oklahoma State University comparing two student teaching formats finds that a longer internship produces statistically significant improvements in lesson plan quality, recommending that agricultural education teacher preparation programs carefully evaluate their student teaching structure and course progression to maximize preservice teacher development.
  • Program Expansion of Secondary Agricultural Education: A qualitative case study using Rogers' Diffusion of Innovation model identifies four key themes for successfully launching new secondary agricultural education programs — stakeholder identification, communication, education, and funding — recommending that prospective program developers create informational materials, build community relationships, and host webinars to share best practices.

  Undergraduate Education and Workforce Preparation

  • Internal Branding of an AECL Department: A quantitative survey of 207 students at Oklahoma State University finds that students are most familiar with and positive about their own chosen major, with agricultural communications viewed most favorably across all majors, agricultural leadership seen as most inclusive, and agricultural education considered most important to the industry, recommending a multidisciplinary freshman orientation and a communications assessment to support recruitment and retention.
  • Organizational Citizenship Behavior in Undergraduates: A quantitative study of undergraduate students enrolled in agricultural leadership and communication courses finds that courtesy and altruism are the strongest organizational citizenship behavior characteristics, while conscientiousness scores are the lowest, suggesting that OCB education offers a promising entry point for developing workforce-ready soft skills alongside technical agricultural knowledge.

  Extension Education and Rural Community Wellbeing

  • Community Gardens and Wellbeing: A mixed-methods evaluation of a CDC-funded Extension community garden project in a food desert county with Georgia's highest obesity rate finds that participation enhanced wellbeing through increased physical activity, stress reduction, social cohesion, and access to fresh produce, recommending community gardens as a replicable intervention for Extension agents addressing health disparities in rural areas.
  • Georgia Extension Agents and Rural Stress: A quantitative survey of 281 Georgia Extension agents finds that perceptions of rural stress and mental health needs vary significantly by location within the state, cautioning against one-size-fits-all Extension programming and recommending geographically targeted approaches to address mental health disparities in farming communities.

  Agricultural Communication and Environmental Literacy

  • Electronic Field Trips and Climate Change Empathy: A quantitative pre/post study of 64 classrooms in the United States and Trinidad and Tobago finds that participation in a university-hosted electronic field trip featuring bat researchers produced significant improvements in student engagement, cognitive maturity, innovation, and overall critical thinking disposition toward wildlife and climate change, demonstrating that universities and Extension can effectively use virtual formats to connect youth with scientists and expand environmental literacy.

   

• Vol. 70 No. 01 (2020)

  The manuscripts in Volume 70 of the Journal of Southern Agricultural Education Research (JSAER) examine how agricultural education can evolve to meet 21st-century demands, with themes spanning instructional innovation, technology integration, teacher preparation, and the professional development of school-based agricultural educators.

  Instructional Methods and Controversial Issues

  • Teaching Controversial Topics: A mixed-methods study investigates the use of guided group discussion as a strategy for teaching agriculture-specific controversial issues such as sustainable agriculture and animal welfare. While no statistically significant attitude change was detected, qualitative findings reveal that students valued the neutrality and evidence-based structure of the approach, and that the method effectively removes instructor bias from contentious content delivery.

  Technology Integration in Secondary Agriculture

  • Precision Agriculture Adoption: A quantitative study of secondary agriscience teachers in Alabama and Illinois finds that only half of participants currently incorporate precision agriculture concepts into their curricula despite recognizing its importance. GPS, soil sampling/land management, and genetic modification emerged as the most important topics, while funding, equipment access, and limited professional development were identified as key barriers to broader adoption.

  Teacher Engagement and Reflective Practice

  • Teacher Disengagement: An autoethnographic study offers a rare, candid account of teacher disengagement in a high-stakes post-secondary learning environment. Framed through Shame Resilience Theory, the researcher documents how deep immersion in research methodology created a growing disconnect from students, raising important questions about meaningful connection, authentic teaching, and the reciprocal nature of engagement between instructors and learners.

  Problem-Solving as Pedagogy and Philosophy

  • Reconceptualizing Problem-Solving: A philosophical investigation traces the historical foundations of problem-solving in school-based agricultural education (SBAE) from Dewey to Bransford, distilling three shared principles — identify problems, analyze information, and evaluate solutions. The authors propose the Integrated Problem-Solving Model for Agricultural Education, which embeds these principles across all three components of agricultural education's comprehensive model: classroom and laboratory, SAE, and FFA.

  Career Development Events and Teacher Readiness

  • Professional Development for First-Year Teachers: Using the Borich Needs Assessment Model, a quantitative pilot study identifies the career development event (CDE) professional development priorities of first-year SBAE teachers in Oklahoma. Livestock Evaluation, Veterinary Science, Meats Evaluation and Technology, Food Science and Technology, and Agricultural Sales ranked as the highest-priority areas, with teachers consistently rating their interest above their perceived competence across nearly all 27 CDEs examined.

  Online Learning in Colleges of Agriculture

  • Learning Management System Needs: A Delphi study investigates undergraduate agriculture students' instructional needs within online learning environments. Panelists prioritized ease-of-use design for faculty, authentic student-faculty discussion opportunities, mobile accessibility, formative assessment, and professional development for instructors. The findings underscore a persistent gap between current LMS capabilities and the expectations of the next generation of agricultural students.

• Vol. 69 No. 01 (2019)

  The manuscripts in Volume 69, Issue 1 (2019) of the Journal of Southern Agricultural Education Research (JSAER) focus on advancing agricultural education through improved leadership models, addressing systemic challenges in Extension, enhancing student motivation and diversity, and aligning academic training with workforce needs.

  Leadership and Organizational Theory

  • Social Network Analysis: Research identifies social network analysis as a valuable tool for measuring network emergence and development within leadership programs, highlighting how individuals interact and seek advice.

  • New Leadership Models: A philosophical review proposes a theory-based organizational leadership model distinct from management, providing a framework for leaders to adapt to social, economic, and technological changes.

  Extension Challenges and International Perspectives

  • County-Level Obstacles: A qualitative study outlines persistent internal challenges in Cooperative Extension, including high employee turnover and marketing deficits, alongside external threats such as reduced funding and changing demographics.

  • International Fertilizer Adoption: Research in Uganda explores the barriers subsistence farmers face in adopting mineral fertilizers, emphasizing that membership in formally recognized farmer groups significantly improves access to training and resources.

  Student Motivation and Program Diversity

  • SAE Participation: An inquiry into Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) programs identifies family tradition, financial incentives, and the National FFA Organization's award system as primary motivators for student engagement.

  • Minority Recruitment: To address the lack of ethnic diversity in agricultural programs, studies propose strategies such as making personal connections, using peer-to-peer recruitment, and showcasing successful minority role models in the field.

  Workforce Preparation and Competencies

  • Skilled Workforce Needs: Using the Delphi technique, local leaders identified essential competencies for high school graduates in agricultural and environmental practices, emphasizing life/leadership "soft skills," core subject knowledge, and technical proficiency.

  • Employability of Graduates: Research examines how life experiences and specific growth areas affect the employability of land-grant college graduates, helping bridge the gap between academic preparation and industry expectations.

  Vision for the Field

  • Distinguished Lecture: The issue concludes with a call for agricultural educators to ask more "beautiful questions," to address the uncomfortable, challenging inquiries that drive excellence and significant outcomes for students and stakeholders.

• Vol. 68 No. 01 (2018)

  The manuscripts in Volume 68, Issue 1 (2018) of the Journal of Southern Agricultural Education Research (JSAER) address expanding agricultural education's reach through food safety integration, youth development, Extension communication strategies, and preparing teachers and communities to meet the evolving demands of rural and agricultural contexts.

  Teacher Preparation and Clinical Experience

  • Time Allocation During Student Teaching: A quantitative study of preservice agricultural education teachers at Texas Tech University examines how student teachers allocate their time across the three-circle model and related roles, finding that the most time was devoted to FFA advising and classroom instruction, with considerable variation in experiences across individuals, highlighting the need to examine how time allocation relates to self-efficacy and long-term retention in the profession.
  • Future Ready Graduate Attributes in Rural Schools: A quantitative study of rural North Carolina superintendents finds that while teachers demonstrate awareness of most future-ready graduate attributes, multilingualism, financial literacy, and self-directed learning are reinforced only to a limited extent in the instructional environment, signaling a gap between state education goals and classroom reality in rural districts.

  Food Science, Safety, and 4-H Education

  • Food Science Integration in Tennessee Agricultural Education: A quantitative study assessing Tennessee agricultural teachers' knowledge and readiness to integrate food science finds that professional development is most needed in areas such as safely transporting and storing packaged food products, recommending that food safety lessons be incorporated into existing curriculum pathways and that a new Food Science and Safety pathway be actively supported.
  • Poultry and Egg Food Safety for 4-H Youth: A quantitative study evaluating the USDA-funded Poultry and Egg Education Project with 190 fourth through sixth grade 4-H youth finds that post-test knowledge scores were significantly higher than pre-test scores and that participants showed improved attitudes and intentions toward safe food handling practices, recommending continued expansion and curriculum refinement of the program.

  Youth Development and 4-H Programming

  • 4-H Wildlife Habitat Education and Career Exploration: A qualitative focus group study of Tennessee 4-H Wildlife Habitat Education Program participants finds that the program sparked genuine interest in wildlife management careers and deepened understanding of natural resource stewardship, recommending national-scale research to further examine how youth programs transfer conservation knowledge and cultivate career aspirations.
  • Motivations for 4-H Horse Judging Participation: A quantitative study of 71 contestants from Colorado, Florida, and Texas state 4-H horse judging programs finds that intrinsic motivation — particularly a desire to learn and genuine interest in horses — is the strongest driver of participation, followed by extrinsic factors such as team performance and scholarship competition, offering Extension professionals a foundation for designing more engaging and effective horse judging programs.

  Extension Communication and Water Policy

  • Public Perceptions of Agricultural Water Use: A quantitative national study finds that the public generally trusts farmers regarding water use, but regional differences emerge — particularly with western respondents holding more negative views of farming's environmental impact — recommending that Extension develop geographically tailored programs to build a more informed public on agricultural water needs.
  • Communication Strategies for Water Conservation in Florida: A quantitative study examining how Florida residents' perceptions of government-mandated water conservation initiatives relate to their conservation behaviors finds that demographic characteristics meaningfully segment audiences, recommending that Extension and water managers use targeted communication strategies to reach different groups more effectively.
  • Blueberry Health Benefits Knowledge Gap: A quantitative survey of grocery shoppers across 31 states finds that respondents with lower levels of education demonstrate a significant knowledge gap regarding blueberry health benefits compared to those with college experience, recommending targeted communication efforts to reach lower-education consumer segments and expand awareness of blueberries' nutritional value.

  Rural Agricultural Leadership and Resilience

  • Tobacco Producer Resiliency in Greene County, TN: A qualitative study of ten Greene County burley tobacco producers finds that despite profound economic and regulatory changes in the global tobacco industry over the past two decades, producers have drawn on adaptive leadership and deep cultural ties to the crop to forge new agricultural enterprises and sustain community resilience in a declining market.

  Vision for the Field

  • Distinguished Lecture: Dr. Ricky Telg's 2018 Distinguished Lecture uses the theme of time travel to reflect on over two decades in agricultural education and communication, offering career wisdom on mentorship, resilience, professional relationships, and the enduring value of curiosity — encouraging early-career educators to embrace uncertainty as a core feature of a meaningful academic life.

• Vol. 67 No. 01 (2017)

  The manuscripts in Volume 67, Issue 1 (2017) of the Journal of Southern Agricultural Education Research (JSAER) focus on strengthening teacher preparation, expanding global and multicultural perspectives in Extension and 4-H programming, and examining the professional dynamics that shape agricultural educators' effectiveness and retention.

  Teacher Preparation and Effectiveness

  • Critical Thinking Dispositions in Agriculture Teachers: A quantitative study developing a critical thinking disposition profile of high school agriculture teachers finds that the majority hold moderate critical thinking dispositions across engagement, cognitive maturity, and innovativeness, with no significant relationships found between critical thinking and demographic variables such as age, gender, or years of experience, suggesting broad professional development needs in this area.
  • Preservice Teachers and Mathematics Integration: A qualitative study of five preservice agricultural education teachers finds that while participants recognized the importance of mathematics in agriculture and daily life, they were largely unaware of the specific mathematical concepts embedded in SBAE curricula and lacked familiarity with Common Core mathematics standards, pointing to a significant gap in preservice preparation for academic integration.
  • Structured Communication Between Teacher Candidates and Cooperating Teachers: A quantitative multi-university study examines whether a structured communication instrument between teacher candidates and cooperating teachers improves teaching efficacy, finding no statistically significant differences across groups or universities, while noting that the quality of the cooperating teacher relationship may still meaningfully influence candidates' decision to enter the profession.
  • Teacher Preferences for Teaching Partners: A quantitative study asking agriculture teachers at the National FFA Convention to select preferred teaching partners based on physical and professional appearance finds a strong preference for male partners regardless of age and attire, and evidence that ageism may disproportionately affect female candidates, raising important concerns about bias, diversity, and retention in an already male-dominated profession.

  Global Perspectives and 4-H Programming

  • 4-H Agent Beliefs About Global Agriculture Issues: A national quantitative survey of randomly selected 4-H agents finds that agents hold favorable personal beliefs and positive attitudes about preparing youth for global agricultural challenges such as food security, climate change, and renewable energy, with personal background and experience not significantly influencing those beliefs, suggesting conditions are conducive to expanding globally oriented 4-H programming.
  • 4-H International Experience Program Questionnaire Development: A quantitative instrument development study describes the creation and initial validation of the 4-H International Experience Program Questionnaire, designed to measure motivating factors and deterrents to 4-H members' participation in international experience programs, providing a reliable tool for Extension professionals seeking to expand and better market international opportunities for youth.

  Extension Outreach and Underserved Communities

  • Needs Assessment for Hispanic Farmers and Ranchers: A qualitative focus group study of prospective Hispanic farmers and ranchers in Texas identifies key barriers and needs including family support, language, immigration status, cultural identity, economic stability, and access to information on how to start and maintain an agricultural business, recommending that Extension outreach programs tailor services and communication strategies to address the unique circumstances of this rapidly growing segment of the agricultural community.

• Vol. 66 No. 01 (2016)

  The manuscripts in Volume 66, Issue 1 (2016) of the Journal of Southern Agricultural Education Research (JSAER) address building more effective agricultural educators and students through innovative instructional approaches, benchmarking teacher self-efficacy, expanding global awareness, and understanding the factors that differentiate student achievement in competitive agricultural programs.

  Teacher Preparation and Self-Efficacy

  • Early-Career Teacher Self-Efficacy in Texas: A quantitative benchmarking study of first through third year agricultural science teachers in Texas finds that self-efficacy is lowest in areas such as managing a horticulture laboratory, utilizing a program advisory board, and assisting students with FFA proficiency applications, while highest in supervising FFA trips and chapter activities, recommending that teacher preparation programs target these specific gaps through coursework and professional development.

  Innovative Instructional Methods and STEM Learning

  • Inquiry-Based Instruction and Biofuels Content Knowledge: A quantitative quasi-experimental study of preservice agricultural education teachers at Oklahoma State University finds that inquiry-based instruction produces statistically significant gains in biofuels content knowledge compared to traditional lecture, though no significant difference was detected in student motivation, recommending replication with larger samples to strengthen generalizability.
  • Socioscientific Issues-Based Instruction and Solar Energy Knowledge: A quasi-experimental study at the University of Arkansas examining the impact of socioscientific issues (SSI)-based instruction on undergraduate students' knowledge of solar energy finds that both SSI and traditional instruction groups experienced significant knowledge gains, with no significant difference between them, suggesting SSI-based instruction is a viable alternative approach that does not negatively impact learning outcomes.

  Global Agricultural Awareness

  • Undergraduate Knowledge of International Agricultural Issues: A quantitative comparison of U.S. and Latin American undergraduate students' knowledge of international agricultural issues finds that despite modest score increases across academic standing, only 3.5% of students obtained a passing score, with juniors and seniors scoring significantly higher than freshmen and sophomores, reinforcing the persistent need for internationally infused curricula across agricultural degree programs.

  FFA and Career Development Events

  • High vs. Low Performers in a Career Development Event: A descriptive-correlational study of Missouri FFA Livestock Evaluation Career Development Event participants identifies significant differences between high and low performers across several demographic variables including GPA, grade level, IEP status, free and reduced lunch eligibility, and prior CDE experience, recommending that agricultural educators increase professional development in accommodating diverse learners and revisit how CDEs are positioned as equitable learning opportunities for all students.

• Vol. 65 No. 01 (2015)

  The manuscripts in Volume 65, Issue 1 (2015) of the Journal of Southern Agricultural Education Research (JSAER) address building more scientifically literate and globally aware students, preparing teachers to serve diverse and urban populations, and identifying the professional development needs that keep educators effective across their careers.

  Scientific Literacy and Innovative Instruction

  • SSI-Based Instruction and Argumentation Skills: A pre-experimental study of agriscience students following a six-week socioscientific issues (SSI)-based unit on cultured meat finds that while overall argumentation quality improved from pretest to posttest, the number of justifications students offered varied by grade level, socioeconomic status, agricultural education experience, and FFA membership, establishing a foundation for future research on SSI-based instruction in agricultural education settings.

  Diversity, Immigration, and Social Awareness

  • Migrants, Farming, and Immigration: A quantitative survey of 359 students at a Georgia university maps young Southerners' — including preservice teachers' — knowledge and attitudes about immigrant and migrant farm workers, finding that political affiliation, race, gender, and cosmopolitan experience are the strongest predictors of attitudes, and recommending that agricultural educators take a more active role in building informed, honest dialogue about the agricultural workforce's dependence on immigrant labor.

  Teacher Preparation and Recruitment

  • Student Teachers' Perceptions of Rural and Urban Programs: A quantitative study of 70 Western Region student teachers finds that location is the most important job selection factor, that most participants grew up in rural programs and desire to teach in similar settings, and that a statistically significant relationship exists between the type of program experienced in high school and the type of program in which student teachers desire to teach, recommending that universities create greater exposure to urban agricultural education programs early in preservice preparation.

  Youth Development and FFA Programming

  • FFA Camp and Attitudes Toward Leadership Learning: A descriptive-correlational study of 344 Oklahoma FFA Alumni Leadership Camp participants finds that campers hold an overall positive attitude toward the camp experience but that no statistically significant relationship exists between their attitudes and their content knowledge gains or retention six months later, recommending that camp planners reconsider the use of academically structured small group sessions and return to leadership concepts delivered through outdoor and recreational activities.

  Professional Development

  • Professional Development Needs of Tennessee SBAE Teachers: A descriptive study of 127 Tennessee agricultural educators using mean weighted discrepancy scores identifies the top five professional development needs as utilizing Common Core standards in agricultural instruction, teaching critical thinking skills, managing stress, balancing work and personal life, and teaching problem solving skills, with notable differences in needs by years of experience, gender, contract length, and region, recommending that professional development be purposefully tailored to specific subgroups rather than delivered as a one-size-fits-all program.

• Vol. 64 No. 01 (2014)

  The manuscript in Volume 64, Issue 1 (2014) of the Journal of Southern Agricultural Education Research (JSAER) examines a foundational element of teacher preparation — the student teaching relationship — through the lens of leadership theory.

  Teacher Preparation and the Student Teaching Experience

  • Cooperating Teacher Leadership Style and Student Teacher Satisfaction: A quantitative descriptive-correlational study of 19 student teachers and 29 cooperating teachers at Texas Tech University applies Hersey and Blanchard's Situational Leadership Model to examine the relationship between cooperating teachers' preferred leadership style and student teachers' satisfaction, finding that the majority of cooperating teachers preferred the supporting style and that a moderate positive correlation existed between the supporting style and student teacher satisfaction across measures of acceptance, counseling, friendship, and overall perceived satisfaction, while the coaching style showed negative moderate correlations with those same measures, recommending that cooperating teachers be trained to assess student teacher development levels and adapt their leadership style accordingly throughout the semester.

• Vol. 63 No. 01 (2013)

  The manuscripts in Volume 63, Issue 1 (2013) of the Journal of Southern Agricultural Education Research (JSAER) address preparing agricultural educators and students for a globally interconnected world, strengthening science integration across the curriculum, and improving instructional quality and graduate advising within agricultural education programs.

  Global Awareness and International Education

  • Undergraduate Attitudes and Faculty Travel Abroad via RLOs: A quantitative pre/post study at the University of Florida examines whether reusable learning objects (RLOs) created from faculty travel abroad experiences in Ecuador can shift undergraduate attitudes toward a foreign country, finding preliminary evidence that exposure to RLOs using a foreign country as subject-matter context can positively influence student attitudes, suggesting a scalable model for internationalizing undergraduate curricula without requiring direct student travel.
  • Student Perceptions of International Educational Experiences: A descriptive study of 316 undergraduates finds that while 75% aspire to study abroad before graduation, 84% had not done so at the time of the study, with overall life experience and global career competitiveness cited as top motivators and weather and country destination as the most important selection factors, recommending that institutions address financial and logistical barriers to make international experiences more accessible.
  • Competencies for Entry-Level International Development Agents: A quantitative survey of AIAEE educator members identifies nine competency constructs for entry-level international development agents, with program planning and evaluation, cultural diversity, and work habits ranked as most important, recommending that land-grant universities and Extension programs intentionally design curricula to develop these competencies in students pursuing international agricultural careers.

  Science Integration and Curriculum Alignment

  • Science Concepts in Preservice Teacher Coursework: A case study at the University of Florida maps the science coursework completed by 59 preservice agricultural education teachers against AFNR Career Cluster Standards, finding strong coverage of life science and science as inquiry but very limited exposure to physical science and earth and space science, recommending curricular adjustments particularly for programs that enroll large numbers of community college transfer students.
  • FFA, SAE, and Science Achievement: A quantitative study in Georgia finds that FFA activity level and SAE participation did not hold statistically significant relationships with students' scores on the Georgia High School Graduation Test in science for either regular or special education agricultural education concentrators, while affirming that both components remain integral to reinforcing academic concepts and recommending continued inclusion in comprehensive program models.
  • Alabama Teachers' Perceptions of Contextualized Learning: A quantitative study of 161 Alabama agricultural educators finds that the large majority agree that integrating mathematics and reading comprehension into agricultural instruction is important, but identifies insufficient funding, lack of appropriate workshops, and inadequate equipment as significant barriers to science integration, recommending targeted professional development and resource support to advance contextualized learning statewide.

  Teacher Preparation and Instructional Practice

  • Agricultural Education Teachers' Instructional Planning Practices: A quantitative study of early-career agriculture teachers participating in the National Association for Agricultural Education's Turn the Key program finds wide variation in planning practices, lesson plan formats, use of professional curriculum resources, and time dedicated to planning — with teachers reporting considerably less planning time than in prior studies — recommending that teacher preparation programs expose preservice teachers to a variety of instructional planning approaches and that further large-scale research be conducted on planning trends.

  Graduate Education and Program Relevance

  • Communication Qualities of Graduate Advisors: A quantitative study of graduate students in agricultural leadership, education, extension, and communications departments identifies availability, honesty, and field expertise as hallmarks of high-quality advisors, while difficulty in reaching advisors, lack of encouragement, and limited knowledge are associated with low-quality advising, recommending that graduate programs intentionally cultivate open communication and mentoring practices between faculty and students.
  • Distinguished Lecture — A Relevant Program: Dr. Tim Murphy's Distinguished Lecture challenges agricultural leadership, education, and communications programs to remain relevant in an era of intense scrutiny of higher education costs and outcomes, calling on faculty to demonstrate the value of social science research to solving complex global agricultural problems and to align program offerings with the workforce and societal needs of a rapidly changing world.

• Vol. 62 No. 01 (2012)

  The manuscripts in Volume 62, Issue 1 (2012) of the Journal of Southern Agricultural Education Research (JSAER) address critical workforce and retention challenges in agricultural education, exploring teacher supply, stress, compensation, and the design of effective study abroad programming.

  Teacher Supply, Retention, and Workforce Demographics

  • Teacher Supply and Programmatic Demand in Georgia: A quantitative survey of 293 Georgia agricultural teachers finds that approximately 74% of the workforce is male, nearly 29% are between ages 22 and 30, and roughly 34% have five or fewer years of teaching experience, signaling a profession with a relatively young and potentially vulnerable workforce and recommending further research on retention strategies and pathways to advanced degrees.
  • Job Stressors Among Beginning Agriculture Teachers by Gender: A quantitative study comparing male and female beginning agriculture teachers finds that while stress levels are broadly similar across most job responsibility constructs, female teachers report significantly higher stress related to FFA responsibilities, class load demands, and overburdened workloads, recommending that teacher preparation and induction programs provide targeted training in time management and stress management strategies for female educators in particular.
  • Financial Impact of Extended Contracts in Kentucky: A quantitative financial projection study examines the lifetime earnings and retirement benefit implications of Kentucky's statutory requirement that agricultural educators serve on 12-month contracts, finding that the differential lifetime financial benefit compared to a standard 9-month contract is approximately $1.3 million for male educators and $1.5 million for females, while cautioning that when retirement benefits are evaluated on a discounted present value basis the advantage may be less significant than it appears on its face.

  International and Study Abroad Programming

  • Formative Evaluation in Agricultural Study Abroad Courses: A mixed-methods study at the University of Florida demonstrates the value of formative evaluation in improving a collaborative agricultural study abroad course, finding that ongoing evaluation enabled teams to make real-time improvements to recruitment plans, communication, educational objectives, and experiential learning integration, recommending that all study abroad course development teams adopt formative evaluation processes to increase the likelihood of reaching their intended student outcomes.

• Vol. 61 No. 01 (2011)

  The manuscripts in Volume 61, Issue 1 (2011) of the Journal of Southern Agricultural Education Research (JSAER) address expanding the reach of agricultural education through emerging technologies, strengthening curriculum alignment with academic standards, and building administrative support for program growth at the middle school level.

  Technology and Extension Outreach

  • Using Facebook to Disseminate Horticultural Lessons: A quantitative content analysis of a state Master Gardener Facebook page over one year finds that 81 educational lessons were delivered — with landscaping as the most frequent topic — and that linked websites were the most common lesson format, with landscaping also generating the most client questions, recommending that Extension programs expand their use of social media to broaden reach, reduce costs, and provide anytime, anywhere access to horticultural education for adult learners.

  Curriculum Alignment and Academic Integration

  • Mathematics in the Alabama FFA Agricultural Mechanics CDE: A content analysis comparing the Alabama State FFA Agricultural Mechanics Career Development Event activities against the 2009 Alabama Course of Study in Mathematics identifies 27 state mathematics curriculum standards embedded within the contest requirements, recommending that agriculture teachers collaborate with mathematics colleagues to develop a math-enhanced agricultural mechanics curriculum that could improve both academic understanding and contest performance.

  Administrator Perceptions and Program Expansion

  • Middle School Agricultural Education as Perceived by Georgia Principals: A quantitative study of 33 Georgia middle school principals with agricultural education programs at their schools finds that principals perceive the programs as positively impacting student performance in math and science, supporting goal setting and problem solving, and providing equal opportunities for all students, affirming the importance of cultivating administrator support as a foundation for expanding middle school agricultural education programs.
  • Superintendent Awareness of Biotechnology Education in North Carolina: A quantitative study of North Carolina public school superintendents finds that respondents are generally knowledgeable about biotechnology and view it as beneficial for health, nutrition, and environmental quality, but express uncertainty about public support for biotechnology education and the adequacy of teacher preparation, recommending that biotechnology stakeholders forge partnerships with school administrators and community leaders to secure the future of biotechnology education in public schools.

• Vol. 60 No. 01 (2010)

  The manuscripts in Volume 60, Issue 1 (2010) of the Journal of Southern Agricultural Education Research (JSAER) present a focused examination of the challenges facing beginning and alternatively certified agricultural educators, alongside studies on inclusive teaching, Extension volunteer effectiveness, youth program retention, and agricultural communication.

  Teacher Stress and Retention

  • Job Stressors of Beginning Georgia Agriscience Teachers: A quantitative study of new and beginning agriscience teachers in Georgia finds that time constraints, overburdened workloads, and demands on class load are the most significant stressors, that administrative support is the most stressful construct overall, and that only 31% of respondents had access to a school district mentor program, recommending targeted inservice training in FFA applications, time management, and communicating with administrators to reduce early-career burnout.
  • Forecasting Job Stress Among North Carolina Agriculture Teachers: A quantitative study of 201 North Carolina agriculture teachers using the Job Stress Survey finds that while teachers overall are not in a state of extreme stress, 48% fall in the stressed category, and that gender is a statistically significant predictor of stress with female teachers reporting higher stress levels, recommending continued attention to work-life factors for women in the profession.
  • Regional Comparison of Stress in Central and West Texas: A quantitative study comparing beginning agriscience teachers in two Texas regions finds that western region teachers report significantly higher time management stress than their central region counterparts, while no significant differences are found on other stress subscales, recommending professional development targeting time management as a priority for teacher retention efforts.

  Alternative Certification and Inservice Needs

  • First-Year Alternatively Certified Teachers in Oklahoma: A qualitative study of six alternatively certified (AC) Oklahoma agriculture teachers finds that they define effective teaching around classroom control, student motivation, and engagement, but that none of their beliefs directly addressed student achievement, recommending that professional development for AC teachers emphasize pedagogical and methodological skills tied to measurable student outcomes.
  • Inservice Needs of Traditionally vs. Alternatively Certified Louisiana Teachers: A quantitative study finds that while no significant differences exist between the two groups on broad inservice need constructs, differences do emerge on specific competency items, recommending that other states replicate this research to build a more complete national picture of the distinct needs of alternatively certified beginning agriculture teachers.

  Inclusion and Special Populations

  • Readiness for Inclusive Learning Environments: A descriptive survey of state agricultural education directors and supervisors finds that secondary agriculture teachers are perceived as prepared to serve women and students from varied socioeconomic backgrounds, but less prepared for ethnic minority students, students with special needs, gender identity diversity, and learning style diversity, recommending preservice and inservice multicultural education training and stronger community partnerships to advance inclusion.
  • Early-Career Teachers' Perceived Success with Special Needs Students: A quantitative comparison of beginning agriculture teachers in Missouri and North Carolina finds that teacher self-efficacy is the strongest predictor of perceived success in teaching students with special needs, accounting for 27% of variance in Missouri and 40% in North Carolina, with preservice special education coursework requirements not producing significant differences between the two states.

  Technology and Curriculum Integration

  • Graphing Calculators and the Texas FFA Agricultural Mechanics CDE: A quantitative census study of Texas FFA Agricultural Mechanics Career Development Event participants finds that most students had access to graphing calculators and perceived them as improving achievement in math and agricultural science, though most did not consider themselves expert users, with student classification and calculator ownership positively associated with higher CDE scores.

  Extension Education and Communication

  • County Program Reviews in Cooperative Extension: A quantitative study of Florida Extension agents in eight counties that participated in a county program review finds that agents increased their knowledge of program strengths and improvement opportunities, with increased use of technology being the most common resulting action, recommending that Extension leadership communicate the importance of program reviews more clearly and hold counties accountable for post-review actions.
  • Master Gardener Teaching Efficacy: A quantitative study of Tennessee Master Gardener volunteers finds that participants — predominantly older white women with higher education degrees — report feeling only "some influence" in their teaching effectiveness, recommending that Extension agents better understand volunteer motivations and invest in strategies to retain high-quality Master Gardeners to maximize program impact.
  • Source Credibility and Opinion Leader Information Diffusion: A quantitative study of Florida agricultural leadership program alumni finds that opinion leaders find most credible the information from organizations in which they are most involved, and are most likely to diffuse messages when the organization presents supporting evidence, recommending that agricultural organizations prioritize evidence-based communication strategies to maximize reach through trusted opinion leaders.
  • Teen 4-H Member Retention Factors in Pennsylvania: A qualitative content analysis of teen 4-H members' open-ended survey responses identifies events, friendships, and recognition as the most memorable 4-H experiences, while access to friends, resources such as money and transportation, and better event information are identified as the top factors that would encourage greater participation, recommending that program planners focus on social connection and logistical accessibility to improve teen retention.

• Vol. 59 No. 01 (2009)

  The manuscripts in Volume 59, Issue 1 (2009) of the Journal of Southern Agricultural Education Research (JSAER) address critical issues in teacher preparation effectiveness, FFA career development event participation, workforce readiness, Extension service quality, and diversity and equity in American agriculture.

  Teacher Preparation and Beginning Teacher Effectiveness

  • Effectiveness of Teacher Education as Perceived by Beginning Teachers: A quantitative study of beginning agriculture teachers in a Southern state finds that those with fewer than three years of experience generally perceived their preservice programs as adequately preparing them to teach, that teacher self-confidence is positively related to perceived classroom effectiveness, and that no significant differences exist between traditionally and alternatively prepared teachers, recommending continued efforts to ensure teacher preparation programs build both content competence and pedagogical confidence.
  • Learning Style and Job Satisfaction of Agricultural Education Graduates: A quantitative study using the Group Embedded Figures Test finds that the majority of agricultural education graduates at the University of Missouri are field-independent learners, but that learning style is not a practical predictor of employment decisions, salary, advising satisfaction, program quality perceptions, or overall job satisfaction, suggesting that universities need to prepare graduates broadly for diverse career pathways regardless of learning style.

  FFA Career Development Events

  • Student Participation in National FFA Career Development Events: A large-scale survey of 2,145 FFA members and 206 advisors finds that students participate in national CDEs primarily because the events relate to their career choices, while teachers believe competition is the primary motivator — a notable disconnect — with most training occurring after school hours, recommending that CDE programming be more explicitly aligned with students' career interests and that the gap between teacher and student perceptions of participation motivation be addressed.
  • Recruitment and Training Practices in the National FFA Livestock CDE: A quantitative study of teams participating in the 2005 National FFA Livestock Career Development Event finds that competitiveness, coachability, and consistency are the recruitment factors most correlated with team success, while working out with college teams, attending judging camps, and practice contests are the most effective training practices, providing beginning and preservice teachers with an evidence-based foundation for building competitive CDE programs.

  Workforce Readiness and Graduate Employability

  • Employability Skills as Perceived by Employers of Land-Grant Graduates: A quantitative study of employers of land-grant college agricultural graduates finds that interpersonal, communication, technological, and technical skills are all perceived as important for entry-level positions, recommending that land-grant universities examine their curricula to ensure these transferable competencies are explicitly developed and assessed.

  Extension Education and Service Quality

  • Agent-Client Homophily and Extension Service Satisfaction: A quantitative study merging survey data from 1,466 Florida Extension clients and 157 agents finds that when clients and agents differ in race or education level, client satisfaction with Extension services decreases significantly, recommending strategies to increase minority agent recruitment and to build agent competencies for working effectively with diverse clientele.
  • Internship Effects on Preservice Extension Educators and Mentors: A quantitative study using a semantic differential scale finds that Extension interns shifted from a contemporary toward a more traditional view of the Cooperative Extension Service over the course of their internship, while mentors moved from a strongly traditional to a more neutral view, suggesting that the internship experience reshapes the professional perspectives of both parties and warrants further study.

  Diversity and Equity in Agriculture

  • African American Agriculturists and Their Perceived Future: A qualitative case study examines the historic and ongoing challenges facing African American farmers, finding deep-seated distrust of USDA programs rooted in documented discriminatory practices, and noting that Black farmers are losing land at three times the rate of all farmers nationally, recommending that agricultural organizations and government agencies work to restore trust and create equitable access to loans, grants, and support programs.
  • Student Perceptions of Mexican Agricultural Practices: A qualitative study of Texas Tech graduate students who completed a six-day international experience in Chihuahua, Mexico finds that the experience revealed significant language barriers, limited funding for international study, and insufficient prior exposure to international agricultural practices, recommending increased scholarship opportunities and structured international experiences to build global agricultural competence among future educators.

• Vol. 58 No. 01 (2008)

  The manuscripts in Volume 58, Issue 1 (2008) of the Journal of Southern Agricultural Education Research (JSAER) examine the foundations of the discipline through research synthesis and gap analysis, while advancing practical knowledge in teacher preparation, curriculum integration, and Extension technology adoption.

  Research Synthesis and Disciplinary Direction

  • Research Themes, Authors, and Methodologies in the Journal of Agricultural Education: A mixed-methods content analysis of 323 articles published in the Journal of Agricultural Education from 1997 to 2006 identifies 39 primary and 37 secondary research theme areas, finds that quantitative survey methods dominate the field at 80.5% and 45.5% respectively, identifies James Dyer as the most prolific author, and recommends that researchers diversify their methodological approaches and use these findings comparatively against the National Research Agenda to guide future inquiry.
  • Research Themes in Agricultural Education: Gap Analysis of the National Research Agenda: A companion mixed-methods content analysis of premier agricultural education journals over the same ten-year period identifies 49 primary and 49 secondary research theme areas, finds that food, agriculture, natural resources, health, and family topics are the most frequently researched, and concludes that no research gaps exist in the current National Research Agenda — recommending that the profession use these findings to adjust future priority areas and pursue more futuristic, forward-looking inquiry.

  Teacher Preparation and Curriculum

  • Structured Communication in Student Teacher–Cooperating Teacher Relationships: A quasi-experimental study of 81 agricultural science student teachers finds that implementing structured communication between student teachers and cooperating teachers significantly influences student teachers' perceptions of their relationships, with student teacher age and academic standing also affecting perceptions, recommending continued research on how communication structures during field experiences contribute to the decision to enter the profession.
  • Preparation to Teach Agricultural Mechanics: A qualitative study of successful agricultural science and technology teachers finds unanimous agreement that undergraduate coursework did not adequately prepare them to teach agricultural mechanics, identifying three-week certification workshops and formal mentoring programs as essential compensating mechanisms, and recommending expanded scope, depth, and technical skills content in preservice programs along with more quality state-level inservice workshops.
  • Math-Enhanced Curriculum in Agricultural Power and Technology: A year-long experimental study across 32 Oklahoma high school classrooms finds that students in a contextualized, mathematics-enhanced agricultural power and technology curriculum paired with intensive teacher professional development demonstrated practically significant gains in mathematics achievement compared to control groups, recommending that professional development providers introduce the seven-element contextualized approach to teachers and teacher educators.
  • Mathematics Integration by Outstanding Virginia Agricultural Educators: A quantitative study of 26 expert-identified outstanding Virginia agricultural educators finds that reported levels of mathematics integration into individual agricultural courses range from 0 to 75%, providing baseline data and recommending continued study as integration efforts increase across the profession.

  Extension Technology and Innovation Adoption

  • eXtension Adoption and Perceived Barriers Among Texas Extension Agents: A quantitative study of Texas Cooperative Extension county agents examining perceptions of the newly launched eXtension online platform finds low negative relationships between perceived relative advantage and time concerns, and between compatibility and planning issues, with financial concerns negatively related to multiple adoption characteristics, recommending that Extension planners directly address financial and planning barriers to accelerate adoption of the innovation.

• Vol. 57 No. 01 (2007)

  The manuscripts in Volume 57, Issue 1 (2007) of the Journal of Southern Agricultural Education Research (JSAER) address building workforce readiness through curriculum alignment, strengthening beginning teacher preparation, expanding agricultural literacy in urban settings, and connecting agricultural education to public health and food safety.

  Workforce Readiness and Curriculum Alignment

  • Employability Skills Needed by Agriculture Graduates: A quantitative Borich needs assessment of supervisors of University of Missouri College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources graduates finds that working well with others, functioning in stressful situations, and the ability to work independently are the most important employability skills, while problem solving is the competency most in need of curriculum enhancement, recommending that colleges actively seek employer input to close the gap between what universities teach and what industry demands.
  • Employer Assessment of Equine Program Competencies: A quantitative study of Arkansas Thoroughbred Breeders and Horsemen's Association members finds that positive work ethic, honesty, and hands-on abilities are the most valued competencies in potential employees, and that over three-fourths of respondents would prefer to hire a graduate of an equine science program, recommending curriculum adjustments to better align the University of Arkansas Equine Program with industry expectations.

  Beginning Teacher Preparation and Mentorship

  • Preparation and Mentorship of Kentucky Beginning Agriculture Teachers: A descriptive study of 31 first- and second-year Kentucky agricultural education teachers finds they feel most prepared to build a positive program image and least prepared in using advisory committees, completing proficiency award applications, and addressing students' personal problems, with experienced agriculture teachers serving as the most frequent informal mentors, recommending greater collaboration between preservice programs, state staff, and experienced teachers to address these persistent gaps.

  Science Integration and Agricultural Literacy

  • Mississippi AEST Teachers' Capacity for Teaching Science Process Skills: A quantitative study of 20 Mississippi agricultural, environmental, and natural resources science teachers attending a summer workshop finds that participants demonstrate a satisfactory level of ability in science integrated process skills and high self-efficacy for teaching science, while also finding that reflective learners have a higher capacity to teach science process skills than active learners, recommending tailored professional development that accounts for teacher learning style differences.
  • Agricultural Literacy in Urban Students: A pre/post study of urban North Carolina students finds that completing an introductory agricultural education course significantly increased agricultural literacy, though scores remained low after the course, with the greatest gains in public policy literacy and least improvement in career-related literacy, recommending that state curriculum decision-makers revise introductory courses to include more affective domain competencies and develop middle school agricultural literacy courses.

  FFA Career Development Events

  • Demographic Variables and Performance in the National FFA Livestock CDE: A quantitative study of participants in the 2005 National FFA Livestock Career Development Event finds that years of livestock judging experience, prior judging experience, and 4-H livestock judging participation are the variables most strongly correlated with individual performance, while years of judging experience, gender, GPA, and cattle judging ability are significant predictors of team emblem placement, providing teachers practical guidance for CDE team recruitment.

  Extension and 4-H Programming

  • Competencies for Early-Career and Established 4-H Agents: A qualitative study of experienced 4-H agents in leadership roles finds that conflict management, communication, multitasking, volunteer management, and youth development are the most important competencies across career stages, with early-career agents drawing on internships and prior 4-H experience rather than the formal 4-H PRKC model, recommending a more practical and career-stage-specific approach to professional competency development.
  • Successful Characteristics in State 4-H Foundation Fundraising: A quantitative study of 4-H foundation executive directors and trustees finds several significant correlations that positively affect fundraising success, deriving a fundraising model that can assist state 4-H foundations in navigating declining public funding by building stronger private development programs through engaged boards and evidence-based strategies.

  Public Health and Food Safety Education

  • E. Coli Knowledge Among Petting Zoo Participants: A descriptive and correlational needs assessment of 382 petting zoo participants at a regional fair finds that while 73% know hand washing prevents illness, participants have significantly lower knowledge of E. coli transmission, general bacteriology, and health implications, with prior FFA or 4-H involvement positively correlated with higher overall scores, recommending national replication of the study and development of targeted educational materials for petting zoo managers and promoters.

• Vol. 56 No. 01 (2006)

  The manuscripts in Volume 56, Issue 1 (2006) of the Journal of Southern Agricultural Education Research (JSAER) address a broad range of issues central to the field, including instructional quality and student learning, teacher preparation and hiring, information technology in agriculture, agricultural literacy, and leadership development across youth and professional organizations.

  Instructional Methods and Student Learning

  • Experiential Learning in Secondary Agricultural Education Classrooms: A qualitative study of four agricultural education teachers finds that while teachers lack formal knowledge of Kolb's Experiential Learning Model, they naturally implement phases of it in their instruction, perceiving their role as facilitators and recognizing benefits including higher student retention, active engagement, and critical thinking, while also identifying class size, time, and student maturity as key challenges.
  • Laboratory Instruction in Secondary Agriscience Classrooms: A qualitative study of four agriculture teachers finds that laboratory activities are implemented in diverse ways, with teachers recognizing benefits such as increased student motivation, cooperation, and subject matter retention, while identifying funding shortfalls, large enrollments, and preparation time as persistent barriers to quality lab instruction.
  • Critical Thinking Ability of Secondary Agriculture Students: A quantitative study of 105 secondary agriculture students finds that academic achievement level is the strongest predictor of critical thinking ability, accounting for 18% of the variance in Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal scores, with upper classmen outperforming lower classmen and no significant gender differences detected.

  Teacher Preparation, Hiring, and Inservice

  • Important Elements of the Student Teaching Experience: A quantitative comparison of cooperating teachers and student teachers in Oklahoma and North Dakota finds that both groups rate 33 of 34 student teaching elements as important and agree that the cooperating teacher–student teacher relationship is the most critical core area, recommending that teacher educators provide professional development for new cooperating teachers focused on the mentoring relationship.
  • Gender Differences in Student Teacher–Cooperating Teacher Interactions: A quantitative study at the University of Missouri and University of Illinois finds differences in the psychosocial support provided by cooperating teachers based on student teacher gender, recommending that teacher educators monitor these relationships and intervene when necessary to ensure equitable and successful student teaching experiences.
  • Factors Influencing Administrator Hiring Practices: A quantitative study of Oklahoma school administrators finds that enthusiasm for teaching and community relations skills are the most important factors in hiring agricultural education teachers, while production agriculture experience, college activities, and GPA rank lowest, challenging the assumption that a shortage of qualified teachers exists and recommending that teacher preparation programs emphasize professional dispositions.
  • In-Service Delivery Method Preferences of Georgia Agriculture Teachers: A descriptive survey of 212 Georgia agriculture teachers finds that summer conference training sessions, one-week summer short courses, mentoring programs with experienced teachers, and short seminars are the most preferred in-service delivery formats, with years of teaching experience having greater influence on preferences than gender, community type, or degree level.
  • Female Agricultural Educators in Georgia: A descriptive survey of 70 female Georgia agricultural educators finds that they are generally satisfied with their careers and feel accepted by students, parents, and administrators, working an average of 43 professional hours and 23 additional personal hours per week, recommending that the results be used for targeted recruitment efforts and the development of a more formal mentoring network for women in the profession.

  Agricultural Literacy and Curriculum Content

  • Agricultural Literacy of Illinois Twelfth Grade Students: An ex post facto study comparing urban/suburban and rural twelfth grade students in five Illinois high schools finds that, unlike a prior Oklahoma study, rural students scored higher than urban/suburban students in agricultural knowledge, and that agricultural education students outscored general education students across all five Food and Fiber Systems Literacy Framework themes, though overall scores remained low, indicating limited agricultural literacy among program completers.
  • References to Agriculture in a Middle Grade Science Textbook: A content analysis of a Glencoe middle grade science textbook finds 265 references to agriculture averaging once every three pages, with plants, agricultural product processing, and environmental impacts as the most common topics, concluding the textbook is generally unbiased in its agricultural portrayal but that science literacy opportunities tied to agriculture remain underutilized.

  Information Technology and STEM Education

  • Student Attitudes Toward Information Technology — Longitudinal Trend Study: A three-year longitudinal study of Mississippi agricultural science and biology/business students finds that students consistently hold favorable attitudes toward information technology, though more recent cohorts show growing perception that IT careers are boring, while agreement that females should pursue IT careers increased, recommending that AEST teachers receive adequate professional development in technology and that programs create IT career awareness activities.
  • Sources and Influences on High School Students' IT Career Knowledge: A companion longitudinal study finds that parents/guardians, the internet, other family members, teachers, and work experience are the most important sources for learning about IT careers, and that parents, teachers, and family members are the most influential people in students' technology use, underscoring the importance of family engagement and teacher preparedness in shaping student technology trajectories.
  • NSF Graduate Fellows and Middle School STEM Beliefs: A pre/post study of 1,145 middle school students finds that overall STEM beliefs and interests declined slightly after interaction with NSF Graduate Fellows — with the notable exception of technology interest, which increased — and that the NSF Fellow and student grade level, not the classroom teacher, drove changes in STEM beliefs, recommending further investigation of how scientist-educator collaborations can be designed to produce more consistently positive outcomes.

  Leadership Development

  • Leadership Expectations of County Farm Bureau Board Members: A quantitative study of Florida Farm Bureau county board members identifies gaps between the importance members assign to leadership, political process, effective boards, and Farm Bureau knowledge competencies and their actual proficiency in those areas, providing a needs-based foundation for designing a targeted leadership development program for county board members.
  • Leadership Context and Role of Rural FFA Members: A quantitative study of rural FFA members in the southern region finds that members see themselves occupying all four roles on the youth participation spectrum — objects, recipients, resources, and partners — with the greatest agreement around youth-adult partnership within the context of others, recommending further research examining how years of FFA experience and educational level shape the leadership context for rural members.
  • Factors Influencing Gifted and Talented Students' College Decisions: A quantitative study of students in the Virginia Governor's School for Agriculture finds that career goals, learning opportunities, self-motivation, and earning potential are the top drivers of post-secondary pursuit, while desired field of study, career goals, campus atmosphere, and institutional reputation most influence college choice, recommending that agricultural educators use these findings to more effectively recruit gifted students into agricultural degree programs.

• Vol. 55 No. 01 (2005)

  The manuscripts in Volume 55, Issue 1 (2005) of the Journal of Southern Agricultural Education Research (JSAER) address strengthening agricultural education programs through improved teacher preparation, technology integration, Extension effectiveness, and a more equitable understanding of who participates in and benefits from agricultural programs.

  Teacher Preparation and Student Teaching

  • Profile of Cooperating Teachers and Centers in Oklahoma: A quantitative survey of 64 Oklahoma cooperating teachers and 55 student teaching centers finds that 33 of 34 student teaching elements are rated as highly important, with the cooperating teacher–student teacher relationship accounting for seven of the ten highest-rated elements, recommending greater diversity in cooperating centers and targeted professional development for cooperating teachers.
  • Teacher Preparation and In-Service Needs in Georgia: A Borich needs assessment of 212 Georgia agriculture teachers finds that all non-instructional program management competencies are viewed as important, with advising students about post-secondary education in agriculture, preparing FFA proficiency award applications, and developing public relations programs identified as the highest in-service and preservice training priorities.

  Technology Integration and Student Achievement

  • Technology Integration and Student Achievement in Texas Agriscience: A quantitative study of 150 Texas agriscience teachers finds a low positive correlation between instructional technology integration and student math achievement on the TAAS, with negligible correlations for reading and writing, suggesting that technology use alone is not sufficient to drive measurable academic gains.
  • Multimedia Cues and Student Cognition in Electronic Instruction: A quasi-experimental study of 105 high school agriculture students testing three CD-ROM delivery treatments finds that students exposed to audio/video components scored significantly higher on post-tests than those receiving text-only instruction, recommending that curriculum developers incorporate audio/video components into electronically delivered instructional materials.

  Standardized Testing and Academic Achievement

  • Agricultural Education Students and Kentucky CATS Scores: A quantitative comparison of Commonwealth Accountability Testing System scores finds that Kentucky high school agricultural education and career and technical education students' performance can be assessed against state standards to evaluate whether agriculture programs are contributing to academic achievement, recommending that states use existing standardized assessments more strategically to evaluate curriculum alignment.

  Extension Education, Job Satisfaction, and Diversity

  • Extension Agents' Job Characteristics and Satisfaction: A quantitative study of 143 Mississippi Extension agents using the Job Diagnostic Survey finds that skill variety and task significance are the most perceived job characteristics, while agents are least satisfied with general satisfaction and pay, recommending that administrators use these findings to design inservice programs that address specific dissatisfiers.
  • Demographic Factors and Extension Agent Job Satisfaction: A companion correlational study finds that gender and race are significantly related to job satisfaction constructs among Mississippi Extension agents, and that significant differences exist between area agents and 4-H agents in satisfaction with co-worker relations, recommending that administrators account for these demographic differences in workforce planning and program design.
  • Hispanic Participation in Texas Extension Programs: A correlational study finds that demographic factors including education, income, and language are significant predictors of Hispanic participation in Texas Extension programs, recommending that Extension reduce institutional barriers, hire more diverse faculty, and develop culturally appropriate programming to better serve rapidly growing Hispanic audiences.
  • Characteristics of Creative County Extension Programs in Texas: A mixed-methods study comparing administrator perceptions to observations of 17 identified creative county Extension programs finds that reaching new audiences, addressing relevant issues, using activity-based and multi-session delivery methods, and grassroots planning are hallmarks of creative programming, providing Extension administrators a practical model for fostering innovation in county programs.

  Leadership, Youth Programs, and Agricultural Literacy

  • Socioeconomic Status and Leadership Potential in an Agricultural Leadership Program: A quantitative study using factor analysis finds that education and income remain significantly related to community commitment among graduates of a Midwestern agricultural leadership program, recommending that program directors actively address the cost barriers of tuition and travel expenses to recruit participants from a broader range of socioeconomic backgrounds.
  • Student Demographics and Safety Education at the Houston Livestock Show Agricultural Mechanics Project Show: A descriptive survey of participants at the nation's largest agricultural mechanics project show finds that participants are predominantly white males, that over one-third participate in no extracurricular activity other than FFA, and that while most received safety instruction in several areas, more than two in five were not required to wear eye protection in the lab, recommending strengthened and more consistently enforced safety education practices.
  • Space Agriculture in the Classroom Curriculum Outcomes: A follow-up evaluation of the USDA-NASA Space Agriculture in the Classroom curriculum piloted in four states finds that 84% of teachers who received materials used them, that 38% of participating students were from minority groups, and that teachers reported positive student interest in space and agriculture topics, providing early evidence that the curriculum is meeting its goals of expanding agricultural literacy and career interest among urban and minority students.

• Vol. 54 No. 01 (2004)

  The manuscripts in Volume 54, Issue 1 (2004) of the Journal of Southern Agricultural Education Research (JSAER) present a rich and wide-ranging examination of FFA leadership development, critical thinking, science integration, diversity inclusion, technology in agriculture, and teacher hiring and preparation.

  FFA Leadership and Critical Thinking

  • Critical Thinking Skills of FFA Leaders: A descriptive study of selected FFA youth leaders finds they are competent critical thinkers, scoring highest on analysis and lowest on evaluation sub-skills, with GPA significantly associated with analytical ability, recommending that agricultural educators target the evaluation sub-skill in instruction and invest in maintaining as well as developing critical thinking capacity.
  • Critical Thinking Dispositions and Skills of FFA Youth Leaders: A correlational study of 212 FFA youth leaders from 50 states finds positive but low relationships between critical thinking skills and innovativeness and engagement dispositions, and a low negative relationship with cognitive maturity, recommending that educators expose students to diverse cultures and experiences to strengthen critical thinking dispositions.
  • Leadership Development Factors of Former Florida State FFA Officers: A survey of 94 former Florida State FFA officers from a 25-year span finds that the agricultural education program and FFA were the most influential constructs for leadership development, with leadership conferences, FFA contests, goal-setting, and the agriculture teacher identified as the most impactful individual influences, recommending formal leadership instruction, continued non-formal FFA leadership education, and greater urbanization of agricultural education programs.
  • Principal Perceptions of FFA and Leadership Skills: A quantitative survey of Texas secondary principals at schools with FFA chapters finds broad agreement that FFA membership and participation help students develop goal-setting, responsibility, social skills, problem solving, honesty, and integrity, recommending further research to leverage these findings in building stronger relationships between agriscience teachers and building administrators.
  • Female Leadership in Urban Florida FFA Chapters: A qualitative study of outstanding female FFA leaders and their advisors in six urban Florida high schools finds that girls are drawn to agriscience through interest in animals and biology careers and pursue leadership at higher rates than boys, with female role models as teachers and former officers identified as key contributing factors, recommending further study of why male agriscience students view FFA leadership as less important.

  Science Integration and Informal Learning

  • Agriculture Teachers' Capacity for Teaching Science Integrated Process Skills: A study of 40 purposively sampled agriculture teachers using the Test of Integrated Process Skills finds that teachers possess a solid background in science process skills regardless of learning style, years of experience, certification area, or gender, providing an empirical base to support agriculture teachers' capacity to teach science and recommending that teacher preparation leverage this foundation.
  • Informal Learning in Science and Agricultural Education's Role: A conceptual analysis of science education literature finds that SAE and FFA hold high potential for supporting students' informal learning in science, recommending that agriculture teachers design learning experiences that embed scientific knowledge in agricultural contexts and that empirical research be conducted to verify agricultural education's contribution to science achievement.
  • Governor's School for Agriculture and Student Agricultural Literacy: A pre/post evaluation of the Virginia Governor's School for Agriculture finds significant gains in students' agricultural knowledge after completing the four-week program, with the largest perception changes occurring around biotechnology and animal rights, and students with prior agricultural experience expressing stronger support for humane animal treatment, recommending such intensive programs as effective vehicles for agricultural literacy development.

  Diversity, Inclusion, and Enrollment

  • Barriers and Benefits to Diversity Inclusion in North Carolina Agricultural Education: A study of North Carolina secondary agricultural education teachers finds that educators broadly value diversity and believe it enhances character, leadership, and critical thinking, but identify guidance counselors and agriculture's perceived image as major barriers to inclusion, recommending preservice multicultural training, reflective diversity practices, and collaborative relationships with guidance counselors.
  • Student Perceptions of Agriculture's Image and Enrollment Barriers: A quantitative study of Arkansas high school freshmen finds that non-minority students have significantly higher mean scores for reasons to enroll in agricultural education and more positive perceptions of the field, while both minority and non-minority students report enrolling for reasons other than agriculture's intended purpose, recommending targeted outreach to minority students and attention to how agricultural education is positioned and communicated.
  • Kentucky University Freshmen Attitudes Toward Agricultural Education: A survey of 365 university freshmen majoring in agriculture at Kentucky institutions finds that those with prior high school agricultural education hold more positive attitudes toward the profession and its value for college-bound students, while students without that experience are more uncertain, recommending that agricultural educators use these findings to strengthen college preparation messaging.
  • Factors Influencing Kentucky Agriculture Freshmen's College Decisions: A companion study finds that career opportunities are the most important factor in choosing to major in agriculture, parents are the most influential people in college selection, and campus visits are the most helpful information source, recommending that university agricultural programs evaluate their recruitment processes and strengthen faculty contact with prospective students.

  Technology in Agricultural Education

  • Introductory Agriscience Technology Course and IT Skills: A study of 1,312 Mississippi secondary students finds that students in both AEST and biology/business programs developed greater proficiency in a range of information technology skills over the course of a school year, though it remains unclear whether the course itself drove these gains, recommending further research to identify agricultural-specific IT competencies that should anchor curriculum development.
  • Web-based Survey Response Validity: A quantitative study comparing early and late respondents to an online survey of 299 Florida Extension agents finds that demographics are largely comparable between groups, though late respondents skew more female and rate their IT skills somewhat lower, providing preliminary support for web-based survey methods and recommending further refinement of protocols for comparing respondent groups.

  Teacher Hiring and Program Administration

  • Criteria Administrators Use When Hiring Agriculture Teachers: A qualitative phone interview study of 24 Oklahoma administrators who hired first-year agriculture teachers finds that subject matter knowledge, classroom management, community rapport, enthusiasm, and the ability to manage student projects are the most highly valued hiring criteria, with cooperating teacher recommendations carrying the most weight and full certification preferred over alternative certification.
  • Role of Cooperative Extension as Perceived by North Carolina Administrators: A modified Delphi study of North Carolina Extension administrators finds that while administrators believe in the Extension mission, they feel it should expand to include community development, leadership development, and environmental education, and predict funding challenges ahead, recommending stronger community linkages and more aggressive marketing of Extension's value.

  Service Learning and Special Populations

  • Service Learning and Academic Achievement in an Agricultural Computing Course: A quasi-experimental study finds no significant difference in academic achievement between students who completed a service-learning project involving digital video development and those who did not, recommending further research before drawing conclusions about service-learning's impact on academic performance in agricultural computing contexts.
  • Intergenerational Service Learning and Stereotypes Toward Older Adults: A descriptive study finds that service-learning activities in which agricultural computing students taught computer skills to retirement center residents produced favorable changes in students' stereotypes toward older adults, particularly in perceptions of residents' personalities, recommending expanded use of intergenerational service-learning in appropriate courses.
  • Therapeutic Riding as an Educational Tool for Children with Disabilities: A qualitative study of parents whose children participate in therapeutic riding programs finds strong perceived benefits in self-esteem, direction-following, and socialization skills, with parents expressing support for integrating therapeutic riding into school curricula, recommending therapeutic riding as a mechanism for development of children with disabilities.

  Research Methods and Leadership Program Evaluation

  • Survey vs. Interview Data in Leadership Education Research: A mixed-methods study of graduates of a Southwestern agricultural leadership program finds that while self-report surveys indicated gains in knowledge and leadership behavior, in-depth interviews revealed participants had not made meaningful impacts on rural community development, concluding the program functioned primarily as an awareness experience and challenging the profession to use more rigorous evaluation methods including qualitative follow-up to verify program outcomes.
  • Learning Style Instruments in Agricultural Education Research: A content analysis of 248 articles published in the Journal of Agricultural Education from 1988 to 2002 identifies 29 that explicitly addressed learning styles, finding that the Group Embedded Figures Test is the most commonly used instrument and that studies rely predominantly on descriptive designs and college student samples, recommending that researchers diversify both the instruments and populations studied in future learning style research.
  • 4-H and FFA Involvement and Gender in an Animal Science Course: A quantitative study at a non-land grant university finds that students who were highly active in both 4-H and FFA reported higher confidence in course topics and scored higher on initial tests, though final average was not significantly affected by youth organization involvement, while males scored higher on initial assessments and last-day tests but not final grades, recommending further study of how prior youth organization participation shapes academic preparation and self-assessment accuracy.

• Vol. 53 No. 01 (2003)

  The manuscripts in Volume 53, Issue 1 (2003) of the Journal of Southern Agricultural Education Research (JSAER) address a wide range of issues central to the modernization of agricultural education, including technology integration in teaching and Extension, critical thinking, distance education, freshmen retention, and the ongoing challenge of reaching all constituents of the land-grant system.

  Technology Integration in Agricultural Education

  • AAAE Members' Computer Technology Assessment: An experimental study of 389 AAAE members finds that agricultural education professionals report low computer anxiety, positive attitudes toward computers, and strong support for web-based survey methods, while full professors show notably higher anxiety and less favorable technology attitudes, and females hold less favorable attitudes toward computers but more favorable views of web-based surveys, recommending expanded faculty development and web-based research participation.
  • Factors Related to Technology Adoption Among Agriscience Teachers: A correlational study of Louisiana agriscience teachers finds that home internet access, interactive technology resources, self-directed learning, and college coursework in technology are significantly associated with higher technology adoption, while perceived barriers and technology anxiety reduce adoption, recommending that administrators address barriers and that teacher education strengthen technology coursework.
  • Instructional Technology Characteristics in North Carolina and Virginia Agricultural Education: A correlational study finds no significant demographic or program variables that predict an instructional technology profile among agriculture teachers in these two states, recommending further research and a train-the-trainer approach to increase technology adoption.
  • Student Attitudes Toward Information Technology in Mississippi: A large-scale study of 1,312 Mississippi secondary students in both agricultural science and biology/business programs finds broadly favorable attitudes toward information technology careers, with students generally agreeing that IT is accessible to females and minorities and does not require strong math skills, recommending that AEST teachers receive professional development to better leverage these positive attitudes for IT career awareness.

  Distance Education and Instructional Delivery

  • On-Campus vs. Distance Student Progress in a Web-Based Course: A content analysis of student behavior in a Texas A&M asynchronously delivered graduate course finds that on-campus students engage earlier, remain engaged longer, and complete the course sooner than distance students, though overall performance is comparable, recommending firm time-goals within flexible asynchronous formats and continued study of academic rigor in distance settings.
  • Critical Thinking Disposition in Distance vs. On-Campus Learners: A causal-comparative study finds that distance and traditional learners are generally similar in critical thinking dispositions and perceptions of course effectiveness, though traditional learners showed significantly greater gains in truth-seeking and inquisitiveness subscales, recommending continued development of technology-based strategies that build critical thinking in both delivery contexts.

  Critical Thinking in Agricultural Education

  • Undergraduate Agriculture Students' Critical Thinking and Career Goals: A quantitative study using the California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory finds no significant relationship between students' career choice and critical thinking disposition among College of Agricultural and Life Sciences students, while noting a gender-based conflict with an earlier study, recommending further examination of factors that shape critical thinking dispositions by major and career pathway.

  Teacher Inservice, Burnout, and Hiring

  • Inservice Needs of Middle and High School Agriculture Teachers: A comparison of Florida middle and high school agriculture teachers finds that inservice needs are similar across grade levels in FFA/SAE supervision, program planning, and professional development, but differ significantly in technical agriculture and curriculum instruction, with writing grant proposals for external funding identified as the greatest need for both groups, recommending differentiated professional development programming.
  • Teacher Burnout and Student Misbehavior: A study of 165 agriculture teachers in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia using the Maslach Burnout Inventory finds that teachers experience moderate emotional exhaustion, low depersonalization, and high personal accomplishment, and that student misbehavior is not rated as a serious problem, though age and years of experience are related to depersonalization, recommending continued monitoring of burnout factors given widening gaps between public expectations and teacher capacity.

  Freshmen Retention and Learning Communities

  • Residential Learning Community for Agriculture Freshmen — Quasi-Experiment: A quasi-experimental study of an Oklahoma State University agriculture freshmen learning community finds that participants persisted at higher rates than non-participants but had lower GPAs, with no impact on psychosocial development, recommending continued evaluation and refinement of the program structure and interventions.
  • Freshmen in Transition — Second Year Evaluation: A formative evaluation of the same FIT program finds continued evidence of positive academic achievement and retention outcomes, but no changes in leadership skills or institutional integration, recommending a review of the nature and number of required program interventions.

  Extension Education and Outreach

  • Adult Education Competencies Among County Extension Faculty: An ex post facto case study of 60 Florida Extension county faculty finds that while most perceive themselves as effective adult educators and spend roughly 50% of their time on adult education, they also perceive a substantial training need, with gender and formal adult education background as significant predictors of perceived competency, recommending that Extension integrate adult education more actively into hiring, training, and professional development.
  • Ranch to Rail Program Impact on Beef Producer Knowledge and Practices: A causal-comparative study of 382 Texas A&M Ranch to Rail Program participants finds large, practically significant increases in self-perceived knowledge and use of recommended beef production practices following program participation, providing strong evidence of the program's effectiveness and a model for Extension outcome evaluation.
  • Disengaged Farmers as Overlooked Land-Grant Clientele: A study of Oklahoma wheat producers finds that those unaware of Extension programs fit the profile of laggards in Rogers' diffusion of innovation model — being less educated, lower income, and more isolated — recommending that the land-grant system become more proactive in identifying and reaching this underserved group.
  • Research, Education, and Extension Needs of Oklahoma Wheat Producers: A companion survey of Oklahoma wheat producers finds that family, friends, and fellow farmers are the primary information sources, that most contact Extension regularly, but that few have direct contact with on-campus faculty, presenting a replicable model for collecting stakeholder input to guide research and educational priorities at land-grant universities.
  • Informational Sources and Educational Delivery for Private Forest Landowners: A descriptive study of South Carolina private forest landowners finds that delivery method preferences vary by age and occupation, with significant differences found for video and internet preferences, recommending that Extension tailor its delivery methods to demographic characteristics of landowners while not abandoning traditional approaches.

  Science, Biotechnology, and Agricultural Literacy

  • Agriculture and Science Educators' Attitudes Toward Biotechnology: A study of North Carolina high school agricultural and science educators finds that participation in biotechnology training is associated with increased awareness, while attitudes vary — suggesting educators are at different stages of the innovation-decision process — recommending training programs designed to move educators toward adoption and integration of biotechnology instruction.
  • Governor's Institute for Agricultural Sciences Follow-Up Evaluation: A follow-up evaluation of Pennsylvania's Governor's Institute for Agricultural Sciences finds high participant satisfaction, significant knowledge gains, and widespread use of Institute content to integrate curriculum and collaborate with science teachers, offering a model for professional development that bridges academic and agricultural standards.

  Research Methods and Faculty Issues

  • Behaviorist vs. Constructivist Teaching in Psychomotor Instruction: An experimental comparison at the Virginia Governor's School for Agriculture finds no significant difference in short-term psychomotor performance between behaviorist and constructivist-based instruction, but a significant student preference for the behaviorist approach, challenging the prevailing trend toward constructivist methods for linear psychomotor tasks.
  • Faculty Perceptions of Advising Roles and Competence: A study of University of Florida agricultural education faculty finds that most view advising as part of their teaching load but few have received formal training in it, that meeting degree requirements and career counseling are considered the highest-priority advising roles, and that faculty support compensation in the tenure process for advising but resist student-based evaluation, recommending professional development in advising and further study of evaluation methods.
  • Agricultural Education Faculty Compensation Perceptions: A descriptive and correlational survey of agricultural education faculty nationwide finds that over 60% perceive their compensation as too low, with compensation satisfaction improving when salary comparisons within and across institutions are perceived as fair, recommending that administrators use these findings to strengthen recruitment and retention strategies.
  • Qualitative Analysis of an Experiment Station Research Publication: A qualitative case study finds that the Oklahoma Agricultural Experiment Station's Partners in Progress wheat report is not effectively reaching most producers due to poor distribution and audience confusion, while it does succeed in demonstrating accountability to policy decision-makers, recommending clearer audience targeting and improved distribution strategies for research communications.

• Vol. 52 No. 01 (2002)

  The manuscripts in Volume 52, Issue 1 (2002) of the Journal of Southern Agricultural Education Research (JSAER) reflect a profession in transition, grappling with the integration of internet technology into teaching, research, and Extension, while also examining student motivation, industry workforce needs, and the effectiveness of new instructional approaches.

  Technology Integration in Teaching and Research

  • Traditional vs. Computer-Based Agriscience Instruction: A causal-comparative study of 152 Mississippi secondary students finds that students in traditional instruction score significantly higher on agriscience achievement tests than those in computer-based instruction across three of four units, recommending further research before computer-based methods are broadly adopted as replacements for traditional agriscience instruction.
  • Texas Agriscience Teachers' Attitudes Toward and Adoption of the Internet: A correlational study finds that Texas agriscience teachers hold favorable attitudes toward all forms of information technology and perceive themselves in advanced stages of internet adoption, with computer anxiety, perceived importance, use outside the classroom, and home access all highly correlated with attitudes and adoption, concluding the Internet has reached critical mass among Texas agriscience teachers.
  • Internet vs. Paper-Based Data Collection in Agricultural Education Research: An experimental study of 389 AAAE members randomly assigned to web-based or paper survey groups finds the two modes equally valid and reliable for data collection, though the traditional group achieved higher overall response rates while the web-based group produced dramatically faster early responses, proposing a W/PSDC mixed-mode model to achieve high response rates efficiently.
  • Teachers' Perceptions of IT Workforce Factors in Mississippi: A three-round modified Delphi study of 24 agricultural science and biology/business teachers identifies 11 factors strongly agreed to affect Mississippi's information technology workforce, with training and equipment issues predominating, recommending increased emphasis on IT in both preservice and inservice programs and stronger business-school partnerships for on-the-job IT training.
  • Asynchronous Leadership Learning Activity Assessment: A study at Texas A&M evaluating a computer-based, asynchronously delivered module on ethics and leadership styles finds that student reactions inform key elements for future development, including the importance of audio, graphics, and sound instructional design, recommending that technology-based leadership instruction be developed with careful attention to learner needs and delivery quality.

  Extension Education and Stakeholder Needs

  • Case Study of Stakeholder Needs for Extension Education: A qualitative case study of forestry stakeholders at an Oklahoma land-grant university finds significant communication barriers between faculty and constituents, Extension agents lacking forestry content knowledge, and technical documents inaccessible to non-specialist audiences, recommending simplified communication, expanded use of internet and email outreach, and field days to better connect research with stakeholder needs.
  • Important Issues Facing Oklahoma Agriculture: A qualitative analysis of Oklahoma Agricultural Leadership Program participants identifies 17 themes centered on the need for greater agricultural literacy among elected leaders and the voting public, documenting how a chain of connecting variables — declining political support, consolidation, and aging farmers — threatens the viability of small farming operations, recommending these findings be used in agricultural education courses to explore systemic challenges facing rural communities.

  Student Motivation and Middle Grade Programs

  • Achievement, Affiliation, and Power Needs of Georgia Middle Grade Agricultural Education Students: A quantitative study using McClelland's motivational needs theory finds that middle grade Georgia agricultural education students have a higher need for achievement than affiliation or power, that no differences exist between FFA members and non-members, that female students have higher affiliation and power needs than males, and that African American students have higher achievement and power needs than other ethnic groups, recommending motivational considerations be incorporated into middle grade program design and FFA recruitment.

  Livestock Programs and Industry Futures

  • Retention and Recruitment of Junior Market Livestock Sale Buyers in Colorado: A study based on interviews with 1,440 past Colorado Junior Market Livestock Sale participants identifies three distinct buyer groups — lost, retained, and recruited — finding that belief in the program's positive youth impact drives retention while feelings of underappreciation and diminished youth responsibility drive loss, recommending appreciation programs and stronger communication of program outcomes to sustain buyer support.
  • Characteristics of the Turfgrass Industry in 2020: A national three-round Delphi study of turfgrass industry experts achieves consensus on 32 content items essential for inclusion in agricultural education curricula, projecting a turfgrass industry in 2020 that demands higher levels of scientific, environmental, and business competence, recommending that agricultural education programs align their turfgrass curriculum with these emerging workforce and educational requirements.