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.