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.