Non Technical Summary
In response to the challenges of meeting local, national and global needs for effective,efficient, innovative, and long-range agricultural science education, a curriculum for agriculturalscience education was called for by the National Council for Agricultural Education (The Council) and the Curriculum for Agricultural Science Education (CASE) was developed in 2007. The objectives for the proposed project are as follows: a) Improve first-year teachers' competency to teach small engines. b) Improve first-year teachers' self-efficacy to teach small engines. c) Prepare secondary agricultural educations students to fill the skills gap in the small engine workforce. d) Improve secondary agricultural education instructors' retention rate. To address these objectives, beginning teachers will enroll in the Small Engine CASE Institute held at Texas State University. The institute allows for up to 20 teachers to enroll and consists of 24 hours of instruction over three days led by CASE certified instructors. In all CASE institutes, teachers participate as students in hands-on, immersive lessons that they take back to their schools and implement with relative ease since they have already done what they will teach their students. Research and experimental design are highlighted in the small engine institute as participants develop and conduct industry appropriate investigations.

Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)	Subject of Investigation (SOI)	Field of Science (FOS)	Percent
903	5310	3020	100%

Knowledge Area
903 - Communication, Education, and Information Delivery;

Subject Of Investigation
5310 - Machinery and equipment;

Field Of Science
3020 - Education;

Goals / Objectives
The objectives for the proposed project are as follows: a) Improve participants' competency to teach SGE; b) Increase participants' self-efficacy to teach SGE; and c) Address the skills gap in the SGE workforce through innovative teaching practices; d) Improve secondary agricultural education instructors' retention rate.

Project Methods
The PI will create an advertisement and an application to send to the post-secondary teacher educators across the U.S. to share with their student teachers who are entering their first year as a school-based agricultural education teacher. The student teachers will submit applications and supporting documents by April 1st annually. The PI and advisory committee will select the 20 participants and notify the participants of their selection by April 15th. The beginning teachers will enroll in the SGE CASE Institute held at Texas State University. The institute will allow up to 20 teachers to enroll and will consist of 36 hours of instruction over three days led by CASE certified instructors. In all CASE institutes, teachers participate as students in hands-on, immersive lessons that can be implemented in their courses. Research and experimental design are highlighted in the Institute as participants develop and conduct industry appropriate investigations.The focus of the SGE Institute is to expose participants to mechanics, power, and technology teaching strategies, along with career options in the SGE industry. The teachers participating in the Institute will have experiences in various mechanics and engineering concepts through engagement in hands-on activities including, project- and problems-based learning modalities. The participants' experiences will involve the study of energy, tool operation and safety, materials operation, and engine components. Participants will acquire the basic skills to operate, repair, engineer, and design SGE tools and equipment. Throughout the course, participants will apply engineering principles to the construction of machines and engines.All participants in the SGE CASE Institute will be required to complete the CASE Foundations modules prior to attending the Institute. The CASE Foundations modules cover the CASE design process, assessment, instructional practices, inquiry-based practices, and curriculum navigation. The CASE Foundation modules are online and are self-paced. The CASE Foundation modules are free of charge to those who are registered to attend a CASE institute. All participants at the Institute are required to maintain a portfolio of exercises, activities, and projects as assigned by the Institute Lead Teachers. The Institute lead teachers will periodically review and sign-off on complete portions of the portfolio over the duration of the Institute. The course portfolio is documentation of the selected coursework that was assigned during the Institute and evidence that the participant successfully completed the material.