Performing Department
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Non Technical Summary
This project speaks to the collaborative nature of working across academic units to fill a need for teachers of color in agriculture. This project will strengthen the teacher education program at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, develop and strengthen the skills, instincts, abilities, processes, and resources of students graduating with their teacher certifications, and enhance the ability of both institutions to adapt and thrive in a fast-changing world where our student populations are becoming increasingly diverse. Expanding and enhancing our teacher education program provides both institutions with the opportunity to build and strengthen capacity in the following ways:Career preparation for SABE teachers who will develop andprepare the next generation to enter the workforce, educatingsecondary students in entrepreneurship, community development, sustainable and regenerative agriculture, and food safety(USDA Strategic Goal 2);Positive youth development when SBAE teachers engage secondary students in youth leadership organizations such as MANRRS, 4-H, and FFA (CBG Priority Area 6);andLeverage the expertise of faculty and laboratory spaces at both universities(CBG Priority 2)This project seeks to develop a pipeline for teacher education in agriculture by developing a collaborative relationship between the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB) and Arkansas State University (A-State) to:Advance the cultural diversity of the AFNR workforce by attracting and educating more students from underrepresented groups (CBG Goal 1);Increase the opportunity for collaboration between Colleges of Agriculture at UAPB and A-State by sharing resources (CBG Goal 2);Recruit, retain, and graduate agricultural educators from UAPB in Agricultural Education (CBG Goal 1, Priority Area 11);Increase opportunities for African American college graduates to find employment in or near their local community, increasetheir lifetime earning potential, and secure 12-month teaching employment (rather than nine-month employment typical in education) in the Mississippi Delta region (CBG Goal 1, USDA Strategic Goal 2, CBG Priority Area 2);Provide participants with education and agriculture industry mentorships (CBG Priority Area 6)
Animal Health Component
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Research Effort Categories
Basic
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Applied
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Developmental
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Goals / Objectives
The primary objective of this project is to train highly qualified agricultural high school teachers who will inspire, engage, and attract future Ag educators. This collaborative teaching/education project addresses the following need areas: curricula design and materials development, strengthening instructional delivery systems, faculty preparation and enhancement for education, and encouraging the development of new student learning opportunities. This project addresses three CBG Priority Areas: positive youth development, workforce development, and rural communities for the 21st century.UAPB and A-State faculty will collaborate to recruit a cohort of culturally diverse students to major in Agricultural Education at UAPB. Students will satisfy degree requirements for technical agriculture courses at UAPB and complete agricultural education courses at A-State. Students will meet practicing African American agricultural educators and participate in tutoring sessions for the teaching licensure exam. UAPB and A-State faculty will collaborate to support students during their yearlong residency program, licensure processes, and securing employment.The goals of this project are:? Advance the cultural diversity of the AFNR workforce by attracting and educating more students from underrepresented groups;Increase the opportunity for collaboration between the Colleges of Agriculture at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff and Arkansas State University by sharing faculty, knowledge, and other resources;Recruit, retain, and increase the graduation rate of agricultural educators from UAPB in Ag Education;Increase opportunities for African American college graduates to find employment in or near their local community, increase their lifetime earning potential, and secure 12-month teaching employment (rather than nine months) in the MS Delta region;Provide education and agriculture industry mentorships for UG students; andOffer scholarship support to five UAPB students to increase enrollment and awareness of the Ag teacher education program at UAPB.
Project Methods
Information sessions, flyers, and recruiting videos will be used to increase awareness about the program. An application process will be developed, and the PD and co-PDs will review applications. Students will be selected based on a list of criteria established by the selection committee. Those criteria include GPA, academic promise, being an Ag or teacher education major, having demonstrated interest in becoming an Ag teacher, community engagement, and leadership potential. The committee will select five students to participate in this program. The participants will move through this program as a cohort. Participants will spend summer terms on the Arkansas State University campus, immersedin the unique strategies of using and delivering experiential learning and Agri-science instruction in the classroom and agricultural laboratories. Participants will also receive individualized tutoring for the Praxis exam for teacher licensing to provide students with effective test-taking strategies and help increase the licensure exam's pass rate. Coursework includes informal mentoring opportunities with practicing African American agricultural educators from across the country and in secondary and postsecondary positions. Faculty will work to ensure participants have a strong foundation of knowledge of agricultural content and effective teaching pedagogy.This innovative project leverages the strengths of the two institutions' agriculture and teacher education faculty members as well as their facility and lab spaces. Students will develop and maintain the personal, cultural, and professional connections HBCUs naturally foster. UAPB College of Education and A-State faculty will support the students during their final year as teaching residents in a public school.