Progress 01/01/06 to 09/30/10
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Outputs of this project have been disseminated via a variety of modes. In addition to the traditional modes of print, results of this project have impacted professional development offerings to secondary school teachers in Florida and throughout the United States. PARTICIPANTS: Not relevant to this project. TARGET AUDIENCES: Not relevant to this project. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Not relevant to this project.
Impacts
In spite of national initiatives such as the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, American students continue to be struggling readers. Research on content area reading strategies (CARS) has shown that such strategies increase students; ability to read and comprehend text. The purpose of this research was to assess agricultural educators' implementation of content area reading strategies in their classroom. A tailored-design, web-based questionnaire was distributed to 371 [STATE] agriscience educators to complete this descriptive, census survey. The results indicated the total number of hours of CARS professional development was not related to progression through the stages of concern. This study also underscored the lack of consistency in the professional development programs these teachers completed. In order to better understand the differences of the professional development programs, research should be conducted to determine the characteristics of various CARS professional development programs. Practitioners should provide a consistent, in depth professional development program to provide ongoing training and support throughout a several year process.
Publications
- Thoron, A.C., & Myers, B.E. (2010). The effect of using vee maps versus standard laboratory reports on achieving student content knowledge. Journal of Agricultural Education, 51(3), 12-22.
- Thoron, A. C., & Myers, B. E. (2010). Perceptions of preservice teachers toward integrating science into school based agricultural education curriculum. Journal of Agricultural Education, 51(2), 70-80.
- Washburn, S.G., & Myers, B.E. (2010). Agriculture teacher perceptions of preparation to integrate science and their current use of inquiry based learning. Journal of Agricultural Education, 51(1), 88-98.
- Harder, A., Roberts, T. G., Stedman, N. L. P., Thoron, A., & Myers, B. E. (2009). An analysis of the teaching competencies of agricultural and life science faculty. NACTA Journal, 53(4), 49-55.
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Progress 10/01/08 to 09/30/09
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Instruction in laboratory settings is a component of the total agricultural education program. This unique teaching environment provides several opportunities for student learning, yet it also brings along several challenges for the instructor. One paramount challenge is authentic student assessment in this distinctive situation. This quasi-experimental, counter balanced design study investigated the impact of two formative assessment techniques on student content knowledge achievement. The effect of traditional written laboratory reports was compared to the use of the Vee map in 18 agriscience education classes found within nine different secondary schools. Utilizing student pretest score as a covariate, there was a statistically significant difference between posttest scores. Regardless of which replication in the study, student mean posttest scores were higher in classes utilizing the Vee map. Agricultural education finds itself in an interesting point in the cycle of agriscience integration. Current preservice teachers have had the opportunity to be taught in both secondary and post-secondary programs that have fully embraced agriscience integration. The perceptions of 191 preservice teachers who responded to the questionnaire concurred with most perceptions of inservice teachers that have been reported by other studies. They indicate an intention to increase the amount and quality of integration in their future classrooms compared to what they perceive occurring today and that this will result in an increase in student enrollment. They also suggested an increase in the number of science courses in the preservice curriculum and placing student teachers with inservice teachers who have successfully integrated science into the agricultural curriculum. Career and Technical Education programs include over 9.2 of the nation's 14.9 million secondary students. These programs aim to develop competencies to prepare individuals for further education and careers in agricultural and natural resources, business, communications, and other related industries. Specifically, STEM and health CTE programs have been recognized as contributing to students' achievement in science. However, previous studies have suggested CTE teachers focusing in agricultural and natural resources believe integrating science into their curriculum has aided their students in making connections between agricultural topics and math and science principles. Therefore, this programmatic area is expected to complement the science academic core. This study has been developed to compare 11th grade FCAT science achievement scores of those students enrolled in an agricultural and natural resources cluster with those enrolled in STEM and health clusters. The data analysis revealed that students in agriculture programs scored slightly lower on the FCAT science test than those in health programs and somewhat lower than those in STEM programs. On the other hand, concentrators in agriculture programs scored on par with those in health programs and slightly lower than those in STEM programs after controlling for student and school factors. PARTICIPANTS: Professional development for CTE teachers was developed based on the findings of this project. Andrew Thoron collaborated on conducting the research studies included in this project and the teacher professional development. TARGET AUDIENCES: Career and Technical Education instructors Education Policy makers PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
No outcomes/
Publications
- Myers, B. E., Thoron, A. C., & Thompson, G. W. (2009). Perceptions of the National Agriscience Teacher Ambassador Academy toward integrating science into school based agricultural education curriculum. Journal of Agricultural Education, 50(4), 120-133.
- Myers, B.E., & Thompson, G.W. (2009). Integrating academics into agriculture programs: A Delphi study to determine perceptions of the National Agriscience Teacher Ambassador Academy participants. Journal of Agricultural Education, 50(2), 75-86.
- Myers, B. E., & Washburn, S.G. (2008). Integrating science in the agriculture curriculum: Agriculture teachers perceptions of the opportunities, barriers, and impact on student enrollment. Journal of Agricultural Education, 49(2), 27-37.
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Progress 10/01/07 to 09/30/08
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Outputs of this project have been disseminated via a variety of modes. In addition to the traditional modes of print, results of this project have impacted professional development offerings to secondary school teachers in Florida and throughout the United States. PARTICIPANTS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period. TARGET AUDIENCES: Target audiences for this project are middle and high school career and technical education teachers and university teacher educators. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
The teacher and student inquiry scales adapted from Dunbar (2002) hold promise as an important starting point for a continuing line of investigation into the current status of inquiry based learning in agricultural education. The present study found that teachers used inquiry oriented strategies on average between two and three times per week. Furthermore, on average they asked students to engage in inquiry based strategies nearly once per month. These findings lead the researchers to conclude that while the participants in this study may recognize the value of inquiry based strategies, they tend to implement them in a rather teacher centered as opposed to student centered way. In order to prepare agriculture teachers to meet the National Science Teachers Association's (2007) call for students to be engaged weekly in inquiry based data collection and learning, notable changes will be needed in agriculture teachers' current practice in Southern State. Addressing previously discussed findings regarding facility and class size challenges may prove beneficial in increasing the degree of student oriented inquiry. However, professional development will be needed to assist teachers in developing strategies to transition from student oriented inquiry only once per month to an increased level of frequency. Using these scales, a single measure of the level of inquiry agriculture teachers report means little. Additional examination using this instrument over time is recommended to assess changes in level of integration. The teacher and student inquiry scales are potentially useful in evaluating differences between groups of teachers with differing levels of experience, different program types, or with varying pathways to the profession. This tool also holds promise in measuring teacher change prior to and following interventions to assist them in enhancing their proficiency with inquiry based learning. In order to answer the call of legislative efforts to integrate core academic content as well as calls from the science education community to increase the implementation of inquiry based learning, additional work and diligence will be required in the agricultural education community.
Publications
- Myers, B.E., & Thompson, G.W. (2008, May). Integrating academics into agriculture programs: A Delphi study to determine perceptions of the National Agriscience Teacher Ambassador Academy participants. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Agricultural Education, Reno, NV.
- Myers, B.E., & Ball, A.L. (2008, May). Codifying the wisdom of expert teacher practice in agriscience fair projects. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Agricultural Education, Reno, NV.
- Washburn, S.G., & Myers, B.E. (2008, February). Agriculture teacher perceptions of preparation to integrate science and their current use of inquiry based learning. Paper presented at the Southern Region Meeting of the American Association for Agricultural Education, Dallas, TX.
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Progress 10/01/06 to 09/30/07
Outputs
Outputs of this project included undergraduate and graduate courses on agriscience laboratory instruction. Furthermore, guest lectures were presented in another graduate course as well as the CALS Teachers College on laboratory instruction. Data from questionnaires completed by agriscience teachers in Florida and several other states was analyzed. Findings were disseminated through regional and national conferences as well as teacher professional development workshops conducted in Florida, Nevada, Indiana, and Maryland.
Impacts
As a result of this project, agriscience teachers implemented new methods for teaching students in various laboratory settings. Publications that have resulted from this project have been used as key references in the development of policy regarding the instruction of pre-service and in-service agriscience teachers in these methods. Overall teacher knowledge in the area of agriscience integration has increased.
Publications
- Myers, B. E., & Washburn, S.G. 2007. Integrating Science in the Agriculture Curriculum: Agriculture Teachers Perceptions of the Opportunities, Barriers, and Impact on Student Enrollment. Journal of Agricultural Education. (in press)
- Baker, A. J., Thoron, A. C., Myers, B. M., Cody, T. J. 2007 The Influence of Laboratory Experience Timing on Student Knowledge-Level Achievement in an Undergraduate Introductory Agricultural Mechanics Course. NACTA Journal. (in press).
- Myers, B. E., & Washburn, S. G. 2007. Integrating science in the agriculture curriculum: Agriculture teacher perceptions of the opportunities, barriers, and impact on student enrollment. Paper presented at the Southern Region Meeting of the American Association for Agricultural Education, Mobile, AL.
- Thoron, A. C., & Myers, B. E. 2007. Using virtual Vee Map to assess laboratory instruction. Poster presented at the Southern Region Meeting of the American Association for Agricultural Education, Mobile, AL.
- Wilder, J. C., Warner, A. J., & Myers, B. E. 2008. The effects of reading strategies upon student achievement through the content area of agricultural education. Poster to be presented at the Southern Region Meeting of the American Association for Agricultural Education. (accepted)
- Washburn, S. G., & Myers, B. E. 2008. Agriculture teacher perceptions of preparation to integrate science and their current use of inquiry based learning. Paper presented at the Southern Region Meeting of the American Association for Agricultural Education, Dallas, TX. (accepted)
- Myers, B. E., & Thompson, G. W. 2008. Integrating academics into agriculture programs: A Delphi study to determine perceptions of the national agriscience teacher ambassador academy participants. (accepted).
- Myers, B. E., & Ball, A. 2008 Codifying the wisdom of expert teacher practice in agriscience fair projects. Poster to be presented at the Southern Region Meeting of the American Association for Agricultural Education. (accepted)
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Progress 10/01/05 to 09/30/06
Outputs
During this first year, Phase I of this project was begun. It focuses on identifying the current status of agriscience education. This phase addresses objective one of the project. Survey research methods were employed to gather data for this phase of the project. The sample was derived using random sampling techniques utilizing the FAAE Teacher Directory as the population frame. Data collected would included identifying the science performance levels of students enrolled in agriscience education, instructor knowledge of inquiry-based teaching methods, instructor science content knowledge, and level of collaboration between agriscience and science educators. Attitudinal data focused on perceptions of science integration and incorporation by instructors. Teachers were found to have positive perceptions, relatively few perceived barriers, high perceived support, and high perceived behavioral control for the integration of science in the agriculture curriculum.
Impacts
Teachers were found to be supportive of agriscience integration with few barriers. This finding leads to the conclusion that attitude is not a major factor in limited laboratory instruction.
Publications
- Myers, B.E., and Washburn, S.G. 2007 Under review Paper submitted to Southern Region of American Association for Agricultural Education Annual Conference
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