Progress 01/01/12 to 12/31/12
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Data was collected from Arizona high school students competing in the 2011 State Agricultural Mechanics Career Development Event, hosted by the College of Agriculture & Life Sciences at the University of Arizona. Data were analyzed to determine motivational factors, perceived levels of preparation to compete in specific skill actvities, perception of educational value of the CDE, organization of the event, amount of time to train, and sources of information used to prepare for the CDE. Results were presented during the 29th Annual Blue-Ribbon Paper presentation of the National Agricultural Mechanics Professional Development Committee in Indianapolis, IN. Additionally, results were shared with Arizona high school agriculture instructors attending the annual Arizona State Agricultural Mechanics Career Development Event Planning Workshop. A similar instrument was used to collect from students competing the State Wildlife Career Development Event during the same state field day. PARTICIPANTS: Not relevant to this project. TARGET AUDIENCES: THe target audience for this research are local agricultural educators preparing high school contestants to compete in agricultural mechanic CDE activities. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: The survey instrument used in the Arizona State Agricultural Mechanics CDE will be modified each year to reflect the focus and content of that year's event. Recommendations from teachers attending the annual CDE planning workshop included increasing the point value of individual skill areas to balance the weight of the online and written exams. Additionally, another skill in the Environmental & Natural Resource Management Systems area was added to replace the "layout" section of the existing event. Another modification to the project is eliminating the data collection of Wildlife CDE contestants as the event was moved from the University of Arizona field day in December 2012.
Impacts
Students were likely to compete in the Arizona State Agricultural Mechanics Career Development Event as a test of their knowledge and skill, for the sake of competition, for travel/fun, and it was related to their career choice. They were less likely to compete for the reason of leadership development, awards, or at the encouragement of family and friends. Students reported most prepared to compete in the Team Activity (framing construction), Copper Pipe Soldering, and Electrical Wiring and least prepared for the Online Exam, Written Exam, and tool sharpening skill. Students Practice for the Agricultural Mechanics CDE occurred during classroom and laboratory time (56.2%), after school (46.1%), and before school (21.3%). Few reported practicing on weekends or holidays (13.5%). Teams typically practiced between 6 to 10 hours a week beyond classroom time. Contestants were most likely to rely on personal experience as a source of information for the Agricultural Mechanics CDE. Websites were least likely information source to be used. Contestants rated evaluation of their current level of knowledge and ability as the highest educational value of the Agricultural Mechanics CDE. Exposing contestants to new career areas was rated least among the educational value of the CDE. Contestants rated future participation in the Agricultural Mechanics CDE as the highest area of the conduct of the CDE. Materials posted on the FFA website was rated as the lowest area of overall conduct of the Agricultural Mechanics CDE. The overall level of student achievement was low, with an average score of 116.69 points out of a possible 235 total points (49.65%). This does not suggest the competition was too difficult for the students nor should it be made less difficult in order to achieve favorable scores. Each activity area was designed to test a varying population and represents wide range difficulty. Prior to the Arizona Agricultural Mechanics CDE, the University of Arizona, the hosting institution, conducts a planning workshop open to the secondary school agricultural educators in the state. During this workshop the educators identify and select the content for each of the skill activities, problem solving areas, team activity and written exam questions for the career development event. The planning workshop also strives to reflect what is currently being taught in the agricultural education classes. With this in mind, it would be hypothesized that overall achievement would be higher for the event; especially since the teachers and team coaches are aware of the event materials in advance and are able to share the information with their respective teams. Research should be conducted in order to determine why students are not achieving higher levels, when their teachers have a detailed outline and resources for the Arizona Agricultural Mechanics CDE.
Publications
- Lester, M., & Franklin. E. (2011). Examination of factors related to student performance in a state-level career development event. Proceedings of the National Agricultural Mechanics Professional Development Blue-Ribbon Paper Seminar 29, Indianapolis, IN
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Progress 01/01/11 to 12/31/11
Outputs
OUTPUTS: In March 2011, the University of Arizona conducted the annual Career Development Event (CDE) Field Day, hosting FFA members from the Arizona State FFA Association. One of the 15 CDE activities conducted was the Agriculture Mechanics Career Development Event. Contestants competing in the event were asked to complete a survey questionnaire. The purpose of the questionnaire was to help research investigators comprehend the perceptions of high school student levels of motivation, preparation, and educational value of their participation in the state-level event. In April 2011, the Principle Investigator(PI) traveled to Fresno, CA to attend the Fresno State University Annual State FFA Field Day to observe the conduct of the state final Farm Power Career Development Event (CDE), the state final Small Engines Career Develoment Event and the Agriculture Mechanics Career Development Event. These activities are planned, organized, and conducted by undergraduate students, alumni, and faculty and staff from California State University, Fresno. High school agricultural education students from FFA chapters from throughout California attend and compete in the knowledge and skill activities. The events are conducted using the California Agriculture Teachers Association (CATA) Curricular Code as event guidelines. The University hosts the California State FFA Association. The Califoria State FFA Association recognizes the state winning FFA contestants and chapters at an awards ceremoney conducted on the university campus. The tabulations process of these three events occurred in an area immediately close to the events. This provides real-time scoring and prevents delays from transporting scoresheets to a "centralized scoring area". Since the award ceremony was conducted later in the day, time was a factor to make sure the tabulations process occurred while the events were underway and completed in a timely fashion. It was evident there was previous communication between each of the three event coordinators and Dr. Spiess about how to set up the database tabulation files, the preparation of the individual event score sheets, and the process of conducting the tabulations. In the same month, the PI supervised the planning, conduct, and evaluation of a pilot-activity conducting an agriculture power and machinery skills event for agricultural education students in Arizona. PARTICIPANTS: University of Arizona agricultural education graduate student, Ms. Marisa Lester assisted in the collection of survey data during the 2011 State Agriculture Mechanics CDE. Ms. Lester developed and submitted the research paper and poster manuscripts for peer-review presentation to the National Agriculture Mechanics Professional Development Committee. Several organizations contributed financial support for the conduct of the Agriculture Power & Machinery Skills Event including Central Implement Company, the John Deere equipment dealerships in Arizona; Empire Southwest, the Caterpillar and Massey-Ferguson equipment dealer in Casa Grande, AZ; and Farm Credit Services. Additional information was shared by Mr. Ken Heupel, mechanized agriculture instructor, California State University, Fresno, who chaired the Farm Power CDE; Mr. Darol Fishman, mechanized agriculture instructor, Merced College, Merced; who chaired the Small Engines CDE and a portion of the Agriculture Mechanics CDE; Dr. Mike Spiess,faculty from California State University, Chico who developed the CA Tabulations Program. TARGET AUDIENCES: The target audiences for this research effort include agricultural education undergraduates at The University of Arizona, agricultural education instructors in Arizona, and agricultural mechanics instructional faculty preparing agricultural education teacher-education students. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: One modification of this research effort is the conduct of the date of the Agriculture Power & Machinery Skills Event. We hope that moving the event to a weekday will not serve as a deterrent. Addressing the tabulation process of the state agriculture mechanics CDE in Arizona to reduce errors in the scoring process and delaying the reporting of scores. Involving more undergraduate students in the planning and organization process of conducting both the state Agriculture Mechanics CDE and the Agriculture Power & Machinery Skills event.
Impacts
Findings from the Arizona FFA contestant survey questionnaire were shared with Arizona agricltural education instructors attending the annual planning workshop for the Agriculture Mechanics CDE. A peer-reviewed paper and poster reporting the findings of the research were presented to the annual Blue-Ribbon Paper Presentation session of the National Agricultural Mechanics Professional Development Committee during the National FFA Organization convention in Indianapolis, IN. The observation experience at the FFA Field Day at California State University, Fresno, and subsequent conversations with the three CDE activity coordinators and Dr. Spiess have provided the PI with valuable information for developing and conducting the pilot Agriculture Power & Machinery Skills Event in Arizona, as well as addressing tabulation procedures for the Agriculture Mechanics CDE conducted by the University of Arizona. The conduct of the pilot event faced several challenges. The event was planned for a Saturday as a way to maximize the availablity of facilities at the UA Campus Agricultural Center and to promote school participation. The April date was selected by the PI after reviewing the state FFA calendar of events and finding the least conflicts. Unfortunately, attendance was low. Partially due to the forecast of rain, planned freeway delays, and cancellations from instructors. In 2012, the event will be scheduled for a Friday in the same month.
Publications
- Lester, M. & Franklin, E. A. (2011). Motivation, Preparation, and Educational Value of the 2011 Arizona State FFA Agricultural Mechanics Career Development Event. Proceedings of the 31st Annual Blue-Ribbon Paper Presentations,National Agricultural Mechanics Professional Development Committee, Indianapolis, IN.
- Franklin, E. A. (In Press). An Internal Evaluation of The National FFA Agricultural Mechanics Career Development Event Through Analysis of Individual and Team Scores From 1996-2006. Journal of Agricultural Education.
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Progress 01/01/10 to 12/31/10
Outputs
OUTPUTS: One of the goals of this project is to develop, organize, and conduct a field day event for Arizona high school agricultural education students to measure knowledge and psychomotor skills in the curriculum area of agriculture power and systems technology. During 2010, an online search revealed several related student learning activities conducted by community colleges, universities, and state fair organizations across the country. Information was gathered through web-downloads and email communication with event organizors. A format suitable for use in Arizona was drafted for implementation in April 2011. A second goal is to have industry participation in the activity. Contact was made to agricultural machinery and implement dealers in Arizona. Both Central Implement Company, and Arizona Production Machinery (now Empire Southwest,LLC) expressed interest and were invite to participate and lend assistance. Communication with both companies resulted in a committment to provide agriculture machinery for students to operate during our activity, and funding to secure awards for recognizing student and team achievement. A webpage dedicated to assist high school teachers and students with gaining knowledge and information about the field day event was created and posted in August 2010. The webpage was posted to the University of Arizona Department of Agricultural Education website. Another goal is to gather data from participating students and teachers. Specific data would include perceptions of the field day activity as a tool for assessing student knowlege. A review of research literature revealed a publication of a study conducted at a southwest university in Texas. High school agricultural education students preparing for and competing in a state-level Nursery Career Development Event were asked to complete a researcher-modified survey designed to measure how students learn. The instrument, known as "Ways of Knowing" was created and tested by Dr. Michael Pierson. The researchers sought to learn of the value of a webpage as a source of information and training for the competing high school agricultural education students. Communication with Dr. Pierson has resulted in permission to use the instrument to gather similar data from agricultural education students competing in our event in April. A second part of this project will be to collect data from high school agricultural education students participating in specific state-level career development events hosted by a land-grant university. The two events identified and selected were Agricultural Mechanics and Wildlife. The state level event will occur on March 4 2011 at the University of of Arizona. Students competing in each event will be asked to complete a two-page survey. The purpose will be to determine factors of motivation to participate, perceived levels of preparation to compete, and methods of preparation. PARTICIPANTS: Several individuals have provided support for the conduct of the pilot Agriculture Power & Machinery Skills event. The University of Arizona Campus Agriculture Center will be providing the facilities and specific agriculture equipment for use in this activity. Community college and university faculty from select California institutions graciously shared copies and examples of activities they have developed and used in their activities. Industry representatives from companies such as Case-New Holland, John Deere Co., and Massey-Ferguson have shared information, or have committed to provide resources for the conduct of this activity. TARGET AUDIENCES: Target audiences include high school agricultural education instructors in Arizona, community college instructors of agricultural education or science,university teacher-educators with responsibilities in teaching agricultural education and technology, and county extension educators working with youth groups. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
As of March 1, 2011, we are still in the planning stage for the Agriculture Power & Machinery Skills Event field day. Five schools have registered their students for participation. Following the pilot event in April 2011, the researcher will travel to California to observe and assist with the conduct of the state-level Farm Power Career Development Event conducted at the State FFA Field Day hosted by California State University, Fresno. Additionally, the researcher will meet with field day coordinators of Merced College, California State University, Chico, and Reedley College for the purpose of gathering data related to their field activities.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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