Progress 09/01/16 to 08/31/21
Outputs
Target Audience:Primary target audiences for this project are secondary and 2-year postsecondary students in rural counties. Secondary audiences include local agricultural employers, high school teachers, community college staff, and agriculture teacher educators. Changes/Problems:Overall project timeline: This project was initially proposed as a three year project. Two no-cost time extensions were granted, resulting in a five year timeline. Primary reasons for this, as described in more detail below, include staff turnover, student recruitment challenges, new policies for approval of degrees at the community college level, and attenuation of progress in the final year due to COVID. Objective 1: Internship program at CCHS There were three primary changes to the internship program at CCHS. First, we projected 18 total interns and 14 participated. Student recruitment was a primary challenge to the program in the initial year, which resulted in lower than anticipated numbers of interns. This was attributed to scheduling conflicts, transportation issues, and student unawareness of the opportunities. CCHS team members worked with the student services department to promote the internship program and to develop class schedules that accommodate internship employment, increasing the number of interns in subsequent years until COVID restricted internship opportunities in the final year of the project. Second, the capstone research experience proposed as part of the internship program was moved to the Biotechnology II in Agriculture course. Responsibility for the internship was transferred to the CCHS Internship Program, so project team members in the agriculture program did not have as much opportunity to direct the activities of the students as initially proposed. Third, the Carroll County School District assumed responsibility for funding the internship program in project year 1 and grant funds initially allocated for this purpose were redirected through an amendment to support laboratory instruction (See Objective 2). We initially planned for primary payment for the students in the internship program to come from grant funds, with responsibility gradually transferring to employers. We determined that payment from employers was not possible due to insurance issues with employing minors from a High School. Objective 2: Biotechnology Courses at CCHS There were three primary changes to the agricultural biotechnology course sequence at CCHS. First, the approach of revising the curriculum to center food safety as the primary focus of these courses was changed to instead retain the biotechnology focus, adding a strong emphasis on food safety embedded within each course. This was in response to feedback from students and the change in focus of the new degree program at WCC (See Objective 3). Second, the capstone experience was incorporated into the dual credit Biotechnology II in Agriculture as a semester-long design-based learning research project. This was in response to changes to the internship program (see Objective 1), the expertise of project team members at CCHS in recognizing this as an opportunity to meet the needs of students in this advanced course, and emerging opportunities to collaborate with researchers at Virginia Tech. Third, the grant funds reallocated from the internship program (Objective 1) were used to purchase laboratory equipment to support instruction in the STEM laboratory for agriculture. This allowed for further innovation in laboratory instruction to emphasize cutting-edge biotechnology laboratory techniques used in agriculture. Objective 3: New agricultural degree program at WCC There were three primary changes in the establishment of and subsequent student enrollment in the new degree programs at WCC. First, the timeline for establishment of the new program was delayed significantly. This was due to multiple factors. First, new policies require all General Studies Specialties and Certificates to be approved by the college, the Virginia Community College System, the State Council for Higher Education in Virginia and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. Second, these standards include providing documentation of current employer demand and detailed labor market information which took additional time to produce. Finally, there has been turnover in the co-PD at WCC twice over the course of the project, naturally delaying progress due to startup time in getting replacements up to speed on the project and its goals. Second, the focus of the program changed from food safety to agriculture, with agricultural food safety as a component. This change in objectives was approved by USDA-NIFA in Fall 2018. The change was driven by data on current and projected labor market demand in the service area of WCC and better meets the needs of potential students. With these changes to the focus of the 2-year associate's degree program and courses being offered, the 1-year Food Safety Certification program did not move forward. Third, student enrollment in the new program was lower than projected, with 7 in the initial cohort compared to the proposed 20. This is attributed to the attenuated timeline and turnover in WCC personnel mentioned above and COVID-19 impacts on recruitment. Low enrollment has impacted consistency in offering agriculture courses, which will need to be addressed outside of the timeline of the current project. Objective 4: Cooperative Linkages The Carroll County Food Safety Advisory Board initially proposed was dissolved due to the change in focus to general agriculture (see Objectives 2 and 3). A formal advisory board for the new 2-year Associate of Art and Science Degree in Science with a specialization in Food Animal Production at WCC was planned to reflect the move away from food safety to agriculture and ensure the long-term stability of the group beyond the life of the grant. The establishment of the advisory board for the new program at WCC was further delayed due to changes in personnel and COVID-19 impacts at WCC and remains forthcoming. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The staff at Carroll County High School engaged in collaborative work with graduate students at Virginia Tech. These activities led to increased shared knowledge about how structure and to keep a record of the internship program and ideas for how to modify pre-existing labs to foster inquiry-based approaches in Biotechnology courses. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The overall program model and results of evaluation of the internship program and biotechnology courses were shared with agriculture teacher educators and other education researchers at two professional conferences, North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture in 2017 and 2019 and the Water for Food Global Conference in 2017. Carroll County High School staff attended workshops at VA Tech (Virginia STEM Summit), in South Hill (Southern Virginia New Economic Summit) and in Richmond (Virginia Mathematics and Science Coalition, 2017 Award Recipient) to share information about the program with secondary education stakeholders. The Biotechnology Teacher presented a discussion program at the Virginia School Board Association annual convention in November 2018. The topic of the presentation was focused on the food safety and the internship program. The presentation shared how this program was preparing students for the workforce and post-secondary education. The model for the agricultural biotechnology program was shared with the secondary agriculture teacher community through a 2020 article in the Agricultural Education Magazine entitled "Students Discover Career Ready Skills Through Biotechnology." The food safety intersession program was shared with the secondary agriculture teacher community through a 2019 article in the Agricultural Education Magazine entitled Is "Our Food Safe? That is the Question Students are Asking. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Industry relevant educational opportunities are an essential component of agricultural workforce development. We developed new academic opportunities for students at CCHS and WCC to prepare them for the agriculture industry at multiple levels of educational attainment. Short-term impacts on students resulting from our efforts focused on knowledge change and were documented through focus group and individual interviews with students, alumni, and employers. The CCHS project team developed and implemented an agricultural internship program focused on local workforce development and career exploration. 14 students were in settings such as an agricultural packing service, a veterinary clinic, the local Extension office, and the Agriculture Program at CCHS. Placements ranged from short term rotations through multiple sites during a semester to year-long placements with a single site. Internships contributed positively to student's increased awareness of agriculture: "I thought it was a good experience because you got to work with others and see how other people farm and that would help me in the future." Students became knowledgeable about opportunities in their local economy. The rotating site design especially helped students see the interconnectedness of the local agriculture industry: "My [internship] was basically exposing one side of agriculture and another and seeing how they connect with one another and provide support. One helps the farmer get fertilizer, and then they can grow their crops therefore the produce business sends the produce through the chain." The program also allowed for the formation of networks for mentorship and guidance throughout the community. The internship program increased students' interest in a diversity of careers or higher education in the agriculture industry: "[After receiving my 2-year degree], I'm transferring to Tech, and I'm not really sure which aspect of food science I'm gonna go into, either the business site, or the marketing and packaging side." "[The internship program] really helped me decide what I wanted to do. So I just didn't know horticulture and I was just thinking about vet school. And the service center really showed me what horticulture is and it made me interested in pursuing that." Finally, the internship helped students develop strong communication, problem solving, and research skills. Students learned how to communicate with customers, clients, partners, and co-workers: "Mine really help me improve how I interact with people in different spaces." "It helped me problem solve, it was like we always had to ship something, and fix things when they went wrong." "I really like the different lab skills I picked up. Going into science in college, they just sort of expect you to know what you're doing when you get to the lab. It really helps to have all these little things I know how to do now." CCHS teachers developed curricula and taught a three-course agricultural biotechnology sequence; laboratory experiences now include food safety topics, utilize up-to-date STEM laboratory equipment, and build toward a semester-long capstone research experience in the final course. Teachers also supplemented the curriculum with an experiential agricultural food safety mini-course for educational enrichment intersessions and outreach to incorporate food safety in other classes. The structure of the curricula supported experiential learning, helping students gain transferable scientific skills and become competent in the use of specialized lab equipment, positioning them to meet local industry needs. Students valued applied, wide ranging, student centered hands on labs. Students were extremely receptive to hands-on learning experiences, so much so that a commercially available food safety curriculum that was more didactic was criticized: "I can remember a lot more from [the first course], and I feel like we [did] a lot more, and it was more hands on and that's just how we learn". Through applying their expertise, reflection on practice, and informed by student feedback, teachers determined how to best incorporate relevant food safety topics while not losing focus on engagement, understanding, and a sense of community. Through this course sequence, students increased awareness of agriculture and the growing field of food safety, developed interest in careers and/ or higher education within the agricultural industry, developed communication, research, and problem solving skills, and increased awareness of higher education options: "[I learned how to] use the pipettes and the centrifuge and the basic general knowledge of the tools, I have to use that in my career." "It sets you up for anything that if you are planning on doing anything with biology it gives you the background and general knowledge for it." The capstone course was especially helpful in changing student perceptions of agriculture and biotechnology: "It's been a bit of a swap, with an ag background, everything is done so traditional and in here you see how things are changing so rapidly. It shows you especially with plants, it shows you a lot more about how they are working. It's crazy how fast things are changing, and we get to see that in high school setting." The WCC team established a 2-year Associate of Art and Science Degree in Science with a specialization in Food Animal Production with an articulation agreement with Virginia Tech. The content and design of the program was informed by a visit to an established program, research on local agricultural industry workforce needs, and collaboration with the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Virginia Tech. The program enrolled the first students in Fall 2019. Students were motivated to enroll in the program because of their interest in agriculture, the articulation agreement with Virginia Tech, and the novelty and innovative nature of the program. The curriculum is positioned to meet local industry needs, helping students shape their career plans. It supports authentic inquiry and/or experiential learning. Students find faculty to be incredibly supportive, friendly, and easy to build trusting relationships with. This in turn facilitates student achievement and motivation. Experiential learning trips were critical to the success of the students in the program. The program increased student awareness of options for higher education. In one case, a student changed their career plans as a result: " I originally was doing the transfer vet prep program. And then I ran out of classes to take. So I decided to take a few of these classes. And I really enjoyed it. So instead of applying to vet school, I actually applied to Virginia Tech, and so this fall I'm going to do the Food Science and Technology program at Tech." VT team members collaborated with CCHS and WCC in curriculum development efforts, lending expertise and identifying resources. Cooperative linkages across the three institutions were formalized through creation of new agricultural education pathways for students from CCHS to WCC and then to agriculture programs at Virginia Tech. The groundwork for a new advisory board for the program at WCC has been laid, with proposed members including Agriculture educators from the high schools in the service region, local extension agents, and local agriculture business leaders. The CCHS internship program especially, was valued by employers. The rotating nature of the internship program required that educational institutions, local government, and agricultural industry partners work together to ensure student success and community viability in Carroll County. Through our five-year project, we navigated changing local workforce needs, turnover in project personnel, and impacts of COVID-19 on education to successfully establish a new educational pipeline in agriculture that has potential to impact students and the local industry for years to come.
Publications
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Progress 09/01/19 to 08/31/20
Outputs
Target Audience:Primary target audiences for this project are secondary and 2-year postsecondary students in rural counties. Secondary audiences include local agricultural employers, high school teachers and counselors, community college staff, and agriculture teacher educators. Changes/Problems:Overall, COVID-19 negatively impacted our efforts to collect evaluation data for the 2019-20 academic year. This has affected the level of detail we were able to include in this report. Objective 3: Due to COVID-19, our recruitment efforts have not been as needed to build the program, and there needs to be an evaluation of instruction of current faculty members. Objective 4: The establishment of the advisory board was again delayed due to COVID-19 and transition of a new Academic Dean at WCC. This will be moved for accomplishment as of spring 2021. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?
Nothing Reported
How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The model for the agricultural biotechnology program was shared with the secondary agriculture teacher community through a publication in the Agricultural Education Magazine. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Objective 1: The internship program will continue to be implemented through the CCHS Internship Program, with agriculture teachers aiding with placements. Objective 2:The agricultural biotechnology courses and animal production courses that align with the degree at WCC sequence will continue to be taught based on lessons learned from previous years. Objective 3: Wytheville Community College launched the AA&S in Science, Specialization in Food Animal Production in fall 2019. In Spring 2020, Executive leadership from WCC met with stakeholders and executive leaders from CCHS to discuss a new pathway involved in the certificate in high school folding into the AA&S at WCC. No formal decisions were set due to COVID-19, so these conversations will continue into Fall 2020. To create alignment, Dr. Randy Webb was brought on as an adjunct instructor for spring 2021. Objective 4: Due to COVID-19, the advisory board for the degree was not formalized, and will be set in spring 2021 with the new Academic Dean and leadership.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Agriculture is a complex, technologically-driven field that requires skilled workers at all levels who are equipped to use STEM knowledge and skills to solve real-world problems as they arise. An essential component of the agricultural system is food safety and biotechnology but, unfortunately, educational opportunities are lagging behind industry needs. Creation of new academic opportunities for secondary students at Carroll County High School and two-year post-secondary students in Southwest Virginia will provide preparation for the agriculture industry at multiple levels of educational attainment. Objective 2:In the fall of 2019 the team at Carroll County High School taught Pre-Biotechnology with 13 students. In the Spring of 2020, they taught Biotechnology I with 7 students and Biotechnology II Dual-Credit with 7 students. The school year ended with the COVID-19 lock down which prohibited exaluation activities from occurring. Objective 3: In Fall 2019, the AA&S in Science, SPecialization in Food Animal Production was launched with seven students beginning the program. Six students were retained into the spring semester, but due to COVID-19, all instruction had to be transitioned to an online, asynchronous format. Instruction continued into the fall 2020 semester, with four students being retained from the original seven, and four new students entering into the fall 2020 cohort. Instruction has transitioned to a blended, face to face/synchronous online format to adapt to COVID-19. Overall, project activities in this fourth year, while cut short with COVID-19, strengthened the connections between Carroll County High School and the 2-year program at Wytheville Community College.
Publications
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Webb, R., Rasco, R., Steger, D., & Scherer, H. H. (2020). Students Discover Career Ready Skills Through Biotechnology. The Agricultural Education Magazine, 93(1), 45-48. Retrieved from https://www.naae.org/profdevelopment/magazine/archive_issues/Volume93/2020%2007%20--%20July%20August.pdf
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Progress 09/01/18 to 08/31/19
Outputs
Target Audience:Primary target audiences for this project are secondary and 2-year postsecondary students in rural counties. Secondary audiences include local agricultural employers, high school teachers and counselors, community college staff, and agriculture teacher educators. Changes/Problems:Objective 1: Responsibility for the internship has been fully transferred to the CCHS Internship Program, so the teachers in the agriculture program do not have as much opportunity to direct the activities of the students. Objective 2: None Objective 3: To meet the current needs at WCC, the focus of the certificate program was changed from food safety to agriculture, with agricultural food safety as a component. This change in objectives was approved by USDA-NIFA in Fall 2018. Objective 4: The establishment of the advisory board for the new program at WCC was delayed until a permanent instructor and/or program director can be put in place.? What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The staff at Carroll County High School engaged in collaborative work with graduate students at Virginia Tech. These activities led to increased shared knowledge about how structure and to keep a record of the internship program and ideas for how to modify pre-existing labs to foster inquiry-based approaches in Biotechnology courses. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The Biotechnology Teacher presented a discussion program at the Virginia School Board Association annual convention in November 2018. The topic of the presentation was focused on the food safety and the internship program. The presentation shared how this program was preparing students for the workforce and post-secondary education. The model for the agricultural biotechnology program evaluation were shared with agricultural science faculty and agriculture teacher educators via a poster presentation at the North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture annual professional conference. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Objective 1: The internship program will continue to be implemented through the CCHS Internship Program, with agriculture teachers aiding with placements. Objective 2: The agricultural biotechnology course sequence will continue to be taught based on lessons learned from previous years. Evaluation efforts and publications will focus on disseminating the model to teachers and teacher educators and documenting longer-term impacts of the program on graduates. Objective 3: Wytheville Community College will offer two new courses in the Associate of Art and Science Degree in Science with a specialization in Food Animal Production in 2019-20. AGR 141: Introduction to Animal Science and Technology will be taught Fall 2019 and AGR 231: Agribusiness Marketing, Risk Management, and Entrepreneurship will be taught in Spring 2020. Objective 4: Now that the degree at WCC has been finalized, and is being offered, the next step is to strengthen it by ensuring we have consistent connections with business, industry, and educational partners to make improvements and adjustments to instruction that align with industry best practices and up to date research. By fall 2020, WCC will have an advisory board for the program in place that will be comprised of representatives from CCHS, VT, agriculture partners and business representatives in the region. These members will be sought out in spring 2020, and will be approved by the WCC board in fall 2020. ?
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Agriculture is a complex, technologically-driven field that requires skilled workers at all levels who are equipped to use STEM knowledge and skills to solve real-world problems as they arise. An essential component of the agricultural system is food safety and biotechnology but, unfortunately, educational opportunities are lagging behind industry needs. Creation of new academic opportunities for secondary students at Carroll County High School and two-year post-secondary students in Southwest Virginia will provide preparation for the agriculture industry at multiple levels of educational attainment. Objective 1: The internship program with an emphasis in the agricultural industry and education field (Objective 1) was continued for the 2018-2019 school year with sustained participation at Carroll County High School. The interns were employed by local agricultural related organizations and companies in Carroll County, including a veterinary clinic, Extension office, Farm Bureau, and the Agriculture Program at CCHS. The program was promoted within the high school using promotional materials and conducted through the CCHS Internship Program with placements facilitated by teachers in the agriculture program. Interviews were conducted with students to evaluate the success and identify problems within the program. Six students participated in the internship program. One student participated in the fall semester (2018), six students in the spring semester (spring 2019) and one student participated all year (fall and spring). Through the internship students reported gaining job-related experience, workplace readiness and research skills, problem-solving skills, and professional communication skills. Internships allowed them to explore career opportunities in agriculture, better solidify their intended career paths, develop better job-related skills, see the "reality" of jobs, and develop new personal connections with people in their potential future careers. Objective 2: The Pre-biotechnology, Biotechnology I, and the dual credit Biotechnology II courses were offered in the agriculture program this year with a total of 60 students enrolled. Upon reflection, of the 2017-2018 school year, it was decided that instead of a food safety program with a biotechnology component, it was established that the program would work better with a biotechnology program with a food safety emphasis. In Pre-biotechnology, there were two classes offered in the fall semester (40 total students) of mostly 9th grade students. They studied concepts in Ag Biology, with an immersion of labs that would prepare them for the Biotechnology track. They began by learning how to use the equipment in the STEM lab and properly measuring using metric units. They designed their own experiment, learned how to do basic data analysis and learned to write a lab report. They also examined different cell types using the microscopes, extracted DNA, and investigated different bacteria that cause food-born illnesses. This class gave an opportunity for students to enter the Biotechnology track, instead of taking traditional Ag classes within CCHS. In Biotechnology I, the 12 students enrolled began to develop their Biotechnology skills through a series of labs such as DNA and protein electrophoresis, investigating GMO's, transformation, ELISA testing, testing the effectiveness of different antibiotics on bacterial growth, soil and water testing. Students also participated in a program to test their own well water at Virginia Tech. As part of the trip, they heard from the food safety coordinator about the importance of water testing when it comes to food safety. Each lab built on their technology skills but were also related to how they applied to the agriculture and food safety. In Biotechnology II, all 8 students enrolled completed a semester long capstone project in which they were given a problem to solve within the field of Biotechnology. At the end of the semester the students hosted a symposium where they presented their projects to the superintendent, administration and even local media which received a lot of positive feedback. Students reported feeling like the experience in this course was similar to what they might find conducting undergraduate research in college. They were able to see how the coursework in agricultural biotechnology related to real-world problems and develop valuable scientific research skills. A three-day workshop on food safety and careers was also offered again in the Fall of 2018. Eighteen students were enrolled in the three-day program. The three-day intersession immersed students in food safety from the farm to the table. Students traveled to local farms, restaurants, government agencies and food production facilities to explore what was required at each level to maintain a safe food supply. In addition to these courses being established at the high school, there has been more outreach to incorporate food safety in other classes within the school. For example, a lesson on proper handwashing and food contamination is now taught regularly in the beginning class of the culinary program. Objective 3: In October 2018, the team at WCC proposed the new 2-year Associate of Art and Science Degree in Science with a specialization in Food Animal Production Program to the WCC curriculum committee. In November 2018, the degree was approved by the WCC board. The WCC staff submitted a proposal to the Virginia Community College System (VCCS) and Commission on college of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACSCOC) and the program was approved in Spring 2019. An articulation agreement between WCC and Virginia Tech is now in place for this new degree. In Summer 2019, WCC hired a curriculum consultant to build a curriculum (Syllabi, Course Website, resources, etc) for this program in anticipation of first courses being offered in Fall 2019. Seven students were enrolled in the program in August 2019. Objective 4: A formal advisory board meeting was not conducted during the 2018-2019 reporting year. Advisory board members were contacted on an individual basis to answer questions and help support the project as needed. Connections between CCHS and local businesses continue to be reinforced through placement of interns.The creation of the AA&S-Science specialization in Food Animal Production at WCC allowed the development of a true agriculture focused pathway to our transfer partner, Virginia Tech. This was crucial to launch the program as it guarantees and ensures transfer pathways for students to viable agriculture programs at Virginia Tech. Overall, project activities in this third year solidified this model program so that it will be in place after the grant period is over. Students at Carroll County High School participated in the internship program and took courses in the biotechnology sequence and the 2-year program at Wytheville Community College was established.
Publications
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Steger, D., Webb, R., Rasco, R., & Scherer, H. H. (2019, June). Connecting STEM and Food Safety Through an Agricultural Biotechnology Program. Poster presented at the 65th Annual conference of the North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture, Twin Falls, ID.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Webb, R. C. (2019, March/April). Is Our Food Safe? That is the Question Students are Asking. The Agricultural Education Magazine, 91, 24-27.
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Progress 09/01/17 to 08/31/18
Outputs
Target Audience:Primary target audiences for this project are secondary and 2-year postsecondary students in rural counties. Secondary audiences include local agricultural employers, high school teachers and counselors, community college staff, and agriculture teacher educators. Changes/Problems:Objective 1: The instructor who was overseeing the internship program has relocated to another school system, so the instructor was replaced. The transition to our new instructor has inhibited the recruiting process for the following school year but has been resolved with training. We have also had to adjust our original plan for primary payment for the students in the internship program. Having employers to begin paying students has been difficult due to insurance issues with employing minors from a High School. The Carroll County School District has committed to funding the internship program in the future. Objective 2: The instructor who was teaching the Pre-Biotechnology course has relocated to another school system. The instructor was replaced and mentored to continue implementing the developed curriculum. Students and instructors evaluated and reflected on the use of the iCEV curricula for future classes. While some of the material was useful, other parts will be revised for the following year to better fit the goals of the project. The approach of a food safety emphasis with a biotechnology component was limiting the growth of students through the three courses. Future courses will be Biotechnology based with a strong emphasis on food safety embedded within each course. Objective 3: During this reporting period, the co-PD from Wytheville Community college left his position at the college, causing the need to get his replacement up to speed on the project and its goals. We have also faced difficulties with scheduling meetings between institutional administration. Because of this difficulty, there has been a natural delay in the output objectives. Additionally, to meet the current needs at WCC, the focus of the certificate program was changed from food safety to agriculture, with agricultural food safety as a component. This change in objectives was approved by USDA-NIFA in Fall 2018. Objective 4: We have not had a advisory board meeting in this reporting period because of the transitions and need to work through challenges. The team has reflected on the purpose of the advisory board, leading to the change in locus to the program at WCC. This purposeful choice will contribute to the long-term stability of the group beyond the life of the grant. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The staff at Carroll County High School engaged in collaborative work with graduate students at Virginia Tech. These activities led to increased shared knowledge about how structure and to keep a record of the internship program and ideas for how to modify pre-existing labs to foster inquiry-based approaches in Biotechnology courses. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The Biotechnology Teacher presented a discussion program at the Virginia School Board Association annual convention in November 2018. The topic of the presentation was focused on the food safety and the internship program. The presentation shared how this program was preparing students for the workforce and post-secondary education. ? What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Objective 1: Under the leadership of the new instructor, the schoology material for the internship program will continue to be developed and implemented. Site visits will be conducted the following school year and better preparation (orientation) of students will be developed and implemented. We will continue to recruit and enroll students in the internship program for the next reporting period. Objective 2 : The dual credit Biotechnology II curricula will be revised to create a better balance between Agriculture, biotechnology and the Food Safety iCEV material. The staff at CCHS will aim to highlight the natural similarities between the content areas through engaging STEM lessons. The capstone project will continue to be developed to help serve the goals of the project. Objective 3: In October 2018 was proposed the transfer degree and 1 year certification program to the WCC curriculum committee. In November 2018, The 1 year certification program and 2 year associate's degree was approval by WCC board. By early Spring 2018 The WCC staff intends to have a proposal submitted to Virginia Community College System (VCCS) and Commission on college of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACSCOC). The WCC staff plans to hire a curriculum consultant to build a curriculum (Syllabi, Course Website, resources, etc). This course level curriculum development process for Food Science related topics will begin in February 2019 with a estimated completion date by the end of July 31, 2019. Objective 4: The advisory board will be repurposed to serve the new degree program at WCC, with representation from CCHS to maintain connectivity between the two programs. We will update the current advisory board on our progress and continue to gather input as we move forward.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Agriculture is a complex, technologically-driven field that requires skilled workers at all levels who are equipped to use STEM knowledge and skills to solve real-world problems as they arise. An essential component of the agricultural system is food safety but, unfortunately, educational opportunities in this growing field are lagging behind industry interest in the region. Creation of new academic opportunities for secondary students at Carroll County High School and two-year post-secondary students in Southwest Virginia will provide preparation for the agricultural food safety industry at multiple levels of educational attainment. Objective 1: The internship program with an emphasis in the agricultural industry and education field (Objective 1) was continued for the 2017-2018 school year with increased participation at Carroll County High School. The interns were employed by local agricultural related organizations and companies in Carroll County. A flyer was created and promoted to better advertise this program. These flyers were posted around the school and handed out at the time of course registration at the high school. Interviews were conducted with students and employers to evaluate the success and identify problems within the program. A 'schoology' (learning management system) site was created with material to enrich the student's internship experience off the job site, such as interviewing skills and resume building. Six students participated in the internship program. One student participated in the fall semester (2017) , four students in the spring semester (spring 2018) and one student participated all year (fall and spring). Through the internship students gained job-related experience, workplace readiness skills, agriculture knowledge, and networking or "soft" skills. In the focus groups students mentioned that this opportunity allowed them to explore career opportunities in agriculture, develop better communication skills, and problem solve in a real-world setting. Participating employers were able to mentor students and gain assistance with agriculture-related tasks. Employers felt it was a valuable partnership for both the students and themselves. Objective 2: The dual credit Biotechnology II course was offered for the first time this year with nine students enrolled. Course material and a food safety certification was implemented from the iCEV multimedia group. Four students received the American Meat Science Association Food Safety & Science Certification. All students completed a semester long capstone project in which they were given a problem to solve within the field of Biotechnology. At the end of the semester the students hosted a symposium where they presented their projects to the superintendent, administration and even local media which received a lot of positive feedback. All three courses were advertised to incoming students and guidance counselors which resulted in increased enrollment for the 2018-2019 school year. A three-day workshop on food safety and careers was also offered in the Fall of 2017. Eighteen students were enrolled in the three-day program. The three-day intersession immersed students in food safety from the farm to the table. Students traveled to local farms, restaurants, government agencies and food production facilities to explore what was required at each level to maintain a safe food supply. Objective 3: Jacob Surratt and the Administration from WCC worked directly with the College of Agriculture at Virginia Tech over the course of this project year to map out a 2 year transfer degree in Agriculture. These efforts, including to formulation of the transfer agreement, were concluded in August 2018 laying the groundwork for moving this new degree through governance. Objective 4: A formal advisory board meeting was not conducted during the 2017-2018 report. Advisory board members were contacted on an individual bases to answer questions and help support the project as needed. Overall, project activities in this second year provided advancements on established success and continued to build a foundation for subsequent years. Students at Carroll County High School participated in the internship program and took courses in the biotechnology sequence, draft programs at Wytheville Community College were established along with developing articulation agreements with Virginia Tech for a transfer degree program, and an advisory board was consulted for advice on the development of the project. In recognition of these efforts, the agricultural education program at Carroll County High School was awarded the 2018 State Workforce Readiness Award for the food safety curriculum developed for the STEM Lab for Agriculture and the Internship Program which was developed as part of this grant.
Publications
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Progress 09/01/16 to 08/31/17
Outputs
Target Audience:Primary target audiences for this project are secondary and 2-year postsecondary students in rural counties. Secondary audiences include local agricultural employers, high school teachers and counselors, community college staff, and agriculture teacher educators. Changes/Problems:Objective 1: Student recruitment is a primary challenge to the program, which has resulted in lower than anticipated numbers of interns (2 first year interns in PY1, compared to anticipated 6 interns). This is attributed to scheduling conflicts, transportation issues and student unawareness of the opportunities. CCHS staff have been working with the student services department to promote the internship program and to develop class schedules that will accommodate internship employment. A flyer has been generated to post in the school and to disseminate to potential students. Additional notifications may be sent to parents and students via email and "Parent Connect" messaging. Due to the low numbers, recruitment for second year interns has also been a challenge; this has resulted in a delay in piloting the capstone project to be completed by second year interns. We anticipate having interns in this experience in PY3. Objective 2: This proposal was originally meant to have the courses at CCHS articulate with the Food Safety program that is being developed at WCC. Because the development of the Food Safety program at WCC has been delayed, this has changed this particular goal. Previous agriculture curriculum competencies may also have neglected sufficient food science and food safety components and there has been a lack of approved certifications in this area. New curriculum has recently emerged and certifications approved by the Department of Education. The new focus of this objective is to train students through three sequential food safety biotechnology courses at CCHS and prepare them to take a advanced certification test in Food safety after the completion of Biotechnology II. CCHS staff will be attending the five year curriculum review for Biotechnology in Richmond to have input on curriculum needs and possible changes. The purchase of food safety related iCEV materials and software will also be utilized for new course competencies and certifications. New Food Safety lessons were designed that utilized teaching approaches such as inquiry based education, problem based learning and discovery based learning. These lessons, however, were not implemented because they did not adequately fit the needs of the CCHS teaching staff. Hands-on lessons were already being implemented in current Biotechnology lessons and these were used in lieu of the new inquiry-based lessons. This signals a need for closer collaboration between Virginia Tech's ALCE department and the teachers at CCHS to ensure that lessons meet project goals of engaging students in inquiry-based activities that lead to student gains in scientific process skills and attitudes towards science while meeting the needs of the teachers such that course materials are used. This will be particularly important as iCEV materials are reviewed for use and implemented in Spring 2018. Objective 3: New Policies were recently approved that require all General Studies Specialties and Certificates to be approved by the college, the Virginia Community College System, the State Council for Higher Education in Virginia and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. These standards include providing documentation of current employer demand and detailed labor market information. Data on current and projected labor market demand has been difficult to obtain and verify. Until such documentation is found, the program cannot be referred for approval, thus significantly delaying the timeline for establishment and student enrollment in these programs. Original plans were to research established food science programs in Kentucky and California. Staff were unable to secure visitation privileges out west and deferred to the Delaware Technical Community College for this visit. Objective 4: The advisory board was established, but only one meeting was held in PY1 (target was 3). This was due to the delayed start date of the project compared to the proposal and the delay in progress on Objectives 1-3. In lieu of a meeting in Summer 2017, individual advisory board members were consulted for input on specific components of the project. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The staff at Carroll County High School engaged in collaborative work with graduate students at Virginia Tech. These activities led to increased shared knowledge about how structure and to keep record of the internship program and ideas for how to modify pre-existing labs to foster inquiry-based approaches in Biotechnology courses. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The overall program model and results of evaluation of the internship program and biotechnology courses were shared with agriculture teacher educators and other education researchers at two professional conferences, North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture and the Water for Food Global Conference. Carroll County High School staff attended workshops at Virginia Tech (Virginia STEM Summit), in South Hill (Southern Virginia New Economic Summit) and in Richmond (Virginia Mathematics and Science Coalition, 2017 Award Recipient) to share information about the program with secondary education stakeholders. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Objective 1: Two students are currently enrolled in the Agriculture Internship Program for Fall 2017. Both students are seniors and plan to participate in the Spring 2018 semester before graduating. There are two other students who have also expressed interest in becoming an intern this Spring. Student recruitment is a primary challenge to the program, therefore, the Agriculture Department will be working with the student services department to promote the internship program. Flyers will be posted in school and presentations shown to potential students. Additional notifications may be sent to parents and students via email and "Parent Connect" messaging. The program will be promoted year round with special effort made during club meetings, parent conferences, career fairs, and prior to class scheduling. Within this next reporting period, we also plan to continue improvement of the internship program model by implementing additional components such as student presentations and orientation group trainings. We also intend to establish guidelines for the capstone project to be completed by students in their second year of the internship program. Objective 2: CCHS staff will be attending the Virginia Department of Education five year curriculum review for Biotechnology in November 2017 to have input on curriculum needs and possible changes. The purchase of iCEV materials and software will also be utilized for new course competencies and should be in place for the start of the 2018 Spring semester. Implementation of these materials will be supported by such activities as: gathering additional materials as needed, aligning Food safety competencies with existing Biotechnology competencies, putting existing lessons into the context of the new food safety certification requirements for Pre-Biotech, Biotech I , Biotech II. Certification testing in food safety & science will be primarily for students in the dual credit Biotechnology II class and will be available at the end of the 2018 school year and continuously thereafter. Certification testing will be purchased based on student requests and purchased with Carroll County High School testing funds. Additionally, we will explore options for implementing a semester-long scientific inquiry-based project in Biotechnology II that integrates background from Food Safety lessons learned in Pre-Biotech and Biotech I. Objective 3: While the Degree and Certificate exist in draft form, all new program offerings must be approved internally and by external bodies. The status of the overall degree completion is dependent upon identifying necessary research and documentation that supports the new program creation to present to approval bodies. Efforts this reporting period will focus on these efforts, including collecting local survey data about local employment demand, obtaining a significant amount of employer letters of support, and identifying regional and national data trends. These activities are expected to be completed by February 15, 2018. Pending final approval of program design, a Food Science Expert will be sought to help develop the curriculum that is in draft form. The course level curriculum development process for Food Science related topics will begin in February 2018 with an anticipated completion date by the end of May 2018. Objective 4: We will continue to hold advisory board meetings this reporting period to update members on our progress and gather input as we move forward.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Agriculture is a complex, technologically-driven field that requires skilled workers at all levels who are equipped to use STEM knowledge and skills to solve real world problems as they arise. An essential component of the agricultural system is food safety but, unfortunately, educational opportunities in this growing field are lagging behind industry interest in the region. Creation of new academic opportunities for secondary students at Carroll County High School and two-year post-secondary students in Southwest Virginia will provide preparation for the agricultural food safety industry at multiple levels of educational attainment. An internship program (Objective 1) with emphasis in the agricultural industry and education field was implemented for two consecutive semesters, Fall 2016-Spring 2017, at Carroll County High School. The third consecutive semester, Fall 2017, is underway. The interns were and are currently employed by local agricultural related organizations and companies in Carroll County. The internship program allows students to work with more than one employer. One of the two students from 2016-2017 rotated between two local employers, an agricultural youth program and an agricultural packing service. A focus group interview revealed that students gained job related experience, workplace readiness skills, agriculture knowledge and networking or "soft" skills and that they received mentoring from employers in these areas. The interns both felt that they were introduced to a work environment that they did not know of before. Both interns did not realize the amount of customer service skills that were required to perform well at work. In all the interns are gaining the experience of working within the agricultural industry and discipline, gaining knowledge on professionalism and the various careers associated with agricultural practices and production. This exposure increased their career aspirations and networks. Additionally, a literature review manuscript describing the best practices of an internship program was drafted and utilized to develop a structure and resources to guide marketing, application, orientation, and learning activities. Curricula for the Agriculture Biology (pre-Biotechnology), Biotechnology I and Biotechnology II courses at Carroll County High School (Objective 2) have been developed, including articulation of the sequenced pathway and alignment with state course competencies. These courses have been included in the schools Programs of Study Publication and one has gained approval to be taught as a dual credit course for the first time in 2018. A collection of 40+ existing lesson plans and 12 original, inquiry-based lessons that incorporate food safety into the classroom biotechnology program was developed. Despite these efforts, a significant need for food safety curriculum that leads to an opportunity for students to earn a food safety certification was identified and research determined that education materials available through the iCEV multimedia group met this need for the local program. Carroll County High School Staff meet with a representative from iCEV media to discuss curriculum content, certification testing and pricing. A quote has been secured and purchase orders have been submitted to secure educational software for the 3 Biotechnology courses. The program also offered a three day mini-course with a focus on food safety that was held during an educational enrichment intersession. Students spent three days traveling to farms, businesses, restaurants, and food production facilities to explore food safety and the requirement of each to maintain a safe food supply. The students also were able to do a bacterial culture during this mini-course in the STEM Lab. A focus group interview with students in the introductory (pre-biotechnology) course revealed that they appreciated the applied nature of the course and the opportunity to apply basic science knowledge to food-related topics in an in-depth manner. They expressed a desire for hands-on, student-centered courses. Staff from Carroll County High School, including teachers, CTE administrator and STEM Lab manager traveled to Delaware Technical Community College on April 12, 2017. The group, accompanied by the Dean of Health and Occupational Programs from WCC, toured the college's food safety lab and met with personnel to discuss curriculum requirements and objectives for their established Food Science Program. Draft versions of the 1 Year Certificate Program and 2 Year Associate's Degree Program (Objective 3) were created, but not approved at the state or local level for delivery, and preliminary discussions about potential articulation agreements took place. An advisory board (Objective 4) was established with representatives from local industry, cooperative extension, and the land-grant university. An initial meeting was held in which advisory board members provided input on project goals and objectives. Following this meeting, individual advisory board members were contacted for input on specific project activities based on their expertise. A baseline survey to determine existing cooperative linkages amongst advisory board members was developed and implemented. Overall, project activities in this initial year provide a foundation on which to build in subsequent years. Students at Carroll County High School participated in the internship program and took courses in the biotechnology sequence, draft programs at Wytheville Community College were developed, and an advisory board was established.
Publications
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Scherer, H. H., Brown, A., Steger, D., Edwards, J., Rasco, R., Huff, C. D., & Webb, R. (2017, June). Building a Model Experiential-based Agricultural Food Safety Program. Poster presented at the 63rd Annual conference of the North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture, West Lafayette, Indiana.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Scherer, H. H., Brown, A., Steger, D., Edwards, J., Rasco, R., Huff, C. D., & Webb, R. (2017, April). Building a Model Experiential-based Agricultural Food Safety Program. Paper presented at the Food, Energy & Water Education Symposium, Water for Food Global Conference, Lincoln, Nebraska.
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