ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Determinants of Pre-Service Students' Choice to Teach Secondary Agricultural Education
Author: Lawver, Rebecca G.
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Education Courses,Agricultural Education,Preservice Teachers,Preferences,Secondary Education,Performance Factors,Beliefs,Student Teacher Attitudes,Student Characteristics,Predictor Variables,Intention,Participant Satisfaction,Job Satisfaction,Work Attitudes

The purpose of this study was to explain and predict the factors that influence senior-level agricultural education students' choice to become a secondary agriculture teacher. The study focused on the extent to which beliefs and attitudes toward teaching influenced students' intent to select teaching secondary agricultural education as a career. An adaptation of the FIT-Choice[R] Scale instrument was distributed to senior-level students enrolled at institutions with teacher development programs to certify secondary agriculture teachers within nine states. A total of 145 students completed the instrument. Overall, characteristics of sex, perceived agriculture experience compared to their peers, years enrolled in school-based agricultural education courses, years of FFA membership, participation in SAE, and years of 4-H membership were not significant predictors of intent to teach. However, two beliefs about teaching sub-constructs ("teacher morale," and "expert career") were found to be significant predictors of students' intent to teach. Similarly, four attitudinal sub-constructs ("fallback career," "working with adolescents," "intrinsic career value" and "job security") were significant predictors of intent to teach. Eight percent of intent to teach can be accounted for by attitude when controlling for beliefs. (Contains 1 figure and 4 tables.)
Effects of Regulatory Self-Questioning on Secondary-Level Students' Problem-Solving Performance
Author: Pate, Michael L.
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Metacognition,Control Groups,Research Design,Problem Solving,Scores,Pretests Posttests,Vocational Education,Experimental Groups,Effect Size,Tests,Secondary School Students,Energy

A randomized posttest-only control group experimental design was used to determine the effects of regulatory self-questioning on secondary-level career and technical education students' electrical circuit theory test scores. Students who participated in the self-questioning group were asked to answer a list of regulatory questions as they solved their problems. The difference in test scores between the experimental and control groups was statistically significant (t(62) = 1.96; p = 0.027). On average, students who participated in the self-questioning group outperformed students in the control group by 10 percentage points. Cohen's d indicated a moderate effect size (0.5). In the control group, 53% of students achieved a test score of 80% or better on the Ohm's Law test, whereas 79% of students in the regulatory self-questioning group scored 80% or better. The use of regulatory self-questioning may positively benefit teachers who teach principles of Ohm's Law. Educators could assist students in achieving greater problem-solving outcomes by requiring use of regulatory self-questioning. This study should be replicated to determine the effects of regulatory self-questioning with other secondary-level students. Further research should be conducted to investigate the effects of regulatory self-questioning when students are faced with increasingly complex problems. (Contains 3 figures and 2 tables.)
Impact of Gender, Ethnicity, Year in School, Social Economic Status, and State Standardized Assessment Scores on Student Content Knowledge Achievement when Using Vee Maps as a Formative Assessment Tool
Author: Thoron, Andrew C.
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Ethnicity,Gender Differences,Student Evaluation,Socioeconomic Status,Formative Evaluation,Program Effectiveness,Reading Ability,Guidelines,Knowledge Level,Comparative Analysis,High School Students,Agricultural Education,Instructional Program Divisions,Content Area Reading,Standardized Tests,Scores

The National Research Council has recognized the challenge of assessing laboratory investigation and called for the investigation of assessments that are proven through sound research-based studies. The Vee map provides a framework that allows the learners to conceptualize their previous knowledge as they develop success in meaningful learning when they utilize the Vee map to guide their thinking and the process of experimentation. Previous research has shown that using the Vee map as a formative assessment tool positively affects student content knowledge. The purpose of this study was to compare the impact of student demographic variables on student content knowledge achievement when using the Vee map as a formative assessment tool. The population of this quasi-experimental, counter-balance design study was composed of students at nine high schools that offered agriscience education. The results of this study indicated the Vee map is unbiased based on gender, grade, and ethnicity. It was also concluded that the Vee map does not provide either remedial or non-remedial readers with a significant advantage, thus allowing the assessment to focus on the content rather than a student's reading ability. (Contains 5 tables.)
Inquiry-Based Instruction: How Is It Utilized, Accepted, and Assessed in Schools with National Agriscience Teacher Ambassadors?
Author: Thoron, Andrew C.
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Focus Groups,Agricultural Education,Inquiry,Teaching Methods,Sciences,Scientific Concepts,Teacher Attitudes,Student Attitudes,Parent Attitudes,Administrator Attitudes,Secondary School Teachers

The agricultural education profession has established that agriculture can be taught as an integrated science and teachers are receptive to highlighting the science in agriculture. However, there is a lack of consensus and possibly even confusion on the understanding of the term "inquiry" in agricultural education. This study used focus groups to determine the behavior of National Agriscience Teacher Ambassador Academy (NATAA) participants when implementing inquiry-based instruction in their local program. Participants were aware of the term inquiry but did not have a full understanding of the concept before attending the academy. Teachers also indicated they had to become more prepared ahead of time and that inquiry-based instruction is more rewarding during instruction. Assessment varied greatly based on the local school's expectations of the agriculture department's role and the teacher's connections within their school. Based on these findings, recommendations for the NATAA as well as for future research are included.
A Descriptive Interpretive Analysis of Students' Oral Verbalization during the Use of Think-Aloud Pair Problem Solving While Troubleshooting
Author: Pate, Michael L.
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Troubleshooting,Protocol Analysis,Formative Evaluation,Agricultural Education,Learning Strategies,Problem Solving,Vocational Education,Oral Language,Verbal Communication,Metacognition,Secondary School Students

Researchers assert that the metacognitive nature of think-aloud pair problem solving (TAPPS) improves students' problem solving by focusing their attention on their own thinking. The purpose of this study was to identify and describe oral verbalizations indicating cognitive processes of secondary-level career and technical education students who used TAPPS while troubleshooting. A task outcome (successful or unsuccessful) was recorded for students who used TAPPS while troubleshooting a small gas engine fault on the basis of whether they were able to identify the correct solution to repair the fault. A qualitative interpretive approach was used to describe and interpret students' thoughts while they were engaged in TAPPS. A quantitative analysis was used to compare levels of oral verbalization between successful and unsuccessful TAPPS students. The total average percentage of oral verbalizations indicating metacognitive thought was 54% for successful students and 52% for unsuccessful students. The content of students' oral verbalizations revealed that the metacognitive nature of the TAPPS strategy does not improve problem-solving success when secondary-level career and technical education students do not possess enough domain-specific knowledge. TAPPS can provide school-based agricultural education instructors with a formative assessment tool for checking students thinking and understanding of technical information for problem solving. (Contains 1 figure and 3 tables.)
Effects of Think-Aloud Pair Problem Solving on Secondary-Level Students' Performance in Career and Technical Education Courses
Author: Pate, Michael L.
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Control Groups,Troubleshooting,Protocol Analysis,Problem Solving,Vocational Education,Comparative Analysis,Performance Based Assessment,Career Development,Secondary School Students,Pretests Posttests,Experimental Groups,Time on Task,Task Analysis,Metacognition,Agricultural Engineering,Hypothesis Testing,Statistical Analysis,Instructional Effectiveness

A randomized posttest-only control group experimental design was used to determine the effects of think-aloud pair problem solving (TAPPS) on the troubleshooting performance of 34 secondary-level career and technical education students. There was no significant difference in success rate between TAPPS students and students who worked alone ([chi][superscript 2] (1) = 0.747, p = 0.39, [phi] = 0.148). There was no significant difference in completion time between students who successfully completed the troubleshooting task using TAPPS and those who were successful working alone (t (9) = -0.74, p = 0.48, d = 0.45). The researchers tentatively concluded that the use of TAPPS may not be an appropriate strategy at the secondary level if the agricultural instructors' focus is a higher success rate and a reduction in the time to complete the task. However, agricultural instructors may have other legitimate reasons for using TAPPS such as a way to facilitate collaborative learning or as a way for instructors to identify student misunderstandings that could be used to inform decisions about individualized or even group instructional interventions. (Contains 2 figures and 1 table.)
Reporting and Interpreting Effect Size in Quantitative Agricultural Education Research
Author: Kotrlik, Joe W.
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Agricultural Education,Statistical Significance,Effect Size,Educational Research,Guidelines,Statistical Analysis,Data Interpretation,Correlation,Measurement Techniques,Measurement Objectives,Research Reports,Research Methodology

The Journal of Agricultural Education (JAE) requires authors to follow the guidelines stated in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association [APA] (2009) in preparing research manuscripts, and to utilize accepted research and statistical methods in conducting quantitative research studies. The APA recommends the reporting of effect sizes in quantitative research, when appropriate. JAE now requires the reporting of effect size when reporting statistical significance in quantitative manuscripts. The purposes of this manuscript are to describe the research foundation supporting the reporting of effect size in quantitative research and to provide examples of how to calculate effect size for some of the most common statistical analyses utilized in agricultural education research. Recommendations for appropriate effect size measures and interpretation are included. The assumptions and limitations inherent in the reporting of effect size in research are also incorporated. (Contains 4 tables.)
The Effect of an Interest Approach on Knowledge, Attitudes, and Engagement of High School Agricultural Science Students
Author: Johnston, Tiffany L.
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Learner Engagement,Student Attitudes,Agriculture,Student Interests,Knowledge Level,Agricultural Education,Student Evaluation,Student Participation,High School Students,Agricultural Occupations

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of using an interest approach at the beginning of a lesson on student knowledge, attitudes, and engagement in an agricultural science classroom. A total of four classes were randomly assigned and administered one lesson with an interest approach and one lesson without an interest approach. Following each lesson, the students' knowledge and attitude were assessed. During each lesson, student engagement was measured. The content of the lessons was adapted from the LifeKnowledge curriculum (National FFA Organization, 2004). The conclusions of this study were contradictory. Overall, there was no difference in knowledge from the students who were exposed to interest approaches to those who were not. In addition, as a whole, there was no difference in attitude between the students who received exposure to an interest approach and those who did not. However, having an interest approach at the beginning of a lesson did make a difference in student engagement throughout a lesson, with students receiving an interest approach being more engaged. Recommendations and implications are provided. (Contains 2 figures and 4 tables.)
Assessing Agricultural Literacy Elements of Project Food Land and People in K-5 Using the Food and Fiber Systems Literacy Standards
Author: Powell, David V.
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Agricultural Education,Elementary Schools,Literacy,Food,Standards,Integrated Curriculum,Curriculum Development,Agriculture,Agricultural Occupations

Agricultural literacy has been evolving as a discipline for over 25 years. In agriculture, as other disciplines of education, the body of knowledge can be identified and measured by a set of standards. The Food and Fiber Systems Literacy Standards, developed in the 1990s, have been widely accepted as the standards for agricultural literacy. Also developed in the 1990s was an agricultural literacy curriculum, called Project Food Land and People (FLP). The FLP curriculum, consisting of 55 units, is used in 27 states to teach science, math, social studies and language arts and to promote agricultural literacy in grades Pre-K through 12. This study uses the standards and benchmarks of the Food and Fiber Systems Literacy (F&FSL) to assess the extent to which FLP addresses the agricultural literacy standards for grade levels K-5. Although there were variations in the level of coverage, all standards and benchmarks of the F&FSL were addressed in the FLP units identified for grade groupings K-5. Congruence or incongruence, as measured by F&FSL standards and benchmarks, identified potential strengths and weaknesses to consider in revision of both curricula. (Contains 7 figures.)
A Needs Assessment to Determine Knowledge and Ability of Egyptian Agricultural Technical School Teachers Related to Supervised Agricultural Experience
Author: Barrick, R. Kirby
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Vocational Schools,Teacher Characteristics,Needs Assessment,Agricultural Education,Experiential Learning,Workshops,Learning Processes,Technical Education,Teacher Competency Testing,Teacher Workshops,Graduate Surveys,Agricultural Engineering,Foreign Countries

This research was conducted approximately one year after Egyptian Agricultural Technical School (ATS) instructors attended workshops on integrating placement Supervised Agricultural Experience as an instructional tool in their programs. Following a year of implementation, the purpose of this study was to determine ATS teacher knowledge and ability to apply the 23 placement SAE competencies delivered in the workshops. To some extent, ATS instructors had knowledge of and could apply all 23 placement SAE competencies. However, Mean Weighted Discrepancy Scores for knowledge and ability to apply for all 23 placement SAE competencies were positive, indicating some level of need for future workshops on all topics. Based on the rankings, it was recommended that future in-service workshops should be conducted with this group of ATS teachers that focus on: (a) explaining the process of learning by doing; (b) defining the types of experience programs for ATS students; (c) identifying the role of the community in planning and conducting internships; (d) describing the evolution of supervised experience; and (e) explaining the relationship between internship and classroom instruction. (Contains 2 tables.)
Utilizing Natural Cognitive Tendencies to Enhance Agricultural Education Programs
Author: Lamm, Alexa J.
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Cognitive Style,Agricultural Education,Educational Change,Critical Thinking,Cognitive Ability,Program Improvement,Problem Solving,Learning Strategies,Preferences,Correlation,Undergraduate Students,Schematic Studies,Program Descriptions,Study Abroad,Likert Scales,Educational Environment,Measures (Individuals),Aptitude Treatment Interaction

The influences of cognitive styles have been the focus of research on problems in education for quite some time (Witkin, Moore, Goodenough, & Cox, 1977). In fact, agricultural educators are rapidly increasing the amount of research and education focused on understanding and utilizing cognitive function in an attempt to improve educational programs. The purpose of this study was to describe the relationships between three measures of cognitive function: critical thinking disposition, problem solving style, and learning style when participants are encouraged to engage in their natural cognitive tendencies by being placed in an intense environment. These three cognitive styles/dispositions were measured and analyzed for correlations. Substantial relationships were discovered. Cognitive abilities and preferences are repeatedly taken in to account when creating and revising educational programs to enhance student learning. With a greater understanding of how cognitive dispositions relate to one another, a clearer vision of student preferences and abilities can be taken in to account when creating educational curricula and activities. (Contains 1 figure and 4 tables.)
Just How Much Can School Pupils Learn from School Gardening? A Study of Two Supervised Agricultural Experience Approaches in Uganda
Author: Okiror, John James
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Independent Study,Income,Focus Groups,Agricultural Education,Foreign Countries,Gardening,Rural Areas,Elementary Schools,Comparative Analysis,Academic Achievement,Questionnaires,Parent Attitudes,Pretests Posttests,Educational Policy,Family Environment,Educational Environment,Teaching Methods

School systems in Africa are short of skills that link well with rural communities, yet arguments to vocationalize curricula remain mixed and school agriculture lacks the supervised practical component. This study, conducted in eight primary (elementary) schools in Uganda, sought to compare the learning achievement of pupils taught using supervised home-gardens and those taught using school gardens. The two gardening groups were tested using a t-test. Data were collected for a period of four school terms using pre and posttest questionnaires, focus group discussions (FGDs), interviews, observations, and a posttest examination. Findings showed no significant difference in knowledge achievement between the two groups of pupils (p [less than or equal to] 0.05), and in parents' attitudes towards school agriculture. Home gardening had a number of additional benefits to pupils, such as personal income and purchase of productive assets like chicken and rabbits from proceeds; food to households; and, independent learning. It is recommended that home gardens should be adopted as a matter of agricultural education policy alongside conventional school gardening in developing countries like Uganda; but further studies are needed to understand constraints in each local situation. (Contains 3 figures and 4 tables.)
Inquiry-Based Instruction for Students with Special Needs in School Based Agricultural Education
Author: Easterly, R. G., III
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Agricultural Education,Disabilities,Special Needs Students,Inquiry,Teaching Methods,Instructional Effectiveness,Pretests Posttests,Individualized Education Programs,Comparative Analysis,Knowledge Level,Vocational Education,Professional Development

Educating students with special needs in school based agricultural education (SBAE) is a problem that should be addressed. While many students in SBAE classes have special needs, contradicting research exists establishing the best method of instruction for students with special needs. Inquiry-based instruction shows some promise, but little is known about its effectiveness in SBAE settings for students with special needs. The purpose of this study was to determine if inquiry-based instruction impacts content knowledge achievement for students with special needs. A one-group pretest-posttest, design was used to determine if students with an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) differed in content knowledge achievement from those students without IEPs. No difference in content knowledge achievement was found between students with IEPs and those without over seven pre and post tests using ANCOVA measures. Based on these findings inquiry-based instruction can be an effective method of instruction for students with special needs and should be used when appropriate. (Contains 1 figure and 3 tables.)
Value and Expectations of Supervised Agricultural Experiences as Expressed by Agriculture Instructors in Oklahoma Who Were Alternatively Certified
Author: Robinson, J. Shane
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Industry,Agricultural Education,Student Participation,Home Visits,Work Ethic,Expectation,Agricultural Occupations,Alternative Teacher Certification,High School Students,Skill Development,Career Development,College Preparation,School Business Relationship,Teacher Student Relationship,Accountability,Student Responsibility,Beginning Teachers,Interviews,Program Effectiveness

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to determine the value and expectations for student participation in supervised agricultural experience (SAE) programs, as expressed by first-year, agricultural education teachers in Oklahoma who were alternatively certified. This study revealed that teachers in this study value the fact that the SAE program: (a) prepares students for future, possible careers by developing their skills for college and life beyond high school; (b) allows students to build relationships and make connections with community industry representatives; and (c) enables teachers to build personal relationships with students by making home visits. Teachers in this study expect students to own and manage their own SAE program, keep accurate data (i.e., record books) of their SAE programs, and compete at a high level with their SAE. Additionally, these teachers expect the SAE program to teach students responsibility, accountability, and work ethic. Finally, these teachers believe that students should have a variety of SAE programs. (Contains 1 figure and 1 table.)