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Dr. Michael E. Newman presented the 2016 AAAE Distinguished Lecture at the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Agricultural Education in Kansas City, Missouri in May, 2016. The article is a philosophical work based upon the author's experiences in the agricultural education profession.

The Train-the-Trainer approach is widely used in Cooperative Extension education to efficiently disseminate research-based information to many clientele groups, including farmers. This paper compares the traditional Train-the-Trainer model to a comprehensive Collaborative Train-the-Trainer model and discusses weaknesses of the traditional model that are addressed in the Collaborative model. Sources of information used by farmers (growers) and overall effectiveness were measured through a survey instrument created and distributed to farmers in South and North Carolina. The Collaborative Train-the-Trainer model, which emphasizes peer-to-peer interaction and feedback loops, represents an enhanced approach for conceptualizing and implementing Extension educational programs.

A sustainable transdisciplinary research network was established through a research practice partnership (RPP) between an urban farm, faculty and staff from a Historically Black College (HBC), and researchers at a medium-sized private university. We investigate student-worker resilience at this urban farm situated on the HBC campus, drawing on literature that explores tensions between informal learning environments and formal spaces, equitable food systems and farming systems, as well as the resilience of farm work, and which is grounded critical food systems education theory. Utilizing a participatory design approach, we conducted semi-structured interviews and deductively analyzed the data. The research questions guiding this paper are: (1) What topics of discussion are most important to the student-workers and staff working on an urban farm, (2) How do student-workers and college staff members perceive and experience resilience on an urban farm? We found that what participants on an urban farm discuss, relating to their experiences, include (1) how participants were eager to "engage" with the local community, (2) how participants demonstrated "resilience" while working on the urban farm, (3) how "power dynamics" played a pivotal role informing the direction of the urban farm, (4) how participants consider community "access" to healthy foods an important mission for the farm, (5) how the college acted as a power wielding entity, perpetuating its "privilege" over the farmers and the farm operations. These findings have the potential to enable community organizing spaces to promote resilience for their volunteers and workers, and for urban farms top partner with their community to promote the mission of increasing access to healthy and affordable food options.

Students' habits of mind (HoM) and disorienting dilemmas (DD) are challenging to investigate and have rarely been explored. Yet, in the past Covid-19 pandemic, students faced many academic and non-academic problems. For example, in Indonesia, 89 million parents lost their jobs, which influenced students' emotions in their learning process. This paper applied explanatory mixed methods to address students' HoM and DD in agriculture colleges in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Two hundred and eleven students voluntarily participated in the online closed- and open-ended survey responses. The first quantitative data were analyzed using the Rasch model of application while Nvivo12 was used for the analysis of the latter. The quantitative data were focused on how agricultural English students perceived HoM; meanwhile, the qualitative data explored a catalyst and a life crisis under the students' DD. Then, the two research questions were comparatively discussed: (1) How do Agricultural students perceive their HoM and DD during learning English; and (2) What factors influence them in learning English? As illustrated in the Rasch map, the result showed that students were positively perceived HoM. The Pearson measure value was +1.13 logit, meaning that it showed the tendency of agree. However, some extreme findings were found from the person misfit. In terms of the students' DD during this Covid-19 pandemic, the data showed that most students were frustrated in joining the English online classes. Unclear directions from teachers were one of the problems that stimulate students' DD. From the perspective of HoM and DD, students were grouped into two when learning English in the pandemic: (1) those willing to improve their condition independently; and (2) those who did not care and had no initiative to find the solution.

Dr. Bryan L. Garton presented the 2018 AAAE Distinguished Lecture at the Annual Meeting of the American Association of Agricultural Education in Charleston, South Carolina in May 2018. The article is a philosophical work based upon the author's experiences in the agricultural education profession and in higher education.

This article focuses on the role of theory and assessment in shaping student services and support through collaboration between student and academic affairs. Specifically, this paper highlights the use of a first-year student assessment tool that informs student support practices in the College of Agriculture at Louisiana State University (LSU). Guided by Tinto's (2012) model of institutional action, the assessment tool examined the transition experiences of first-year students, which ultimately provided feedback on ways the academic college could better support their academic and social integration. The major innovations include strategic initiatives focused on three areas: first-year seminars, goal check-in meetings, and academic and social support. The article concludes with four recommendations for scholar-practitioners to help inform practice with first-year experiences and retention initiatives within higher education broadly.

Dr. J. Scott Vernon presented the 2017 AAAE Distinguished Lecture at the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Agricultural Education in San Luis Obispo, California in May, 2017. The article is a philosophical work based upon the author's experiences in the agricultural education profession.

This study was carried out on the need to provide empirical evidences and establish the relationship existing between teachers' attitude and students' achievement as well as the relationship between teacher-student and students' academic achievement in agricultural science in Abia State, Nigeria. Two specific objectives guided the study. Two research questions as well as two null hypotheses were formulated and tested at 0.05 level of significance. The study adopted correlational study design. The study was carried out in Abia state. The population of the study was 9,963 consisting of 9,690 students and 273 teachers of agricultural science (Abia State Secondary Education Management Board, 2020). The sample size of 330 respondents consisting of 30 teachers and 300 students were selected and used for the study. A multistage sampling (simple random-purposive-simple random) procedure was adopted for this study. The study made use of two instruments for data collection; a questionnaire titled; Teacher Relationship and Attitude Questionnaire (TRAQ) structured on 4-point scale of 4=Highly Utilized (HU), 3=Utilized (U), 2=Averagely Utilized (AU) and 1=Not Utilized (NU) and a standardized agricultural science achievement test (AAT) adapted from 2018 WAEC agricultural science paper 2. The instruments were validated by three experts, two from the Department of Agricultural/Home-science Education and one from Department of Measurement and Evaluation in College of Education, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike. The reliability of the instrument for the study was determined using split-half method of reliability which gave a reliability coefficient of 0.82 and 0.88 for the two instruments respectively. 330 Copies of TRAQ and AAT were administered to the respondents but 312 copies of the administered instruments were retrieved representing 94.5% retrieval rate. The data collected were analyzed using Pearson Product Moment Correlation to answer research questions and linear regression to test the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. Based on the findings, it was recommended among others that teachers should know that their relationship with their students plays a vital role in the students' achievement. As a result, they should always create a good relationship with their students. Positive and negative reinforcement should only be utilized when and where necessary.

The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate United States secondary agriscience teachers' perceptions and attitudes of balancing personal and professional responsibilities. While many researchers are asking educators why they have or would leave the profession others have suggested a more forward-looking approach to why teachers remain in the profession. The theoretical framework for this study was structured in Self-Determination Theory and framed in Attrition Theory. This study addressed two research questions: what are your perceptions of overcoming professional challenges in your career, and how do you evaluate and address your personal wellbeing as an agriscience teacher. Five semi-structured research questions were prepared prior to the telephone interviews. The frame for this study consisted of six women and ten men in 14 states. Independent analysis of participant comments were organized into 19 categories using 318 coded objects. Three emergent themes were developed and included secondary agriscience teacher contributions to the student learning environment, secondary agriscience teacher resilience confronting conflicting experiences between personal and professional responsibilities, and professional motivation and validation of individual self-worth. The findings of this paper identified a connection between professional success through intrinsic motivation affected teacher's personal life and feelings of contentment and happiness. Findings also revealed student success in programs, academic student success in local, state, and the national FFA organization were influential as extrinsic motivators to drive intrinsic happiness.

The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine the amount of preparation Iowa inservice secondary agricultural education teachers received in agricultural mechanics at the university level. Secondary School Based Agricultural Education instructors attending the Iowa Association of Agricultural Educators' summer conference were given a paper-based survey instrument to report their perceptions of the agricultural mechanics skills and training they had received at the postsecondary level. Agricultural education teachers indicated that safety, welding, and construction were among the skills with highest concentration of instruction received at the postsecondary level. The areas in which teachers received the least amount of preparation were surveying, technology, and tractor skills. The overall lack of instruction in agricultural mechanics at the postsecondary level may lead to inexperienced and underprepared teachers. We recommended weekend or summer training be offered for inservice teachers who did not receive or received very little training at the postsecondary level. It is also recommended postsecondary institutions organize consistent ways in which agricultural mechanics courses are offered so that preservice agriculture teachers receive appropriate training prior to entering the profession.

The aim of the study is to substantiate methodological approaches to the agricultural educational program development on the basis of a modular-competence-based approach, which provides training for the experts of the agricultural industry, capable of implementing a federal scientific and technical program in the future for the development of agriculture in Russia, taking into account the requirements of professional standards. Professional and public accreditation of agricultural educational programs will allow for an external examination of the educational program implementation level and quality in accordance with approved professional standards and develop recommendations aimed at student training level improvement. The study defines the role of professional and public accreditation provision in the interaction between the labor market and the vocational education system. The authors substantiated the modular-competence-based approach to the development of educational programs that contributes to human capital quality improvement in agriculture. In this paper, an algorithm has been developed to expert training quality improvement. In general, the result of the work will contribute to the training of personnel for the industry and will ensure the achievement of a balance of qualifications between the labor market and agricultural education.

Dr. Gregory Thompson presented the 2015 AAAE [American Association for Agricultural Education] Distinguished Lecture at the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Agricultural Education in San Antonio, Texas in May, 2015. The article is a philosophical work based upon the author's experiences in the agricultural education profession.

The demand for engineering education and graduates is increasing daily because the current service and technological designs are unable to meet the needs of the society and the expected dramatic increase in the future. The emerging skill gap requires a shift in the type of expertise required of young professionals that will be needed to successfully lead organizations in the new economy. Researchers have identified various 'shapes' for the engineering professionals to make them relevant to the 21st century challenge, especially in the industry where their expertise is much needed. T-shaped professionals have skills that make them to be more preferred among others. The purpose of this paper is to present the need to upgrade engineering education curriculum to produce more T-shaped graduate engineers required in the changing industrial world. The potential benefits of T-shaped professionals to organizational performance are quite significant; hence, the demand for T-shaped professionals in knowledge-intensive, service-oriented economies is increasing. Unfortunately, the challenges associated with creating more T-shaped professionals are also significant. National regulatory bodies for engineering education in Nigeria are beginning to move towards integrated curriculum to break down discipline silos and produce T-shaped graduate engineers for the fast-changing industrial world. Service Science Management and Engineering (SSME) is an emerging discipline with over 250 programmes in 50 nations seeking to create more T-shaped professionals.

Despite the potential benefits of utilizing volunteers in SBAE programs, volunteer utilization among SBAE teachers has received little attention in the literature in recent years, especially on a national level. A national random sample of SBAE teachers were surveyed to determine current behaviors and perceptions as well as predictors of volunteer utilization. The average SBAE program receives 56 hours of volunteer support and 38 volunteers in a single year across the country. While former students make up the majority of volunteers, parents of current students contribute the most hours to SBAE programs. Volunteers are used most often on advisory committees and for CDE training. School district policies such as background checks and paperwork was the biggest challenge to utilizing volunteers. Gender, community type, number of SBAE teachers in the program, and number of years teaching in the community accounted for 20% of the variance in total volunteer utilization and 13% in total volunteer hours. Years teaching in the community and number of teachers in the SBAE program were significant predictors of both total volunteer hours and total number of volunteers. The findings have implications for developing and maintaining volunteer programs in SBAE. It is recommended that more research be conducted to determine how volunteer utilization can reduce stress and workload challenges among SBAE teachers. Further recommendations and implications are discussed in the paper.

In an effort to measure the influence of an immersive recruitment event, we sought to evaluate high school students' perceptions toward university climate before and after engaging in a day-long event hosted as part of National Teach Ag Day. The Inviting School Survey-Revised (ISS-R) was administered via paper and pencil when the students arrived and again at the conclusion of the event. Pre-test scores indicated students had favorable opinions of all aspects of [University's] climate factors before attending the event; however, mean scores were consistently higher on the post-test than on the pre-test for all school climate factor areas. We recommend agricultural education departments explore the possibility of implementing a similar immersive recruitment event tailored specifically for agricultural education students. Further, we recommend future research use experimental methods and larger sample sizes to expand the generalizability of these findings.

While increasing agricultural literacy (AL) has been the focus of numerous educational programs, few AL scales have been developed specifically for children. AL programming struggles to rigorously evaluate their programs, particularly when little time is available for assessments in informal contexts. The lack of evaluation tools that allow to accurately measure educational impacts compromises progress on AL. In this paper, we present the development and validation of the Agricultural Literacy Instrument for Local Foods (ALI-LF) for children between the ages of 9 and 13. The instrument measures three domains of agricultural literacy (knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors). We pilot tested the instrument with children between 9 and 13 years old at a local arboretum and further validated the instrument at six agritourism farms. To analyze the data, we used principal component factor, Cronbach's alpha, and descriptive statistics. The results support a comprehensive reliable instrument validated for informal contexts, such as farms offering recreational or educational activities to visitors (i.e., agritourism). This instrument fills the existing gap of adequate tools to evaluate AL programming which can support moving forward AL advances among children.

In recent years, several innovations have emerged in the field of education, including Blended-Learning, Massive Open Online Courses, Flipped Classroom and Gamification. In particular, several investigations have highlighted the effectiveness of student response systems, or clickers, in different subjects and disciplines. Although some literature reviews have been published on this subject, none of them offer a review of a large volume of publications from a multidisciplinary approach. Similarly, in the literature there are no studies that have analyzed scientific collaborations on this subject. To respond to these concerns, we proposed the use of a bot to retrieve information from a large number of papers (1696 documents co-authored by a total of 4091 researchers) included in the Scopus database. The disciplines covered include natural sciences, engineering and technology, medical and health sciences, agricultural and veterinary sciences, social sciences and humanities, and the arts. The review of the literature reveals that student response systems are generally well-perceived by teachers and students in all the disciplines. Another interesting result achieved from visual data obtained using network visualization software and word clouds is that student response systems are mainly used in some disciplines, such as physics, chemistry, medicine, and nursing. It is clearly observed that the relationship between researchers from the same country is stronger than between researchers from different countries. Finally, some reflections are included on the role of student response systems in online teaching, especially regarding the changes experienced after the COVID-19 pandemic.

When educators collaborate to create different products, construct knowledge, and solve problems, they develop their collegiality and it motivates them to return each year. Vygotsky's Sociocultural Theory (1962) aided in the understanding of pre-service teachers' experiences related to collaboration during their teacher preparation program. The purpose of this study was to investigate the collaborative efforts conducted among student teachers hosted in school-based agricultural education programs. Findings in this study indicated that working with other teachers enhanced pre-service student teacher's ability to create activities. Participants believed technology could enhance collaboration. Collaboration occurred with various audiences throughout the student teaching semester with participants indicating they primarily worked with their cooperating teacher, other student teachers, and agriculture teachers. Many regularly collaborated with their former high school agriculture teacher. The results indicate that teacher preparation programs need to develop collaborative opportunities throughout the collegiate experience. [This paper is a product of the Iowa Agricultural and Home Economics Experiment Station, Ames, Iowa.]

For more than 30 years, the field of agricultural education has grappled with complex questions of how to recruit, support, retain, and teach diverse youth. Yet the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) community is rarely included in published agricultural education research. This philosophical paper addresses the immediate need for understanding more about LGBTQ youth in agricultural education, while identifying opportunities and specific strategies to shift the culture of agricultural education research towards inclusion. Queer theory is leveraged to reveal a nascent body of literature related to sexuality in 4-H and school-based agricultural education. LGBTQ youth in agricultural education face significant challenges: educators ill prepared to meet their needs, a lack of policies to inform decision making, active homophobia from teachers and peers, among others. Agricultural education researchers face methodological and disciplinary barriers to conducting LGBTQ research. Authors employ unique tactics to conduct and disseminate their work. Understanding these strategies and analyzing the conditions that necessitate their use contributes to the disciplinary knowledge of how to conduct inclusive research -- not just for LGBTQ youth -- but for the profession writ large.

The phenomenal low participation of youth in agricultural education programmes has featured in several forums both at national and international levels. This is because giving the right opportunity youth could make positive impact and create positive change in the economy of nations. This paper identified challenges and enhancement of youth participation in agricultural education for food security. Survey research design was adopted. The subjects for the study were selected using multi-stage sampling technique. Data were collected using questionnaire. The population for the study comprised of all students in tertiary institutions offering agricultural education programme in the study area. Two hundred and forty tertiary students were chosen through proportionate simple random sampling technique from six randomly selected tertiary institutions in the North Central Nigeria. Mean and standard deviation were used to analyze the data. Findings revealed youths studying agricultural education are aware of their roles through their participation in schools; which extends to their communities, thereby influencing sustainable food supply and availability. The study also revealed that the identified challenges prevail on the youth participating in agricultural education. Analysis of identified approaches had mean scores above the benchmark hence; they were regarded as useful in enhancing youth participation in agricultural education. It was concluded that youth studying agriculture were well aware of their role. Their participation is however, hampered by the enormous challenges bedeviling the programme, which has negative implication on interest by intended youths. The findings were further verified through a focus group discussion involving ten lecturers of agricultural education. It was concluded that youth's participation in agricultural education is hampered by several challenges. The study recommended among others that, Agriculture teachers in collaboration with school management should emphasize establishment and maintenance of school farms by the students for practical skills acquisition by the youths in school; government should enhance funding, provide scholarship for students to sustain interest and enhance greater youth choice and participation in the programme.

Farm mathematics, an aspect of agricultural science education is being taught in our educational institutions in the country. This effort is to enhance agricultural productivity and quality of agricultural science education for national integration. For the realization of this, a quality assured educational administration is vital. The paper therefore dwells on the concepts of quality assurance, educational administration, farm mathematics and national integration. Quality assurance issues in educational administration germane to farm mathematics instruction for national integration are also looked at. The paper then recommends that there should be focused and faithful implementation of quality assurance policy guidelines in our institutions, among others.

Dr. James L. Flowers presented the 2014 AAAE Distinguished Lecture at the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Agricultural Education in Salt Lake City, Utah in May, 2014. The article is a philosophical work based upon the author's experiences in the agricultural education profession.

This study analyzed 336 peer reviews of 112 manuscripts submitted for possible presentation at the 2014 National Agricultural Education Research Conference (NAERC). There were scoring errors on 6.8% of the reviews; the most frequent errors were failure to record a score or assigning a score above the range of points possible for one or more of the review criteria. The coefficient of variation (CV) for same-paper ratings of manuscript quality ranged from 3.94% to 96.43% with a mean of 19.65% (SD = 15.22%). The interrater reliability for same-paper evaluations of manuscript quality was 0.15. The CVs for reviewer same-paper reject-accept recommendations ranged from 0.00% to 98.97% with a mean of 38.80% (SD = 22.72%). The interrater reliability for same-paper reject-accept recommendations was .09. On 82 (73.21%) manuscripts all three reviewers agreed on the manuscript's relevance to agricultural education. Mean manuscript quality scores explained 68.3% of the variance in mean reject-accept recommendations leaving 31.7% of the variance unexplained. There were no significant (p > 0.05) differences by academic rank in ratings of manuscript quality, reject-accept recommendations, or assessments of relevance to agricultural education. The authors offered recommendations for improvement of the NAERC manuscript review process.

Mitigating socio-ecological problems like pollution, climate change, and environmental degradation is increasingly essential to sustaining life on Earth. The urgency required to address these challenges throughout Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources (AFNR) Education while simultaneously enhancing the quality of educational experiences offered at the local level requires members of the AFNR Education community continuously identify, critique, implement, and evaluate potentially transformative pedagogical methods. This white paper serves as a primer for a new pedagogical approach to be considered throughout all levels of AFNR Education, land-based learning -- defined as a pedagogical approach in which students collaborate with community members to implement place-based interventions within AFNR to increase the sustainability of their community. As an introduction to land-based learning, this review (a) explores the foundations of land-based learning by introducing place-based and land-based education, (b) outlines a four-step approach (i.e., identification, understanding, intervention, and evaluation) to implementing land-based learning within AFNR Education, and (c) illuminates empirically-identified outcomes of land-based learning. As land-based learning is explored, its potential to pragmatically equip communities to empower future generations of learners with the knowledge, skills, and commitment to solve socio-ecological problems is highlighted.

This study empirically examines how graduate students' attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control, knowledge, and acceptance of agro-business influence student intention to start agro-entrepreneurship and the moderating effect of gender and faculty on the relationship among the factors based on the Theory of Planned Behavior. The study adopted the cross-sectional design from 300 public university students. The results of the study revealed that attitude toward agro-entrepreneurship, perceived behavioral control, and acceptance of agro-entrepreneurial exert a positive and significant effect on agro-entrepreneurial intention among university students. Moreover, the gender-based multiple group analysis revealed that male graduate students accept more agro-business than female students. Thus, policy makers can facilitate the promotion of agro-entrepreneurship among graduate students. Based on Theory of Planned Behavior, this study improves our understanding on university students' agro-entrepreneurial intention in Malaysia. Finally, the discussion, recommendations and conclusion of the study are discussed in the research paper.

In 2009, the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) called for more interdisciplinary and community-engaged approaches to teaching and learning in the agricultural and life sciences to better respond to the food system challenges of the 21st century. As a result, institutions from across the nation have responded with a number of experiential learning and service-learning frameworks and practices aimed to enhance the academic experience for both student and community stakeholders. Sustainable agriculture education, with its explicit focus on experiential learning, interdisciplinarity, and values-based programming, has emerged as a promising approach to strengthen the fabric of agriculture and life sciences education. The purpose of this paper is to illustrate the complex role of service learning as a central approach to undergraduate teaching and learning where interdisciplinary teaching, experiential learning, and community engagement are core goals. Specifically, we conducted a single embedded case study of a sustainable agriculture education program at a land grant university to explore how this triad was organized and possible service learning outcomes. Our case study was informed by semi-structured interviews of faculty and community partner stakeholders, participant observations of faculty and students, and secondary data analysis of course syllabi and other programmatic artifacts. Despite different understandings and practices of service learning by faculty within this, we found a common core of best practices. We conclude with criteria and best practices to guide teaching and learning from this triad perspective.

To date, agricultural students' motivations regarding study abroad courses using the expectancy value-cost model of motivation have not been incorporated into study abroad research as potential factors influencing their choices to participate. In this paper, we present agricultural students' conceptualizations of their motivations to participate in short-term, study abroad courses or experiences. We used a descriptive-correlational research design in combination with modified versions of the Self and Task Perceptions Instrument (STPI), Expectancy-Value-Cost Questionnaire, and social cognitive theory items. It was posited that expectation for success, subjective-task value, cost, and self-efficacy would influence students' motivations to enroll in a short-term, study abroad course or experience before graduation. Overall, agricultural students displayed somewhat strong motivation to study abroad. Subjective-task value and expectation for success represented the largest motivational factors. Students indicated outside effort cost and self-efficacy as the least motivational factors. Task effort cost and location lived while growing up correlated lowly and negatively. However, outside effort cost correlated substantially and positively with students' motivations to study abroad.

Elevated levels of bacteria impact the use of the Little River watershed in Texas. The amount of bacteria entering the waterway could be reduced if landowners within the watershed received water-related information and adopted best management practices. However, landowners' access to water-related information is limited, perhaps, because the information is not targeted to them and their preferences. Therefore, to identify landowners' communication preferences for receiving water-related information, we assessed 275 landowners in the Texas Little River watershed using a paper questionnaire. Respondents preferred water-related information delivered via websites monthly and direct mailings quarterly, twice annually, and annually and least preferred social media platforms as a communication medium. Yet, we found no statistically significant differences between respondents' demographics and their preferred communication mediums. Furthermore, respondents identified Texas A&M AgriLife Extension as the most trustworthy source of water-related information. Water resource experts, therefore, should disseminate information using websites and direct mailings in partnership with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension. Further research should be conducted using observations, focus groups, and interviews during the watershed-based planning process to understand reasons for landowners' communication preferences. [This research was supported by Texas Water Resource Institute and Texas Commission on Environmental Quality under the Clean Water Act Section 319(h) Nonpoint Source (NPS) Grant Program, Grant No. 131527 SRS M1502190.]

To investigate pre-listening strategy use of Thai EFL learners, the pre-listening strategy use questionnaire and the listening quiz paper were administered to collect data from 48 Thai EFL learners. The quantitative data indicated that the participants were well aware of the strategy of finding out about the task and were certain of using it. However, the participants may not be well aware of the other strategies and may not perceive using these strategies at their best effort. The qualitative data seemed to indicate correspondingly. The findings of the present study can be used as springboard for listening activity design as well as for further research.

Competent graduates are a critical input in enhancing the university's role in agricultural transformation. How graduates play their role in contributing to development mirrors on how they trained. Low quality graduates are believed to be a product of a more subject-centered and instructive style of teaching. The Makerere University Kampala School of Agricultural Sciences (SAS) made effort to improve and enhance the competence of its lecturers to use a learner centered teaching approach in its programmes through training. This paper presents an assessment of how the training influenced the lecturers to use different teaching practices toward producing quality responsive graduates. Data was collected from 120 students and 20 lectures from the SAS using a semi-structured questionnaire. The findings show that Training lecturers in experiential learning influenced their awareness and use of experiential learning approaches in delivery of the courses they taught. Effective application of experiential learning approaches was constrained by challenges of varied understanding and appreciation of the concept among lecturers, short class periods, large class sizes and financial limitations. In effect, the traditional lecture method remained dominant. Above all, application of experiential learning approaches is not institutionalized at SAS thus limiting the attainment of critical and reflective thinking for the attainment of lifelong learning abilities among students. To strengthen application of experiential learning approaches, training of all lecturers and curriculum review to integrate experiential learning practices as part of the general teaching quality assurance measures is critical.

In this paper, we explored the academic and professional aspirations, experiences, and perspectives of 11 women pursuing graduate degrees based in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields within research-intensive agriculture colleges at three land grant research universities in the United States (U.S.). Using principles drawn from the theories of human agency (Bandura, 1989, 2001; Emirbayer & Mische, 1998; Locke, 1978; Lukes, 1973; Sewell, 1992; Terosky, Campbell, & O'Meara, 2014) and gendered organizations (Acker, 1990, 2012) as our conceptual guide, we explored the conditions and contexts that influence the academic experiences and professional trajectories of emergent women agriculturalists who are enrolled in STEM-based graduate programs. We were particularly attentive to how such experiences and trajectories aligned with agricultural environments that have been shown to be masculine (i.e., large-scale farming and agribusiness, STEM-based agricultural research, Extension). The study developed a deeper understanding of the institutionalized conditions that influence the participation and leadership of women in solving the agricultural problems that confront society and the human condition. Implications for graduate STEM-based agriculture education are discussed and recommendations for both practice and future research are proposed.

The integration of technology in the education process has immensely improved the acquisition and retention of knowledge. Although e-learning initiatives bring many advantages to the education system, these rewards have not been fully realised in developing countries like Botswana. Therefore, in the current study, authors set out to identify issues that may impede the introduction of an e-learning initiative at the Botswana University of Agriculture and Natural Resources. This paper presents findings from a survey of 50 academic staff of the university, to which 88 % (44/50) of the sample satisfactorily responded. Data was collected using a questionnaire and analysed using Microsoft Excel package. Four major challenges that should be addressed before an elearning initiative can be introduced successfully are identified as: poor infrastructure, inadequate IT support, lack of e-learning policy, and lack of university management support. Recommendations are made on the basis of the main findings, and can further be applied to other universities in a similar situation.

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) has often been an umbrella term for a wide range of competencies, including emotional processes, social and interpersonal skills, and cognitive regulation (Jones, Bouffard, & Weissbourd, 2013). We used the Borich (1980) needs assessment model to assess the professional development needs of Texas agricultural education teachers in core SEL skill areas. Data were collected with three forms of a paper questionnaire to determine teachers' self-perceived levels of competence in core SEL skill areas. Twenty SEL indicators were assessed in four ways (Importance, Ability to Perform, Knowledge, and Ability to Teach), and then used to create three latent variables (Performance Competence, Knowledge Competence, and Consequence Competence), which served as dimensions of professional development needs. Agriculture teachers perceived the importance of all core SEL skill areas as having average or greater importance, their ability to model core SEL skill areas as average or greater, their knowledge of core SEL areas as average or greater, and possessing average or greater ability to teach core SEL skill areas. The findings of this study support the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL, 2003) report and emphasize the importance of SEL in agricultural education.

Through interactions with the recently formed Cooperative of the Institute of Urban Agriculture and Nutrition (CIUAN), a catalyst initiative co-governed by community organizations and academia to engage in mutually beneficial research and teaching projects, Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is supporting community efforts to bring healthy food to urban environments. This paper will discuss an innovative model, Sustainable Research and Economic Development model, to involve undergraduate students in interdisciplinary community-based research exploring pathways for urban agriculture and urban farmers markets to turn blighted properties into gardens, or rice paddies, as part of a larger metropolitan community economic development effort.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the efficacy of foreign immersion programs in terms of increasing cross-cultural awareness among university students in business, accounting, human resources and agriculture. The authors extrapolate from their population to the practice of developing business professionals on international assignments. Design/Methodology/Approach: This paper presents findings of a four-year, government-sponsored university exchange program involving 40 professional management and agriculture science students from four US and Brazilian top research universities who participated in a semester-long study abroad experience. Pre-departure and post-exchange data were collected using the well-established Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI). In addition, the authors collected academic performance data and verbal mid- and end-project personal assessments. Two of the authors of this paper served as project directors, the third as evaluation specialist. Findings: Despite intensive pre-departure preparation, in-country support and cultural immersion, the research subjects failed to attain significant and consistently higher levels of intercultural awareness. Students tended to overestimate their own level of cross-cultural competence both before and after the program. While students tended to perform well academically and voiced high levels of satisfaction with their own overseas stay, objective measures of cross-cultural awareness did not mirror these outcomes. Research Limitations/Implications: Multiple measures of cross-cultural competence exist, and it is possible that the development in areas other than those measured by the IDI did take place. It is also sensible to assume that cognitive development might take longer and was not captured by the post-test right after return. Practical Implications: The paper suggests that cross-cultural development requires carefully designed interventions, feedback and mentoring/coaching. Simply sending individuals on overseas assignments, no matter how well prepared and supported by the institution, does not guarantee the development of multi-cultural attitudes and cognitive frames of mind. Social Implications: The development of cross-cultural competence has been described as a central concern for universities and workplaces alike. The burgeoning research literature on cross-cultural development reflects not only the importance of the topic but also the struggle to find effective pedagogical and andragogical approaches to fostering such development in university students, expatriate managers, working professionals and members of the workforce in general. Originality/Value: The paper presents evaluation findings of a carefully designed and well-supported exchange program over a period of four years and involving three cohorts of students. These students are at the cusp of moving into the workplace, where many will assume professional and leadership positions in international settings. Given the high failure rate of international development and placement and the increasing global interconnectedness of academic and business organizations, the paper suggests the need for carefully designed and well-supported overseas programs to maximize cross-cultural development.

The national Learning and Teaching Academics Standards Statement for Agriculture (AgLTAS) defines the nature and extent of the discipline and provides a set of Threshold Learning Outcome statements (TLOs) that define what a graduate should know, understand and be able to do on graduation. The Australian Council of Deans of Agriculture have endorsed the AgLTAS document: it can be used to communicate to potential and current students the minimum standards of their degree, and also inform curriculum design. While the AgLTAS document provides explanatory notes to assist educators to further understand the intent of the TLOs there are no exemplars on how the AgLTAS can be implemented. This paper presents two case studies of how academics at the University of Tasmania and the University of Adelaide used the AgLTAS to map their respective agriculture curricula. Curriculum mapping was used to evaluate the links between the curriculum and the target learning outcomes, and to identify gaps and areas for improvement. Results include the curriculum maps but also a survey of academic staff and their reactions to the TLOs, plus a reflective commentary on what we believe are the next steps and implications of the AgLTAS for curriculum development, industry engagement and graduate employability in the agriculture discipline.

Agricultural mechanics is an important component of a well-rounded school-based agricultural education (SBAE) program. Within agricultural mechanics courses lies a plethora of topics and skills to be covered. Adequate tools and equipment are vital in preparing students to fill an expanding, 21st century workforce. The issue of inadequate teaching materials has been well documented throughout the entire educational system, and such inadequacies may leave gaps in students' ability to become proficient within agricultural mechanics. A paper-based questionnaire was distributed to all teachers in attendance at the Iowa teachers' conference. This descriptive study sought to identify teacher-perceived adequacy of available tools and equipment to teach agricultural mechanics in Iowa. The researchers found that many agricultural education teachers in Iowa are ill-equipped to teach many concepts within agricultural mechanics due to a reported lack of adequate tools and equipment. Agricultural education teachers in SBAE programs should ensure adequate tools and equipment to meet curricular and industry standards. It is recommended to examine purchasing decisions of tools for inclusion in the agricultural mechanics laboratory as well.

School gardens are ideal places for students to ask and answer questions about science. This paper describes a case study of two 3rd grade teachers and two STEM coordinators who were recruited to implement and evaluate a horticultural-based curriculum developed for this study. Informed by the Teacher-Centered Systemic Reform model we conducted a case study analysis of the beliefs and practices of these four educators. Teachers made curricular decisions based on their confidence teaching about plants, the accessibility of curricular materials, perceptions of relevancy of lessons to academic science standards, and the time constraints. One STEM coordinator reported that the curriculum addressed academic science standards, was relevant to students' lives, and provided hands-on inquiry activities connected to the school garden. The subsequent STEM coordinator, along with the teachers, believed that garden plants do not address science standards and instead support enrichment activities. We conclude that professional development on horticultural-based curriculum for both teachers and STEM coaches is warranted.

This study examined adoption of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) by agricultural science and extension teachers in Abuja, Nigeria. Specifically, the objectives are to: identify the background and demographic characteristics of agricultural science and extension teachers in the study area; examine the factors influencing adoption of ICTs by respondents and determine the challenges or constraints militating against adoption of ICTs by respondents in the study area. Data were collected from 60 purposively selected agricultural science and extension teachers in the study area. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics SPSS 19.0, Likert scale, t-test and Logit model. Ages, teachers' experience, access to ICTs were significant factors influencing adoption of ICTs by respondents at 1% probability level. Teachers' attitude, teachers' awareness significantly influences adoption of ICTs by respondents at 5% probability level. Word processors are perceived useful in setting tests and examination question papers, while, photocopy machine was perceived ease to use to make copies of teaching materials. Access to appropriate ICTs equipment and lack of infrastructure such as irregular electricity supply are the major challenges. The study recommends easy access, awareness and use of ICTs by instructors and regular supply of electricity to improve and stimulates adoption of ICTs by respondents.

Sprouting Entrepreneurs is a three-year teaching programme for rural primary and secondary schools that focuses on entrepreneurship in agriculture. It addresses the South African real-life challenges of food insecurity, youth unemployment and rural poverty from a classroom perspective, by linking agriculture, food and entrepreneurship as main learning areas. This paper outlines the programme in its local social and economic context. It argues for the need for a concept of entrepreneurship education that views opportunities in the context of young people's positive freedoms. Its didactical model combines the EntreComp framework with the capability approach developed by Amartya Sen and others. It emphasises the role of capabilities or freedoms in developing and implementing ideas that create value for others. The Sustainable Development Goals form a medium of learning.

The British colonial policy of education in the Southern Cameroons was guided by the philosophy of adapting education to the mentality, aptitude and occupations of the local population. This policy was gradually abandoned in the 1950s when it was realized that it was serving the colonial exploitative agenda of keeping natives to a permanently rural existence instead of meeting the needs of an independent state. Surprisingly, despite the so much talked of 'need for education to rid itself of the colonial stranglehold', a few years after independence, the government of Cameroon opted for the policy of ruralisation of education. This paper, examines the basic motivation for returning to such a policy and the outcome.

Urban FFA members face unique challenges if they want to become active members in the National FFA Organization. FFA leaders have realized that the FFA organization does not represent the evolving demographics of America and have made efforts to cater to urban and diverse high school audiences with some success. This study seeks to explore this phenomenon from the perspective of urban and diverse agriculture students through the use of a critical theory lens. This paper focuses on one group of urban FFA members and how they interpreted FFA culture while attending the National FFA Convention. The critical theory framework herein focuses on how these urban FFA members comprehended the FFA's rural and production-oriented agricultural themes. The Harris FFA members had the cultural resiliency to internalize the different cultural values they experienced and personally connect with some pieces of the culture presented. These members overlooked or adapted to the rural, White, and traditional agriculture values of FFA; but, more importantly, they focused on the leadership and community development values of FFA.

One of the major concerns of employers of labour in this information age is the recruitment of employees with requisite computerized office skills to fit into the various organization's jobs and positions. In Agricultural education, acquisition of these computerized office skills do not only depends on whether one is able to fulfill the paper requirements of specific jobs but also how one practically stands relative to others within a group of job seekers. In other words, acquisition of computerized office skills describes the possession of the requisite office job performance competencies by Agricultural Education graduates. Thus, the purpose of the study was to find out the computerized office skills required by Agricultural Education students of Colleges of Education for employment in agribusiness organizations in Enugu State. A survey research design was adopted for the study. A total of 176 respondents were studied with no sampling. A structured questionnaire was used for data gathering. The reliability coefficient of the instrument was 0.85 using Cronbach Alpha method while three lecturers carried out face validation of the instrument. Three research questions and three null hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance. Mean statistic was employed to answer the research questions while t-test was used to test the null hypotheses. It was found that Agricultural education students from Colleges of Education in Enugu State require computerized office skills to be employed in contemporary agribusiness offices after graduation. Findings showed that the computerized office skills required by Agricultural Education students of Colleges of Education for employment are word processing skills, database management skills and internet utilization skills. It was recommended among others that the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE) should as a matter of urgency lay emphasis on skills acquisition and introduction of computing and information technology in Agricultural Education curriculum of Colleges of Education.

Youths from Nigerian schools and tertiary institutions are usually unemployable after schooling because they are not empowered with the required saleable skills to earn them a job or with which to establish as entrepreneurs. This paper examines the relevance of Supervised Agricultural Experience Programme (SAEP) and Work Linked Education (WLE) as being capable of providing marketable and entrepreneur skills required to prevent joblessness among youths in Nigeria. The strategies for implementing SAEP and (WLE) are recommended for adoption for human capacity building and youth empowerment for national development.