Thesis (M.S.)--West Virginia University, 2006. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains ix, 78 p. Vita. Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 60-61).

Three different Career Development Event (CDE) workshops were analyzed to determine the workshops’ impact on agriculture teachers’ learning gains and self-efficacy. Teaching methods of workshop presenters and self-reported data from participants were examined to determine how professional development opportunities prepare agriculture teachers in the required skills for the specific CDEs. Recruited workshop presenters (N=3) and workshop attendees (N=54) were the convenient population for the study. A significant difference between the pre- and post-self-ratings of knowledge indicated greater learning gains after each workshop. Most workshop participants reported they intend to implement every skill related to the presented CDE content. Self-efficacy was moderately high for the content and specific practices related to each workshop. Overall, findings of this study reported the presenters’ use of specific teaching methods, and the use of andragogy assumptions did not create a difference in the pre- and post-self-ratings of the learning gains nor self-efficacy of the participants.

No description available.

The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between the attitudes held by Virginia's vocational agricultural teachers toward the Future Farmers of America (FFA) and certain variables contributing to these attitudes which may influence the ability of the teachers to incorporate effectively a FFA chapter into a local program of vocational agriculture. The sample of this study consisted of 201 vocational agricultural teachers randomly selected from the 417 vocational agricultural teachers throughout the state. An 85 percent usable response was realized from the randomly selected group which constituted data input for the study. The data collection instrument included a two part questionnaire developed by the researcher; one section to obtain demographic data from the vocational agricultural teachers, and one section (a Likert type scale) for the measurement of vocational agricultural teachers' attitudes toward the FFA. The data collection procedure consisted of mailing the instrument to teachers in the sample. Included with the instrument was a cover letter explaining the purpose of the study and a stamped envelope, addressed to the investigator. Analysis of the data was accomplished by using frequency counts, percentages and measures of central tendency to calculate description data from the group. The Pearson Correlation Coefficient, the Standard t-test, or the Analysis of Variance were used to analyze each null hypothesis for significance. Of the nine null hypotheses tested at the .05 alpha level, six were rejected. The rejected null hypotheses were: there would be no difference among teachers with dissimilar previous FFA membership in regard to their attitudes toward the FFA, there would be no relationship between years of teaching experience in vocational agriculture and teachers' attitudes toward the FFA, there would be no difference among teachers who have taken dissimilar in-service FFA oriented workshops in regard to their attitudes toward the FFA, there would be no relationship between participation in FFA activities during the student teaching experience and teachers' attitudes toward the FFA, there would be no relationship between participation in collegiate student organizations and teachers' attitudes toward the FFA, there would be no difference among teachers who teach in Senior High Schools, Junior High Schools, Comprehensive High Schools, or Vocational-Technical Schools in regard to their attitudes toward the FFA. Major recommendations generated from the findings of the study were: (1) that the Joint Agricultural Education Staff in Virginia work closely with beginning and inexperienced teachers to aid them in developing a more favorable attitude toward the FFA; (2) that in recruiting prospective agricultural teachers, high priority should be given those having FFA membership; (3) that investigations be conducted to determine why pre-service and in-service FFA oriented courses are not contributing to developing a favorable attitude in teachers toward the FFA; (4) that the State Agricultural Education Staff develop FFA oriented workshops in Virginia for all teachers to improve their competencies in FFA advisement; (5) that all vocational agricultural students be required to belong to an agricultural education related collegiate student organization; (6) that programs which prepare prospective teachers of vocational agriculture in Virginia require participation in FFA activities during the student teaching experience; (7) that the Joint Agricultural Education Staff in Virginia continue to identify and to provide for instrumental activities which would enhance teachers' attitudes toward FFA. / Ed. D.

Master of Science

The primary purpose of the study was to identify the core of agricultural mechanics competencies which should be possessed by all vocational agriculture teachers. Secondary purposes were to determine mechanics competencies appropriate for each vocational agriculture taxonomy area, determine if differences existed by regions in mechanics competencies needed, and determine if differences existed by respondent position category about mechanics competencies needed by vocational agriculture teachers. The population consisted of teacher educators in agriculture, state supervisory staff in agricultural education, teachers of vocational agriculture associated with programs identified as outstanding by head state supervisors and craft committee members associated with the programs identified as outstanding. A total of 258 individuals from the four sub-groups were identified for inclusion in the study sample. A questionnaire listing 90 agricultural mechanics competencies was developed and mailed to the sample. Two follow-up mailings were conducted. Responses were received from 208 respondents representing 80.6 percent of the sample. Five research questions were answered, based on data analysis using group means and/or a one way ANOVA procedure. Findings of the study included: 1. Some agricultural mechanics competencies were needed by teachers of every vocational agriculture taxonomy area. 2. A core of 69 agricultural mechanics competencies needed by all vocational agriculture teachers does exist. 3. Agricultural mechanics competencies needed by vocational agriculture teachers do not differ significantly among regions of the United States with the exception of land measurement competencies. 4. Teacher educators tended to agree with state supervisors about mechanics competencies needed by teachers of vocational agriculture. 5. Teachers tended to agree with craft committee members about mechanics competencies needed by teachers of vocational agriculture. / Ed. D.

An analytical summary of this study indicates that: 1. The preparation and use of farm maps is standard practice throughout the state in teaching vocational agriculture. 2. The average time devoted to mapping approximates 260 minutes in the eighth grade, 207 minutes in the ninth grade, 149 minutes in the tenth grade and 107 minutes in the eleventh grade, or a total of 723 minutes devoted to mapping in each department in all grades. 3. No standards have been set up by which results in mapping can be compared, however, instructors rate two-thirds of the maps being made as medium in accuracy and one-fourth as high in accuracy. 4. Data used in making the farm maps are obtained from many sources, the most common in order of importance being: deeds, memory of the pupil, collected by the pupil, maps or plats prepared by the Soil Conservation Service or the Agricultural Adjustment Administration. 5. The simplest type of equipment is used in the preparation of the maps, consisting of pencil, scale, pen, protractor, pantograph, ruler, T-Square, and drawing boards; the pencil and scale being most commonly used. 6. Many difficulties are enoountered in the preparation of the maps, one or more being listed by 96 per cent of the departments reporting in the study. 7. Maps are recognized as of practical advantage to the pupils in land-use planning, planning for soil conservation, and for studying jobs in farm management. They may be of use to boys entering the military service. / M.S.

The purpose of this study was to identify if differences existed in perceived barrier factors and perceived attitude factors toward distance education between faculty and administrators in the decision stage and those in the implementation stage of distance education technology adoption. Information was gathered from teaching faculty and program leaders involved in agricultural education teacher preparation programs across the United States during the 1999-2000 academic year. The barrier statements were reduced to nine barrier factors and the attitude statements were reduced to five attitude factors through Principal Components Analysis. Respondents were grouped into the decision stage or the implementation stage of distance education technology adoption according to Rogers' (1995) innovation-decision process. Statistically significant differences existed for various technology types between the groups for both barrier factor scores and attitude factor scores. The following conclusions were formulated from this study: (a) a majority of the participants were in the decision stage of the innovation-decision process for distance education technology adoption; (b) on-line delivery of courses was the distance education technology most respondents were currently using or planning to use; (c) distance education was not a major factor helping to meet program level goals; (d) training opportunities were available for faculty who teach using distance education; (e) the majority of the population indicated they were not adequately supported by the department to teach using distance education technologies; (f) participants were planning to have resources available for students taking courses via distance education technologies, yet were noticeably indecisive for some resources; (g) cost barriers, course quality, student contact, and equipment concerns were considered barriers for a majority of the respondents; (h) each type of distance education technology had barrier factors that showed significant differences between participants in the decision stage and those in the implementation stage; (i) overall the respondents' attitudes were favorable to distance education, but significant differences in attitude factor scores were evident between deciders and implementers when viewed by type of distance education technology; (j) all but one of the barrier factor scores were considered reliable, and (k) all of the attitude factor scores were considered reliable. / Graduation date: 2003

The United States is currently facing a shortage of qualified teachers; specifically, agricultural education has recorded shortages for several years. Many agriculture teachers will leave the profession well before retirement. Those teachers who leave the profession are often dissatisfied with their chosen career and exhibit low levels of teacher self-efficacy and job satisfaction. The purpose of this census study was to describe the current level of teacher self-efficacy and job satisfaction among all early career Kentucky agriculture teachers (N = 80). The study also sought to determine if a relationship existed between teacher self-efficacy and job satisfaction among early career Kentucky agriculture teachers. Teacher self-efficacy was measured through three constructs: student engagement, instructional practices, and classroom management. It was concluded that early career agriculture teachers in Kentucky are efficacious and generally satisfied with teaching. A variety of relationships were found to exist between each construct and overall job satisfaction between each group of teachers.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2008. / The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file. Title from title screen of research.pdf file (viewed on September 8, 2008) Includes bibliographical references.