<p>ABSTRACTCoil, Krist Tina. Effects of Block Scheduling on the Level of Student Achievement of Agricultural Education Students in North Carolina. Under the direction of Dr. Jim Flowers. The primary purpose of this study was to determine the impact of block scheduling on VoCATS scores of Agricultural Education students in North Carolina. The research objectives of this study were to determine if block scheduling affects student performance on VoCATS assessments and to determine if there is a relationship between size of school and level of achievement of students on block scheduling. Data were collected using the survey method. Surveys were mailed to VoCATS coordinators of identified schools. The data were collected during the late summer of 1999. The use of block scheduling is prevalent in high schools in North Carolina. According to analysis of data, overall block scheduling does not have a significant affect on student achievement, however there were areas of significant differences noted. School size as an interaction with schedule type does not affect student achievement, however data analysis of schedule type reveled that it was significant in the interaction between schedule and school size of Horticulture I mastery scores. More research to determine effects of block scheduling other than just student achievement was recommended. <P>

<p> This study was an evaluation of a 4-H Youth DevelopmentProgram that provided a series of weekend camps and a weeklong summer camp to underprivileged youth. This programattempted to provide the youth with additional knowledge, skills, and aspirations necessary for a successful educational and employment future. This program took place in Carteret County, NC. The major purposes of this study were: (1) to determine whether or not the youths' knowledge, skills, and aspirations increased due to their participation in this program; and (2) to provide recommendations for the program so that the program may increase its effectiveness and possibly be replicated by other counties in North Carolina. A case study research design was used to gather data for this evaluation, with a variety of different data collected from program staff, local schools, parents and guardians of the program participants, and the participants themselves. Surveys, pre- and post-tests, interviews, and observations were the tools used to collect the data. A control group of inactive participants (who had rarely attended program activities) was used as a comparison for the group of youth that were active program participants. An analysis of the data determined if any trends or patterns existed that supported the program's objectives of increasing the youth's knowledge, skills, and aspirations. The major findings of this study were that: (1) the program, while providing some benefits to the children in terms of support and relationship-building, did not completely achieve its objectives; and (2) a number of recommendations, including increased family involvement in the program, could help to improve and possibly achieve the program's initial objectives. <P>

Dairy production technologies

Commercialization of agriculture

Thesis (Ed.D.)--Teachers College, Columbia University. / Typescript. Sponsor: W. C. Hallenbeck. Dissertation Committee: L. T. Hopkins, S. M. Corey, . Type C project. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 113-115).

The purpose of this study was to explore food security and agricultural challenges to examine the feasibility of using extension services as food security challenges intervention. The study used extension services, microfinance, farm cooperatives, and educational strategy to apply the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) to investigate culturally specific attitudes, subjective norms and perceived behavioral constructs in relationship to female economic development through agricultural production. The use of semi-structured interviews in a qualitative research design was found useful in exploring the informants' experiences in challenges to food security and agricultural productivity not only in South Sudan, but also in Sub-Saharan Africa. In-depth one on one semi-structured interviews were conducted with farmers and international agriculture researchers. / Ph. D.

In agrarian societies, HIV/AIDS extends far beyond the realm of healthcare into agricultural production and food security as well. Namibia is a developing country with a large portion of its population involved in agriculture; the average HIV/AIDS infection rate of 21.3% in the country leaves a large portion of agricultural workers living with or affected by HIV/AIDS. The purpose of this study was to further evaluate the impact of HIV/AIDS on national and community level food security in northern Namibia by ascertaining the perceptions and experiences of local farmers living with HIV/AIDS. In addition, this research aims to define the specific training needs for this population, and to identify possible barriers to access. Four focus groups and four key informant interviews were conducted in northern Namibia, and participants were asked a variety of questions relating to People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in agriculture. Qualitative analysis drew out prevailing themes and ideas from the data. This study found that there is a greater need for HIV/AIDS specific education and programs targeted to HIV/AIDS infected agrarian workers. Additionally this study found there were barriers to education present in the current system, and identified needs for joint programming initiatives between the ministries of health and agriculture.

No description available.

Dairy farmers in the Northeastern Unites States are paid based on the amount of fat and protein in their cows' milk, and improving fat and protein production is linked with improved financial sustainability for dairy farms. However, not all farmers are motivated to make changes to increase milk fat and protein production. Previous research has identified a positive correlation between a group of fatty acids, known as the de novo fatty acids, and the fat and protein content of bulk tank milk from commercial dairy farms. Therefore, the first objective of this research was to explore the relationship of farm management, the cow's diet, and lactation performance with de novo fatty acid content on Northeastern US dairy farms. Results from the first objective were communicated with dairy farmers; therefore, the second objective was to understand how to communicate with farmers to influence their behavior. We hypothesized that farms with high de novo fatty acids in bulk tank milk would manage and feed their cows to optimize rumen fermentation conditions. The first (Chapter 2) and second (Chapter 3) studies were methodologically very similar. Farms were categorized as either high de novo (HDN) or low de novo (LDN) based on the concentration of de novo fatty acids in their bulk tank milk for the 6 months prior to the farm visit. Farms were then visited once in March or April, 2014 (Chapter 2) or between February and April, 2015 (Chapter 3) to assess management practices and collect samples of the cows' diet. There were no differences in days in milk in Chapter 2 or Chapter 3. Yield of milk, fat, and true protein per cow were higher for HDN versus LDN farms in Chapter 2. In both chapters, HDN farms had higher milk fat and true protein content and higher de novo fatty acid yield per day. The HDN farms had lower freestall stocking density in Chapter 2 and provided more feedbunk space per cow in Chapter 3. Additionally, tiestall feeding frequency was higher for HDN than LDN farms. No differences were detected for dietary chemical composition, except ether extract was lower for HDN than LDN farms in both chapters. Chapter 4 explored how to communicate the results of Chapter 2 and Chapter 3 through eleven qualitative, semi-structured interviews and insight from the 83 farm visits. Farmers identified the cooperative, expert consultants (nutritionist, veterinarian, and agronomists), financial advisers, print publications, and other farmers as principal sources of information. However, barriers to the transfer of information included family dynamics, lack of access to high speed internet, and difficulties evaluating divergent recommendations from experts. Several farmers expressed an incorrect perception of their farms' fat and protein production compared with cooperative averages which reduced their motivation to incorporate management changes. Recommendations to overcome these barriers include integrating management team meetings and facilitating informal discussion groups between farmers. This research is correlational in nature, and future research is needed to verify a causal relationship between de novo fatty acids and milk fat and protein content. However, the results of this research can be used to help farmers increase their cows' milk fat and protein content, improve the transfer of knowledge to dairy farmers, and ultimately support the financial sustainability of dairy farms in the Northeastern US.

O conhecimento produzido na universidade torna-se acessível à sociedade por meio da extensão universitária. Assim, esta dissertação foi desenvolvida com o objetivo de apresentar um diagnóstico da extensão universitária sob a ótica dos docentes da Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná – UTFPR. O estudo foi contextualizado com um amplo referencial baseado em alguns autores, com abordagens a respeito do papel da educação e da universidade com FÁVERO (1980), SILVA (2002) e SANTOS (2005); o uso das tecnologias e mais especificamente a educação tecnológica, em REIS (1995) e LIBÂNEO (2001); a questão da importância da identidade, com BOTOMÉ (2001) e GIDDENS (2002), até focalizar a extensão propriamente dita, com GURGEL (1986), TAVARES (1997) e NOGUEIRA (2000), e associá-la a uma comunidade de prática com WENGER (1998). A abordagem metodológica pautou-se nas pesquisas qualitativa, de natureza interpretativa, e quantitativa, do tipo levantamento. Foram realizadas entrevistas com os gestores para verificar a concepção de extensão universitária existente na Instituição. Foram enviados, simultaneamente, por meio eletrônico, questionários a todos os docentes dos Campi da UTFPR, localizados nas cidades de Apucarana, Campo Mourão, Cornélio Procópio, Curitiba, Dois Vizinhos, Francisco Beltrão, Londrina, Medianeira, Pato Branco, Ponta Grossa e Toledo. Essa ação possibilitou conhecer o entendimento dos docentes em relação às ações extensionistas, as formas de articulação com a sociedade, o uso dos recursos tecnológicos bem como averiguar as opiniões dos professores em relação ao desenvolvimento da cultura extensionista na Instituição. Conclui-se, com esta dissertação, que a extensão não é considerada uma atividade menor em relação ao ensino e à pesquisa na Instituição; que os docentes não têm clareza a respeito do conceito e das funções da extensão universitária na UTFPR e que há necessidade de esclarecimentos sobre a identidade da Instituição. Visando à consolidação da institucionalização da extensão na UTFPR, foram sugeridos o registro e divulgação das ações extensionistas bem como a flexibilização da carga horária docente, com um mecanismo de pontuação do currículo ou definição de métricas. A implantação de comunidades de prática em extensão na UTFPR possibilitaria a criação de espaços para reflexões e sociabilizações de saberes e experiências. Os resultados dessa pesquisa poderão contribuir para um repensar de estratégias que visem ao fortalecimento da função social da UTFPR, para um maior envolvimento da comunidade interna, bem como para a indissociabilidade entre o ensino, a pesquisa e a extensão. / The knowledge produced at university becomes available to society through the university extension. Thus, this dissertation was developed with the purpose of presenting a diagnosis of university extension activities under the perspective of professors from Federal University of Technology - Parana - UTFPR. The study was set against a broad framework based on some authors, with approaches to the role of education and university, with FÁVERO (1980), SILVA (2002) and SANTOS (2005); the use of technology and more specifically, technological education, in REIS (1995) and LIBÂNEO (2001); the question of the importance of identity with BOTOMÉ (2001) and GIDDENS (2002), up to focusing on the extension per se, with GURGEL (1986), TAVARES (1997) and NOGUEIRA (2000) and assign it to a community of practice with WENGER (1998). The methodological approach was based on a qualitative research, an interpretive nature, and quantitative, survey-type. Interviews were conducted with managers to verify their point of views over extension definitions currently applied within UTFPR. Simultaneously, a set of questionnaires to all professors of the UTFPR Campi, located in the cities of Apucarana, Campo Mourão, Cornélio Procópio, Curitiba, Dois Vizinhos, Francisco Beltrão, Londrina, Medianeira, Pato Branco, Ponta Grossa and Toledo was sent by mail. This action allowed to know about the professors’understanding in relation to the extension activities, the way they interact with society, the use of technological resources as well as evaluate the professors’ views in relation to cultural development extension at the university. This dissertation concludes that the extension is not considered minor activity in relation to teaching and research at the university; that the professors do not have clarity about the concept and functions of the university extension at UTFPR and there is need for greater understanding on the identity of this university. As a suggestion from professors, aiming at consolidating the institutionalization of extension activities of UTFPR, the registration and disclosure of extension activities as well as the flexibility of teaching hours along with a scoring mechanism of the curriculum or set of metrics. The implementation of communities of practice in the UTFPR extension would provide the creation of spaces for reflection and for knowledge and experience sharing. The results of this research could contribute to a rethinking of strategies aimed at strengthening the social function of UTFPR for greater involvement of the internal community, as well as the inseparability involving education, research and extension.