Postsecondary leadership experiences provide students opportunities to gain, enhance, and refine capacities useful in addressing the complex challenges of the world. Our exploratory, descriptive qualitative study examined the motivations of postsecondary students to engage in long-term curricular leadership education (CLE) programs. Interviews and…

Preparing students in school-based agricultural education (SBAE) to respond to emerging challenges impacting -- and being impacted by -- agriculture, food, and natural resource systems (e.g., climate change, water scarcity, soil degradation) is essential. Therefore, student involvement in SBAE was investigated in relation to metacognition,…

Colleges of agriculture throughout the United States place an emphasis on leadership courses where undergraduates develop professional skills. Students entering colleges of agriculture experience varied training in terms of leadership and associated skills. However, it is not understood how this leadership training relates to having more power and…

Teacher connectivity represents a relatively new and exciting construct within school based agricultural education. Existing research identifying a relationship between teacher connectivity and career commitment illuminates the need for additional research on teacher connectivity within school-based agricultural education. Framed using the…

Exploring the challenges faced by agriculture teachers during the Spring 2020 semester brings to light the reality of teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic. Further, understanding the challenges faced by teachers empowers the profession to make agricultural education more resilient to broader, social forces in the future. In this study, a national…

Scholarship within the social sciences of agriculture, food, and natural resources (AFNR) exists, in part, to inform solutions to complex problems. Increasingly, complex problems are found at the nexus of social and ecological systems; therefore, scholarship within the social sciences of AFNR must mirror this social-ecological characteristic.…

Educational games provide learners with team-based, experiential, and problem-centered learning opportunities. Therefore, educational games are recommended to encourage learner success in an increasingly complex and collaborative world. Research exploring interventions to increase teacher affinity toward games is needed to inform expansion of…

Interdisciplinary learning experiences (i.e., experiences which illuminate learning of, and connections among, multiple disciplines) are essential to building a more robust understanding of the interconnections of multiple systems. Having an interdisciplinary understanding positively influences the ability of learners to contribute to solving…

The world demands individuals with knowledge and skills in agriculture, food, and natural resources (AFNR) paired with proficiency in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) concepts. Current models for STEM education call for interdisciplinary approaches in which learners address real-world challenges, indicating high potential…

Unique and engaging pedagogical approaches are crucial for supporting learning opportunities effective to meet the needs of today's learners. Through elements such as creative thinking, collaboration, and problem solving, the use of instructional games as a pedagogical approach support effective learning opportunities; however, as teachers are…

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…

The sustained shortage of school-based agricultural educators necessitates novel research into variables impacting teacher career commitment. In the current study, a previously unexplored variable in the prediction of career commitment within school-based agricultural education was considered, teacher connectivity. Four elements of teacher…

The success of education depends on highly competent teachers committed to stay in the teaching profession. In agricultural education, the need for teachers committed to teaching agriculture is heightened by the identified shortage of teachers. Previous research has linked teacher competence, most commonly operationalized as self-efficacy, and…

Inclusion of new and emerging technologies within agriculture, food, and natural resources education curricula is essential to empowering learners for future success. In the field of Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources (AFNR) Education, however, scant literature exists exploring teacher adoption of new and emerging technologies within their…

Agriculture, food, and/or natural resources (AFNR) content offers a tremendous context for interdisciplinary teaching and learning. Collaboration between AFNR and core content area educators has been recommended to increase interdisciplinarity in school-based AFNR Education; however, existing research lacks an empirical investigation of the…