Supervised agricultural experiences (SAE) have been a core tenet of school-based agricultural education. Despite this, limited evidence has existed regarding the best practices associated with facilitating quality student learning for SAEs at the middle school level. In response, we used self-regulated learning as a lens to examine this…

Teachers must possess a deep understanding of subject matter to effectively teach content. Historically, Agricultural Education degrees were technical agriculture degrees with a specialization in education. Degrees consisted of one-third technical content, with an additional one-third of the coursework in integrative studies, where students…

Since its inception, agricultural education has been instrumental in equipping secondary graduates with the necessary skills to be successful in their future career endeavors. While this has remained a priority over time, many employers claim that secondary graduates do not possess the necessary skills to be successful in the workforce. This study…

This reflective essay provides the theoretical foundations for the Falls Church City Public School (FCCPS) System's new Academy for Sustainable Thinking. Students in the marquee sustainability education program learn and develop an appreciation for the basics of growing food and the importance of water in an urban area through integrated…

Over time, education has become increasingly more legalistic and litigious. The danger of litigation is an imminent threat for agricultural educators due to the potential financial and professional ramifications. In many cases, agricultural educators may be at higher risk for a lawsuit than teachers of other subjects due to the increased liability…

With a focus on the Commonwealth of Virginia, we reviewed literature and data associated with the prevalence and persistence of women's engagement in agriculture from youth-focused programs through to college and employment in order to learn which models of outreach may best attract women to and retain women in agricultural careers. We found that…

Leadership inquiry lacks robust studies designed to understand processes as opposed to outcomes. This qualitative case study explored the process of reflection through blogs to evaluate the Virginia Agriculture Leaders Obtaining Results (VALOR) program. We open-coded blog entries for reflection on capacity building and competency development…

Background: Design and training methods for instructors on integrating experiential learning continues to be a challenge in high school education. Purpose: This work reports on research concerning the current status, available resources, limitations, and capabilities of high school teachers implementing experiential learning in a technical and…

The Power, Structural, and Technical Systems (PST) Career Pathway is one of eight within the Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources Career Cluster; this pathway provides the curriculum that includes outdoor power equipment content. The perceived workforce readiness and skills needed in this pathway and related future trends were analyzed for…

The linkages between interventions and outcomes of leadership initiatives have been insufficiently studied. To better understand these links, the Virginia agricultural leadership program conducted a pathway mapping session to investigate the program's theory of change. In this novel process, program participants engaged in collaborative…

A curriculum framework to support the integration of academic content to support students' development of 21st century skills including critical thinking and problems solving skills is notably absent from agricultural education. An integrative agricultural education framework is conceptualized through a review of literature in STEM education to…

This study was designed to explore the relationship between teacher practices and levels of student engagement in secondary agricultural education programs. Most researchers have agreed that student engagement at the secondary level may be measured through three constructs: cognitive engagement, behavioral engagement, and emotional engagement. The…

With an evolving and expanding agricultural industry, it is crucial to provide future professionals with valuable experiences and skills in problem solving, communication, and teamwork. Agricultural summer programs for secondary students, which provide cooperative learning experiences with a focus on group work and problem solving, aim to help…

This study characterized perceptions of agricultural leadership programs in colleges of agriculture, food, life, human, or environmental sciences at 1,862 land-grant institutions. Objectives included describing the need for programs, studying evolution within the discipline, discussing faculty recommendations for future development, and examining…

STEM education has become essential in the United States, and agriculture allows for a great opportunity to teach STEM education in a fun, hands-on manner. The Virginia Southern Piedmont Agriculture Research and Extension Center (SPAREC), in partnership with King Arthur Flour, has created a program that reinforces what is taught in the classroom…