Recognizing that the agriculture industry continues to have the highest worker fatality rate, a multi-year teacher professional development was conducted to improve teachers' tractor and machinery safety knowledge. The purpose of this study was to analyze participant knowledge throughout the professional development to better understand the role…

This article provides results from a survey of instructors who have offered the National Safe Tractor and Machinery Operation Program (NSTMOP) to youth planning to work in agriculture. Youth younger than age 16 who wish to be employed on non-family farms are required to complete an approved safety training program to operate tractors and other…

Agriculture is one of the most hazardous industries in the United States for all workers, and even more so for young workers. In the U.S., legislation prescribes training for youth under the age of 16 working in hazardous situations in production agriculture. Virtual Reality (VR) technology has become an increasingly popular means of deploying…

Agricultural mechanics--a pillar of many secondary agricultural education programs--is a dynamic, constantly changing field, requiring educators to continually evolve their programs to maintain relevance. This study explored the in-service agricultural mechanics needs of Montana mid-career agricultural educators. We used mean weighted discrepancy…

Problem solving has been regarded as one of the most important cognitive skills in everyday life. The complexity of problem solving in technical areas is a critical component to developing the problem solving abilities of agricultural education students. This study grounded in Kirton's AdaptationInnovation Theory (A-I Theory), sought to identify…

Purpose: Agricultural extension services in poor countries often identify opinion leaders based on criteria such as wealth and social status. We explore the effectiveness of this top-down approach by analysing the role of so-called model and nodal farmers in the diffusion of malt barley in a highland community in Ethiopia. Research approach: We…

A priority of agricultural teacher education programs is to develop technically competent, prepared school-based agricultural education (SBAE) teachers. SBAE teachers should be knowledgeable in various agricultural subject matter, such as agricultural mechanics. Using Roberts and Ball's (2009) Content-based Model for Teaching Agriculture as the…

This study examines farming practices across regions as "funds of knowledge" that may be integrated into K-12 curricula and instruction. "Funds of knowledge," as conceptualized by Moll, Amanti, Neff, and González (1992), include the knowledge students bring from their families and home communities to the classroom, and serve as…