ERIC Number: EJ1270885
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2020
Pages: 15
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1042-0541
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Preservice Teachers' Conceptualizations of Agricultural Mechanics
Whitehair, Rachael L.; Schramm, Kelsey Rae Sands; Wells, Trent; Hainline, Mark S.
Journal of Agricultural Education, v61 n3 p60-74 2020
Agricultural mechanics laboratories are frequently available for use within school-based agricultural education (SBAE) settings. Moreover, agricultural mechanics instruction is quite common and can include a wide range of subject matter. Preservice teachers are frequently concerned about teaching agricultural mechanics, sometimes due to negative or no experiences in the subject. We sought to describe how preservice teachers, many of whom had limited experience in agricultural mechanics, conceptualized agricultural mechanics at the beginning and end of a teacher education-focused agricultural mechanics course. Conceptually framing our study using Boud et al.'s (1985) model of reflection, we used a qualitative research design to collect data from 17 preservice teachers. Two themes and four sub-themes were identified through our data analysis process. We found preservice teachers' conceptualizations of agricultural mechanics were positively impacted as a result of a semester-long course. We recommend SBAE stakeholders continue to engage preservice teachers in high-quality agricultural mechanics-related experiences to better prepare the next generation of teachers to create opportunities for their students.
Descriptors: Preservice Teachers, Student Attitudes, Knowledge Level, Agricultural Engineering, Agricultural Education, Agricultural Machinery, Preservice Teacher Education
American Association for Agricultural Education. P.O. Box 7607, Department of Agricultural and Extension Education, Raleigh, NC 27695. Web site: http://www.aaaeonline.org
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A