Barriers and Solutions to Recruitment Strategies of Students into Post-Secondary Agricultural Education Programs: A Focus Group Approach

This qualitative study utilized focus group interviews of secondary Illinois agricultural education teachers to investigate the continuing problem of student recruitment into teacher preparation pro-grams of agricultural education. Using signal theory, image theory and person-organization fit theory, the researchers identified five themes relating to recruitment issues: time, the economy, family, technology and image. Each theme is described through the words of the participants and solutions are suggested for improving recruitment

Teaching Control Programming Using Programmable Automation Controllers

Introductory control programming was included as a required course for agricultural systems students. A programmable automation controller (PAC) was programmed with a flowchart paradigm to monitor and control applications. An ex post facto research design was used, with a questionnaire to obtain student feedback. The PAC instructional unit and student feedback are described. Ninety‐two percent of students agreed the PAC unit of the course helped improve their problem‐solving skills

Assessing Extension Education Efforts in Afghanistan through the Eyes of U.S. Agricultural Support Personnel

Assessment of agricultural extension education efforts in Afghanistan was conducted through a qualitative case study of eight U.S. support personnel serving in the country. Security & access and provincial diversity were two overriding factors which determined how the three key attributes of assessment, content and process (Barrick et al., 2009) were able to function in an Afghan agricultural extension education program. Respondents indicated training should focus on young farmers and local farm demonstration sites should be essential program components. Respondents stressed recruitment of agents from local districts when this would not imperil the agents or their families. Respondents also insisted education should be the primary role of the Afghan extension agent, and networking to facilitate an interchange of ideas among Afghan professionals should be encouraged

Learning Disabled Student Needs Met Through Curriculum Redesign of the Illinois Agricultural Education Core Curriculum

This quasi–experimental pilot study included agricultural education students with Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD) in five high schools in the federally designated economically distressed area called the Illinois Delta Region. A unit of instruction taken from the existing 165 units of The Illinois Core Curriculum for Agriculture was redesigned in a manner appropriate to SLD students. Students from the five selected programs were randomly assigned to treatment and control groups. Results from pre– and posttests in this study found the redesigned curriculum for SLD students effectively increased learning for both SLD and traditional students

Identifying the Roles and Challenges of Female Agricultural Teachers Employed in Illinois: A Descriptive Study

In 1980, one of the first female high school agriculture teachers opened the door to her classroom at Arthur High School, Arthur, Illinois. Since that time, the number of female high school agriculture teachers has grown significantly. A descriptive study was conducted to identify and describe the roles and challenges of female high school agricultural teachers employed in Illinois. The results of the study can be used as a preparation tool for those females who decide to pursue agricultural education as a career, and can be used to encourage more female students to enter this challenging career. This study also describes the demographics, background, and support given to female teachers of agriculture in Illinois prior to and after college. Almost half the current female high school agriculture teachers are under the age of 30, and 52% of these teachers are instructors of Agricultural Mechanization, a once male-dominated area of instruction