Fulfilling the Vision for SAE: A 30-Year Process

The early 1980\u27s was a tumultuous time for education, and specifically agricultural education. President Regan\u27s A Nation at Risk report (United States National Commission on Excellence in Education, 1983) raised concerns about educational preparation of American students. Declining profitability and international competition were affecting the agriculture economy and there was a laundry list of competing forces that were impacting the enrollment in secondary agricultural programs. These production agriculture and agricultural education challenges caused the U.S. Secretaries of Agriculture and Education to charge the National Research Council to study and make recommendations. As a result, in 1985, a committee on agricultural education in secondary schools was established to assess and make recommendations to maintain and improve agricultural productivity and competitiveness

Undergraduate student mentoring: What do students think?

The purpose of this census study was to explore undergraduate student perceptions of mentoring in a College of Agriculture and Life Science (CALS). An analysis of the responses from 532 respondents found that students believe that faculty in CALS often practice the mentoring functions except for the direct assistance, which students believe sometimes occurs. Undergraduate students take a broad view of mentoring. They view it as an engaging and interactive process where an exchange of ideas takes place and where the focus generally includes, but is not limited to, professional and career development. Students consider faculty members who are supportive, aware of student needs, and show concern for students as mentors. Mentoring functions can occur in a variety of fashions and often during academic advising, informally after class, during office hours, during research and laboratory times, and as part of their involvement in clubs and organizations. Students do perceive faculty as mentors and seem to find themselves drawn to faculty mentors who have similar interests and career goals, are engaged with students outside of the classroom, and are willing to assist students in their personal and professional development. These findings have implications on faculty mentor training and formally organized mentoring programs

Economic Impact of Supervised Agricultural Experience in Iowa: A Trend Study

The focus of this article is on the economic impact of Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) programs in Iowa using longitudinal data collected from 1991 to 2001. In order to accomplish the purpose of the study, student net income growth, growth of SAE program hours, SAE income per student and per program, and return on investment using tax dollars invested per student-derived income were calculated. The results of this study show that there is a substantial economic impact related to SAE consistent over the entire 11-year period of the study. The total value of SAE income peaked in 2000 with over $20.9 million dollars and grew at an annualized rate of 6.05$1,443 on average, whereas each agricultural education program earned $55,984. The return on investment ratio using tax dollars invested per student-derived income through SAE was positive each year of the study. Students earn more money through SAE programs than school districts invest in salaries and travel for agricultural education programs

Fifteen year enrollment trends related to the three components of comprehensive agricultural education programs

The purpose of this study was to identify the agricultural education enrollment trends in Iowa using 15 years of data collected from 1991 to 2005. It was found that agricultural education enrollment, Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) participation, and FFA membership have grown. Using annualized growth rates, agricultural education enrollment (4.06%) grew more rapidly than SAE participation (1.65%) and FFA membership (2.39%). Although growth was realized in all three components, the widening gap between students who only enroll in agricultural education and those who also choose to participate in SAE and FFA is a concern. Increased female participation, 31.96% in 2005, accounted for much of the overall growth in total enrollment. SAE growth was attributed to increased participation in agriscience and agribusiness. The findings have implications for the profession’s ability to put into practice experiential learning theory, the philosophical approach of agricultural education, local program development and management, and the future of agricultural education

Purposes, Activities, and Documentation of Early Field Experience in Agricultural Teacher Education: A National Delphi Study

The purpose of this Delphi study was to identify the purpose, expected outcomes, and methods of documenting preservice teacher early field experience (EFE) activities in agricultural teacher education programs. A Delphi technique was used to electronically collect data via email and SurveyMonkey®. An expert panel was established and after three rounds of questioning, the panel identified 16 purpose statements, 14 activities and 9 methods of documenting EFE. The findings of this study, as established by a panel of experts who reached consensus, indicated that EFE should be documented via a combination of journaling and portfolio development. The verification of these documents should be completed by the cooperating teacher and through university assessments. Documentation of an EFE experience can be accomplished through journaling, cooperating teacher signature, reflective paper or a review of collective documents. The results of this study can be used to modify and improve EFE by clarifying the purpose, activities and ways of documented activities in agricultural teacher education programs. This study will aid the profession in providing a more congruent EFE experience for preservice teachers