Journal of Career and Technical Education, vol. 26, no. 2, pp. 90-104This study was an inquiry of secondary teachers' perceptions of the agricultural education student teaching experience in North Dakota. The sampling frame (N = 89) included all secondary teachers in the state; the final return rate was 74%. The instrument included 16 items identifying selected characteristics of secondary teachers and their schools. The agriculture teachers also rated 34 elements of the student teaching experience using a summated-rating scale ("5" = "High Importance..."1" = "No Importance"). Teachers rated 31 of 34 elements as having "much importance" or greater (M [greater than or equal to] 4.00). Seven of the ten highest rated elements were from the core area "Cooperating Teacher-Student Teacher Relationships." Recommendations and implications suggest a need for greater emphases in pre-service and in-service education regarding the importance of SAEs, careful consideration of student teacher placements, and future inquiry regarding student teachers' perceptions of the student teaching experience. (Contains 3 tables.
