Measuring the factors affecting the implementation process are critical steps for understanding how, why, and under what circumstances integrated STEM curriculum innovations work. The overarching goal of this National Science Foundation (NSF) funded project was to design, field-test, implement, and evaluate contextualized integrated STEM learning…

Planning theories suggest a stepwise structure for organizing programs; evaluate current status with a needs assessment, identify strengths, weaknesses or gaps, use tools such as a logic model to plan, then implement and evaluate programming (Kettner et al., 2017). The National Agriculture in the Classroom organization and its state affiliates…

Entrepreneurship education has historically been part of agricultural education; yet few researchers have studied entrepreneurship-related outcomes for youth in formal and nonformal educational settings. Entrepreneurship education programs develop entrepreneurial attitudes and intentions, but limited studies exist regarding junior high school…

Mosquitoes are both a nuisance and public health threat. In recent decades, outbreaks of dengue, chikungunya, and Zika in Florida have raised awareness of the importance of domestic and peri-domestic container mosquitoes, Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. The synanthropic nature of these species, coupled with their preference for human…

The researchers developed a youth weather and climate curriculum using a science comprehension model that integrates experiential and inquiry-based learning approaches with developing science knowledge, science skills, and reasoning abilities. The purpose of this study was to pilot the curriculum to determine if it would improve youth science…

The purpose of this Delphi study was to determine perceptions of 16 stakeholders regarding what topics should be included in new elementary agricultural education curriculum for the state of Georgia. Participants consisted of elementary principals/teachers/counselors, middle school teachers, Ag in the classroom representatives, Agricultural…

Modern societal functions for meeting basic needs contribute to the lack of understanding many Americans have about agriculture's connection to human health and environmental quality. Consequently, this limited understanding has produced a need to measure agricultural literacy to develop programming or enhance existing agricultural educational…

Agriculture is essential to meeting our basic human needs for food, clothing and shelter, however; many citizens lack the agricultural literacy to understand the connection between agriculture, the environment and themselves. It is necessary for individuals to be agriculturally literate to make informed every-day decisions. It is vital that young…

School gardens and garden-based learning, though not new in the landscape of United States public education, have gained great popularity in recent years. Scholars from myriad disciplines have examined school garden programs' impact on outcomes ranging from standardized test scores to childhood obesity. As school gardens become commonplace across…

Inquiry-based teaching methods have been found to enhance students' abilities to understand the process of scientific inquiry. The purpose of this study was to determine if middle school students taught through an inquiry-based teaching approach consisting of scientific skill development, scientific knowledge, and scientific reasoning were more…

The purpose of this action research study was to develop a rubric that identified levels of integrated science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) lessons through agriculture, food, and natural resources (AFNR) lessons that were developed and implemented in afterschool programs by preservice informal educators. The research study…

The public is more disconnected from agriculture than ever. Americans are now two to four generations removed from the farm with a majority of Americans having no direct experience in agriculture. As a result, the public lacks the knowledge and appreciation of the food, fuel, and fiber it demands. The National Agricultural Learning Objectives…

School gardens are ideal places for students to ask and answer questions about science. This paper describes a case study of two 3rd grade teachers and two STEM coordinators who were recruited to implement and evaluate a horticultural-based curriculum developed for this study. Informed by the Teacher-Centered Systemic Reform model we conducted a…

Agricultural literacy connects knowledge, skills, and attitudes/beliefs (KSABs) about agriculture to KSABs in environmental education, education for sustainable development, and science education identified in recent reform initiatives. This study conducted a content analysis of 12 current upper-elementary U.S. science textbooks and curriculum…

This study examined the K-12 teachers' conceptions of the agriculture industry prior to enrolling in an agricultural literacy program and how their conceptions changed throughout the program. The study used qualitative methods to analyze the data collected from entrance questionnaires, interviews, and reflective journals. Trustworthiness was…