This study describes student interest in the agricultural content pathways established by the National Council for Agricultural Education. Differences exist between male and female students concerning curriculum choices in agriculture, food, and natural resources. Male students were most interested in food products and processing systems, while…

This study sought to understand the 4-H STEM Career Pathway Model program, a three-year initiative to expose youth to college readiness skills, career readiness skills, STEM skills, and careers associated with high-demand STEM jobs such as computer scientists and engineers. The qualitative study described here used document reviews, observations,…

Educational laboratory management is a paramount issue in agricultural education settings. Agricultural mechanics laboratories are found in many agricultural education programs. One of the most important issues an instructor in agricultural education settings faces is safety in the agricultural mechanics laboratory. Identifying and cultivating a…

Agricultural mechanics instruction includes a broad array of machinery, structures, and technical systems, as well as a diverse workforce. Virtually every aspect of agriculture has a mechanics component and a large portion of secondary agriscience curriculum is devoted specifically to teaching agricultural mechanics. Further, the agricultural…

For students to be successful in the online learning environment, change from passive learners to active learners is essential. Students who successfully regulate and change their learning know where and how to acquire the knowledge necessary for success in the online environment. Introducing students early through dual enrollment programs can…

Undocumented immigration has become a hot political topic. Considering the significant role undocumented immigrants play in U.S. agricultural and natural resources industry and the voting power of the undergraduate students, this study assessed undergraduate students' attitudes toward undocumented immigrant issues. Using a slightly altered…

An individual's attire sends messages to those who view them (Damhorst, 1990), and the clothing choices made by teachers may influence students' perceptions of the school (Workman & Freeburg, 2010). A majority of teacher dress codes require formal clothing (Workman & Freeburg, 2010); however, agricultural education teachers often work in…

This research sought to determine if graduate students taking distance education classes desire student-to-student interaction. Over 200 graduate students who completed one or more distance education graduate classes in agricultural and extension education from North Carolina State University during the past three years were surveyed. While some…

The decline of youth engagement in agriculture worldwide amidst an increasing global population remains a big challenge to ensuring food security for future generations. This phenomenon is worsened by the shortage of professional female agriculturists, though they comprise about 60% to 80% of the traditional workforce in the agriculture sector of…

The focus of this study is the self-perceptions of leadership engagement of FFA members in two FFA chapters in Missouri. This multiple case study used documentation of student self-perceptions, researcher observations, and focus groups. The two cases included 24 high school students comprised of FFA officers and members, who provided their…

The purpose of this study was to begin examining the impact of the Curriculum for Agricultural Science Education (CASE). Under development since 2008, the curriculum is intended to integrate core academics and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) into agricultural education programs. This longitudinal descriptive correlational study…

Students (N = 160) in three diverse FFA chapters were surveyed in early fall, midwinter, and late spring in regard to their leadership skills, confidence in leading, and motivation to engage in leadership-oriented behaviors. The results indicated small-to-moderate gains in transformational leadership skill and a marginally significant…