Download or read book Comparative Assessment of Agricultural Literacy in Selected K 5 Classrooms Employing Agriculture in the Classroom Methodologies written by Mary Margaret Fischer and published by . This book was released on 2017 with total page 414 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The significance of agriculture to future generations is unparalleled. The United Nations projects the global population to swell to 9.75 billion people by 2050, and to proliferate to 11.2 billion by 2100. The non-agricultural population has little to no understanding or comprehension of the complexities of sustaining a viable agricultural system. Agricultural literacy is an area often unseen and rarely discussed outside specific agricultural disciplines. Society does not view agriculture as being important, yet it is important that society be properly educated on issues in order to reach well-informed decisions and render prudent choices that impact the world around them. Illinois ranks fourth in the nation for agricultural productivity, yet the agricultural literacy of its elementary students is unknown. The purpose of this study was to assess the agricultural knowledge of selected Illinois classrooms of public elementary school students in kindergarten through fifth grades that employ Agriculture in the Classroom (AITC) methods and materials. A quasi-experimental nonequivalent control group design, using a pretest and a posttest, was utilized to study. A Solomon Four-Group design analysis was used to determine if pretest sensitization, or test reactivity effect, existed in this study. The study found that AITC treatment and control group students possessed some agricultural knowledge regarding the five thematic areas of the Food and Fiber Systems Literacy (FSSL) Framework. The kindergarten through first grade post mean scores by treatment and theme indicated the treatment group answered 77.89 percent of the questions correctly and the control group answered 72.55 percent correctly. The treatment and control groups were most knowledgeable about Theme 5 (Food, Nutrition and Health) followed by Theme 4 (Business and Economics), with the treatment group being more knowledgeable about Theme 1 (Understanding Food and Fiber Systems), while the control group was more knowledgeable about Theme 3 (Science, Technology and Environment). The treatment and control groups were least knowledgeable about Theme 2 (History, Geography and Culture). The second through third grade post mean scores by treatment and theme indicated the treatment group answered 75.05 percent of the questions correctly and the control group answered 74.07 percent correctly. The treatment group was most knowledgeable about Theme 3 (Science, Technology and Environment) followed by Theme 1 (Understanding Food and Fiber Systems) and Theme 5 (Food, Nutrition and Health). The control group was most knowledgeable about Theme 1 (Understanding Food and Fiber Systems) followed by Theme 3 (Science, Technology and Environment) and Theme 4 (Business and Economics). The treatment and control groups were least knowledgeable about Theme 2 (History, Geography and Culture). The fourth through fifth grade post mean scores by treatment and theme indicated the treatment group answered 66.73 percent of the questions correctly and the control group answered 52.91 percent correctly. The treatment group was most knowledgeable about Theme 2 (History, Geography and Culture) followed by Theme 3 (Science, Technology and Environment) and Theme 5 (Food, Nutrition and Health). The control groups were most knowledgeable about Theme 3 (Science, Technology and Environment) followed by Theme 1 (Understanding Food and Fiber Systems) and Theme 4 (Business and Economics). The treatment was least knowledgeable about Theme 4 (Business and Economics) and Theme 5 (Food, Nutrition and Health). The control group was least knowledgeable about Theme 2 (History, Geography and Culture) followed by Theme 5 (Food, Nutrition and Health).
Download or read book Dig Into Learning written by Erica Brown Edwards and published by . This book was released on 2016 with total page 444 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This study is a mixed-methods program evaluation of an agricultural literacy innovation in a local school district in rural eastern North Carolina. This evaluation describes the use of a theory-based framework, the Concerns-Based Adoption Model (CBAM), in accordance with Stufflebeam’s Context, Input, Process, Product (CIPP) model by evaluating the implementation and use of Dig into learning: An agricultural literacy innovation. This study evaluated teacher perceptions and use of agriculture as a context for teaching and learning in Grades K-5 by utilizing Stages of Concern (SoC) and Levels of Use (LoU) components of CBAM in relation to the CIPP model for program evaluations. -- The following research questions were the basis for this study: (1) What needs for professional learning are expressed by elementary teachers with regard to agricultural literacy curriculum integration; (2) How is professional learning developed and implemented based on elementary teachers’ expressed needs with regard to agricultural literacy curriculum integration; (3) What are elementary teacher perceptions of the impact of professional learning of agricultural literacy curriculum integration; and (4) What are elementary teacher perceptions of the impact of initial implementation of agricultural literacy curriculum integration? -- The findings of this study are significant because they align with previous research on agricultural literacy and evaluation methods of both CBAM and the CIPP model. This study provided the framework in which change facilitators can support teacher participants and encourage them to utilize agriculture as a context for teaching and learning to contextualize STEM education.
Download or read book Dissertation Abstracts International written by and published by . This book was released on 1995 with total page 602 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Interactive Agricultural Experiences of 4th Grade Students in the Arid Southwest An Examination of the Impact of Hands On Learning Experiences as a Component of Agriculture in the Classroom Curriculum written by and published by . This book was released on 2005 with total page 492 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: There exists a general belief among K-16 educators as well as scientists that people must be scientifically and agriculturally literate in order to make wise and informed economic and political decisions about the use of renewable resources (Cardwell, 1994). Each State approaches Agriculture in the Classroom from the basis of its own needs and resources and is responsible for organization, funding, public outreach, materials development and teacher training (Traxler, 1990). The introduction of score-based funding as well as statewide implementation of standardized testing coupled with the ever-increasing importance of agricultural knowledge of the general population in areas with resource management issues has made the issue of agricultural education in arid regions very important. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of various types of Agriculture in the Classroom curriculums and instruction on the agricultural arid lands literacy of 4th grade students. A pre-test/post-test analysis was administered to 21 classrooms in a Public School District in order to compare the agricultural literacy scores of students who participated in an agricultural fieldtrip experience with students who received the same materials in the form of a four-day arid lands curriculum, those who received both the field trip and curriculum, and those who did not receive any form of agricultural education module. The three treatment groups scored significantly higher on the agricultural arid lands literacy test than the control group. It was also discovered that there was no statistically significant difference between the results of three levels of treatment. However, all three treatments were statistically higher than the control group.
Download or read book Cultivating Agricultural Literacy written by and published by . This book was released on 1985 with total page 170 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Improving Agriculture Literacy in Washoe County Elementary Students Using Undergraduate Student Interns written by Chiara Christine Velotta and published by . This book was released on 2012 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Agriculture plays a vital role throughout this nation, affecting each member of every community. However, there is an increasing gap in the public's knowledge about agriculture. At the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) an agriculture literacy internship was developed and offered to undergraduates across disciplines to incorporate service learning as part of their education, as well as to enhance elementary students' understanding of agriculture. Using lessons selected from Agriculture in the Classroom's Food, Land and People curriculum, undergraduates developed innovative activities that integrated agriculture with elementary core curricula. Undergraduates presented these lessons in elementary classrooms at four weekly sessions for one hour each. One thousand and eleven elementary students from 65 Washoe County elementary classes grades 1 through 6 participated in the program. Twenty-seven undergraduates visited these classes during spring, summer and fall 2011 and January 2012. Elementary student knowledge gains were assessed using pre- and post-test data collected before and following lessons. Paired t-tests showed significant gains for all grade groups. Regression analyses showed substantial post-test gains that were comparable across grades, teachers, schools and teaching delivery among intern pairs. Results suggest that undergraduate student interns can be used to improve agriculture literacy in elementary students.
Download or read book Understanding Agriculture written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 1988-02-01 with total page 84 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book responds to the widespread recognition among experts that our educational system needs to change in order to provide the skills and knowledge necessary to ensure the future vitality of U.S. agriculture. Understanding Agriculture focuses on agricultural literacy (education about agriculture) and vocational agricultural education (education in agriculture). The section on agricultural literacy addresses the teaching of science through agriculture, teacher education and training, model educational programs, community support, and agricultural career exploration programs. Vocational agricultural education is examined in terms of program enrollment, availability and content, supervised occupational experiences, the Future Farmers of America program, and teacher education and supply.
Download or read book Starting a Learning Progression for Agricultural Literacy written by Alexander Jay Hess and published by . This book was released on 2010 with total page 184 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Science and agriculture professional organizations have argued for agricultural literacy as a goal for k-12 public education. Due to the complexity of our modern agri-food system, with social, economic, and environmental concerns embedded, an agriculturally literate society is needed for informed decision making, democratic participation, and system reform. While grade-span specific benchmarks for gauging agri-food system literacy have been developed, little attention has been paid to existing ideas individuals hold about the agri-food system, how these existing ideas relate to benchmarks, how experience shapes such ideas, or how ideas change overtime. Developing a body of knowledge on students' agri-food system understandings as they develop across k-12 grades can ground efforts seeking to promote a learning progression toward agricultural literacy. This study compares existing perceptions held by 18 upper elementary students from a large urban center in California to agri-food system literacy benchmarks and examines the perceptions against student background and experiences. Data were collected via semi-structured interviews and analyzed using the constant comparative method. Constructivist theoretical perspectives framed the study. No student had ever grown their own food, raised a plant, or cared for an animal. Participation in school fieldtrips to farms or visits to a relative's garden were agricultural experiences most frequently mentioned. Students were able to identify common food items, but could not elaborate on their origins, especially those that were highly processed. Students' understanding of post-production activities (I.E. food processing, manufacturing, or food marketing) was not apparent. Students' understanding of farms reflected a 1900's subsistence farming operation commonly found in a literature written for the primary grades. Students were unaware that plants and animals were selected for production based on desired genetic traits. Obtaining food from areas with favorable growing conditions and supporting technology (such as transportation and refrigeration) was an understanding lacking in the group. Furthermore, most spoilage prevention technologies employed today were not an expressed part of student's schema. Students' backgrounds and experiences did not appear to support the development of a robust agri-food system schema. An agricultural science and technology schema appears poorly developed in each of the students. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest llc. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.].
Download or read book A Comparison of Direct Instruction and Experiential Learning Techniques to Assess Agricultural Knowledge and Agricultural Literacy Gains in Private School Students written by Timothy Bradford (Jr.) and published by . This book was released on 2016 with total page 156 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The United States has shifted from a once agrarian, to a predominantly urban society (Riedel, 2006). Currently, less than 2% of the U.S. population live on farms. Coupled with urbanization, this has contributed to the decline of an agriculturally literate population (EPA, 2013; Kovar & Ball, 2013). One strategy to alter the public’s perception of agriculture and increase agricultural literacy is implementing an educational environment that promotes agricultural activities via experience (Blair, 2009). Experiential learning has been championed by prominent educational theorists John Dewey and David Kolb. Experiential learning is conceptualized as a process where relevant experiences are the foundation of learning and which allow for deeper connections between the learner and the subject. This study was a mixed methods design conducted at three private schools in Northeast Mississippi during the Spring of 2015. Tenth grade biology students were taught six (6) lessons contextualized in agriculture, with one group serving as a control group (no teaching), one group receiving direct instruction, and one group being provided with relevant experiences to agricultural topics. Results showed that distribution of post-test knowledge scores changed drastically by intervention groups. There were significant differences in post-test scores based on students’ involvement with experiential learning (p
Download or read book Agricultural Literacy Assessment Among Secondary School Students written by Seburn L. Pense and published by . This book was released on 2002 with total page 386 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Resources in Education written by and published by . This book was released on 1998 with total page 336 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Current Index to Journals in Education written by and published by . This book was released on 1984 with total page 1060 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists written by and published by . This book was released on 1986-04 with total page 56 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists is the premier public resource on scientific and technological developments that impact global security. Founded by Manhattan Project Scientists, the Bulletin's iconic "Doomsday Clock" stimulates solutions for a safer world.
Download or read book Comprehensive Dissertation Index written by and published by . This book was released on 1984 with total page 812 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Vols. for 1973- include the following subject areas: Biological sciences, Agriculture, Chemistry, Environmental sciences, Health sciences, Engineering, Mathematics and statistics, Earth sciences, Physics, Education, Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology, History, Law & political science, Business & economics, Geography & regional planning, Language & literature, Fine arts, Library & information science, Mass communications, Music, Philosophy and Religion.
Download or read book Transforming Agricultural Education for a Changing World written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2009-11-16 with total page 221 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: During the next ten years, colleges of agriculture will be challenged to transform their role in higher education and their relationship to the evolving global food and agricultural enterprise. If successful, agriculture colleges will emerge as an important venue for scholars and stakeholders to address some of the most complex and urgent problems facing society. Such a transformation could reestablish and sustain the historical position of the college of agriculture as a cornerstone institution in academe, but for that to occur, a rapid and concerted effort by our higher education system is needed to shape their academic focus around the reality of issues that define the world's systems of food and agriculture and to refashion the way in which they foster knowledge of those complex systems in their students. Although there is no single approach to transforming agricultural education, a commitment to change is imperative.
Download or read book Comprehensive Dissertation Index Education D H written by and published by . This book was released on 1984 with total page 814 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Resources in Education written by and published by . This book was released on 1996 with total page 1072 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
