The purpose of this study was to identify competencies perceived as needed by secondary level agricultural teachers in Pennsylvania to help them become more effective while working with disabled students. The authors used a random sample (153) of 60% of the secondary agricultural teachers from a 1999-2000 state directory for this descriptive study. The instrument used was divided into five competency areas: personal characteristics, professional role and development, instructional role, knowledge statements, and student leadership and organization. Subjects rated their perceived present and desired levels of competency by responding to a five-point Likert-type scale on 17 items. Frequencies and distributions were used to describe demographic variables. A paired t-test was used to analyze each competency area. The five currently held competency levels rated lowest were 1) completing individual vocational education plans, 2) being familiar with laws that apply to special needs students, 3) completing individual education plans, 4) assisting the student in viewing his/her assets or limitations realistically, and 5) utilizing a variety of teaching methods and techniques to provide instruction for disabled students. All teachers rated their desired competency levels higher than their current competency levels. The authors recommend that inservice programs be planned so that teachers may increase their knowledge base while working with disabled students.
This study analyzed Texas secondary agricultural education teachers’ (n = 232) attitudes toward diversity inclusion in Texas secondary agricultural education programs. Using a web–based questionnaire, the researcher employed a nonproportional stratified random sampling technique. Researchers used descriptive statistics to report demographic and personal characteristics and mean scores to assess teachers’ perceptions of the benefits of diversity inclusion, and perceptions of the barriers of diversity inclusion. Teachers agreed that: “educators, parents, and policymakers must develop strategies to address the different learning styles of all students;” “teachers should become familiar with students of color represented in their classrooms;” and “agricultural educators should increase recruitment efforts to promote diversity inclusion in secondary agricultural education programs.”
This paper advances the notion that global leadership is a necessary component of undergraduate agricultural leadership. Within an existing leadership curriculum, the development of at least three new courses with innovative approaches to such a globalized curriculum is justified and outlined. These three classes include a course designed to increase awareness of global leadership issues, a cultural assimilation course designed to prepare students for an international experience, and a capstone seminar course. The program will require students to take the three classes being developed in addition to at least three other classes with an
The National FFA Organization continues to be a leader in the positive development of youth. Programs sponsored by the FFA provide youth with opportunities to develop their capacity for leadership and citizenship. The Washington Leadership Conference (WLC) is a weeklong conference during the summer that culminates the FFA experience. The WLC's objectives range from defining authentic leadership and relationship building to evaluating ethical decisions and serving communities. Over a 3-year period (2003, 2004, and 2005) the WLC showed consistent results in creating a positive change in the leadership development of its attendees. The greatest area of change was in the WLC's ability to impart new knowledge in its participants, demonstrated by ease of recall for specific facts. However, once participants returned home there was a slight decrease in their ability to carry out behaviors related to the leadership competencies taught at WLC. Overall, results were favorable as to the accomplishment of the WLC's programmatic objectives. Continual support from chapter advisors and online resources would ideally increase the behavioral aspects of students becoming more civically engaged in their home communities and carrying out positive leadership behaviors.
This article is a reflection on eight, then seven, now five women’s collaborative efforts to explore the development of our own leader identities. While each of us conducts research on women and leadership, we are a diverse group of women: we were born in three different countries (United States, Paraguay, and New Zealand) and currently live in three different countries (United States, Canada, and New Zealand). We are of diverse races, sexual orientations, and generations; we have leadership experiences in a variety of disciplines and industries; and we vary in the priority we place on this study. In this paper, we review our experiences conducting research during the first three plus years of our collaborative autoethnographic study and share what we learned from those experiences. We address previously published considerations for developing collaborative autoethnographies including: the number of participants involved; the extent of involvement of the participants and the level of collaboration during the study; the collaborative approaches used in the study; and the approaches to writing. We add a reflection on our leadership practices throughout the study and on the confidentiality challenges that emerged. We also discuss how our division of the study into multiple life stages and multiple projects within the life stages has influenced our experiences and how the challenges resulting from the long duration of our study have influenced our productivity and are expected to influence our future plans. Our lessons learned should prove useful as other autoethnographic research groups begin their own research processes.
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