Teaching efficacy beliefs of agricultural science student teachers, and their relationship with their cooperating teachers during field experiences, are variables that may affect the number of student teachers entering the profession. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects implementing structured communication between student teachers and cooperating teachers on student teachers' selfperceived teaching efficacy, and the relationship between the student teacher and cooperating teacher. This study employed a quasi-experimental design with a non-random sample in a multiple time-series design. The average respondent in this study was a 23 year old white undergraduate female placed at a multiple placement cooperating center. Based on data from this study, it was concluded that structured communication did not affect teaching efficacy or the relationship between the student teacher and cooperating teacher.

How learning occurs has been a question pondered by the masses since formal education began thousands of years ago. Understanding the process has included many paradigm shifts in thought and practice. A thorough look at one major paradigm shift occurred in the past century, which has led to a plethora of ideas when identifying best practices to encourage learning. A look into this transformation will exact a better understanding of learning and how it best arises, leading to designing instruction that greater impacts the learner.

International programs (IP) continue to grow in importance. There is an increased demand from employers and communities for globally competent individuals, yet only 2.3% of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences (Bumpers College) students studied abroad in an agriculture-related program during the 2014 and 2015 academic year. This study used descriptive survey methods with University of Arkansas undergraduate students enrolled in Fall 2017 Bumpers College courses (n = 1,758) to determine their perceptions of international experiences. These perceptions included identifying the most influential barriers and benefits to participation. The majority of students were interested in short-term faculty-led programs (n = 1,190, 72.1%), followed by international internships (n = 760, 46%). Students wanted to participate in an IP during summer I (n = 1,138, 69%), followed by summer II (n = 839, 50.8%). Based on a 5-point Likert-type scale, students reported "cost is too high" (M = 3.83, SD = 1.10) and being "too busy with school" (M = 3.27, SD = 1.18) as the most influential barriers to participating in an IP. Using the same Likert-type scale, students reported an IP being a "lifechanging opportunity" (M = 4.49, SD = 1.75) and "sets me apart when applying for grad school/jobs" (M = 4.27, SD = 1.90) as the most influential benefits. The fact that 5.5% of the students surveyed had participated in an IP confirms that the Bumpers College requires more immersion in order to meet the University of Arkansas goal for 25% international participation by 2020.

The importance of valid and reliable data and its collection is fundamental to empirical research; however, there remain inconsistent approaches to creating robust scales capable of capturing both valid and reliable data, particularly within international agricultural and extension education contexts. Robust scale development consists of five areas for validation: content, response process, internal structure, external structure, and consequential. The purpose of this guide was to provide methodological recommendations to improve scale development rigor and adoption and to provide a set of functional principles to aid researchers and practitioners interested in capturing data through developed, or adapted, scales. Additionally, the information summarized provide a benchmark upon which to evaluate the rigor and validity of reported scale results. A consistent framework should provide a common lexicon upon which to examine scales and associated results. Proper scale development and validation will help ensure research findings accurately describe intended underlying concepts, particularly within an international agricultural and extension education context. Keywords: scale development, validity, quantitative analysis

The purpose of this study was to determine if relationships exist between teaching efficacy and personality type of student teachers. The population of interest was all agricultural science student teachers at Texas A&M University. The sampling frame included all student teachers during the spring and fall semesters of 2005 (n= 72). Teaching efficacy was measured using the long form of the Teachers' Sense of Efficacy Scale, and the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® (MBTI®) Form M was used to assess personality type. The typical student teacher was a 22 year old white female who had enrolled in agricultural science courses in high school and who was currently completing an undergraduate degree. Student teachers exhibited "Quite a Bit" of teaching efficacy throughout the student teaching semester. Student teachers were more extroverted (E), sensing (S), feeling (F), and judging (J). The two most commonly observed personality types were ESFJ and ENFP. Personality type of student teachers is negligibly related to teaching efficacy. Efficacy in instructional strategies is negatively related with sensing (S) and efficacy in classroom management is positively related to judging (J).