Current reward structures in security vulnerability disclosure may be skewed toward benefitting nefarious usage of vulnerability information rather than responsible disclosure. Recently suggested market-based mechanisms offer incentives to responsible security researchers for discovering and reporting vulnerabilities. However, concerns exist that any benefits gained through increased incentives for responsible discovery may be lost through information leakage. Using perspectives drawn from the diffusion of innovations literature, we examine the effectiveness of market-based vulnerability disclosure mechanisms. Empirical examination of two years of security alert data finds that market-based disclosure restricts the diffusion of vulnerability exploitations, reduces the risk of exploitation, and decreases the volume of exploitation attempts.

Agriculture is the nation’s largest employer with more than 24 million people working in some phase of the agricultural industry; however, the knowledge and skills needed in today’s agricultural industry are lacking. Assuring future generations are agriculturally literate and taught the significance of agriculture is crucial. Systematic delivery of the secondary agricultural education program has the potential to highlight mathematics and science through classroom and laboratory instruction, provide hands-on work experiences, and develop life skills that will help students discover their career paths. Through Career Development Events (CDEs), agricultural education programs have the potential to prepare students for more than 300 careers in the science, business, and technology of agriculture. However, school-based, agricultural education teachers and students may not understand fully the technical and nontechnical skills learned through CDEs. A Delphi approach was used in this study to identify benefits of CDEs, as perceived by school-based, agricultural education teachers in Oklahoma. Findings revealed teachers perceived CDEs supported the mission of career and technical education through students’ attainment of valuable career and life skills that are beneficial for employment in the agricultural industry; less agreement, however, existed about CDEs leading students to make career choices.

Abstract

Education, called on secondary agricultural education to shift its scope and purpose, including students' supervised agricultural experiences (SAEs). The NRC asserted that this shift should create opportunities for students to acquire supervised experience in land laboratories, agricultural mechanics laboratories, greenhouses, nurseries, and other facilities provided by schools. For example, the agricultural industry offers 52,000 job opportunities annually, including sales and marketing, specialty veterinary medicine, food safety/biosecurity, forest ecosystem management, precision agriculture, biomaterials engineering, landscape horticulture, plant and animal genetics, specialty crops production and nutrition services (Goecker, Gilmore, Smith, & Smith, 2005). Students' SAEs should reflect such aspects of the industry. Using a modified Delphi technique, this study identified the perceptions of agricultural industry experts on the role of SAE in facilitating students learning technical skills needed for entry-level employment. The experts expected that students would learn more entry-level technical skills associated with the career pathways of Animal Science and Agricultural Communications (44 of 60) than the other five pathways combined as a result of their participation in SAEs. This paper explores rationale regarding why it is important to address this "imbalance" and makes recommendations about that.

The educational landscape in America is changing every day. The need for effective teachers, especially those in agricultural education, remains a high priority. This national study sought to identify the human capital (i.e., education, training, skills, and experiences) necessary for effective school-based agricultural education teachers. The modified Delphi approach consisting of award- winning agricultural education teachers, state staff, and National FFA Board of Directors in the 2017 calendar year was used to collect data. Three rounds of data collection resulted in 58 characteristics, across eight different categories, reaching consensus of agreement. Panelists agreed unanimously on 28 items. The top-rated item was, “understands student needs.” The eight categories emerging from the data included: Instruction, FFA, SAE, Program Planning, Balance, Diversity and Inclusion, Professionalism, and Personal Dispositions. Personal Dispositions (n = 14) and Instruction (n = 14) were the two themes generating the greatest numbers of items. SAE (n = 1) was the category with the least amount of items generated. The results of this study serve as a call to action for a balanced program and personal life, refrain from working extra hours, and limiting one’s involvement in the community as a leader.