A 20-Year Comparison of Teachers’ Agricultural Mechanics Laboratory Management Competency

Abstract

Agricultural mechanics laboratory management skills are essential for school-based agriculture teachers who instruct students in an agricultural mechanics laboratory (Bear & Hoerner, 1986). McKim and Saucier (2011) suggested the frequency and severity of accidents that occur in these laboratories can be reduced when these facilities are managed by educators who are competent and knowledgeable in the area of laboratory safety and facility management. This study investigated changes in Missouri agriculture teachers' perceived agricultural mechanics laboratory management competency from 1989 to 2008, percent changes between 1989 and 2008 and effect size were used to describe changes in importance and ability of the selected competencies. Results indicated that teachers in 2008 had more teaching experience than their predecessors, less university semester credit hours of agricultural mechanics instruction, taught courses with greater student enrollment in laboratories that had less working space per student. Further, teachers' perceptions of the importance of agricultural mechanics laboratory management competencies had a negligible change. However, the changes in teachers' perceived ability to perform development, writing, and planning competencies were notable.

Examining the Blogging Habits of Agricultural Leadership Students: Understanding Motivation, Use, and Self-efficacy

“…Teachers and trainers' levels of self-efficacy have been examined by numerous agricultural education researchers (Bunch, Robinson, & Edwards, 2012;McKim & Saucier, 2013;Stripling & Roberts, 2013;Strong & Harder, 2011). Students' self-efficacy of technology tools has been previously studied.…”

Teacher-perceived Adequacy of Tools and Equipment Available to Teach Agricultural Mechanics

“…It is further recommended that secondary agricultural education teachers work to ensure that agricultural mechanics facilities are adequately stocked with tools appropriate for both curricular and industry demands. Do agricultural education teachers seek out industry donations for equipment and consumables to stretch their already diminished budget (McKim & Saucier, 2013)? Are the teachers asking for educational discounts for the tools and equipment that they purchase?…”

“…Specifically, consumable supply budgets in the agricultural mechanics laboratory did not keep up with the rate of inflation over a 20-year period (McKim & Saucier, 2013). Therefore teachers have typically been expected to do more with less.…”

“…When considering laboratory supplies specific to agricultural mechanics instruction, McKim and Saucier (2013) found that acquiring teaching resources has been impeded by budgetary restrictions. Specifically, consumable supply budgets in the agricultural mechanics laboratory did not keep up with the rate of inflation over a 20-year period (McKim & Saucier, 2013).…”

How the Quantity of Agricultural Mechanics Training Received at the Secondary Level Impact Teacher Perceived Importance of Agricultural Mechanics

“…Specifically, Rudolphi and Retallick (2011) found some form of agricultural mechanics content had been taught by nearly 90% of agricultural educators in Iowa. In Missouri, agricultural education teachers dedicated an average of more than 11 hours per week to agricultural mechanics coursework (McKim & Saucier, 2013). With the popularity of agricultural mechanics comes the task of determining skills to teach within those courses.…”