A Content Analysis of Teaching Philosophy Statements of Award Winning Colleges of Agriculture Professors

Abstract

As our economy calls for improved employment skills, educational institutions must provide quality teaching to prepare students for success. Researchers purport that an important factor in determining student learning is the teacher, and that one of the most prominent factors in student achievement is teacher quality. The search for the attributes, dispositions, knowledge, and instructional skills that define effective teachers continues as scholars seek to discover the teacher variables that lead to student achievement. The purpose of the descriptive research was to identify themes present in the teaching philosophy statements of the United States Department of Agriculture Excellence in College and University Teaching in the Food and Agricultural Sciences award recipients. Content analysis technique was utilized in reviewing the provided espoused philosophy statements of award winners from 2000 – 2010. Findings include identification of eleven emergent themes. Future recommendations would include a study to determine if a disconnect exists between the stated teaching philosophy of award winning professors and their actual teaching practice. Further application would be to analyze the classroom practice of award winning professors and the impact had on student learning

Does Prior Experience in Secondary Agricultural Mechanics Affect Pre-service Agricultural Education Teachers' Intentions to Enroll in Post-secondary Agricultural Mechanics Coursework?

“…Agricultural education teachers wield significant influence over students' content acquisition in the comprehensive agricultural education program (Park & Osborne, 2007;Sankey & Foster, 2012). Active agricultural education teachers' current curricula could hold considerable influence over the content areas that future teachers choose to address.…”

“…It is conceivable that students in other states could hold these views as well. Teachers can wield considerable influence on the achievement of students enrolled in agri-cultural education programs (Park & Osborne, 2007;Sankey & Foster, 2012). Perhaps teachers' preparation and experience in agricultural mechanics (or lack thereof) may have hindered the educational potential of the mechanics laboratory.…”

Teaching Philosophy Statements

“…Comparison of themes in teaching philosophy statements may provide an important contribution, noting that some studies already exist in this area. Carraway and Burris’s (2017) study of themes in 15 faculty members’ philosophies and Sankey and Foster’s (2012) content analysis of teaching award-winning agriculture professor’s statements provide a starting point for many potentially important insights into contrasting educational philosophies. Specifically, future research is needed to examine commonalities and differences in the teaching philosophies of educators from diverse disciplines, genders, nationalities, and levels of teaching experience.…”

Recurring Topics in English Language Teachers' Written Teaching Philosophy Statements

“…To date, discussions and research that explore TPs tend to be geared toward candidates searching for academic positions in higher education contexts (Coppola, 2002;Korn, 2012;O'Neal, Meizlish, & Kaplan, 2007). In higher education, a wri en TP is a component of applications for most jobs and, at later stages, for promotions or awards (Sankey & Foster, 2012). Numerous scholars have discussed the importance, benefi ts, and challenges of this particular statement in this specifi c context (e.g., Boye, 2012;Chism, 1997-98;Goodyear & Allchin, 1998;Kearns & Subiño Sullivan, 2011;Korn, 2012;O'Neal, Meizlish, & Kaplan, 2007).…”