Presented by: Adelia Bovell-Benjamin
Tuskegee University
Authored by: Adelia Bovell-Benjamin | Kokoasse Kpomblekou-A | Laura Mena
Tuskegee University | Tuskegee University | Tuskegee University 

A diverse workforce in agriculture will provide more opportunities for economic growth, improved nutritional status, food safety and security. The interest to pursue careers in the food and agriculture workforce continues to decrease. Strengthening the linkage among education, food, agriculture, and related sciences can be used to address the decreasing workforce challenge. This study developed integrated lesson plans in food, nutrition, animal and soil sciences as part of an innovative curriculum for K-12 students; and created an assessment tool to evaluate the newly developed integrated lesson plans. Resources used to develop the lesson plans included subject matter textbooks; electronic databases such as Pub Med, International Library of Medicine and from teachers who developed plans during a Cultivating 21st Century Workforce Diversity in Agricultural and Natural Resources Conservation Workshop. The information obtained from the resources was combined using the 5E Model of Instruction, which has five phases: Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, and Evaluate. An Assessment Tool with 29 questions was developed based on the integration of sciences, relevance, and appropriateness of the lessons, vocabulary used, among other things. The tool consisted of closed and open-ended questions. Sixty-two integrated lesson plans in soil, animal, food, and nutrition sciences for K-12 students were developed. Topics in the lesson plans included the food chain, digestive system, micro and macro-nutrients, food systems, general soil, nutritional label, food quality and safety. The lesson plans were sustained with audiovisual resources and a complementary set of Power-point Presentations. The integrated lesson plans could raise awareness and enhance food, agriculture, and natural resources workforce diversity. The assessment tool can be used to evaluate the appropriateness of the integrated lesson plans developed when adapting the lessons for different target groups. Further review, evaluation and implementation of the lesson plans using the assessment tool created are needed to determine their effectiveness.

Presented by: Adelia Bovell-Benjamin
Tuskegee University
Authored by: Adelia Bovell-Benjamin | Norma Dawkins | Grace Namwamba
Tuskegee University | Tuskegee University | University of Maryland, Eastern Shore 

In the United States, entities such as government bodies, research institutions, and companies involved in food and agriculture face a critical challenge to attract, recruit and maintain the next generation workforce. To help address this shortage, the Departments of Food and Nutrition Sciences, Tuskegee University and Human Ecology, University of Eastern Shore, Maryland designed and implemented a customized Internship program to equip students with applicable skills and competencies for careers in the food and agriculture workforce. The eight-week long virtual Internship was held over two consecutive summers. Interns were assigned mentors from the food and agriculture industry, academia, government, and non-governmental organizations. Interns and mentors met for a minimum of two hours weekly, while three hours weekly were devoted to supervised classroom activities. Activities covered four major areas: Orientation; Simulated World Assignments: Job Readiness (Capacity Building, Linking Skills with Industry Application, Mental/Cognitive Wellness, Professionalism); Higher Order Skills included case studies, team building, virtual and face-to-face networking; Assignments (weekly reflection exercises, videos, and research projects); Mentorship; Netiquette; Evaluation with Intern performance and exit surveys and mentors' evaluation reports. Thirty Interns from both Universities were trained. Of the Interns, 36.7, 33.0, and 23.3% rated the adequacy of training and support from their mentors as excellent, good, and average, respectively. For adequacy of training, 30.0, 16.7, and 30.0% of Interns rated it as excellent, good and average, while 36.7% of the Interns rated variety of learning as excellent. The customized Internship program with its accompanying Handbook is a promising approach to help minimize the challenge to maintain a sustainable, reliable, and competitive next generation food and agriculture workforce. The customized Internship program for underrepresented students with its accompanying Handbook can be easily adapted by other institutions. Additionally, our Handbook provides a listing of expertise useful for training underrepresented students for job readiness.

Presented by: Allison Chambers
Kansas State University
Authored by: Allison Chambers | Gaea Hock | Nellie Hill
Kansas State University | Kansas State University | Kansas State University 

Background and Purpose
As Gen Z increasingly realizes their purchasing potential and voting power, the need to engage this young generation with agriculture increases as well.

Method
This research sought to identify the perceived importance and opinion toward American Farm Bureau’s (AFB) 15 agricultural advocacy topics according to KSU College of Agriculture students. Results (N= 86) were analyzed by examining the mean score to determine the final ranking. The lower the mean, the more important the topic.

Results/Findings
Students ranked the top five issues as: food security (M= 3.24; SD= 4.34) food supply chain (M= 4.34; SD= 3.07), farm workforce (M= 4.97; SD= 3.29), farm policy (M= 6.85; SD= 3.26), and energy (M= 6.95; SD= 3.94). The least important topics were gene-editing (M= 9.93; SD= 3.37), rural broadband (M= 9.98; SD= 3.95), federal land use (M= 10.13; SD= 2.93), trade (M= 10.37; SD= 4.50), and tax reform (M= 10.83; SD= 4.17). AFB has existing programs on the national level to address several of the top topics including trade issues, farm policy, and energy. AFB also includes other topics like food safety and security but aren't highlighted as top issues. In comparison to what the students recorded, AFB resources do not align to the ranking of advocacy areas.

Conclusion
Future research recommendations include replication with a larger college student population and inquiring about the perceived efficacy of AFB’s current educational programs.

Presented by: Alyssa Rose Degreenia
North Carolina State University
Authored by: Alyssa Rose Degreenia
North Carolina State University 

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to determine the impact of a leadership course on students in the Agricultural Institute, an Associates of Applied Science program. There has been a significant need for managers in the agricultural industry and research, as well as key stakeholders indicating students need more leadership training. Seemiller (2013) developed a list of eight clusters with 60 subcategories of leadership competencies based on analysis of various academic programs and accrediting agencies. This course was developed to cover 29 of those competencies. Students (n=24) in both Fall 2021 and Fall 2022 sections were asked to complete a survey at the end of the semester. Each competency focused on the domains of significance, motivation, and efficacy of the competency. Students were asked to rank their self-perception of competency growth as well as answer open-ended questions as a result of participating in the course. Results indicated that students saw competency growth across all three domains. Reflection and Application, Self-Understanding, and Helping Others increased the most with Diversity and Conflict Management increasing the least. Themes from the open-ended questions indicated that podcasts and leadership books helped to enhance their learning, the agricultural industry needs strong leaders, there is more to being a leader than originally thought, students were more aware of their interactions with others, and continuing to learn about leadership is important. 

Presented by: Annie Kinwa-Muzinga
Morningside University
Authored by: Annie Kinwa-Muzinga | Ngamboko P. Muzinga | Thomas H. Paulsen
Morningside University | Morningside University 

It has been documented that learning occurs best when students are put in proper learning conditions. Learning conditions refers to circumstances that support or hinder student's ability to learn. How students experience classroom-learning conditions significantly affects their achievement. However, recent empirical evidence suggests that in addition to learning conditions, activities based on students' learning styles are also important factors. This presentation shares how we assessed learning students' learning styles during two semesters in an Agricultural Economics course using pre- and posttest questions related to primary course outcomes. Students' learning preferences were identified using the Visual, Aural, Read, and Kinesthetic (VARK) learning styles questionnaire, which helps students to learn by suggesting teaching strategies. The pre- and posttest questionnaire included correct, incorrect, and no idea response options. Once completed, the instructor adjusted class activities to align with the students' learning preferences. This research investigated if learning occurred throughout the semesters by hypothesizing that at the posttesting, the number of correct answers would increase and the incorrect and no idea responses would decrease. The F-statistic was used to ascertain if the overall means between pre- and posttesting were significantly different. Results showed that pre- and posttesting responses were not equal; therefore, we rejected the hypothesis that learning did not occur. What deserves special attention is that the average percentage of no idea responses significantly decreased from the pre-test to the posttest for all learning styles. These findings imply that the implemented activities based on students' learning styles were very effective in improving their learning during the two semesters of this study. Consequently, we recommend further development of classroom activities that align with students' learning styles.

Presented by: Annie Kinwa-Muzinga
Morningside University
Authored by: Annie Kinwa-Muzinga | Ngamboko P. Muzinga | Payton Redinius
Morningside University 

Teaching basic research skills is an important component in an honor program learning outcomes at our institution. It is in this program that students find unique opportunities for intellectual challenge, civic engagement and communication of their curriculum acumen. They are challenged to utilize critical thinking to analyze various business problems in a faculty-supervised research project. The present research done by an honor student is about consumers' response to ethical violations and the new standard for corporate social responsibilty (CSR). In fact, corporations are obligated to act morally or in ways that benefit society. CSR has become increasingly very important for organizations across the world that when companies fail to meet their consumers' expectations, they might face consequences that could potentially impact both their brand or image and their financial stability. This study investigates (1) how consumers' perceive the importance of CSR, (2) the frequency at which consumers consider CSR when they make purchases and also (3) consumers' views related to ethical violations. Survey responses are used to measure these perceptions and are compared between genders, ages, and among themselves to test for trends, relationships, and statistical differences. This testing also identifies trends in perception of transgressional categories and how consumers perceive violations within the same category. The results of F-statistic indicated that there were both statistically significant and observable trends between ethical violations, age groups, genders and transgressional categories. The understanding and research of these perceptions allows businesses to better understand risk, expectations, and social responsibility expectations based on the composition of their consumer base.

Presented by: Bob Williams
Texas A&M University-Commerce
Authored by: Robert L. "Bob" Williams | Clanci Richardson | Doug LaVergne
Texas A&M University-Commerce | Texas A&M University-Commerce | Texas A&M University-Commerce 

Texas A&M University-Commerce was awarded a planning grant under the USDA Capacity Building Grant for Non-Land-Grant Colleges of Agriculture to identify opportunities for professional development and student engagement in school-based agricultural education (SBAE) for the urban setting. The setting for this initiative included 100 secondary SBAE programs with 262 teachers serving approximately 30,000 students. A questionnaire was sent via email to 184 teachers with 33 usable responses for an 18% response rate. The questionnaire assessed SBAE teacher interest in specific types and topics of professional development, interest in hosting student teachers, and willingness to collaborate in future large-scale, comprehensive initiatives (LCI). Strong to very strong interest was identified for school/community gardening, rooftop/patio gardening, hydroponics, small-scale poultry, beekeeping, understanding urban neighbors and neighborhoods, and working with diverse learners. Twenty teachers (60%) indicated an interest in further collaboration on and LCI and fifteen (45%) indicated an interest in hosting student teachers. Results of this questionnaire led to accepted proposals for two summer professional development workshops. Three of the urban high schools collaborated with A&M-Commerce faculty to submit a grant proposal for a LCI focusing on local food production through community gardens, hydroponics, and aquaculture including a train the trainer professional development component and the formation of a regional alliance for urban agricultural education. We plan to work with non-profit organizations, urban farmers, and cooperative extension to provide more professional development workshops and submit grant proposal to support other projects in urban agricultural education.

Presented by: Laura Greenhaw & J Clay Hurdle
University of Florida
Authored by: Laura Greenhaw | Matthew Gold | J. Clay Hurdle
University of Florida | University of Florida | University of Florida 

Film has often been used in agricultural leadership education classrooms for learners to experience team leadership processes in a shorter time frame. The implementation of vicarious learning has opened opportunities to better understand this pedagogical practice. The purpose of this study was to determine learners' satisfaction with an assignment analyzing leadership in film. Learners in two sections of a course on communication and leadership in groups and teams engaged in consensus-building to identify three films that illustrated team development. Individual learners then selected one of those films to watch and analyze the fictitious team's development according to Tuckman and Jensen's model of the stages of group development. As a component of their assignment, learners completed a seven-item instrument assessing their satisfaction with the learning activity and associated assignment. Each item was measured on a five-point scale where "1" indicated strongly disagree and "5" indicated strongly agree. The instrument was modified from the Student Satisfaction and Self-confidence in Learning questionnaire. Twenty-nine learners consented to participate in the study and completed the assignment questions. Results indicate that learners were motivated by the assignment (m = 4.14) and that analyzing leadership in a film was amenable to the way they learn (m = 4.14). Interestingly, learners disagreed that they would have preferred a different assignment (m = 2.38), however, results were mixed regarding learners' desire for freedom to choose the film they analyzed (m = 3.41). Previous research has indicated differing results regarding learners' preference of freedom of choice. Overall, our learners enjoyed the vicarious learning assignment (m = 4.41) and perceived it to be effective (m = 4.52). We recommend instructors consider integrating film to teach concepts when appropriate films exist, and time allows. Additionally, we recommend further research to determine if learners move beyond identifying concepts in film to modeling behaviors.

Presented by: Mackenzie Lightfoot
New Mexico State University
Authored by: Mackenzie Lightfoot
New Mexico State University 

Technology is everchanging, which can make identifying tools to incorporate into agricultural education and communication courses challenging. Similarly, amplified by COVID-19, innovative digital learning tools have emerged at an overwhelming speed. However, because agricultural education programs are designed to prepare students for future careers using practical, hands-on learning experiences, identifying strategies to incorporate digital learning into assignments is valuable to preparing students for future careers involving technology. The purpose of this innovative approach was to engage Bulb(^TM) technology to assist teachers and students in keeping online records and personal portfolios in a central location. Bulb can be accessed anywhere with an internet connection and can be applied to agricultural education programs in many ways. First, Bulb can aid students when recording key details of their Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) programs. Most SAE programs help students through relevant experiential learning experiences; however, it is difficult to market those experiences from record books in the Agricultural Education Tracker to future employers. Templates in Bulb can be used to record experiences and showcase them in an attractive, online format designed to inform future employers, stakeholders, or other students about each project. Second, it allows students to create personal, online portfolios to use in job interviews or internships. Third, Bulb helps agricultural educators organize alumni groups and events in the chapter. Since it can be accessed by anyone with an account, it can be an innovative and stress-free way to organize announcements and volunteers. Bulb has three pricing structures, but it also offers a limited free plan. Students and educators who have used this platform said they appreciate that they can submit audio recordings and videos instead of text submissions, and teachers admire that they customize assignments to meet the needs of their individual classrooms. We recommend this platform for classroom and project management.

Presented by: Tasia M. Taxis
Michigan State University
Authored by: Jackie Jacobs | Tasia M. Taxis
Michigan State University | Michigan State University 

In most Animal Science graduate programs, students are expected to engage heavily in research but lack opportunities to engage in teaching or educational pedagogy. As these graduates apply for and begin their academic careers, they are unprepared to meet the ever-increasing expectations of scholarly teaching activity. In response to this imbalance, we developed a graduate teaching course that allows students to practice lesson development and delivery, assess learning through class activities, and write their own diversity and teaching statements. A survey was provided to the students prior to the start of the course to gage expectations and obtain a baseline for the students' confidence in and acknowledgement of skills related to instructional pedagogy. A post-survey was distributed, and responses are expected by late February 2023, although data from a previous cohort of graduate students is available for tentative comparison in this abstract. The pre-survey had a response rate of 80%, with students indicating a range of discipline interest including animal behavior and welfare, animal products, nutrition, reproduction and genetics. The majority of respondents (75%) indicated they expected to learn pedagogical methods and teaching philosophies as well as course design and lesson planning. One individual suggested they already possessed the skills to lead and facilitate active learning and to create an inclusive classroom environment. Interestingly, the majority of pre-course respondents (75%) believed that creating and delivering a lesson in a college classroom would be only slightly challenging, while previous post-course data suggests that the majority of students (72.73%) discovered lesson development takes the greatest degree of effort when compared to more passive activities such as interacting with students in the classroom. As post-course survey data collection is completed, pre-course responses will be compared to assess student learning and reflect on growth in skills related to instructional pedagogy.

Presented by: William Norris
New Mexico State University
Authored by: William Norris | Shannon Norris-Parrish
New Mexico State University | New Mexico State University 

Educators can have one of the most profound impacts on students’ lives. The opportunity to motivate students through leadership skills, assist them in developing a passion for the agricultural industry, and guide them to success in their chosen career paths are worthwhile elements of school-based agricultural education for many educators. Students often treat their agricultural educators as mentors, which increases the likeliness of students confiding in them when facing hardships, such as Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). ACEs are traumatic events that occur in childhood between the ages of 0–17. Adults with ACEs are more prone to violent crime, drug use, poverty, and unemployment. The purpose of this study was to evaluate agricultural educator’s personal experiences with ACEs. One objective—to describe educator’s confidence levels when emotionally supporting students struggling with ACEs—guided the study. Using a descriptive, correlational research design, we surveyed 1,075 agricultural educators in four states—Tennessee, Utah, North Dakota, and Illinois—and achieved a 11.91% response rate. We modified the instrument from the official ACEs questionnaire developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) and included 10 items involving “Yes” or “No” responses. For every question participants answered “Yes,” one point was added to their ACE comprehensive score. The instrument assessed traumatic childhood events such as emotional, physical, or sexual abuse, neglect as a child, and a lack of necessities in the home. Nearly half (50.2%) of respondents personally experienced at least one ACE and 10.2% had at least four. Agricultural educators reported the least confidence emotionally supporting students with issues related to physical or sexual abuse and reported the most confidence supporting students struggling with mental health or parental divorce. Based on these results, we recommend increasing programmatic development to better support students and teachers facing emotional trauma and ACEs in agricultural education. 

Presented by: William Norris
New Mexico State University
Authored by: William Norris | Shannon Norris-Parrish
New Mexico State University | New Mexico State University 

The educational profession has become increasingly more legalistic and litigious. The danger of litigation is an imminent threat for agricultural educators due to the potential financial and professional ramifications. In many cases, agricultural educators may be at higher risk for a lawsuit due to the increased liability of agricultural mechanics shops, greenhouses, and on-campus livestock facilities. In most public-school districts, the superintendent often manages all school-related legal action and gauging their perspectives can provide insight into which issues are the most important to agricultural education. The purpose of this study was to assess superintendents' perceptions of the importance and relevance of educational law issues that could potentially impact agricultural educators. One objective guided this study--describe perceptions of superintendents on the importance/relevance of various educational law issues to agricultural educators. Using a 32-item instrument, we used a five-point Likert scale (1 = Not Important at All; 2 = Somewhat Important; 3 = Moderately Important; 4 = Very Important; 5 = Extremely Important) to gauge these perceptions. This list contained viable emails for (N = 1,074) superintendents in eight states. These eight states were chosen due to their close geographic proximity to each other. We used a census approach to collect data and achieved a 14.15% (n = 152) response rate. We used a Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to reduce the original 32 educational law issues into four principal components which were named #1 General Educational Law Issues, #2 Special Education/Student Interaction Issues, #3 Student Safety/Teacher Contract Rights, and #4 Student Behavior/Curricular Modification Issues. The analysis showed that special education law, liabilities of extracurricular activities, and liabilities of not complying with district policy were among the most threatening legal issues. Overall, we concluded that agricultural educators do not have an adequate knowledge of educational law and recommend additional training for agricultural educators.

Presented by: William Norris
New Mexico State University
Authored by: William Norris | Emily Sampson
New Mexico State University | New Mexico State University 

Over the past century, one of the objectives of agricultural education has been to prepare students for the workforce. While employability skills have been deemed important to successful employment, industry leaders, school administrators, and educators agree that students do not possess adequate employability skills to be successful in an entry-level position. To instill employability skills in secondary agricultural education students, it is imperative that agricultural educators possess these employability skills themselves. If there are personal employability skill deficiencies in agricultural educators, these shortcomings could pose a barrier to employability skill acquisition for students. The purpose and objective of this study was to assess the perceptions of agricultural educators on their degree of confidence in which they possess certain employability skills. Utilizing a descriptive correlational design, this study evaluated forty-two individual employability skills in nine overarching employability skill areas utilizing a Likert scale ranging from 1 = “Not Confident at All” to 5 = “Extremely Confident”. A census of the agricultural educators in three geographically close states was used as the frame for the study (N = 399). A response rate of 19.55% (n = 78) was achieved. Of the assessed employability skill areas, agricultural educators had the most confidence in their personal qualities and critical thinking skills. In addition, 75.6% to 93.5% of assessed agricultural educators ranked themselves as “Very Confident” or “Extremely Confident” in their thought processes and personal qualities such as critical thinking, making sound decisions, integrity, professionalism, and problem solving. The three lowest rated employability skill areas were resource management skills, systems thinking skills, and technology skills with only 84.6%-67.9% feeling “Very Confident” or “Extremely Confident” in these areas. Additional training should be provided in the areas of resource management, systems thinking, and educational technology to ensure agricultural educators have adequate confidence in their personal employability skills.

Presented by: Cheryl Wachenheim
North Dakota State University
Authored by: Cheryl Wachenheim | Erik Hanson | Abiodun Idowu
North Dakota State University | North Dakota State University | North Dakota State University 

Focused efforts to increase student engagement have emerged to help mitigate challenges of remote instruction. One such strategy, use of virtual breakout rooms, appears to have improved classroom connectivity although this conclusion is often based on anecdotal evidence. This research offers evidence-based guidance to help instructors design effective breakout rooms. Students from four courses were surveyed about their experiences with breakout rooms and completed a choice experiment where they were asked to consider virtual attendance in a class using breakout rooms. Each choice set offered two breakout room scenarios that differed by length of breakout room, number of participants, number of breakout rooms per class period, and whether the group was accountable for outcome options, as well as a third option of no breakout room. A mixed logit model was estimated. Results show that students found most beneficial to their understanding of course concepts shorter (three to five minutes) breakout rooms and those with approximately four participants. Students preferred fewer breakout rooms during a given class period and breakout room exercises that held students accountable for the outcome. An expanded model shows that there is heterogeneity among student preferences for breakout rooms. We recommend use of shorter and less frequent breakout rooms with an accountability element such as having groups report on the outcome of their discussion or submit their joint work. Group membership of about four is recommended. Finally, we recommend instructors query students about their preferences for this active learning technique. Recommendations and instructor-queries can be particularly valuable when students attend virtually because this does not allow for casual observation about group function.

Presented by: Garry Cradock & Jessica Benson
Mississippi State University
Authored by: Garry Craddock | Jessica C Benson
Mississippi State University | Mississippi State University 

Students ultimately believe groupwork is a beneficial instructional technique if utilized correctly. The purpose of this study was to explore students' preferences when working in groups and provide insight to practitioners on students' wants and needs when it comes to groupwork. Eighteen undergraduate students enrolled in an agriculture and life sciences team leadership course participated in the study. Self-selected grouping was the most preferred method of grouping (n=8) and randomly assigned was the least preferred method of grouping (n=7); whether criterion-based or not students prefer to self-select their group members. Students who selected either self-selection grouping method shared they prefer this method because it allows them to select people that: they already know and trust, they naturally gravitate toward, have similar interests, goals, and work ethic. Complementary personalities characteristics, interest in the groupwork, ability to work in a group, open-mindedness, and balanced strengths and weaknesses (technical and non-technical) among group members are not only the criteria students are using to self-select, but also the criteria they want faculty to consider when assigning groups. Seventeen of the 18 student participants expressed their primary expectation for their peers is for them to pull their weight by actively participating and contributing to the groupwork. Effective communication, time management, and respect are also common expectations for group members. Students approach groupwork differently, depending on their past experiences; this study revealed that most participants prefer a consistent collaborative approach to group work (n=12), five prefer the divide and conquer approach, and one participant reported they prefer for one individual to do the bulk of the work. This approach to group work includes how they choose to meet; students prefer to meet with their group face-to-face(n=15) versus virtually (n=0), three students noted they have no preference granted the group work gets completed.

Presented by: Garry Craddock
Mississippi State University
Authored by: Garry Craddock | Jessica C Benson
Mississippi State University | Mississippi State University 

Groupwork is inevitable, especially in workplaces. Thus, employers seek graduates who work collaboratively and communicate effectively. To meet employers' expectations, groupwork is a popular instructional technique utilized by practitioners to hone these skill sets and prepare students for post-grad life. Previous exposure to, and experiences with, groupwork heavily impact a student's approach to groupwork and their perspective on its overall effectiveness. The purpose of this study was to explore students' perceptions about groupwork. Eighteen undergraduate students enrolled in an agriculture and life sciences team leadership course participated in the study. Participants recall their first experience working in groups beginning as early as elementary school (n=6) and as recently as college (n=6). Students reported that they have experienced groupwork in as few as two (n=1) and as many as 17 (n=1) undergraduate courses. Of 18 participants, eight said they enjoy groupwork, four expressed averse to groupwork, and six participants neither like nor dislike groupwork. Ten participants reported they have only had positive groupwork experiences, two reported solely negative experiences, and six reported both positive and negative experiences. Despite most participants having positive past experiences with groupwork, only three participants voiced enthusiasm toward groupwork requirements in a class; seven said they dread groupwork, and eight note they are not initially excited but embrace it and ultimately enjoy the experience. Quality of group members, a shared workload, the ability to exchange knowledge freely, formation of meaningful relationships, and individuals' ability to relinquish control and depend on others are factors that influence students' perspectives of groupwork. Most participants (n=16) credit groupwork with developing their ability to: work collaboratively, work within diverse groups, and practically apply developed groupwork skills. This study provides insight on students' perspectives of groupwork and why they ultimately believe it is a beneficial instructional technique if utilized correctly.

Presented by: Taylor Hendricks
Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College
Authored by: Taylor Hendricks
Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College 

Agricultural soils classes include mathematical equations for determining fertilizer application rates. The mathematical component of fertilizer applications can lead to student frustration. This study examined how teaching methods could impact student scores and influence student perceptions of math when used in an agricultural setting. Through an intact control group design, undergraduate students were randomly exposed to one of two teaching methods based on laboratory section in an introductory soils and fertilizers course. Students in the control were taught in the traditional format. The traditional format taught major calculations in two laboratory meetings during the course unit. The treatment group introduced students to a "calculation of the week" where students were asked to complete a practice problem during weekly laboratory sections leading up to the appropriate unit. Student learning was assessed through a calculation quiz that followed the completion of the course unit. Student GPA, number of course, major, gender, data were collected to help control like groups. This investigation found that student assessment grades did not differ between the instruction type (P = 0.172). However, anecdotal data suggests students felt less overwhelmed when exposed to the material using the chunk teaching format.

Presented by: Taylor Shackelford
Oklahoma State University
Authored by: Taylor J. Shackelford
Oklahoma State University 

Since the 15th century, final exams have dominated summative assessment methods of student learning in higher education and in colleges of agriculture and natural resources (ANR). However, literature suggests summative final exams limit students’ ability to demonstrate growth, change, or improvement in learning, specifically within the affective domain. We aim to share an innovative approach of using case study interviews as a summative learning assessment ANR faculty may utilize for graduate coursework. In Agricultural Leadership (AGLE) 5303 Foundations of Leadership Theory at Oklahoma State University, a written analysis and poster presentation of two leadership case study interviews assessed overall student cognitive and affective learning. The guidelines and assessment rubric for the leadership case study interview assignment aligned with the course’s overall student learning objectives. One student’s study demonstrated such learning, which applied leadership theories through the life philosophies and professional injunctions of two women in differing career stages within the Cooperative Extension Service. Findings from the interviews highlighted similarities and differences in leadership between the two professionals, analyzed through the lenses of leadership trait theory, leadership behavior theory, and process-oriented approaches. This student, as well as the others enrolled in the course, were able to demonstrate summative change in learning and achievement of course learning objectives through the assignment. Students’ synthesis and application of leadership theory led to recommendations for future agricultural leadership research, challenging questions for society and agriculturists, and critiques of leadership dogma origins. ANR faculty teaching courses where subject-matter knowledge is not the only learning outcome should consider the use of case study interviews as a summative learning method. Implementing alternative summative assessment methods beyond written final exams provides ANR faculty the opportunity to measure student learning across learning domains and in a more authentic and dynamic manner. 

Presented by: Samuel J Martins
University of Florida
Authored by: Samuel J Martins | Nichole L. Barber | Alexandra Bitton-Bailey | Morgan A. Byron | Nikki L. Lyons | Grady Roberts
University of Florida | University of Florida | University of Florida | University of Florida | University of Florida | University of Florida 

Collaborative learning is a teaching method that prioritizes high levels of student participation or increased student engagement in the learning process through social production of knowledge among peers. The goal of this study was to assess the student perceptions on individual and collaborative tests in an undergraduate-level bio-history course. Students' contributions were twofold: (a) Students submitted questions to the instructor, and the best questions were featured on quizzes and exams, and (b) students worked in groups to complete exams, after taking the same test individually (two-stage exam). All students were asked to reflect on this teaching method, and their feedback, along with comparisons between individually- and group-taken tests were compared. Consensus was found regarding student preference for working in groups. An overall increase of 12% was found in the score for the two-stage exams for the part done in group compared to the part done individually. Additionally, there was a positive correlation (P=0.0380; r=0.467) between student participation and their grades. Eighty percent of students recognized a question they contributed to on course quizzes/exams and no overall preference for student- vs. instructor-created questions was reported. The majority of the students (90%) had a favorable view of the collaborative learning environment.

Presented by: Stacy Bevan
Utah State University
Authored by: Stacy Bevan
Utah State University 

Low-stake quizzes and reflection are both powerful learning tools that aid in the retrieval process; however, research is lacking on whether one method is more effective than the other. Students often have limited time, so choosing the most effective and efficient learning strategy is important. In a junior-level Maternal and Child Nutrition class, an online reflective note-taking discussion (NTD) assignment was created for two modules in place of weekly quizzes to assess learning on weekly online lectures and assigned reading materials. The requirements for the reflective NTD assignment consisted of 1) an initial online discussion post that outlined the student's notes from the reading and lecture relative to the module objectives as well as any other concepts or questions the students felt were important, and 2) responding to two of their classmates' posts. This study aimed to determine if students perceived online reflective NTD assignments as a more effective tool for learning retention than weekly low-stakes quizzes, and if students preferred one tool more than the other. Thirty-one percent of students (n=10/32) completed an online Qualtrics survey following the completion of the course. Although 50% felt that the reflective NTD assignment was the best method to enhance learning retention, 70% of students preferred weekly quizzes over the reflective NTD posts. The biggest complaints with the reflective NTD assignment were that it took too much time and was overwhelming. Suggestions were given on ways to restructure the reflective NTD assignments or use them in addition to quizzes. Despite half of the students indicating that reflective NTD assignments best enhanced learning retention, the majority preferred weekly quizzes over reflective NTD assignments because they took less time, tested their knowledge, and helped them to know what to focus on.

Presented by: Jeanette M. Andrade
University of Florida
Authored by: Jeanette M Andrade | Juan E Andrade | Razieh Farzad | Corwin Nelson | Raluca Mateescu | Omolola Betiku
University of Florida | University of Florida | University of Florida | University of Florida | University of Florida | Florida A&M University 

Background
The food system is a complex network that incorporates drivers and investors to influence diets and nutrition, health, income and the environment. Courses in animal sciences and agriculture, economics, engineering, food science, health, and nutrition, among others, have an essential role in preparing college students in comprehending the complexities of the food systems. A variety of methods can be employed to enhance comprehension of the food systems such as visual models.

Methods
In Fall 2022, a 16-week, 3-credit hour course for undergraduate students was implemented. At the first and last days of the class, students submitted a visual representation of what the food systems meant to them and how they fit into it.

Results
A total of 17 students from seven different departments on campus completed the entirety of the course. Seventy-one percent of students identified as female and nearly 53% who considered themselves white/non-Hispanic. From the visualization assignment, students submitted hand-drawn graphics, online stock images, or used software programs to draw images. Comparing the first day to the last day of the visualizations, no student provided the same food system. The visualizations at the last day incorporated aspects of the class such as food waste, gender disparities, and food security, and students incorporated themselves into this system based on their majors and career aspirations. Feedback from students regarding this assignment indicated that they enjoyed drawing or using graphics to express their viewpoints, that there was no one right way to represent the food system, and through this exercise they understood more about the food systems and more importantly their potential roles.

Conclusions
Incorporating visual models into classes may be an alternative to enhance comprehension of complex information and create an assignment that is enjoyable to the students.

Presented by: Roozbeh Iranikermani
Sam Houston State University
Authored by: Roozbeh Iranikermani | Art Wolfskill | Shyam S. Nair | Danhong Chen
Sam Houston State University | Sam Houston State Unviersity | Sam Houston State University | Sam Houston State University 

Many empirical studies have investigated the main factors affecting students' performance in different courses. However, there is limited research on the specific factors that affect student performance in advanced upper-division agribusiness courses such as Farm and Ranch Management, Marketing, Advanced Agribusiness Management, Sales, and Consulting. In some studies, age and gender were highly significant, while these factors were insignificant in others. Some researchers found a high correlation between the student's performance in finance courses and their grades in math, statistics, and similar courses. In contrast, other researchers claimed that students' performance in other courses is irrelevant. This study aims to investigate the factors that affect student performance in these courses since the COVID-19 pandemic, which has changed the structure, approach, and delivery method of several courses. We analyzed a sample of 650 students (336 female, 314 male), enrolled from 2016-2021. This long period reduces the time sensitivity and increases the reliability of our results, mainly in the field of Agribusiness. Compared to other studies in this area, we study a much more extended period. We used multiple linear regression analysis and Multinomial Logistic Regressions to identify the factors that significantly explain student performance variations. This study's results will help identify proper prerequisites for common advanced upper-division courses in Agribusiness and aid in developing better course curricula and teaching methods.

Presented by: Dale Layfield
Clemson University
Authored by: Walker Reid | K. Dale Layfield | Christopher J. Eck | Joseph Donaldson | Dara Park | Beatrice N. Bailey
Clemson University | Clemson University | Oklahoma State University | North Carolina State University | Clemson University | Clemson University 

Career development research has identified middle school as the optimum time for career exploration, as it advances young adolescents' self-awareness, knowledge of prospective careers, and goal setting. In South Carolina (SC), only 5% (13 of 248) of public middle schools provide agricultural education. The objective of this study was to understand the influence of a week-long, immersive farm tour on the agricultural literacy of middle school social studies teachers. In the summer of 2022, thirteen teachers participated in an agricultural study tour across SC in Clemson's Studies of Occupation, Culture, and Innovations toward Agricultural Literacy (SOCIAL) Academy. The tour, aimed at aimed at increasing the teachers' agricultural literacy, exposed them to modern agricultural practices and professions. An example was learning the history of Carolina Gold rice and observing current research on rice varieties at an agricultural research station. To understand the extent to which the tour influenced teachers' agricultural literacy, qualitative data were collected. Each day after the tour, the teachers answered the prompt: What was the most important takeaway of today? Teachers shared reflections of three photographs and up to 100 words per photograph. A total of 54 reflections and photos were collected. A codebook was developed and after three rounds of coding, five themes emerged from the participants' experiences: 1) 21st-century agriculture production, 2) a need for agricultural literacy, 3) dissemination of information for greater agricultural literacy, 4) sustainable agricultural practices, and 5) the historical impact of agriculture on SC. The major conclusion was that the tour did improve agricultural literacy as participants recognized the extent of the agricultural knowledge they gained on the tour, and described their intentions to apply knowledge of modern agricultural practices and professions to their instruction. Specifically, teachers planned to enhance social studies curriculum by exploring the state's historical and contemporary agricultural systems.

Presented by: Dale Layfield
Clemson University
Authored by: K. Dale Layfield | Joseph L. Donaldson | Beatrice N. Bailey
Clemson University | North Carolina State University | Clemson University 

The dwindling number of people seeking careers in food and agricultural sciences (FAS) and the need to diversity the FAS workforce necessitates creative recruitment at early ages. Although middle school agriculture programs across the country are growing, the numbers of those seeking careers in agriculture are low, requiring innovative career exploration approaches. Among South Carolina's 8th grade classrooms, students are exposed to agriculture via social studies courses. In fact, state social studies standards establish that 8th grade students be able to discuss that "Throughout the 20th century, South Carolina emerged as a national leader for defense production, agriculture, and tourism." The objective of this poster is to discuss the Studies of Occupations, Culture, and Innovations toward Agricultural Literacy (SOCIAL) Fellows program, which was designed for 8th grade social studies teachers across South Carolina to engage in an immersive professional development experience through a summer agricultural tour. The tour highlighted agricultural production, thereby connecting the 13 teacher fellows to agricultural history as well as contemporary agricultural occupations and technologies. Additionally, program activities included an online graduate course for the teacher fellows to develop lesson plans and tools to integrate agriculture and history curricula and achieve state social studies standards for 8th grade students. The SOCIAL Fellows program evaluation will assess if teacher fellows are (a) integrating history and agriculture in their social studies curricula; (b) improving their knowledge of food and agricultural sciences careers; and (c) using SOCIAL Studies Academy curricula tools for inquiry-based learning. Other plans for upcoming evaluations are to review lesson plans/instructional videos to assure these artifacts support the state standards that highlighted FAS. To implement a similar program, organizers should amplify support for teachers' professional development for immersive travel experiences in FAS. Moreover, additional teacher support is recommended, beyond the graduate course, to fully embrace inquiry-based learning.

Presented by: Rachelle Andreatta
North Carolina State University
Authored by: Rachelle Andreatta
North Carolina State University 

The challenges in rural communities are increasing in frequency, complexity, and intensity, requiring the need for effective rural leadership that is practical and capable of addressing multifaceted issues" (Avant et al., 2013, p.53). Within the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, rural students make up 34% of undergraduate enrollment. Our students who come to us from these rural communities often have dreams and ambitions of returning to those communities to live, work, and lead. However, transitioning to a large university can be an intimidating experience for many of these rural students. Rural communities often have populations that are a fraction of the size of the student population at the university which can lead to further disconnect and isolation due to the perceived lack of "community." In addition, rural students struggle both academically and personally as they seek to gain new study skills, navigate campus, and make new friends. The Rurally Engaged Agricultural Leaders Program (REAL) provides rural students the opportunity to develop their leadership skills and minimize noted challenges by networking with other rural college students. Additionally, students participate in both personal and professional development centered on agriculture and rural engagement. To align with the land grant mission, program leaders provided students with experiences to expand their knowledge and contend with those "Think and Do" components, equipping them with the necessary tools to achieve success at the university, foster leadership potential, and amplify their contributions to rural communities. An Extension experience allowed students to work directly with an Extension specialist or agent to address an applied research or Extension topic that is impacting agriculture or rural communities. This involvement combined with twice-monthly sessions provides students with the needed skills to explore topics and reinforce the importance of inquiry and analysis in their personal and professional roles after graduation.

Presented by: Fisher EasleySmith
New Mexico State University
Authored by: Lacey Roberts
New Mexico State University 

Autonomy is a driver of student motivation and success in a classroom. For some classrooms, autonomy is created by allowing students to determine what they wish to learn or how they wish to complete an activity. We found that allowing students to dictate concepts they wish to learn and how the content is visually provided for them was important. In three agricultural communication courses, students were asked at the beginning of the semester what they wish to learn as well as how they wanted the information to be visually presented to them. Using a visual polling technique with PollEverywhere, students were given seven choices for types of visual representation which could be used in the classroom. They selected from static or realistic images, icons, cartoons or clip art, charts or graphs, videos or motion graphics, color or text contrast, and minimalistic illustrations. In the poll, there were 31 unique responses from an introductory agricultural communications course, introductory graphic design course, and website design course. Nine responses were considered repetitive due to students' enrollment in multiple classes. Visual preferences changed based on the course being polled. Videos or motion graphics and color or text contrasts were rated as the most preferred visuals. After receiving responses, adaptions were made to course materials and visual usage. From observations in the courses, students were engaged with lecture materials. In course feedback, students commented on feeling "appreciated" and "more engaged with lecture material" after dictating what they wished to see in their classroom. This polling activity is highly encouraged for higher education instructors to provide a simple opportunity for student autonomy, as well as, making lecture creation and adaptation decisions easier for higher learning success. This activity paves the way for future research to understand what visuals provide the best learning opportunities in classrooms.

Presented by: Zhihong Xu
Texas A&M University
Authored by: Shuai Ma | Zhihong Xu | Zilong Pan | Wenting Weng | Theresa Pesl Murphrey
Texas A&M University | Texas A&M University | Lehigh University | Johns Hopkins University | Texas A&M University 

Statistics is a critical and significant study area across agricultural disciplines. However, it is challenging for students to master statistics, especially those with limited exposure to statistics prior to their graduate school experience. Problem-based learning (PBL), supported by the constructivist theory, generates various learning outcomes to develop students’ learning skills. This pilot study presents a model to teach statistics and data visualization techniques by applying specific instructional design strategies. This one-semester mixed method study explores the processes and effects of a simulation-enhanced PBL strategy in a statistics course offered in an agricultural department in the higher education setting. Ten graduate students with diverse statistical backgrounds participated in the project. The instructional design strategies used for this project included problem-based learning, simulation-enhanced, project-based learning, and a flipped-classroom strategy. Pre- and post-survey, written reflections, semi-structured interviews, pre- and posttest scores alongside usage of log data, are used to measure students' self-efficacy, motivation, and perception of learning statistics. The pre-survey data suggests no statistical significance between the previous qualitative research experience and quantitative research experience (p=0.6292, α =0.05). Results from the pre-survey indicate no statistical significance between the motivation score and the self-efficacy score (p= 0.4043, α =0.05). This study will identify challenges students face when learning statistics and data visualization. Recommendations to address learning difficulties related to statistics and effective instructional strategies are shared. Findings reveal implications and guidance for effective instructional design in teaching statistics in higher education for future practitioners and researchers across agricultural disciplines.

Presented by: D'arcy Ryder
Texas Tech University
Authored by: D'arcy Ryder | Laura Fischer | Dale Woerner
Texas Tech University | Texas Tech University | Texas Tech University 

During their undergraduate journey, students are given opportunities to participate in research, which can result in increased critical thinking and decision-making skills, as well as a greater understanding of the research process. Student research participation can be determined by multiple factors: interest, curiosity, or monetary need. By understanding student willingness and motivation to participate in research, we can provide a greater educational experience that could increase participation rates and student retention at the graduate level. A Qualtrics survey was administered to 24 students who participated in a meat science research trip to a beef processing facility in [city, state] on December 3, 2022. The purpose of this research experience was to collect yield data on 120 bodies of beef that had been trimmed hot or cold. Students weighed and recorded lean, fat, and trim from the carcasses. After returning from the experience, participants were asked open and closed questions to determine their rationale for participating in the research and what they learned from the experience. The study seeks to understand the participants' motivations for engaging in research experiences in agricultural sciences. Nine responses were returned. Most of the participants were master’s students (n = 5), showing that they had prior interest in or had previously participated in research. Thematic analysis of the open-ended questions revealed students were motivated to participate to help their friends, to learn about the meat industry, or to gain new skills. Students indicated they increased their time management and teamwork skills and gained experience working with non-native English speakers. Understanding motives for student participation in research can help agriculturalists when promoting research opportunities to students. By promoting positive, engaging, and educational research opportunities, faculty may increase student participation and boost graduate recruitment while growing student competency in industry skillsets.