Presented By: Lacey Roberts-Hill, New Mexico State University
Co-Authors: Fisher EasleySmith, New Mexico State University
Parker Greene, New Mexico State University

Artificial intelligence (AI) has begun to rapidly transform the educational environment and professional industries alike. Artists, such as photographers, are facing the decision of ignoring and remaining indifferent to this new trend or embracing the tool. In classrooms, students are finding themselves to be more motivated and engaged when AI is implemented into the coursework. To challenge and motivate students, we utilized AI to provide a photo prompt for students in an introductory photography course at New Mexico State University. In class, students were instructed to individually ask an AI generator such as ChatGPT, to generate a depiction of an image. Once the image was generated, the students were then instructed to go and take a photograph resembling the AI generated image. of student-generated prompts included, “Capture the essence of fleeting moments in everyday life, find beauty in the mundane, and let the simplicity of a single moment.” Students were given approximately two weeks to take one image based on the prompt. Our objectives targeted previously learned course-based skills, challenged their creativity, and built on conversations about the ethics of using AI. Students remarked the activity challenged their intentions behind their photo and pushed them out of their comfort zone. The students stated their favorite part of the activity was “being in control of my prompt, and “seeing what AI could come up with.” Utilizing AI in the classroom allows students to challenge their creativity and encourages educators to embrace the tool. We recommend allowing students complete control over their prompt and to allow for an abundant amount of time for the photos to be taken. Future research should be conducted to evaluate if students can determine original versus AI-generated images to further develop visual literacy.

Presented By: Jessiann Dusenbery, Eastern New Mexico University
Co-Authors: Kalynn Baldock, Eastern New Mexico University

Team Based learning is used to apply concepts, make students think critically, problem solve, and learn how to work with others in a real-world setting. Students are able to obtain an understanding through their own efforts. Production management courses are designed to prepare students for problem-solving with in production agriculture. Many production agriculture daily problems are solved by a team of professionals. The purpose of this study was to determine if a modified team-based learning approach would be an effective strategy for teaching Advanced Dairy Production course. This course is a 16-week undergraduate course for juniors and seniors. At the beginning of this course students were randomly divided into groups of four. As a modification each student was assigned specific role within dairy management. Roles were owner, manager, veterinarian, and nutritionist. Topics were presented to the teams as problems faced when managing dairy farms. These problems required students to work as a group, with each member looking at the problem from the perspective of their role. Students had to determine how their assigned roles would approach the issue on a dairy. At the end of the semester, students were interviewed regarding their thoughts of team-based learning. Students were also emailed a Qualtrics survey with eight Likert-type questions to determine their perceptions of the effectiveness of this approach. Overall students perceived this as an effective method for learning about dairy production. Students liked how they were able to talk to others and solve the problems together. Some groups felt they worked together more effectively than others. Some students found this approach difficult due to the information not being explicitly given to them. Additionally, some groups felt that not all the members put forth adequate effort. Further studies need to be conducted to determine the effects this method has on student learning.

Presented By: Sara Velardi, Binghamton University
Co-Authors: Diana Cordoba, Queens University
Ashmita Das, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry
Amanda Hunt, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry
Silje Kristiansen, University of Bergen
Donald Lee, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Theresa Selfa, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry
McKinzie Sutter, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry

The field of agricultural biotechnology continually evolves as innovative techniques are deployed to create new varieties of food organisms. These genetic modification technologies are directed to change traits in animals, plants and microbes which address consumer interest, environmental challenges, and farmer concerns in a range of food systems. The general consensus from the scientific community has been that foods produced through genetic engineering are safe to eat. In contrast, public perceptions of its safety have been mixed with some skepticism towards information related to the technology. Consumer surveys on gene editing have found low to fair understanding and overall ambivalence towards the technology. There is nuance when it comes to the relationship between consumer knowledge of and attitudes towards biotechnology. A complexity of factors might affect acceptance of gene editing that is potentially unique to other techniques such as transgenesis. This research investigates teaching effects on knowledge and attitudes towards different genetic modifications in agriculture of undergraduate students in three different courses across three universities in the U.S. and Canada. We developed and implemented an agricultural genetics lesson with a systems-approach in understanding the complexity of choosing and employing different agricultural techniques in farming. In the lesson we first described three agricultural technologies (cross breeding, transgenesis, gene editing) and how these different modifications interact with farmers' decisions weighing social, economic, and environmental factors. Second, we asked students to conduct media analysis of different news coverage related to the technologies. Third, a pre- and post-survey were administered to undergraduate students to assess the lesson's effect on knowledge and attitude towards these different technologies. Finally, we analyzed and compared survey responses. This study contributes to the literature surrounding knowledge of and attitudes towards biotechnology and evaluates how undergraduate agricultural lessons impact knowledge and attitudes concerning new agricultural technologies.

Presented By: Rachel Hendrix, West Virginia University

STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) content is a vital part of agricultural education in the 21st Century. Unfortunately, many secondary agricultural educators report low levels of efficacy towards these subjects, resulting in shallow coverage of STEM topics, a decreased ability to encourage struggling or diverse learners, the implementation of fewer active learning strategies, and an inability to interest students in the material or in related careers. In order to better identify where STEM teaching can be improved, and the role of the educator in the process, this study explored the STEM outcome expectancy efficacy of agricultural educators in two southern states. Participants completed an online version of the Outcome Expectancy Efficacy T-STEM instrument developed by the Friday Institute at North Carolina State University. Outcome expectancy efficacy involves a teacher's belief in their ability to influence student achievement, learning, and interest in a given subject despite outside factors. Results of the study found respondents possessed generally high levels of outcome expectancy efficacy toward all STEM subjects, with slightly higher levels for science and mathematics. Respondents felt most powerful regarding their ability to improve student learning in STEM by providing extra time and effort, and by identifying and implementing alternate learning approaches where necessary. Despite believing good teaching could overcome a student's inadequate background in STEM, respondents felt student learning was not completely correlated with teacher classroom performance. This, tied with a lower willingness to accept responsibility for negative learning outcomes, indicates respondents believed students' personal ability and persistence were foundational factors underlying STEM mastery. Teachers believed they had power to influence all student learning, but that it was most effective when working with students displaying reciprocal effort.

Presented By: Kevin Curry, Pennsylvania State University
Co-Authors: Bob Mikesell, Pennsylvania State University

Agriculture has plentiful examples of how misconceptions or plain ignorance can have real-world impacts on how people perceive the industry. The purpose of the study was to measure the degree to which students increased their agricultural literacy after completing an introductory general education course in the College of Agricultural Science at [university]. An introductory animal science course and introductory issues in agriculture course at [university] taught by different faculty members were chosen to examine their impact on improving agricultural literacy. Students (n = 63) were assessed pre and post completion of their respective courses on an instrument measuring their perceptions of agricultural issues and their approach towards voting on agricultural policy. A paired samples t-test revealed a significant gain from 3.05 to 3.75 (5-point likert scale) on the knowledge of agricultural issues scale between the start and end of the course (t = 9.33, p = <.001, d = 1.05). Seven of the eight individual items on the scale (eg. Small-scale, locally-produced food is healthier and safer than food produced from large-scale farms) had significant positive differences in perceptions between pre and post assessment. No differences were observed pre to post on the agricultural policy construct (t = .34, p = .73). Results indicate that both courses measured in the fall of 2023 made positive, significant impacts on the agricultural literacy of students, particularly regarding misconceptions in agriculture. Future research is needed to unpack the degree to which those gains in knowledge on agriculture issues ultimately impact consumer decision and behavior on said issues. Discussion to include the design elements common to both courses that contributed most to gains in agricultural issue perceptions.

Presented By: Shyam Nair, Sam Houston State University
Co-Authors: Alisha Bullion, Sam Houston State University
Danhong Chen, Sam Houston State University
Art Wolfskill, Sam Houston State University

Demand for online and hybrid classes has increased significantly in the post COVID-19 era. Online courses provide students with the convenience of self-paced learning, reduce commuting time, and allow those who get easily distracted in a classroom to engage in learning without such distractions. Although modern technology and tools allow online classes to be more engaging, students miss out on real-time interactions with instructors and peers. Additionally, the self-paced nature of online courses is harder on procrastinators. This study compared student performance in the same course with the same instructor during eight semesters as both face-to-face and online courses, analyzing learning differences between the two delivery methods. The dataset consisted of average homework scores, exam scores, scores for a student-created video, final course average, and letter grade for 120 face-to-face and 40 online students from an undergraduate introductory agribusiness marketing class at [UNIVERSITY]. We assessed the differences within each categories using Student's t-tests. The results showed that average homework scores of students in the face-to-face classes were 8.78 points higher than scores from online classes (p<0.01). Average exam scores for face-to-face students were 7.13 points higher (p=0.01). Scores for a student created video were also significantly higher (p<0.01) in face-to-face classes compared to online classes by 10.72 points. Because of the higher performance in all categories, the average final grade for face-to-face classes was 9.16 points (essentially a full letter grade) higher than online classes (p<0.01). We make several normative recommendations based on this outcome. Course instructors should include instruction on time management in the initial online course modules. Additionally, previous research has linked late initial course engagement with lower final grades. Instructors should attempt to identify and pay special attention to students who are not self-starters, as indicated by delayed engagement with the first modules of the online course.

Presented By: Morgan Vincent, Pennsylvania State University
Co-Authors: Daniel Foster, Pennsylvania State University

The pathway from student to teacher can be challenging, particularly for graduate students with limited or no previous experience or professional development opportunity in becoming an educator. This study explores the influence of a graduate level course on teaching and learning in agricultural sciences on the development of teacher identity in aspirational future faculty members from multiple agricultural disciplines. This elective course with a participating cohort of 19 students from multiple disciplines with diverse lived and education experiences provides a unique lens to explore the intersection of content knowledge, pedagogical strategies, and the development of an authentic teaching identity. Through a multipoint data collection process integrated into class instruction including surveys, identity mini-lessons, and identity exploration tasks, this study aimed to describe the ways graduate students perceive and develop their teaching identities. The goal of the study was not to shape graduate student identities in a predetermined manner, but rather to encourage students to engage in a profound reflection on their identity as educators. This approach enabled learners to explore aspects of their teaching identity that may have remained undiscovered, fortify areas in need of development, and further cultivate their existing strengths. The key dimensions explored include self-image, motivation, digital, cultural, and emotional identity. Results indicated shifts in graduate students' teaching identities, indicating that the course not only encouraged innovation and reflective thinking, but also nurtured community engagement and continued professional development in teaching. Beyond the context of this cohort of learners, the findings contribute insights to the broader discourse on how discipline-specific courses shape teaching identities in graduate education. Insights gained from this study serve as catalysts to initiate the creation of courses in disciplines where they are currently lacking, while simultaneously contributing to refining the effectiveness of existing discipline-related teaching courses, ultimately elevating the quality of future educators.

Presented By: Jackie Wahrmund, University of Kentucky

Faculty sometimes find it difficult to develop new ways to present course material while also promoting classroom engagement, particularly when students are not comfortable speaking in front of others. Gallery walks are teaching tools that promote active engagement by asking students to physically move around the room and respond to prompts at different stops or stations. An internet search yields many resources about using this technique in K-12 classrooms; however, applications for undergraduate courses are difficult to find. The Animal Science 101 course at the University of Kentucky is offered to a large number of students each semester. Students attend large-enrollment (n>100) lectures twice per week and small-group labs (n<24) once per week. The animal nutrition chapter in ASC 101 tends to be the most challenging, and occurs at an earlier time in the semester when students are still getting to know one another. A gallery walk activity was developed to promote engagement among students in a non-intimidating way during their lab time. Groups of 3 -4 students anonymously responded to 3 prompts at each of the 6 stations in the room. Each station represented a different class of nutrient (water, monosaccharide, disaccharide, polysaccharide, lipid, protein). Prompts included “When I think of (blank) I think of...”, 2) “A fact we know about (blank)” and 3) “A question we still have about (blank).” Students were asked to not duplicate comments already left by their classmates. After each group had visited each station the instructors presented all of the responses to share both the known facts and answer the new questions. This method generated many positive conversations about the course material, both among peers and instructors. Students reported that it helped them understand how nutrients are classified in a new, fun, and engaging way.

Presented By: Rachel Hendrix, West Virginia University

Americans are increasingly separated from agriculture, making it essential to represent the industry accurately and effectively to the public. Quality photography taken by individuals knowledgeable of agriculture is one strategy for fulfilling this mission. Yet despite possessing powerful smartphone cameras, many young agriculturists are unaware of the fundamental photography techniques required to produce powerful, representative images. This qualitative study explored the development of students' photography affect and skills through an interactive learning experience in an agricultural communications class. Participants first completed a lecture portion of the class covering essential photography techniques. Then they worked in teams to photograph and analyze scenes employing techniques covered in the lecture. Following analysis, students reflected through writing on their photography experience and on how their new skills can better represent the agricultural industry to the public.

Results show participants' affect for photography increased throughout unit. Many expressed surprise at the skill and intent necessary for quality photography, and stated they gained greater respect for photographers. Others felt studying photo composition made them more aware of the surroundings they often ignored and helped them see things in a new way. Some students felt their interest in photography had grown as a result of the unit, and several were impressed by the photographic capabilities of their smartphone cameras. A few who already enjoyed photography were excited to test new techniques, especially regarding lighting and subject arrangement. With portraiture, participants noted the importance of the relationship between photographer and subject. Most notably, participants felt they gained a better appreciation for photography as a communicational and educational tool, and for how photographs can connect viewers to and shape impressions of situations and ideas they have never personally experienced.

Presented By: Christopher Estepp, University of Arkansas
Co-Authors: Will Doss, University of Arkansas
Donald Johnson, University of Arkansas

Student engagement is a necessary component of academic success, and student motivation affects the extent to which students engage in the classroom. Classroom comfort, how comfortable students feel interacting with peers and faculty, is one important motivational influence in determining student engagement. Accordingly, certain factors lowering students' classroom comfort can result in decreased student engagement. The purpose of this study was to determine if selected personal, peer, and faculty characteristics predicted classroom comfort for freshmen agriculture students (n = 321) in a land grant university. Data were collected in fall 2023 using a survey instrument administered in a required freshman orientation course. The instrument used multi-item summated scales to assess classroom comfort, intrinsic and extrinsic academic motivation, perceived college value, peer support, in-class peer interaction, faculty support, faculty empathy, and help-seeking behaviors using a 1 (strongly negative) to 5 (strongly positive) Likert scale. Coefficient alpha construct reliabilities ranged from .75 to .93. Construct means ranged from 3.17 (SD = 1.01) for in-class peer interaction to 4.42 (SD = 0.60) for perceived college value. Classroom comfort had a mean of 3.48 (SD = 0.97), indicating students were somewhat comfortable engaging in classroom activities. The results of multiple regression analysis indicated that a linear combination of peer support, faculty support, intrinsic motivation, help-seeking behaviors, and perceived college value explained 48.9% of the variance in classroom comfort, with all variables being statistically significant (p < .01). To demonstrate support, faculty can create welcoming classroom environments, be approachable, and build rapport with freshmen students.

Presented By: Sudarshan Adhikari, The Ohio State University
Co-Authors: Emily Buck, The Ohio State University
Bipul Gautam, Madan Pokhara Polytechnic Institute, Nepal

High school (diploma-level) agricultural education makes up a notable proportion of the Nepalese vocational education system. Issues of educational quality in the system remains a topic of dialogue in terms of policy as well as at the institutional level for a long time. Debates and discussions on the ways to ensuring quality education continues to progress. A potential way of quality enhancement is through addressing the problems faced by the instructors resulting in higher satisfaction among them, and in turn, fostering better performance. This research employed a qualitative case study approach aiming to explore the problems experienced by diploma-level agricultural instructors of Nepal, and their suggestions to solve those problems. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 agricultural (plant science and animal science) instructors of Madan Pokhara polytechnic institute, a constituent college of Council for Technical Education and Vocational Training (CTEVT), Nepal. Besides audio recording the interview, real-time observation was also done noting their facial expressions, gestures, and inflection on particular words. The findings show that lack of encouragement, relationship with the administration, limited openings of permanent job offerings, public transportation channels, and student absence were the major problems for the instructors. The instructors also emphasized issues of work-life balance, instructional skills, community relation, school image, declining students, and priority of the profession. For addressing the problems they were facing, instructors suggested provisions of appropriate encouragements, trainings on instructional development and information and communication technologies, and relationship building initiatives with administrative officials, fellow instructors, and the community. Motivations and career counseling among students were also suggested by the instructors. The implications of problems and solutions identified in the study is specific to the researched institution. However, it may act as the foundation or reference to conduct further studies covering more participants, allowing to generalize to a broader area and context.

Presented By: Renee McFee, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Co-Authors: Amy Desaulniers, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Retrieval practice promotes learning retention and practice quiz usage has been positively correlated with exam grades in our veterinary physiology course. Unfortunately, not all students were using this resource. Previously, students completed weekly quizzes online and were given multiple attempts on each. Practice quizzes were created using the same question banks as graded quizzes. These practice assessments were made available after students had completed the graded quizzes so students could use them to study for exams. To increase student usage of practice quizzes, we began administering the weekly, graded quizzes during class and students were only given a single attempt. However, students were now given access to practice quizzes beforehand. Following these changes, 89% of students completed all practice quizzes. In contrast, only 42% of students completed more than one practice quiz during the previous year. Students completed an average of 3.7 attempts per practice quiz and 84% perceived practice quizzes to be sufficiently or extremely helpful to their learning. The number of practice quiz attempts was moderately correlated (r = 0.38) with quiz grades but not exam grades. Our evaluation also revealed that 25% of students only completed practice quizzes within the 24-hour window immediately preceding the weekly quizzes and many attempts were submitted during scheduled class periods for other courses. Regardless, no correlations were identified between the timing of practice quiz completion and course grades. Despite the inclusion of several quiz questions on exams, very few students completed practice quiz attempts after taking the graded quizzes. Students in this study primarily used practice quizzes for massed practice rather than spaced practice, and to prepare for quizzes but not exams. Since distributed practice is associated with better learning outcomes, the use of practice assessments to cram before quizzes rather than to intermittently self-test likely limited possible academic gains.