Knowledge, Perceptions, and Outcomes of Agricultural Communications Curriculum in Arkansas Secondary Agricultural Classrooms
type: CreativeWork
description: The purpose of this mixed method study was to assess the effectiveness of agricultural communications curriculum developed and incorporated into a semester-long agricultural leadership and communications course for secondary agricultural education programs in Arkansas. This study was comprised of three parts including a pilot test, teacher training assessment, and a descriptive field test over a two-year period. For the pilot test portion of the study, students (N = 297) participated in newly developed instructional modules (careers, writing, design, and multimedia) predetermined by a committee of agricultural education and communications faculty at the University of Arkansas. The pilot test indicated students' knowledge increased after instruction, for each curriculum module. Lack of time, limited technology, teacher training, and curriculum content were the most common emergent themes among teachers. Following the pilot test the curriculum was revised into 11 smaller units and made available on-line for the descriptive field test portion of the study. Additionally a series of agricultural communications teacher trainings were offered covering three units of revised curriculum. The teacher training aimed to gauge teachers' perceptions of the curriculum and the training experience. Participating teachers (N = 23) were most interested in photography and photo Editing / manipulation. Furthermore, Participants were satisfied with all aspects of the inservice including content, overview of curriculum, curriculum units covered during inservice, and the instructor. The descriptive field test portion of the study evaluated student knowledge gained throughout the descriptive field test in 11 different unit areas, student knowledge application through project-based unit activities, and teachers' perceptions of the revised curriculum. For the students who participated in this portion of the study (N = 182) it was evident from the pre- and post-test assessments, knowledge of a…
abstract: The purpose of this mixed method study was to assess the effectiveness of agricultural communications curriculum developed and incorporated into a semester-long agricultural leadership and communications course for secondary agricultural education programs in Arkansas. This study was comprised of three parts including a pilot test, teacher training assessment, and a descriptive field test over a two-year period. For the pilot test portion of the study, students (N = 297) participated in newly developed instructional modules (careers, writing, design, and multimedia) predetermined by a committee of agricultural education and communications faculty at the University of Arkansas. The pilot test indicated students' knowledge increased after instruction, for each curriculum module. Lack of time, limited technology, teacher training, and curriculum content were the most common emergent themes among teachers. Following the pilot test the curriculum was revised into 11 smaller units and made available on-line for the descriptive field test portion of the study. Additionally a series of agricultural communications teacher trainings were offered covering three units of revised curriculum. The teacher training aimed to gauge teachers' perceptions of the curriculum and the training experience. Participating teachers (N = 23) were most interested in photography and photo Editing / manipulation. Furthermore, Participants were satisfied with all aspects of the inservice including content, overview of curriculum, curriculum units covered during inservice, and the instructor. The descriptive field test portion of the study evaluated student knowledge gained throughout the descriptive field test in 11 different unit areas, student knowledge application through project-based unit activities, and teachers' perceptions of the revised curriculum. For the students who participated in this portion of the study (N = 182) it was evident from the pre- and post-test assessments, knowledge of a…
author: Calico, Carley Payne
keywords: Agricultural Communications, Agricultural Education, Curriculum, Secondary Education, Curriculum and Instruction, Organizational Communication
date published: 2014-05-01T07:00:00Z
date modified: 2026-07-24T00:59:32Z
provider: University of Arkansas
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: University of Arkansas