Continuing Professional Education and Collaborations Between University Faculty and Agricultural Education Teachers

Abstract

The call for agricultural education programs to integrate more rigorous scientific and technology- driven content has left many secondary agricultural education teachers unprepared (Baker, 2015). New content that addresses the changes in the agricultural industry has required secondary agricultural teachers to seek continuing professional education. This case study examined one secondary agricultural education program and how the teachers in that program have taken advantage of continuing professional education opportunities to change local program content. The study shows that through collaborations with the faculty at the university and the secondary agricultural education teachers, continuing professional education can drive the changes needed to design and develop a relevant agricultural education program. It is through collaborations that the participants in this study connected continuing professional education with curriculum development, to focused on student needs and the expectations for their success after leaving the secondary program. Finally, the rigorous local program’s content has emerged from the small group discussions and one on one experiences of the teachers in this program collaborating with faculty at the university. It is through these unique continuing professional education experiences that teachers built a network that keeps them abreast of changes in the industry and provides an avenue for their lifelong learning experiences.