Impacts of American Agricultural Education Student Teachers on Eleven Community Members in A New South Wales, Australia Community: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influences of American agricultural education student teachers on a rural community in New South Wales, Australia. The study analyzed interviews with eleven participants of the American student teacher program in a rural New South Wales community. Results of the study were formulated by two researchers. Both researchers were student teachers in the New South Wales community for ten weeks and taught agriculture in one of the community’s two high schools. After one year, the researcher returned to the community and interviewed eleven individuals involved with the program. Interviewed participants were questioned based on a predetermined protocol. Interviews were transcribed, coded and categorized into themes by researcher two. Using participatory action research, the researchers were able to identify areas of influence suggested by participants. Participants identified nine areas of influence made by the American agricultural education student teachers within the school and community: cultural awareness, stereotypes, language, classroom distractions, teaching methods awareness, cultural changes in community members, student performance, community unification and impact of student teacher presence.