Beliefs and Attitudes of Secondary Agriculture Teachers About Global Agriculture Issues

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore the beliefs and attitudes of secondary agriculture teachers regarding global agricultural issues. A randomized national sample of 417 teachers were surveyed using a modified version of the International Agricultural Awareness and Understanding Survey (Wingenbach, Boyd, Lindner, Dick, Arispe, & Haba, 2003). Results revealed agriculture teachers had positive personal beliefs about global agriculture. Teachers also had favorable attitudes about what students should learn related to global agricultural issues. Teachers mostly learned about global agriculture through activities that do not require travel, with watching television and professional development workshops as the most frequently reported activities. Few teachers had traveled outside the United States. Teacher beliefs and attitudes about what students should learn did vary based on selected international experiences, with teachers who had participated in international experiences having slightly stronger beliefs and more favorable attitudes. However, these differences had little practical significance.