A Document Analysis Of The Pedagogical Knowledge Espoused In Agriculture Teaching Methods Courses

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine pedagogical knowledge espoused in teaching methods courses in agricultural education. The population was a census of 64 agricultural teacher educators nationwide who taught a teaching methods course during the 2002-03 academic year. The researchers utilized a content document analysis method (Hodder, 2000) of teaching methods course syllabi to identify the required course readings, assignments, and teaching methods taught by teacher educators. The most frequently required reading resource was Newcomb, McCracken, and Warmbrod's (1986, 1993), Methods of Teaching Agriculture. One-fourth of the teaching methods teacher educators required this text. Nearly one in seven educators required a teaching methods text outside of agricultural education. Teacher educators had a wide range of the types of assignments and amount of work required in their teaching methods courses. Teacher educators spent an average of 21% of the course time teaching methods. The problem-solving approach to teaching was the most widely espoused teaching method in agricultural education course syllabi. The predominant number of teaching methods taught appeared to be directly from Newcomb et al.'s book. Regardless of the teaching method listed in the syllabi, teacher educators spent a low percentage of course time on teaching methods.