Preservice Agricultural Education Teachers’ Mathematics Ability

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the mathematics ability of the nation’s preservice agricultural education teachers. Based on the results of this study, preservice teachers were not proficient in solving agricultural mathematics problems, and agricultural teacher education programs require basic and intermediate mathematics as their minimum mathematics coursework requirements. Furthermore, preservice teachers that completed an advanced mathematics course in high school and/or college obtained higher mathematics ability scores. However, a small percentage completed an advanced mathematics course. In addition, preservice teachers that received an A in their highest completed college mathematics course also obtained higher mathematics ability scores. Moreover, 39% of the variance in mathematics ability was explained by completion of an advanced mathematics course in college, a grade of an A in highest level of mathematics completed in college, and being a preservice teacher at University 7, 8, and 9. Based on the data collected in this study, the nation’s teacher education programs may need to further evaluate their mathematics coursework requirements.