Localized Land-Grant Partnership for STEM Integration Through AFNR: High School Teachers’ Experiences

Authors

Keywords:

localized partnership, STEM integration, Land-grant system, Extension, high school teachers, agricultural education

Abstract

Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources (AFNR) provides authentic and relevant context for applying STEM concepts to solve real-world challenges. Land-grant institutions have the expertise, mission, and infrastructure to make connections with K-12 teachers and students locally and support the integration of AFNR in STEM teaching. This study leveraged existing capacities of the land-grant system to develop a localized education partnership within the tripartite mission of teaching, research, and extension. An exploratory descriptive research described high school teachers’ perceptions and experiences within the partnership when we implemented the LOCAL STEM Model that led to teachers’ experience at a local research station and conducting a STEM-AFNR project with their students. The professional development workshop prepared teachers to work across disciplines and use the hydroponics topic to teach their classes. They collaborated internally during the professional learning community and were supported by partners from the land-grant university. Regarding the showcase event, teachers discussed students’ career exposure, career readiness skills, real-world experiences, and the pedagogical values of the event. For the overall experience, teachers discussed their professional growth, teaching ideas, farm-based experience, how they expanded and connected to resources, and how they engaged others in the project. This study described how the model can serve as a transferable example to help local high schools contextualize STEM using AFNR context with support from local partners at a local research station, Extension, and industries. Our findings have practical implications for program developers in terms of teacher development; student engagement; the model implementation; and future partnerships.

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Author Biographies

Mingla Charoenmuang, Cornell University

Mingla Charoenmuang, Ph.D., is an Extension Associate at the Bronfenbrenner Center for Translational Research at Cornell University. She supports 4-H educators across NY on community engagement, career explorations, and the implementation of youth programming that helps youth understand the connections between food systems and agriculture, health, wellness, equity and social justice, and community sustainability. Dr. Charoenmuang has a doctorate in Youth Development and Agricultural Education from Purdue University with a focus on food systems education. Her research projects have been in the area of learner-centered teaching, systems thinking education, and STEM/AFNR integration.

Neil A. Knobloch, Purdue University

Neil A. Knobloch, Ph.D., is a Professor of Agricultural Sciences Education at Purdue University. Dr. Knobloch’s scholarship focuses on motivating and engaging K-12, undergraduate, and graduate students in the agricultural sciences to support and advance the STEM career pipeline and system. He teaches courses on research design for social scientists, integrated STEM education, and preparing faculty and graduate students to be inclusive learner-centered teachers. Dr. Knobloch taught agricultural science and business at the secondary level before earning his doctorate in the field of agricultural and extension education. He has expertise in culturally relevant learner-centered teaching in integrated STEM and food systems education.

Hui-Hui Wang, Purdue University

Hui-Hui Wang, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in the Department of Agricultural Sciences Education and Communication at Purdue University. Dr. Wang’s research focuses on fostering agricultural and scientific literacy in today's global citizens. She particularly is interested in helping youth meet workforce needs for agricultural, food, and nature resources (AFNR) through STEM integration, scientific reasoning and data-decision making, and inquiry-based and project-based teaching and learning in STEM through AFNR education. Her latest research involves developing critical thinking through scientific reasoning and process skills in a citizen detective project.

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Published

2024-09-30

How to Cite

Charoenmuang, M., Knobloch, N., & Wang, H.-H. (2024). Localized Land-Grant Partnership for STEM Integration Through AFNR: High School Teachers’ Experiences. Journal of Agricultural Education, 65(3). Retrieved from https://jae-online.org/index.php/jae/article/view/2462

Issue

Section

Journal of Agricultural Education