Factors considered by male school-based agricultural education students when selecting a college major.

Abstract

An emerging challenge of closing the gap of supply and demand in School-Based Agriculture Education (SBAE) is recruiting and retaining male agricultural teachers. This case study was conducted under the lens of the Theory of Planned Behavior to examine this phenomena. Ten male participants, who were active in SBAE as youth and are currently attending a post-secondary institution, were chosen to discuss their participation in SBAE and their college major selection. The results of these interviews identified factors participants used to select a major in agricultural education versus other agricultural majors. Participants’ high school agriculture teacher was found to be the most influential in students’ decision to major in agriculture. Participants’ parents were found to be supportive of their child’s choice of major, but this was not a major factor in influencing their child’s selection of major. Furthermore, enrollment in SBAE gave participants the confidence and knowledge to select majors in colleges of agriculture.