Minnesota Agricultural Educators Inservice Needs Related to Program Design, Leadership and SAE Development
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.v66i3.2772Keywords:
needs assessment, competence, professional development, agricultural education teachers, leadership, supervised agricultural experienceAbstract
High-quality professional development programs are important to all agricultural education teachers, regardless of their stage in the teaching profession. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the perception of Minnesota SBAE teachers in the areas of program design and management, leadership, and Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) development. A modified Borich Needs Assessment Model was used to assess the current professional development needs of current SBAE teachers. The primary sources of professional development included agricultural education teachers’ association workshops, professional organizational workshops, and graduate coursework. Teachers reported highest perceived ability in developing relationships with administrators and fellow teachers and coordinating activities with local agricultural organizations. The highest priority professional development priorities were identified as repairing and maintaining laboratory equipment, organizing alumni/agricultural booster program, and utilizing advisory committees. To further explore variation by experience level, one-way ANOVAs were conducted by career stage. Results revealed significant differences in needs. Early-career teachers reported great needs in program logistics, while mid-career teachers expressed stronger needs in developing SAE and career readiness opportunities. Late-career teachers consistently reported fewer needs across all areas. These findings support the development of differentiated professional development aligned with teacher career stages to provide targeted support to enhance teacher competence, motivation, and retention within the SBAE profession.
Downloads
References
Baard, P. P., Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2004). Intrinsic need satisfaction: A motivational basis of performance and well-being in two work settings. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 34, 2045–2068. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1559-1816.2004.tb02690.x DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1559-1816.2004.tb02690.x
Borich, G. D. (1980). A needs assessment model for conducting follow-up studies. Journal of Teacher Education, 31(3), 39–42. https://doi.org/10.1177/002248718003100310 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/002248718003100310
Byrd, A. P., Anderson, R. G., Paulsen, T. H., & Schultz, M. J. (2015). Does the number of post-secondary agricultural mechanics courses completed affect teacher competence? Journal of Agricultural Education, 56(1), 20–31. https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.2015.01020 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.2015.01020
Clemons, C. A., Heidenrich, A. E., & Linder, J. R. (2018). Assessing the technical expertise and content needs of Alabama agriscience teachers. Journal of Agricultural Education, 59(3), 87–99 https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.2018.03087 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.2018.03087
Coleman, B., Bunch, J., & Thoron, A. (2020). Identifying agriscience teachers’ instructional practice professional development needs by certification type. Journal of Agricultural Education, 61(3), 86–100. https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.2020.03086 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.2020.03086
Collie, R. J., Shapka, J. D., Perry, N. E., & Martin, A. J. (2016). Teachers’ psychological functioning in the workplace: Exploring the roles of contextual beliefs, need satisfaction, and personal characteristics. Journal of Educational Psychology, 108, 788–799. https://doi.org/10.1037/edu0000088. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/edu0000088
Curriculum for Agricultural Science Education. (2024). Curriculum for agricultural science education. http:// www.case4learning.org
Crutchfield, N., Ritz, R., & Burris, S. (2013). Why agricultural educators remain in the classroom. Journal of Agricultural Education, 54(2), 1–14. https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.2013.02001 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.2013.02001
Day, C. (2008). Committed for life? Variations in teachers' work, lives and effectiveness. Journal of Educational Change, 9(3), 243–260. https://doi.org/210.1007/s10833-10007-19054-10836 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10833-007-9054-6
Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (1985). Intrinsic motivation and self-determination in human behavior. New York: Plenum Press Publishing Co. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-2271-7 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-2271-7
Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2000). The “what” and “why” of goal pursuits: Human needs and the self-determination of behavior. Psychological Inquiry, 11, 227-268. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327965pli1104_01 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1207/S15327965PLI1104_01
Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2012). Motivation, personality, and development within embedded social contexts: An overview of self-determination theory. In R. M. Ryan (Ed.), The Oxford handbook of human motivation (pp. 85–110). Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780195399820.013.0006 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780195399820.013.0006
Deci, E. L., Ryan, R. M., Gagné, M., Leone, D. R., Usunov, J., & Kornazheva, B. P. (2001). Need satisfaction, motivation, and well-being in the work organizations of a former eastern bloc country: A cross-cultural study of self-determination. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 27(8), 930–942. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167201278002 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167201278002
Dillman, D. A., Smyth, J. D., & Christian, L. M. (2014). Internet, phone, mail, and mixed-mode surveys: The tailored design method. New York: Wiley and Sons. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781394260645 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/9781394260645
Disberger, B., Washburn, S. G., Hock, G., & Ulmer, J. (2022). Accomplishments and challenges experienced by beginning agriculture teachers in their first three years: A collective case study. Journal of Agricultural Education, 63(1), 115–131. https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.2022.01115 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.2022.01115
Disberger, B., Washburn, S. G., Hock, G., & Ulmer, J. (2022). Induction programs for beginning agriculture teachers: Research-based recommendations on program structure and content. Journal of Agricultural Education, 63(1), 132–148. https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.2022.01132 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.2022.01132
Disberger, B., Washburn, S., Hock, G., & Ulmer, J. (2023). A qualitative analysis of agriculture teacher’s attitudinal changes toward the teaching profession in the first three years of teaching. Journal of Agricultural Education, 64(1), 61–81. https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.v64i1.30 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.v64i1.30
Figland, W., Blackburn, D. J., Stair, D. K., & Smith, D. E. (2019). What do they need? Determining differences in the professional development needs of Louisiana agriculture teachers by years of teaching experience. Journal of Agricultural Education, 60(2), 173–189. https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.2019.02173 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.2019.02173
Gagné, M., & Deci, E. L. (2005). Self‐determination theory and work motivation. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 26(4), 331–362. https://doi.org/10.1002/job.322 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/job.322
Gorter, E. K. (2018). Exploration of global perspectives, teacher passion, and professional commitment of second stage agriculture teachers in the Western United States (Order No. 13839859) [Doctoral dissertation, Texas A&M University]. ProQuest Dissertations Publishing.
Guffey, K. B., & Young, J. S. (2020). Recruitment and retention of agriculture teachers in the southeast: An empirical analysis of the STAR program. Journal of Agricultural Education, 61(4), 203–213. https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.2020.04203 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.2020.04203
Hainline, M., & Smalley, S. (2023). Determining the professional development needs of Iowa school-based agricultural education teachers related to program design, leadership, and SAE development. Journal of Agricultural Education, 64(1), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.v64i1.26 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.v64i1.26
Hair, J. F., Black, W. C., Babin, B. J., & Anderson, R. E. (2014). Multivariate data analysis: Pearson new international edition. Pearson Education Limited. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-04898-2_395 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-04898-2_395
Igo, E. A., & Perry, D. K. (2019). Examining the reasons agricultural education teaching graduates choose to enter, leave, or stay in the teaching profession. Journal of Agricultural Education, 60(2), 109–125. https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.2019.02109 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.2019.02109
Johnson, R. B., & Christensen, L. (2014). Educational research: Quantitative, qualitative, and mixed approaches. SAGE Publications, Incorporated.
Korte, D. S., & Simonsen, J. C. (2018). Influence of social support on teacher self-efficacy in novice agricultural education teachers. Journal of Agricultural Education, 59(3), 100123. https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.2018.03100 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.2018.03100
Layfield, K. D., & Dobbins, T. R. (2002). Inservice needs and perceived competencies of South Carolina agricultural educators. Journal of Agricultural Education, 43(4), 46–55. https://doi:10.5032/jae.2002.04046 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.2002.04046
Melnick, S. A., & Meister, D. G. (2008, March). A comparison of beginning and experienced teachers' concerns. Educational Research Quarterly, 31(3), 40–56. ERIC.
Miller, W. W., & Scheid, C. L. (1982). Problems of beginning teachers of vocational agriculture in Iowa. Journal of the American Association of Teacher Educators in Agriculture, 25(4), 2–7. https://doi: 10.5032/jaatea.1984.04002 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5032/jaatea.1984.04002
Lee, A. N., & Nie, Y. (2014). Understanding teacher empowerment: Teachers' perceptions of principal's and immediate supervisor's empowering behaviors, psychological empowerment and work-related outcomes. Teaching and Teacher Education, 41, 67–79. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2014.03.006 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2014.03.006
Lemons, L. L., Brashears, M. T., Burris, S., Meyers, C., & Price, M. A. (2015). Factors contributing to attrition as reporters by leavers of secondary agriculture programs. Journal of Agricultural Education, 56(4), 17–30. https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.2015.04017 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.2015.04017
Mabekoje, S. O., Azeez, O., Okunuga, O. O., & Bamgbose, A. O. (2016). Does basic work needs satisfaction mediate between psychological empowerment and career commitment of teachers?. Academic Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, 5(3), 187. https://doi.org/10.5901/ajis.2016.v5n3p187 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5901/ajis.2016.v5n3p187
McKim, A. J., Sorensen, T. J., Velez, J. J., & Henderson, T. M. (2017). Analyzing the relationship between four teacher competence areas and commitment to teaching. Journal of Agricultural Education, 58(4), 1–14. https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.2017.04001 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.2017.04001
McKim, B. R., & Saucier, P. R. (2011). Agricultural mechanics laboratory management professional development needs of Wyoming secondary agriculture teachers. Journal of Agricultural Education, 52(3), 75–86. https://doi:10.5032/jae.2011.03075 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.2011.03075
Myers, B. E., Dyer, J.E., & Washburn, S.G. (2005). Problems facing beginning agriculture teachers. Journal of Agricultural Education, 46(3), 47–55. https://doi.org/10.5032/jae/2005.03047 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.2005.03047
National Association of Agricultural Educators (2015). Ag teacher’s life cycle. Retrieved from http://www.naae.org/lifecycle/index.cfm
National FFA. (2023). We Asked, You Answered- FFA Advisors and Agricultural Educator Needs Assessment Survey. Retrieved from https://ffa.app.box.com/s/c4fmureoowswf6jeejf7l8le5ttln401?utm_source=ActiveCampaign&utm_medium=email&utm_content=See+What+FFA+Members+Are+Up+to+in+These+New+Videos&utm_campaign=CEO+Weekly+-+01-12-2024
Nesbitt, D. L., & Mundt, J. P. (1993). An evaluation of the University of Idaho beginning agriculture teacher induction program. Journal of Agricultural Education. 34(2), 1l–l7. ttps://doi.org/10.5032/jae.1993.02011 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.1993.02011
Palmer, C. B. (2020). The relationship between autonomy, competence, and relatedness and teachers’ length of service (Order No. 27996038). Available from ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global. (2416832992).
Rada, L. L., & Smalley, S. W. (2025). Determining the Classroom Needs of School-Based Agricultural Education Teachers in Minnesota. Journal of Agricultural Education, 66(1), Article 18. https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.v66i1.2769 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.v66i1.2769
Rada, L. L., Smith, A. R., & Greiman, B. C. (2025). The relationship between psychological needs satisfaction and professional commitment of Minnesota school-based agricultural education teachers. Journal of Agricultural Education, 66(1), Article 17. https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.v66i1.2771 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.v66i1.2771
Revilla, M., & Ochoa, C. (2017). Ideal and maximum length for a web survey. International Journal of Market Research, 59(5), 557–565. https://doi.org/10.2501/IJMR-2017-0 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2501/IJMR-2017-039
Roberts, T. G., & Dyer, J. E. (2004). Characteristics of effective agriculture teachers. Journal of Agricultural Education, 45(4), 82-95. https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.2004.04082 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.2004.04082
Roberts, R., Wittie, B. M., Stair, K. S., Blackburn, J. J., & Smith, H. E. (2020). The dimensions of professional development needs for secondary agricultural education teachers across career stages: A multiple case study comparison. Journal of Agricultural Education, 61(3), 128–143. https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.2020.03128 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.2020.03128
Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2002). Overview of self-determination theory: An organismic dialectical perspective. In E. L. Deci, & R. M. Ryan (Eds.), Handbook of self-determination research (pp. 3–33). Rochester, NY: The University of Rochester Press. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781446249215.n21 DOI: https://doi.org/10.4135/9781446249215.n21
Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2020). Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation from a self-determination theory perspective: Definitions, theory, practices, and future directions. Contemporary Educational Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cedpsych.2020.101860 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cedpsych.2020.101860
Sammons, P., Day, C., Kington, A., Gu, Q., Stobart, G., & Smees, R. (2007). Exploring variations in teachers' work, lives and their effects on pupils: Key findings and implications from a longitudinal mixed-method study. British Educational Research Journal, 33(5), 681–701. https://doi.org/610.1080/01411920701582264 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/01411920701582264
Smalley, S., Hainline, M. S., & Sands, K. (2019). School-based agricultural education teachers’ perceived professional development needs associated with teaching, classroom management, and technical agriculture. Journal of Agricultural Education, 60(2), 85–98. https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.2019.02085 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.2019.02085
Smalley, S. W., & Smith, A. R. (2017). Professional development needs of mid-career agriculture teachers. Journal of Agricultural Education, 58(4) 282–290. https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.2017.04283 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.2017.04283
Smith, A. R., Foster, D. D., & Lawver, R. G. (2023). National Agricultural Education Supply and Demand Study, 2022 Executive Summary. Retrieved from: http://aaaeonline.org/Resources/Documents/NSD 2022Summary.pdf
Solomonson, J., Still, S., & Maxwell, L. (2021). Factors influencing the decision of Illinois school-based agricultural education teachers to remain in the profession. Journal of Agricultural Education, 62(3), 121–137.https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.2021.03121 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.2021.03121
Sorensen, T. J., & McKim, A. J. (2014). Perceived work-life balance ability, job satisfaction, and professional commitment among agriculture teachers. Journal of Agricultural Education, 55(4), 116–132. https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.2014.04116 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.2014.04116
Sutcher, L., Darling-Hammond, L., & Carver-Thomas, D. (2016). A coming crisis in teaching? Teacher supply, demand, and shortages in the U.S. Palo Alto, CA: Learning Policy Institute. https://doi.org/10.54300/247.242 DOI: https://doi.org/10.54300/247.242
Thoron, A. C., Myers, B. E., & Barrick, R. K. (2016). Research priority 5: Efficient and effective agricultural education programs. In T. G. Roberts, A. Harder, & M. T. Brashears. (Eds.), American Association for Agricultural Education National Research Agenda: 2016–2020. Gainesville, FL: Department of Agricultural Education and Communication.
Thornton, K. M., Coleman, B. M., Bunch, J., & Roberts, T. G. (2020). Professional life phases: Identifying professional development needs for Florida agriscience teachers. Journal of Agricultural Education, 61(4), 283–295. https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.2020.04283 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.2020.04283
Touchstone, A. J. L. (2015). Professional development needs of beginning agricultural education teachers in Idaho. Journal of Agricultural Education, 56(2), 170–187. https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.2015.022170 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.2015.02170
Wells, T., Hainline, M., Rank, B., Sanders, K., & Chumbley, S. (2021). A regional study of the agricultural mechanics knowledge and skills needed by school-based agricultural education teachers. Journal of Agricultural Education, 62(2), 148–166. http://doi.org/10.5032/jae.2021.02148 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.2021.02148
White, R. (2008). Teachers’ professional life cycles. International House Journal of Education and Development, 24, 22.
Yopp, A. M., Edgar, D., & Croom, D. B. (2020). Technical in-service needs of agriculture teachers in Georgia by career pathway. Journal of Agricultural Education, 61(2), 1–19. https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.2020.02001 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.2020.02001
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
