Maintaining a Marathon Mindset: Iowa Agricultural Education Teachers’ Implementation of the SAE for All Framework Following a Yearlong Professional Development Experience
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.v66i4.3247Keywords:
SAE, SAE for All, Experiential Learning, Professional Development, Work-Based LearningAbstract
A supervised agricultural experience (SAE) program provides the opportunity for agricultural education students to apply their classroom and leadership experiences to a real-world, contextualized setting. In 2015, the National Council for Agricultural Education developed the SAE for All initiative to encourage all students to develop and maintain a quality SAE program. Since SAE for All is a newer initiative, training on how to facilitate effective SAE for All is beginning to emerge for states and agricultural educators to take advantage of. The purpose of this study was to examine the successes, barriers, and impacts of SAE for All implementation among six Iowa educators who participated in a yearlong SAE for All professional development experience in a cohort model. Iowa is among one of the first states to implement SAE for All professional development experiences for agricultural educators on a state-level. This qualitative study utilized a case study approach, where artifact submission and Zoom interviews were conducted, collected, transcribed, and coded. Findings revealed grading, the use of class time, and student mentorship as key implementation strategies, while a lack of overall teacher knowledge or confidence, limited time to coordinate SAE for All efforts, and challenges with student buy-in were the most pressing barriers. However, teachers reported positive impacts of SAE for All implementation within themselves, and within their programs. As additional states begin SAE for All implementation, resource development should be prioritized to address barriers that emerge so all agricultural education can engage in real-world, contextualized experiential learning through a SAE.
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