Defining Programmatic Balance in School-Based Agricultural Education: A Modified Delphi Study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.v67i3.3360Keywords:
Programmatic Balance, SBAE, Delphi, agricultural education programsAbstract
The persistent shortage of school-based agricultural education (SBAE) teachers has generated substantial research on workload, role strain, and work–life balance; however, limited attention has been given to how balance is conceptualized within SBAE programs themselves. Although professional models consistently depict classroom instruction, Supervised Agricultural Experiences (SAE), and FFA as equally important components, the construct of programmatic balance remains largely undefined in the scholarly literature. The purpose of this study was to define programmatic balance by articulating the construct in secondary SBAE through expert consensus. A three-round modified Delphi method was employed with a national panel of SBAE experts representing supervisory and leadership roles in agricultural education across the United States. The panel identified classroom instruction as the foundational element from which SAE and FFA activities are derived and supported. Programmatic balance was further characterized as contextually responsive, student-centered, and community-based, while rejecting rigid or prescriptive models. These findings establish programmatic balance as a definable construct and provide a foundation for future research on SBAE program structure and sustainability.
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