TEACHING LEADERSHIP IN AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE: BEHAVIORAL FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE SECONDARY AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE LEADERSHIP INSTRUCTION

Abstract

This study sought to explain why agricultural science instructors teach leadership in their classrooms. The variables measured were instructor leadership teaching behavior, instructor attitude towards teaching leadership, instructor demographics, instructor leadership knowledge, and instructor expectations of students after the teaching of leadership. In this national study 400 participants were contacted and 167 responded to the questionnaire. This study revealed that instructor attitude towards teaching leadership, selected instructor demographics, and instructor expectations were significant predictors of instructor leadership teaching behavior. Instructor leadership knowledge had no significant contribution to instructor leadership teaching behavior. It was recommended that pre-service instructors be encouraged to take a leadership course so they will be better prepared to teach leadership concepts as an instructor; leadership professional development programs should be offered to current instructors to increase instructor leadership knowledge; and teacher preparation institutions should provide pre-service instructors with LifeKnowledge curriculum training so new agriculture instructors will be prepared to teach leadership in agricultural science classrooms.