VTechWorks Repository :: Browsing by Author "Broyles, Thomas W."

Browsing by Author "Broyles, Thomas W."

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Career Values and Perceptions of Agricultural Careers of Gifted and Talented Students in the Virginia Governor's School for Agriculture
Overbay, Andrew Edward (Virginia Tech, 2006-10-18)
Career choice is governed by what individuals value and their perception of the realities that exist in a given field. Agriculture career education of gifted and talented students, therefore, must begin with an assessment of the values of the students, their assumptions regarding fields within the agriculture industry, and factors that influence their career decisions. This descriptive study summarized values and perceptions held by participants in the 2006 Virginia Governor's School for Agriculture (VGSA). Originally, the VGSA hosted 98 students; one student withdrew from the program. The results of the study confirmed that there is still much controversy and misunderstanding about agriculture and careers in the agriculture arena. The testing process included a survey of career values called the Values Scale. This instrument was developed by Dorothy Nevill and Donald Super and last updated in 1989. The 106-question survey measured 21 personal career values of participants. Follow-up data were collected gauging the students' thoughts on agriculture careers, agriculture companies, their individual career goals, and the influences that shaped their career decisions. The career values of the VGSA Class of 2006 were surprisingly similar to high school student data collected in 1989. There were slight decreases in the value placed on economic rewards and security, but many of the other values mirrored past national data. Most students (n=73) were able to name five agriculture careers with "farmer" garnering most of the responses; however, 29 students did not name a single agriculture company. A majority of the students (n=56) stated that they had made a career decision; however, most of these (n=32) also stated their career was not in the field of agriculture. Half of those having a career goal made their decision prior to their sophomore year in high school. Parents were named by the students as the greatest single influence on career decision among ten choices. School experiences, work experiences, and people who work in the field were also high among influences. Suggestions for further research include identifying effective methods of agricultural career exploration within VGSA and value comparisons between gifted students and the general student population.
A Case Study of How Modern Agricultural Education Programs May Be Designed to Support Innovative Agricultural Content
Webb, Randall Curtis (Virginia Tech, 2018-08-15)
The agricultural industry is changing every day, and new innovations are being developed faster than educational resources can be developed. Secondary agricultural education is faced with the challenges of keeping up with the changes in the industry. Determining how to bring cutting edge innovative content to the classroom is difficult and without a clear vision of what is relevant it is impossible. The purpose of this case study was to determine how modern agricultural education programs may be designed and developed to support innovative agricultural content. The researcher focused on the planning theory of (Cervero and Wilson, 2006), as well as the Diffusion of Innovations Theory (Rogers, 2003) for the theoretical framework of the research. The case study used a qualitative approach to examine the phenomenological views of stakeholders and artifacts collected to support the innovative program design. This qualitative study used interviews to describe and find the meanings to how modern agricultural education programs may be designed and developed to support innovative agricultural content. The findings of this study delivered a clear picture of this innovative agricultural education program. There were five categories and nine themes to emerge from the data collected, these categories and themes support the role the participants have played in the design and development of this innovative agricultural education program. The study showed that teachers were the key to a successful program. Teachers were then connected to professional development, program support, curriculum, and expectations of students at the end of their agricultural education program.
A Case Study of Student Cognitive Responses to Learning with Computer-Assisted Modular Curriculum
Waknine, Jessica (Virginia Tech, 2010-07-16)
Little is known about how students learn when using computer-assisted modular curriculum, if such curriculum truly promotes self-regulated learning, or if the cognitive principles of teaching and learning are integrated throughout the design of the modules. The purpose of this study was to investigate the phenomenon of student cognitive responses to learning with computer-assisted modular curriculum, based on the Phases and Subprocesses of Self-Regulation. This triangulation mixed methods case study connected qualitative and quantitative data derived from curriculum content analysis, student course evaluations, participant observations, and interviews. Thirty-six middle school students enrolled in an agricultural education course designed with computer-assisted modules served as the case study group. Data were transcribed, coded, and analyzed, leading to the emergence of six common themes. Overall, the design and content of the computer-assisted modules lack integral principles of teaching and learning. Participants prefer a mix of traditional and computer-assisted instruction because of the variety of instruction, opportunities for social learning, and the hands-on activities. When integrated properly, computer-assisted modules do not inhibit interactions among the teacher and the students. The activities associated with the modules do not encourage self-regulatory processes. However, self-regulation is innate and students engage in self-regulation at different levels during the learning experience. Despite intrinsic interest or value for a particular topic, participants felt it was always important to pay attention in school. Thus, when learning with computer-assisted modules, students engage in social learning with their peers and desire hands-on learning experiences, with or without the modules.
Cognitive Effect Indicators: The Impact of Student and Teacher Styles on Course Grades
McCann, Edward W. Jr. (Virginia Tech, 2008-04-21)
This study was descriptive, correlative and explanatory. It summarized the problem solving and learning styles of students enrolled in the spring 2008 Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Agricultural Technology program, identified relationships between problem solving and learning styles, and used problem solving and learning styles to explain students' end of course grades. Ninety-three students and six faculty members elected to participate in the study. There were differences between degree options in terms of orientation to change. Second year students were likely to be internal processors. There were not significant differences among the population in ways of deciding. However, Agricultural Technology teachers were more task oriented problem solvers, while their students were people oriented. Teachers were more field independent than the students. There were no relationships between problem solving and learning style. There was a high degree of association between student ways of deciding and manner of processing. Student and teacher problem solving and learning styles were used to explain 11% of the variance in students' end of course grades for the six teachers in the study. Student orientation to change, student manner of processing, teacher manner of processing and teacher ways of deciding scores produced a model that significantly explained end of course grades. Suggestions for further research included identifying other career areas with stylistic trends and further identifying the impact cognitive effect has on student behavior.
Comparing Candidate and Clinical Faculty Cognitive Effect, Cognitive Affect, and Perceived Behaviors During Formal Mentoring
Stacklin, Laura Rose (Virginia Tech, 2009-04-22)
Many vital components of clinical practice including placement of candidate with clinical faculty remain unaddressed in current research. Missing from formal mentoring research is recognition of the best-quality way to pair mentors and protégés in order for both parties to receive the most benefits from the relationship. Mentoring has been shown to be foundational to the retention of career and technical education teachers making mentoring especially critical. The candidate population for the study included students enrolled in clinical practice during the spring of 2009 in agricultural education certification programs at 14 different universities. Findings using a matched pairs t-tests were conducted to reach the heart of the study, the dyadic mentoring relationships between candidate and clinical faculty. Cognitive effect, an indicator of problem solving style was not found to be a significant factor in the study. However, cognitive affect, an indicator of interpersonal orientation found many significant differences. Significance was found at the 0.05 level in the areas of candidate expressed inclusion and clinical faculty wanted inclusion (t=5.27), candidate expressed total and clinical faculty wanted total (t=3.88), candidate wanted control and clinical faculty expressed control (t=-2.97). Significance was also found at the 0.01 level of significance for candidate wanted total and clinical faculty expressed total (t=-2.37). In the area of behavior a matched pairs t-test determined perceived psychosocial support (t=-2.86) and perceived total support (t=-2.32) to be significant. Mentoring and clinical practice are extremely dynamic constructs as many different influences are present from personal preferences to the way people naturally and holistically function. When universities identify clinical faculty, attention should be paid to the matching of dyads in order to emulate an informal mentoring experience to the greatest extent possible. Although mentoring is extremely complex, the research indicates promise for agreement and promise for continued research to benefit not only individuals, but our entire profession.
Curriculum and Facilities for Agricultural Education: An Agriscience Approach
Broyles, Thomas W. (Virginia Tech, 2004-07-06)
Agricultural education has changed its curriculum, its focus, and its mission. The early days of agricultural education prepared pupils to enter the workforce by training for specific jobs. The emphasis in agricultural education has shifted to the integration of academics with career and technical education. This paradigm shift is called agriscience. The concept of agriscience is delivered utilizing classroom teaching, supervised agricultural experiences, and laboratory learning. Facilities are the linking point from classroom instruction to problem solving and hands-on experience. Facilities must be furnished with equipment and modules that are highly correlated with the curriculum being implemented. Laboratory experiences must be modernized to reflect the integration of academics with agricultural education. A facility problem being encountered is that agricultural educators do not know the essential components needed for a functional agriscience facility. The purpose of this study was to ascertain essential components needed for a functional agriscience course taught in Virginia entitled Biological Applications in Agriculture. Specific objectives of the investigation were to determine the essential agriscience laboratory and classroom components needed to implement the Virginia course entitled Biological Applications in Agriculture. Identifying essential components of a functional agriscience facility was achieved using the modified Delphi methodology. The panel for this investigation was comprised of 17 adult individuals representing three constituency groups. The groups were categorized as agricultural educators, local school administrators, and career and technical education directors. The respondents completed questionnaires spread over two rounds. The Round I included an initial list of 49 pieces of equipment and components from similar courses taught in Georgia, North Carolina, and New York. The expert panel added an additional 41 pieces of equipment and components to the Round I questionnaire. The Round II questionnaire sought to obtain consensus of the list of essential equipment and components for an agriscience laboratory and classroom. The expert panel reached a consensus on the 90 items essential to implementing the course Biological Applications in Agriculture.
The Effects of Leader–member Exchange and Cognitive Style on Student Achievement: A Mixed Methods Case Study of Teacher–student Dyads
Mosley, Chaney Wayne (Virginia Tech, 2012-03-23)
The purpose of this embedded sequential explanatory case study with a quantitative→qualitative two-strand design of inquiry was to explain how the quality of teacher-student relationships and the gap of cognitive styles between teachers and students impact student achievement. The population for the quantitative strand of research was comprised of 11 career and technical education (CTE) teachers and 210 CTE students, representing six disciplines within CTE. The study occurred in a suburban high school in western North Carolina. Leader-member Exchange (LMX) theory and Adaption-innovation theory guided the research. In the quantitative strand, the Kirton Adaption-Innovation Inventory was used to measure the cognitive style of teachers and students, a researcher developed survey was used to measure dyadic intensity, the Leader-Member Excellence—Shared-Leadership Exchange instrument was used to measure the perceived quality of dyadic relationships between teachers and students, and the North Carolina CTE end of course tests were used to measure student achievement in CTE classes. Additionally, demographic information was collected from teacher and student participants. In the qualitative strand, four teachers and eight students were interviewed. The purpose of the qualitative strand was to investigate how teachers and students describe their dyadic relationships. Data from both the quantitative and qualitative strands were mixed to allow for a stronger interpretation and explanation of the quantitative and qualitative results. Statistically significant relationships were identified among the various dimensions of teacher-student relationships. There was a weak, positive relationship between dyadic intensity and student GPA. A weak, positive relationship was found between dyadic intensity and teacher LMX. There was a weak, positive relationship between dyadic intensity and student LMX. There was a weak, positive relationship between student GPA and teacher LMX. A moderate, positive relationship was found between student GPA and student LMX. A moderate, positive relationship was found between student GPA and student achievement. Additionally, there was a moderate, positive relationship between teacher LMX and student LMX. A path analysis of quantitative data indicated that student GPA had a significant effect on teacher LMX. Teacher LMX and student GPA had a significant effect on student LMX. Lastly, student GPA had a significant effect on student achievement. Qualitative data validated the quantitative findings. Further, five themes surfaced from the qualitative data providing support for additional findings. The researcher recommended future investigation of the impacts of leader-member exchange and cognitive style on student achievement using alternative indicators of student achievement, an exploration of how involvement in a career and technical student organization (CTSO) interacts with teacher-student relationships and student achievement through the lens of leader-member exchange, and an examination of the impacts of leader-member exchange and cognitive style on student achievement outside of the context of CTE. The quality of teacher-student relationships from both the teacher's perspective and the student's perspective are affected by a student's grade point average. Student grade point average has a significant effect on student achievement. Much remains unknown about the antecedents of teacher-student relationships and how the relationships between teachers and students may interact with student achievement.
The Effects of the Student Teaching Experience on Cooperating Teachers in Secondary Agricultural Education Programs: A Case Study
Edwards, Stephen Wyatt (Virginia Tech, 2012-07-24)
The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine the effects of the student teaching experience on secondary agricultural education teachers. Eight of the thirteen participants in this study served as a cooperating teacher during the 2012 spring semester for pre-service teachers in agricultural education from a land-grant institution. Three of the participants had served as a cooperating teacher during either the 2010 or 2011 spring semester but had reported a negative student teaching experience with their last student teacher. Two of the participants had served as pilot interviews for the study, but they were added as participants during the analysis of the study. The participants provided interviews, opportunities for professional observations, and teaching documents for analysis. Four major themes emerged in the study 1) The professional identities of secondary agricultural education teachers are affected by their membership in the pre-service teacher community. 2) Secondary agricultural education teachers volunteer as cooperating teachers to help others and themselves professionally. 3) Secondary agricultural education teachers empower themselves and other members of their communities through their leadership due to their strong sense of political efficacy. 4) The professional practices of agriculture teachers are influenced by their service as a cooperating teacher.
Equine Subject Matter in Virginia's Secondary Agricultural Education Programs: Course Offerings Compared to Career Development Event Participation
Miller, John H. (Virginia Tech, 2006-06-14)
Agricultural education has to alter its curriculum in order to remain in step with the changes in rural and urban lifestyles. It must continue to change and expand its offerings as society develops. As an industry grows large enough to offer a variety of careers, students need to be more aware of opportunities and gain the necessary skills to enter that job market. The equine industry qualifies as an important and viable part of not only Virginia’s economy, but also the national economy. Career Development Events (CDEs) are designed to help prepare students for careers in agriculture. Classroom instruction comes alive as students demonstrate their skills in a competitive setting. CDEs test the abilities of individuals, as well as teams, in 28 major areas of agricultural instruction (National FFA, 2006). The basic core of agricultural education program consists of three components: 1. classroom instruction, 2. FFA, including Career Development Events, and 3. Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) programs. The FFA is a co-curricular organization representing one-third of the total agricultural education program. As such, FFA activities should reflect the instruction provided in the agricultural education classroom and laboratory. The concern facing the profession relates to why there were 40 Virginia FFA chapters with a CDE horse judging team in 2005, but that only 12 programs offered an equine management course. The purpose of my research was to assess the perceptions of Virginia’s secondary agricultural education teachers toward the benefits of offering an equine management course, within the secondary agricultural education programs that have CDE horse judging teams. The survey of 40 agricultural teachers who had a horse judging team at the 2005 state CDE event showed that 14 (22%) of the teachers did teach an equine course or unit within another course, 21 (63%) did not, and five (15%) did not respond. Based on the findings of this study, teachers’ perceptions were that an equine management program and participation in equine Career Development Events are necessary. Teachers agreed the event improved their students’ overall academic performance, increased their acceptance of responsibility, and increased their self-confidence.
An Examination of Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District Employee Job Satisfaction
White, Angela Paige (Virginia Tech, 2008-03-27)
The study's purpose was to determine the job satisfaction level of Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) employees during fiscal year 2007-2008. Employee characteristics were identified; three measures of job satisfaction were attained (intrinsic, extrinsic, general satisfaction); and satisfaction levels on 12 specific job aspects were determined. The relationship between job satisfaction and four independent variables (age, gender, education level, primary job responsibility) was assessed. The instrument consisted of an employee characteristics survey, the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ) 1977 Short-Form, derived from the MSQ 1967 Long-Form (Weiss, Dawis, England, & Lofquist, 1967), and a modified 2002 Virginia Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts (VASWCD) survey. Descriptive research statistics were utilized. A total of 185 employees participated, which was an 80% response rate. The majority of employees were characterized as: non-Hispanic, white, female, average age 41 years, married with no children 18 and under living in the home, bachelor's degree, average tenure of 6.52 years, full-time, permanent position, average hourly wage of $14.45 and annual salary of $36,373.54, primary job responsibility "technical." The MSQ found respondents generally and intrinsically satisfied. Greater satisfaction was expressed for variety and social services. Overall respondents were undecided about extrinsic job aspects. Advancement was an area of dissatisfaction. The modified VASWCD survey found respondents satisfied overall. Respondents were "very satisfied" with work schedule, type of work, and board relationships. Employees were less satisfied with health insurance benefits, new employee orientation, and compensation. They were "dissatisfied" with career advancement opportunities and life insurance. Differences in total intrinsic, extrinsic, and general job satisfaction, as measured by the MSQ, based on the independent variables were determined. A one-way ANOVA and Tukey's post-hoc test were utilized. Since the population of this study violated Levene's Test of Homogeneity, the ANOVA could not be performed for age and intrinsic and general job satisfaction. The ANOVA was performed for all other variables. There was not a significant difference in extrinsic satisfaction among respondents of the various age groups. There were no significant differences in intrinsic, extrinsic, or general job satisfaction for the variables of gender, education level, or primary job responsibility.
Exploring the Dimensions of Problem-solving Ability on High-achieving Secondary Students: A Mixed Methods Study
Hamm, Jolene Diane (Virginia Tech, 2010-10-15)
This mixed-methods study investigated the relationship between self-concept and problem-solving style and how these two constructs compared and contrasted in regards to a participant's perception of his or her problem-solving ability. The 86 study participants were high-achieving rising 11th and 12th grade students attending a summer enrichment program for agriculture. This study used a concurrent triangulation mixed methods design. The quantitative aspect of the study employed two instruments, SDQ III to test perceived self-concept and the VIEW to determine the perceived problem-solving style. Concurrent with this data collection, 13 open-ended interviews were conducted to explored the description of the problem-solving process during a problem-solving event. The reason for collection of both quantitative and qualitative data was to bring together the strengths of both forms of research in order to merge the data to make comparisons and further the understanding of problem-solving ability of high-achieving youth. The study discovered that self-concept and problem-solving style have a weak relationship for many of the constructs and a negative relationship between two of constructs. The qualitative component revealed that high-achieving youth had clear definitions of problem-solving, a rich and descriptive heuristic approach, a clear understanding of which resources provided key information, and a strong depiction of themselves as problem-solver. An emergent concept from the research was the participants' perceptions of the team-based structure and how the inclusion of multiple ability levels versus high ability levels affected the participants' perceptions of solving a problem in a team situation. The mixing component of the study depicted the influence of self-concept on the problem-solving style. This study was an initial exploration of the relationship between self-concept and problem-solving and compared the current results with previous research. It extended and connected the previous research areas of self-concept and problem-solving style. As an initial study, it led to recommendations for further research across education as well as additional exploration of the emergent relationships identified. Finally, the study denoted the importance of mixed-methods research due to the interconnectivity between self-concept and problem-solving style and the participant descriptions of themselves as problem-solvers.
The Relationship Between Implicit Theories of Intelligence, Epistemological Beliefs, and the Teaching Practices of In-service Teachers: A Mixed Methods Study
Epler, Cory Michael (Virginia Tech, 2011-03-28)
The intent of this two-phase, sequential explanatory mixed methods study was to examine the role teachers' beliefs play when making instructional decisions. The population included in-service teachers representing four Career and Technical Education disciplines located within the commonwealth of Virginia. Using a stratified random sample, 622 teachers were selected for the quantitative strand, and employing a system of four contacts, quantitative data were collected from 292 participants. Dweck's Theories of Intelligence scale assessed the nature of in-service teachers' beliefs about intelligence, and the Epistemic Belief Inventory was used to measure their epistemological beliefs. Finally, the participants rated their use of teacher-centered and student-centered teaching methods. In the second phase, qualitative data were collected from nine participants to further understand how in-service teachers' beliefs are related to the teaching practices they use. The quantitative and qualitative data were combined to determine if the descriptions of teaching method used, beliefs about intelligence, and epistemological beliefs aligned with the outcomes of the quantitative questionnaire. Significant correlations existed between the Theories of Intelligence scale and the Epistemic Belief Inventory. A significant positive relationship existed between the Epistemic Beliefs Inventory and the overall teaching practices score, indicating in-service teachers' advanced epistemological beliefs are related to the use of student-centered teaching practices. A regression analysis indicated that teaching discipline, epistemological beliefs, teaching experience, and highest level of education completed predicted the teaching practices in-service teachers' select. The qualitative data supported the claim that beliefs about intelligence and epistemological beliefs influence teaching practices. Six themes emerged from the qualitative data, and the themes were used as a framework for organizing the findings. The researcher acknowledges that teachers possess a variety of beliefs, and those beliefs influence how teachers teach. The researcher recommends that teacher educators attempt to identify the beliefs pre-service teachers hold, and if modifications of beliefs are needed, facilitate interventions to modify those beliefs. While some have labeled the direct relationship between teacher beliefs and teaching practices as "messy", the evidence indicates the two, are in fact, related.
A Southwest Virginia Perspective of Beginning Farmers’ Needs for Adult Agricultural Education: A Focus Group Approach
Byrd, Alexander Preston (Virginia Tech, 2011-08)
Beginning farmers are a very diverse population of people that play an important role in communities across the United States. Today’s beginning farmers are perhaps best understood as tomorrow’s sustainable producers by way of contributing to much need food production, viable economic development, and community well-being .Without beginning farmers to take the place of those farmers exiting or retiring, communities nationwide could see a decline in agriculture production, farmland preservation, and local economic opportunities. A beginning farmer striving to become a successful producer is likely to encounter numerous challenges in which they must overcome. Helping these new and beginning agriculturalists is a central focus for several adult agriculture education organizations. In its many forms, adult agriculture education provides information to help local farmers become successful by meeting expressed needs and overcoming the challenges they face. In Floyd County, Virginia, there several of these organizations available to the public such as: Virginia Cooperative Extension, Virginia Young Farmers, Farm Bureau Young Farmers, and the Virginia Association of Biological Farmers. However, if you look at the members of these organizations you will not see many beginning farmers. With the importance of beginning farmers to the future of agriculture and food systems, what are these organizations currently doing to help ensure their success in getting established?
Understanding the Employability of College Graduates for Success in the Workplace
Rateau, Richard J. (Virginia Tech, 2011-10-11)
In our increasingly competitive world, it is critical that college graduates enter the workplace with the appropriate skills to not only survive but also grow their career. Current college graduates have not consistently acquired the skills needed for success in the workplace to learn and thrive continuously in our rapidly changing world. The Virginia Tech College of Agriculture and Life Science must identify the specific strategies that develop best the needed skills for the success of the graduate and society The purpose of the study was to identify a land grant college of agriculture and life sciences' (LGCALS) current programmatic and classroom strategies for developing students' ability to learn and thrive continuously in our rapidly changing world and a (1) explore programmatic strategies for developing students' ability to continuously learn and thrive; (2) explore innovative instructors classroom strategies for developing students' ability to learn and thrive continuously; (3) describe graduates perceptions of career readiness as measured through the bases of competence inventory, and finally; (4) compare programmatic strategies, classroom strategies and graduates' perceptions for career readiness. A mixed methods convergent parallel design guided the research. Qualitative interviews were employed for exploring experiences using an interpretive, constructivist, and naturalistic approach for research objectives 1 and 2. A cross sectional survey design and questionnaire, Making the Match, was used to conduct the quantitative research for objective 3. The mixed methods portion of the convergent parallel design was used to frame and explore research objective 4. Findings of the study detail need for curriculum improvement in problem solving, learning, time management, creativity and change, and personal strengths.

Browsing by Author "Broyles, Thomas W."

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