Browsing by Author "Vines, Karen A."

Now showing 1 - 20 of 33
  • Thumbnail Image
    The Academic Experience of African-American Male Student-Athletes
    Hill, Ahmed (Virginia Tech, 2019-12-09)
    This paper explores the academic experience of former African-American student-athletes who have graduated from Virginia Tech. Student-athletes choose to attend college for many different reasons and once enrolled, they often face challenges such as time management. Academic support centers have developed throughout the country at various institutions to assist student-athletes with the academic challenges that they may face. Through interviews with former student-athletes, this paper was developed to answer two research questions: What experiences have positively impacted African-American male student-athletes’ academic success and graduation? And, what support initiatives and/or programs have student-athlete support offices implemented at Virginia Tech to support African-American male student-athletes? Seven former student-athletes were interviewed in this study and results show that the majority of those interviewed chose to attend Virginia Tech to play basketball and to receive a strong education. The biggest challenge faced by student-athletes was time management. The most utilized resources were: academic advisors, professors, tutoring, and relationships with coaches, teammates, and others. All of the student-athletes interviewed had a positive experience at Virginia Tech and were pleased with their decision to obtain a degree. In terms of the programming for African-Americans, common themes were that they did not want to be stereotyped. Implications and recommendations based on this research include continuing to support the African-American student-athlete population by developing relationships with them.
  • Thumbnail Image
    The Analysis of Food Recovery Organization Leadership: How Transformational and Servant Leaders Overcame a Time of Crisis
    Nelson, Dalton Glenn (Virginia Tech, 2022-11-17)
    The COVID-19 Pandemic exacerbated a multitude of systems in the United States in 2020 up to current day. The structure of non-profit organizations across the country weakened as demands escalated for free food resources with specific pressure placed on food banks and food recovery organizations. There were citizens who had not previously relied on free food services who found themselves in drive through pickups, waiting for pre-packaged food boxes or the occasional you-pick operation to feed their families and themselves. The increase in demand for free food services was reacted to by those leading and directing the free food distribution sites through a time of crisis. This qualitative study serves to analyze food recovery organization (FRO) leadership strategies and principles that guided their decision making and problem-solving skills in response to food shortages and supply chain issues. The merge of the eight pillars of transformational and servant leadership theory provided propositional pillars that were tested in practice through interviews with FRO leaders in Appalachia. The discovery of how these leadership strategies were enacted during a time of crisis will guide the development of a training curriculum for nonprofit leaders in the future.
  • Thumbnail Image
    COVID19 Response Reflection Tool
    Baughman, Sara; Archibald, Thomas G.; Vines, Karen A. (Virginia Cooperative Extension, 2020)
    Six question rubric to help people/organizations/teams reflect upon their response to COVID-19 and decide how to move forward.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Developing a Qualitative Needs Assessment Tool to be Used by the Cooperative Extension Professional Working with Beef Producers
    Wesner, Courtney G. (Virginia Tech, 2022-12-10)
    Cooperative Extension professionals have long relied heavily on a needs assessment approach to lay the foundation for the creation of educational opportunities that are both applicable and pertinent in meeting the historically assumed goals of increased profitability and sustainability in agriculture production. Utilization of a formalized needs assessment approach has the proven potential to be utilized by the Extension agent in the development of understanding with clientele; along with ultimately serving to assist in the identification of needs that are specific to the individual communities in which agents serve. Educational programming and resource allocation plans can then be developed, post needs assessment, with mind to the specific needs identified as a result of the process. Traditional needs assessments can be carried out through a multitude of mediums; to include surveying, interviews, advisory committees, focus groups, community forums, the use of existing data, and any multitude of mixing and matching of the aforementioned. Regardless of the chosen medium, the true value of needs assessment for Extension programming relies on its ability to successfully identify stakeholder needs, and to be empowered with the necessary information to design programs, products, and services to ultimately meet those needs (Garst & McCawley, 2015). Through the identification of agricultural producers’ goals and production limitations, the Extension agent is armed and empowered with information that is necessary in the creation of successful agriculture education program design and the further development of services provided within their communities. It remains important for Extension agents to be able to “meet clients where they are at.” Feelings, goals, and production limitations have significant potential to stand as limiting factors to educational uptake, if not addressed, in programming that has been historically centered around increased profitability and sustainability. Without identifying producer goals, motivation, and addressing limiting factors to production within education, the Extension professional may face challenges in terms of programmatic impact and buy-in. An educator must exhibit considerable objectivity in working with public and they sometimes tend to assume they know what is best for their clientele (Boone et al., 2002). Increased profitability and sustainability seem to be the low-hanging, easily identifiable need of agriculture education; however, this historical belief may not be the case for the majority of contemporary program participants. If nothing else, this assumption is worth investigation by the contemporary Extension professional who has the ultimate goal of meeting current needs within a contemporary clientele base. The ever-changing agricultural climate and an aging agriculture producer pool make it all the more important for contemporary Extension professionals to be proficient at identifying the current needs of agriculture producers in the geographic area that they serve. The purpose of this project is to create a replicable, easily applied methodology that can be used to assess the educational needs of beef producers throughout Central Virginia. Locality based needs will primarily be determined by the identification of producer identified operational goals and the limitations that producers face in meeting those personal operational goals via interview. The information collected during the producer centered interviews will then be evaluated for key, repeatable themes and eventually have the capability to be applied by local Extension professionals to determine educational focus; ultimately determining and affecting local, available Extension resource application. This project successfully identified both beef producer goals and the specific production limitations faced within a set locality and programmatic focus of Extension service. The project also served to produce a roadmap of determined importance for addressing both goals and limitations within educational programming, based upon the frequency of response within the saturated sample of project participants. The interview protocol and needs assessment approach developed through this specific project shows the potential to benefit both beginning career Extension agents, as well as long term career agents, in the tasks of identification and prioritization of addressed educational topics, resource allocation, and relationship building within a community. The project shed light on the importance of providing specialized educational resources and how Extension can better serve a contemporary clientele base moving forward.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Early Career Extension Professional Development Needs Assessment Report
    Vines, Karen A.; Cletzer, David Adam; Westfall-Rudd, Donna M.; Hunnings, Joseph; Vines, Neal T.; Johnson, Lonnie; Lambur, Michael Thomas; Sumner, Mark W. (Virginia Cooperative Extension, 2015)
    Introduction and Background: Virginia Cooperative Extension hired 100 new agents from 2011 to 2014. This study was initiated to determine professional development needs for these early career agents, many of whom are also members of the millennial generation. The hope was that by developing professional development programs to specifically meet the needs of these new agents we may contribute to their career longevity and success. The study consisted of a series of focus groups in which a representative sample of agents hired in the past three years provided information, initially for use in a system-wide electronic survey. However, as the research team reviewed the findings it was determined that there were significant improvements that could be identified and made based on the current findings without support from the system-wide survey. Therefore, the plan for the survey covering all topics was abandoned. What has evolved is a series of recommendations to support career longevity in a collaborative environment, taking into consideration the work-life integration and professional development needs of Extension professionals within Virginia Cooperative Extension. This document serves as a summary of findings and recommendations that have resulted from this process.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Early Career Extension Professional Development Needs Assessment Report
    Vines, Karen A.; Cletzer, D. Adam; Westfall-Rudd, Donna M.; Hunnings, Joseph; Sumner, Mark W.; Vines, Neal T.; Johnson, Lonnie; Lambur, Michael (Virginia Cooperative Extension, 2021-09-30)
    Virginia Cooperative Extension hired 100 new agents from 2011 to 2014. This study was initiated to determine professional development needs for these early career agents, many of whom were also members of the millennial generation. The hope was that by developing professional development programs to specifically meet the needs of these new agents we would contribute to their career longevity and success. The study consisted of a series of focus groups in which a representative sample of agents hired in the past three years provided information. What has evolved is a series of recommendations to support career longevity in a collaborative environment, taking into consideration the work-life integration and professional development needs of Extension professionals within Virginia Cooperative Extension. This document is a modified version of the original report provided to the VCE Leadership team in January 2016 and contains a summary of findings and recommendations of the study. A follow-up article (Vines et al., 2018) published by the team highlights some of the changes that were observed in the years immediately following the study.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Evaluating Current and Exploring Future Opportunities for Partnership Between a Faith-Based Organization and Virginia Cooperative Extension
    Graham, Crystal (Virginia Tech, 2019-12-17)
    The opioid crisis is causing immeasurable disruption and placing a heavy burden on individuals, families, communities and the economy across the United States. Addressing this complex crisis will require prevention and intervention strategies on multiple levels. This study investigated perceptions of a faith-based partnership and the opportunity to expand the partnership with Virginia Cooperative Extension to deliver prevention programming aimed at drug misuse and abuse including opioids. The study evaluated program coordinator perceptions of a current partnership of two health-based Extension programs delivered in thirty-eight churches of the Baptist General Convention of Virginia in partnership with Extension faculty through a survey. Results indicate a strong partnership, high level of satisfaction of the programming delivered and a solid willingness to partner to deliver other programming, including drug misuse and abuse. However, respondents indicate varying levels of support for programming specifically aimed at opioids. While respondents shared uncertainty about whether opioids had impacted their community, statistics from the National Institute on Drug Abuse confirmed otherwise, suggesting need for increased awareness of community issues. The sample was small and results were inconclusive outside of the participant group. However, the study supports including a needs assessment and program component aimed at increasing knowledge around community needs. The study concludes there is an opportunity to expand the partnership with FBOs to include prevention programming aimed at drug misuse and abuse including opioids. Recommendations for future research include exploring drug misuse and abuse programming aimed at treatment and recovery, as well as exploring opportunities to partner with additional congregations in the Baptist General Convention and local Virginia Cooperative Extension offices.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Evaluating the Beef Quality Assurance Certification Program as Part of the Virginia High School Agriculture Curriculum
    Farley, Sarah L. (Virginia Tech, 2017-05-03)
    This study explores the Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) certification program in the Virginia secondary agriculture curriculum. The purpose of the evaluation was to gain insights from teachers about their awareness of the BQA program, use of the program in their agriculture curriculum, resource preferences to use with the program, and student BQA certification practices. The explanatory sequential mixed methods research design was used to collect quantitative and qualitative data in the form of an online survey and follow-up phone interviews. In a population of 227 agriculture education teachers, 31 participants completed the online survey and ten follow-up phone interviews were conducted. The results indicate that there is a high awareness of the BQA certification program among those who teach an animal science curriculum. Teachers are integrating the producer BQA program into their CTE course curriculum and making modifications to enhance student engagement and learning experience. Students are most engaged in hands-on learning activities like the chute-side component and injection practices. Virginia Cooperative Extension agent support is valued in the process for planning and implementation. The most challenging components of the program are scheduling time for the chute-side component, overcoming student learning curves in non-traditional programs, and adversity from school administration. In summary, the producer BQA certification program is an essential component to the Virginia secondary agriculture curriculum.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Evaluating the benefits and challenges of SAE in the Virginia High School Agriculture Curriculum
    Moore, MacKenzie A. (Virginia Tech, 2018-05-23)
    This study explores the benefits and challenges of supervised agricultural experiences (SAE) within secondary agricultural education programs. The purpose of this evaluation is to gain insight from secondary agriculture teachers regarding their practices of incorporating SAE into their curriculum. A qualitative research design was used to collect data in the form of telephone interviews. Eleven agriculture teachers completed a telephone interview regarding the SAE practices in their program. There were participants from each of the six regions in the state. The results indicate that SAE has made a comeback in the recent years and is becoming an integral part of more and more programs. Teachers are implementing SAE as part of the three- circle model of an agriculture program into their curriculum. Students gained hands on experience through their SAE projects while learning life and career skillsets throughout their project. A few of the biggest barriers secondary agriculture teachers face with implementation of SAE are lack of description on the separate categories of projects, and a lack of resources to help educators be successful with teaching SAE. In summary, SAE is a critical component of the three- circle model of agriculture program curriculum and is the most difficult portion to implement.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Evaluating the Evaluation of Master Gardener Training in Virginia
    Rutherford, Sara R.; Vines, Karen A.; Archibald, Thomas G.; Fox, Laurie; Close, David (Virginia Tech, 2022-05-24)
    The purpose of this project was to determine what types of evaluation survey tools, more specifically survey questions, are being used to evaluate master gardener volunteer training programs in Virginia. This project was conducted to start the process of developing stronger evaluation tools to measure master gardener volunteer training program impacts across Virginia. Examples of evaluation survey tools for master gardener training programs in Virginia were collected and evaluated to understand the breadth of evaluation already occurring. After asking 60 master gardener units to submit evaluation survey tool documents from their volunteer training programs, eleven individual training programs responded submitting 23 evaluation survey tool documents. Those eleven training programs represented 20 cities and counties from across Virginia. In total, 352 questions were sorted. Questions were analyzed in a number of ways. First, questions were analyzed using the Virginia Cooperative Extension Master Gardener program logic model to determine if they were focused on evaluating inputs, outputs or outcomes. Next, the questions were sorted by theme, question format, question use and question type. The majority of questions, 66%, were process evaluation oriented, focused on inputs and outputs, and 34% outcome evaluation oriented. Meaning, more of the questions collected information on the processes of the training courses and less on the outcomes of them. This indicates there is a need to include more questions that help document program impacts by utilizing more outcome-oriented survey tool questions. One way to do this is through developing a template of evaluation survey tool questions for master gardener volunteer training that can be used, in whole or in part, to collect meaningful data from across the state. For now, it is imperative to collect data that improves training experiences, records impact and sustains the master gardener program.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Evaluating the “Drone the Unknown” 4-H Program Curriculum
    Robbins, Hannah (Virginia Tech, 2018-12-10)
    Within the past ten years, there has been an increase in the demand for more STEM-based programs as is evident by the increase in STEM related careers and opportunities. In order to keep up with these career opportunities and continue to encourage youth to engage in developing technology, it is critical to expose them to programs highlighting STEM topics. Currently there is no official 4-H curriculum using drones as the main component for the instruction. This realization sparked the inspiration of a new program curriculum called “Drone the Unknown”. In this five-part curriculum, students are engaged with multiple STEM related SOL topics and 4-H life skills. This curriculum development and evaluation project serves to determine how effective this drone curriculum is in reinforcing these topics according to a review by 4-H professionals.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Executive Summary VCE COVID19 Reflections
    Baughman, Sarah; Vines, Karen A.; Archibald, Thomas G. (2021-03-29)
  • Thumbnail Image
    Exploration of Conceptual Frameworks for University Engagement
    Vines, Karen A. (2021-09-14)
    At ESC 2019, Pruitt, McLean, and Susnara presented a conceptual framework for community-engaged scholarship. This presentation builds on that framework by looking at methods of implementation of community engagement by higher education based on the author’s scholarship around engagement of Cooperative Extension, with implications for other university outreach organizations.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Exploration of Engaged Practice in Cooperative Extension and Implications for Higher Education
    Vines, Karen A. (Journal of Extension, 2018-08-01)
    Greater engagement has been emphasized as a need for Cooperative Extension for decades. Today this emphasis is also seen in higher education. Accordingly, there is need for clarity regarding the definition and community implementation of engagement. In the study described, I sought to address this need by conducting semistructured interviews with 35 Extension educators in two state Extension organizations. Emergent in the findings was the use of a hybrid model of program delivery in Cooperative Extension. Conceptual frameworks, definitions, and overviews of implementation for expert, engaged, and hybrid models are provided. Related implications for greater engagement in Cooperative Extension and higher education are presented.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Exploring Teaching Practices of the Agricultural Education at Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU)
    Kuri, Subrato Kumar (Virginia Tech, 2021-06-29)
    The purpose of this study was to understand the teaching practices of the Agriculture Faculty at Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU). This study is at the intersection of the critical assessment and examination of assumption and exploring options and plans stages of transformative learning theory (Mezirow, 2000) and the environment factor of Astin's I-E-O model. Previous studies showed that tertiary education of Bangladesh fails to develop critical thinking abilities among the students. Higher order teaching practices help to develop critical thinking abilities among the students. Thus, it is important to explore the level of teaching practices at the Agriculture Faculty of BAU to understand how it supports critical thinking abilities among the students. Graduates being able to use critical thinking skills to solve agricultural issues will increase total food production and reduce national poverty. This study was an instrumental single case study. Faculty of Agriculture of BAU was the unit of analysis for this study. The findings of this study were only generalizable to the Agriculture Faculty at BAU and only relevant for Summer 2020. The phenomenon of this study was teaching practices at the Agriculture Faculty of BAU. Data sources included a census survey of active faculty members and content analysis of course syllabi. Findings from this study suggested that both teaching methods and course learning outcomes of the courses of the Agriculture Faculty at BAU were related the lower order of Revised Bloom's Taxonomy (RevBT). Moreover, faculty members from biological science and engineering used more teaching practices from evaluating level of RevBT than social science disciplines. Evaluating level is considered as higher level of RevBT. Male faculty members also used more teaching practices related to analyzing level than female faculty members. Analyzing level is also considered as higher level of RevBT. Faculty members identified that they have lack of training, standard teaching resources to use higher order teaching practices. Moreover, they also said that students of the Agriculture Faculty at BAU are more interested in job preparation than classroom education. However, faculty members also felt that higher order teaching practices can improve the creativity and critical thinking abilities for students and brings enthusiasms in teaching. Faculty members recommended that BAU revise its curriculum, syllabi, and assessment strategies to create higher order teaching practices in classrooms. As a result of this study, there is opportunity for faculty to increase their use of higher order teaching practices and develop course outcomes that support higher order learning. In addition, the university should revise their existing curricula and assessment techniques and give more freedom to the faculty members to choose their teaching and assessment methods. Finally, training should be organized to support higher order teaching by female faculty members.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Exploring Team Effectiveness of a Collegiate Women’s Basketball Team Using Kirton’s Adaption-Innovation Theory
    Cole, Taja A. (Virginia Tech, 2021-05-24)
    The purpose of this project and report is to explore how an individual's problem-solving style affects how team members of a woman’s basketball team prefer to work within a team, and to identify how this relationship influences team strategies and their performance outcomes. The paper integrates adaption-innovation theory and aspects of different characteristics amongst teammates. Interestingly, this sample of women’s basketball team members found that the five starting members all had total KAI scores within 10 points of each other, indicating they all preferred to solve problems with the same approach. This high functioning team was incredibly successful as a homogenous group of problem-solving styles. However, adaption-innovation theory offers some limitations for the team’s ability to solve problems outside the cognitive climate range of this team, which may require more adaption or more innovation problem solving preferences.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Extension Master Gardener Social Media Needs: A National Study
    Vines, Karen A.; Jeannette, Karen; Lawrence, Maggie; Radhakrishna, Rama (Extension Education Society, 2016-04)
    An online survey was conducted to assess the feasibility of providing training on the use of social media for the Extension Master Gardener (EMG) program. Volunteers (n = 1,275) and coordinators (n = 111) responded. Findings indicate the existence of sufficient interest in a nationally coordinated social media training. Inclusion of social media as a qualifying activity in EMG programs should be explored. Findings support inclusion of volunteers in future surveys and the possible need for increased involvement of volunteers in setting program direction. Training is being developed on the basis of the data. Future surveying of the EMG population by using random sampling to more accurately define the audience is strongly encouraged.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Farmers' Innovation Capacity in Adoption of Farm Machinery in Bangladesh
    Sarker, Mohammed; Afrin, Syeda; Rahman, Md Zulfikar; Hasan, Md Mehedi; Vines, Karen A. (Central Bicol State University of Agriculture, 2022-06-02)
    Mechanization is vital for sustainable agriculture development of agrarian countries, not only to feed the growing population, but also to save power and resources. The main purpose of the study is to determine the innovation capacity of farmers. Innovation capacity refers to the farmers’ adoption of new farm machinery. The study was conducted in Rajshahi District of Bangladesh. Sixty (60) farmers were purposively selected to participate in the study. Data was collected through structured personal. The dependent variable of this study was the innovation capacity of the farmer. The independent variables were farmer education, farm size, annual family income, organizational participation, farming experience, knowledge about farm machinery, farm machinery training, and condition of farm equipment. Appropriate scales were developed and used in order to measure the independent variables. The findings revealed that two-thirds (75 percent) of the farmers had medium innovation capacity, while 18.3 percent had low innovation capacity, and only 6.7 percent of them had high innovation capacity. Results of multiple regression analysis revealed that knowledge about farm machinery, farm machinery training, and condition of farm machinery are the influential factors for determining innovation capacity of farmers
  • Thumbnail Image
    New VCE Onboarding - Professional Development Survey
    Vines, Karen A.; Johnson, Lonnie; Bishop, Hannah; Paulette, Morgan; Pearson, Jocelyn; Spencer, Janet; Thompson, John (Virginia Cooperative Extension Publications, 2022-11-08)
    This survey was developed in 2021 to provide insight into onboarding and professional development needs for Virginia Cooperative Extension. The survey was used as a census survey across the various roles and program areas represented in the VCE organization. The survey collects data associated with time in VCE and other Extension organizations, as well as self-perceived data of the Extension professional related to their career stage (Rennekamp & Nall, 1994). While the purpose was determining onboarding needs, the survey also provides insight into training needs across career stages as well as training preferences. Data collected for VCE using this survey is available at https://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/content/dam/pubs_ext_vt_edu/ALCE/alce-278/ALCE-278.pdf.
  • Thumbnail Image
    One Hundred Years of Agricultural Education at Virginia Tech
    Vines, Karen A.; Hillison, John H. (Department of Agricultural, Leadership, and Community Education in association with VT Publishing, 2018-11-16)
    In 2018 the Department of Agricultural, Leadership, and Community Education (ALCE) celebrated one hundred years of agricultural education at Virginia Tech. The initial mission of the department, founded in 1918 as the Department of Agricultural Education and Animal Science, was to educate agricultural teachers to work in secondary education in rural communities. This mission has evolved and expanded over the decades to include preparation of Extension professionals while developing new programs designed to meet the ever-changing needs of rural and urban communities alike. The interviews presented in this volume tell this story through the unique perspectives of fourteen former and present students, faculty, and administrators. Taken together, these interviews bring the department’s history to life while also using the past as a springboard into a future that undoubtedly will be characterized by continued change grounded in ALCE’s ongoing commitment to excellence.