Department of Agricultural, Leadership, and Community Education

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Addressing Complex Issues and Crises in Higher Education With an Adaptive Leadership Framework
Sunderman, Hannah M.; Headrick, Jason; McCain, Kate (Taylor & Francis, 2020-11-01)
In response to freedom of speech crises and other pressing issues becoming more prevalent at college campuses, this conceptual paper provides a framework for higher education administrators, faculty, and staff to consider when challenges arise. Specifically, this paper highlights the framework of adaptive leadership before discussing three freedom of speech incidents at the University Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) that demonstrate the nuanced difficulties associated with crises at institutions of higher education. Then, the actions of administrators during the incidents are considered in light of the adaptive leadership behaviors, such as taking perspective and empowering people to bring change. Finally, implications and future research directions are discussed. By analyzing these incidents and the response by administrators, other higher education stakeholders may be better able to address their own complex campus issues, such as free speech challenges, global pandemics, and other localized activity using adaptive leadership behaviors.
Adjust your own oxygen mask before helping those around you: an autoethnography of participatory research
Steketee, Abby M.; Archibald, Thomas G.; Harden, Samantha M. (2020-09-03)
Background There is a need to unpack the empirical, practical, and personal challenges within participatory approaches advocated to optimize implementation. The unpredictable, chaotic nature of participatory approaches complicates application of implementation theories, methods, and strategies which do not address researchers’ situatedness within participatory processes. As an implementation scientist, addressing one’s own situatedness through critical reflection is important to unearth how conscious and unconscious approaches, including ontological and epistemological underpinnings, influence the participatory context, process, and outcomes. Therefore, the aim of this exploratory work is to investigate the heretofore blind spot toward the lived experience of implementation researchers within the participatory process. Methods We developed an integrated research-practice partnership (IRPP) to inform the implementation of a gestational weight gain (GWG) control program. Within this IRPP, one investigator conducted a 12-month autoethnography. Data collection and triangulation included field notes, cultural artifacts, and systematic timeline tracking. Data analysis included ethnographic-theoretical dialogue and restorying to synthesize key events and epiphanies into a narrative. Results Analysis revealed the unpredicted evolution of the GWG program into a maternal health fair and three themes within the researchers’ lived experience: (1) permeable work boundaries, (2) individual and collective blind spots toward the ontological and epistemological underpinnings of implementation paradigms, and (3) maladaptive behaviors seemingly reinforced by the research culture. These themes contributed to the chaos of implementation and to researchers’ experience of inadequate recovery from cognitive, emotional, and practical demands. These themes also demonstrated the importance of contextual factors, subjectivity, and value-based judgments within implementation research. Conclusion Building on extant qualitative research guidelines, we suggest that researchers anchor their approach to implementation in reflexivity, intentionally and iteratively reflecting on their own situatedness. Through this autoethnography, we have elucidated several strategies based on critical reflection including examining philosophical underpinnings of research, adopting restorative practices that align with one’s values, and embracing personal presence as a foundation of scientific productivity. Within the predominant (post-) positivism paradigms, autoethnography may be criticized as unscientifically subjective or self-indulgent. However, this work demonstrates that autoethnography is a vehicle for third-person observation and first-person critical reflection that is transformative in understanding and optimizing implementation contexts, processes, and outcomes.
The adult-centered teaching strategies for the livestock System resilience with a variety of extension agent workloads’ demands: a case study of Thies and Diourbel Regions, Senegal
Kane, Ousmane; Badji, Alkaly; Westfall-Rudd, Donna M. (2023-01)
Senegalese extension services play a crucial role in Senegalese agriculture which is still characterized as family and peasant-based. Extension agents provide technical support and information to breeders. Today, an adaptation to the use of natural resources is necessary because of the degradation of the agro-pastoral ecosystem, hence the need for innovative training and awareness-raising strategies. Therefore, the purpose was the enhancement of the teaching approaches implemented to local breeders in the context of climate change in the Diourbel and Thies regions. The researcher collected qualitative data, including document analysis and in-depth interviews with 12 extension agents. Findings included insight into the training experiences of extension agents in the context of climate change. Besides, the results showed that the program planning is effective and helped to design practical teaching content. In addition, the adult-centered teaching approach is a new concept for the participants. However, the findings demonstrated the need to improve knowledge in teaching and learning innovations for extension agents in natural resource conservations. In sum, they need program planning and continuing professional development programs to be efficient in diffusing the concept to change the mindset and behaviors of breeders.
Advancing Adaptive Leadership Through Adaption-Innovation Theory: Enhancements to the Holding Environment
Seibel, Megan M.; Kaufman, Eric K.; Cletzer, D. Adam; Elliott-Engel, Jeremy (Wiley, 2023)
While adaptive leadership is a useful framework for leadership practitioners, there is limited empirical research supporting its conceptual tools and tactics. Kirton’s adaption-innovation (A-I) theory contends individuals have innate problem-solving style preferences for more or less structure. In this conceptual paper, we examine the theoretical underpinnings of adaptive leadership and A-I theory within the context of complex problem solving. We connect A-I theory to concepts from adaptive leadership to connect a more rigorous and empirically supported theory to a popular practice. We go further to explore how a leaders’ A-I style informs a leader's maintenance of an adaptive leadership holding environment (HE), particularly with regard to facilitating a productive zone of disequilibrium (PZD).
Agricultural Education and Training in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Three-step Approach to AET Institution Building
Cletzer, D. Adam; Rudd, Rick D.; Westfall-Rudd, Donna M.; Drape, Tiffany A. (Macrothink Institute, 2016)
Educational institution building for agricultural education and training (AET) in sub-Saharan African has struggled, leading to many false starts and only islands of success. This review examines relevant literature related to carrying out AET in developing countries, the historical successes or challenges of developing AET institutions, and the need for establishing AET institutions. Numerous factors hampering the development of AET emerged, including: shrinking national budgets, reverse return, donor congestion, fixation on a linear model of science, and political instability. Recommendations for building AET institutions in SSA are presented using Rogers’ Diffusion of Innovation Theory as a framework, and include: (a) develop strategic relationships for political support of agriculture, (b) creating a more flexible framework for structuring institutions of higher learning, and (c) utilizing the SAFE model to reform curriculum to meet today’s learners’ needs.
Agricultural Leadership Development
Kaufman, Eric K.; Carter, Hannah S. (Journal of Leadership Education, 2005-12-01)
Agricultural leadership programs have been widely supported by both the public and private sector and have been praised for the “networking” they provide. However, is there any community benefit? Could these programs be doing more? This paper provides some insight into these issues by looking at contributions of the related research. First, a connection is made between social capital theory and the value of networking. Then, agricultural leadership programs are discussed in terms of benefits they provide to participants and the communities that they serve. Finally, an application component is proposed for use in agricultural leadership programs as a way of improving the effectiveness for the communities that support them.
Applying methodological innovation to explore generativity development among collegiate leadership mentors
Hastings, Lindsay; Sunderman, Hannah M.; Sellon, Addison (2023)
Appreciative Inquiry
Priest, Kerry L.; Kaufman, Eric K.; Brunton, Kelsey; Seibel, Megan M. (Journal of Leadership Education, 2013-12-01)
This practice paper describes how leadership education faculty and students at Virginia Tech have facilitated change through the use of appreciative inquiry (Ai) at the departmental level, program level, and project level. Appreciative inquiry has been found to be a useful tool for leadership educators, as its foundation in social constructionist philosophy aligns with contemporary leadership and learning theories. This paper outlines (a) the philosophy of Ai as it applies to organizational development (b) illustrates Ai practices associated with a five-stage model, and (c) highlights three examples that can be used as models for leading change in a variety of organizational situations. The authors suggest that leadership educators are uniquely positioned to serve academic communities as facilitators of change by bridging theory and practice in pursuit of new ways of knowing and working together.
Are Water-Related Leadership Development Programs Designed to be Effective? An Exploratory Study
Burbach, Mark E.; Floress, Kristin; Kaufman, Eric K. (Journal of Leadership Education, 2015)
Water resource professionals and others involved in managing water resources face increasingly complex challenges. Effective leadership development programs are needed to produce water leaders who can address these challenges. Leadership programs must be designed not simply to increase participants’ environmental and leadership knowledge but to develop in participants the requisite abilities and skills. This exploratory study determines the extent to which water-related leadership programs go beyond knowledge only, event-type workshops to determine what proportion are grounded in leadership theory, and employ developmental experiences with assessment, challenge, and support components. Results indicate that most water professionals and others seeking to develop 21st century leadership abilities and skills to manage water resources are not getting the developmental experiences they need. Water-related leadership development programs must be grounded in evidence-based theory; provide assessment, challenge, and support; and offer a variety of developmental experiences and the opportunity to learn from experience. There is an urgent need for new or revised leadership development programs for those interested in water resource management.
Assessing and evaluating the impact of leadership mentoring on the collegiate mentor
Hastings, Lindsay; Sunderman, Hannah M. (2023-05-01)
Assessing and measuring leadership identity
Hastings, Lindsay J.; Sunderman, Hannah M. (Wiley)
This article explores numerous complexities involved in assessing and measuring leadership identity development. It also reviews leader and leadership identity as well as prior attempts to assess leader and leadership identity development. Recommendations for effective assessment and measurement practices when diagnosing development in leader and leadership identity are offered.
Assessing Consumer Preferences and Intentions to Buy Edamame Produced in the US
Carneiro, Renata C. V.; Drape, Tiffany A.; Neill, Clinton L.; Zhang, Bo; O'Keefe, Sean F.; Duncan, Susan E. (Frontiers, 2022-01-18)
Due to the growing consumer demand for edamame (vegetable soybean) in the U.S., the domestic production of this specialty crop has been promoted in several Mid-Atlantic and Southeast states as an economically attractive alternative to replace the decreasing tobacco production. For the edamame agrobusiness to be successful in the U.S., consumer studies are as needed as new commercial cultivars that are developed for the U.S. environment. Thus, in this exploratory study, we investigated consumers' preferences and intentions to buy edamame products in the U.S., especially domestic products. Data was collected through a web-based survey distributed through Qualtrics(XM) and a convenience sampling method was chosen. Volunteers who completed the survey (N = 309) were 82% female, 57% residents of the South Atlantic area, and 79% daily consumers of vegetables. Survey respondents had a positive attitude toward domestically produced vegetables and valued supporting U.S. producers. Overall, domestically grown, in-shell edamame products were preferred compared to shelled edamame or imported products. Regarding future purchasing, respondents exhibited higher intention to buy fresh edamame relative to frozen edamame. Additionally, respondents considered price, availability, and familiarity with the vegetable brand, respectively, as the most important factors in their decision-making process to buy edamame products. Our study confirmed there is a market potential for domestically produced edamame and it also provides valuable information to support future studies, production decisions, and the growth of the edamame agrobusiness in the U.S.
Assessing the Role of Cyberbiosecurity in Agriculture: A Case Study
Drape, Tiffany A.; Magerkorth, Noah; Sen, Anuradha; Simpson, Joseph; Seibel, Megan M.; Murch, Randall Steven; Duncan, Susan E. (Frontiers, 2021-08-19)
Agriculture has adopted the use of smart technology to help meet growing food demands. This increased automation and associated connectivity increases the risk of farms being targeted by cyber-attacks. Increasing frequency of cybersecurity breaches in many industries illustrates the need for securing our food supply chain. The uniqueness of biological data, the complexity of integration across the food and agricultural system, and the importance of this system to the U.S. bioeconomy and public welfare suggests an urgency as well as unique challenges that are not common across all industries. To identify and address the gaps in awareness and knowledge as well as encourage collaborations, Virginia Tech hosted a virtual workshop consisting of professionals from agriculture, cybersecurity, government, and academia. During the workshop, thought leaders and influencers discussed 1) common food and agricultural system challenges, scenarios, outcomes and risks to various sectors of the system; 2) cyberbiosecurity strategies for the system, gaps in workforce and training, and research and policy needs. The meeting sessions were transcribed and analyzed using qualitative methodology. The most common themes that emerged were challenges, solutions, viewpoints, common vocabulary. From the results of the analysis, it is evident that none of the participating groups had available cybersecurity training and resources. Participants were uncertain about future pathways for training, implementation, and outreach related to cyberbiosecurity. Recommendations include creating training and education, continued interdisciplinary collaboration, and recruiting government involvement to speed up better security practices related to cyberbiosecurity.
Boundary politics and the social imaginary for sustainable food systems
Niewolny, Kimberly L. (2021-05-02)
In this essay, Kim Niewolny, current President of AFHVS, responds to the 2020 AFHVS Presidential Address given by Molly Anderson. Niewolny is encouraged by Anderson's message of moving "beyond the boundaries" by focusing our gaze on the insurmountable un-sustainability of the globalized food system. Anderson recommends three ways forward to address current challenges. Niewolny argues that building solidarity with social justice movements and engendering anti-racist praxis take precedence. This work includes but is not limited to dismantling the predominance of neoliberal-fueled technocratic productivism in agricultural science and policy while firmly centering civil society collective action and human rights frameworks as our guiding imaginary for racial, gender, environmental, and climate justice possibilities for sustainable food systems praxis. She concludes by exploring the epistemic assertion to push beyond our professional and political imaginaries to build a more fair, just, and humanizing food system.
Brain-based learning: A synthesis of research
Bellah, Kimberly; Robinson, J. Shane; Kaufman, Eric K.; Akers, Cindy; Haase-Wittler, Penny; Martindale, Lynn (North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture, 2008-06-01)
The purpose of this study was to synthesize research as it relates to brain-based learning and its relevance to the agricultural education profession. Through a comprehensive literature review, brainbased studies were analyzed to create a historical timeline of the discipline, investigate teaching principles, articulate relevance, and identify potential future implications for agricultural education. The holistic approach to learning in agricultural education programs presents a ripe environment for action research with brain-based learning practices. Professional development with agricultural educators may be needed to further encourage and support comprehensive studies that investigate the precepts of brain-based learning.
Building a training and development intervention for peer leaders: Consideration vs. structure
Sunderman, Hannah M.; Hastings, Lindsay J. (2022)
Leadership is necessary for organizational effectiveness (Kroeck et al., 2004), a finding that applies to student organizations at institutions of higher education (Plante, 2016; Posner, 2012). However, student leaders of campus organizations face nuanced and significant challenges (Foubert & Urbanski, 2006; Plante, 2016). Therefore, we sought to diagnose and analyze the central challenge of a peer leadership position within a collegiate leadership mentoring program. After diagnosing the central challenge of the position, we built a training and development intervention grounded in the leadership theory of consideration versus structure (Halpin & Winer, 1957; Stogdill, 1974). The intervention was administered to two cohorts of seven student leaders and subsequently assessed for effectiveness. The current paper shares the assessment results, along with details on developing and implementing the leadership intervention. We hope practitioners can (a) implement the process we outline to conduct a needs assessment and create a leadership development intervention and (b) utilize the training in their co-curricular organizations.
Building agroecological traction: Engaging discourse, the imaginary, and critical praxis for food system transformation
Kelinsky-Jones, Lia R.; Niewolny, Kimberly L.; Stephenson, Max O. Jr. (Frontiers, 2023-04)
Shifting the current food system toward a more sustainable and equitable model requires an alternative imaginary. Agroecology represents such an approach, but despite the construct's promise, policy and academic communities alike continue to maintain the current system. We contend that shifting away from the existing, dominant food system requires researchers to engage stakeholders with discourses that give meaning to an agroecological imaginary. We provide a methodological case study for how interested analysts may build agroecological traction through critical praxis. We advance our argument theoretically, methodologically, and empirically. Theoretically, we draw on scholarship arguing that food system transformation requires a discursive imaginary. Methodologically, we outline how Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) as both a theoretical and methodological framework, illuminates the discursive power that shapes the future of food. We first used CDA to analyze United States Agency for International Development (USAID) policy, and subsequently presented those results to focus groups comprised of USAID-funded university-based research-practitioners. Empirically, we suggest that our methodology represents one possible mechanism or strategy to encourage the dialogue necessary to secure a new critical food system praxis. We conclude by offering recommendations for future inquiry.
A Case of Shifting Focus Friction: Extension Directors and State 4-H Program Leaders’ Perspectives on 4-H LGBT Inclusivity
Contemporary Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning (LGBTQ+) youth are identifying and communicating their identities earlier in childhood then generations before as a result of more awareness and more acceptance. A qualitative study of U.S. 4-H program leaders and Extension directors resulted in an emergent theme around serving LGBT youth. The administrators of 4-H, the largest youth serving organization in the country, recognize the presence and believe the organization to be inclusive. Challenges remain in ensuring youth experience inclusion at all levels of the organization and to manage political and societal pressures resulting from shifting focus friction.
A Case Study of Teacher-Student Relationship Development
Mosley, Chaney; Broyles, Thomas; Kaufman, Eric K. (2021)
This study investigates how teacher-student relationships develop. If a teacher is able to foster high-quality relationships with all students, will students work harder in the classroom? An understanding of how teacher student relationships develop is critical to answering that question. In this investigation, the authors follow a holistic case study tradition to explore teacher-student relationship development. Five themes emerged that collectively describe the development of teacher-student dyadic relationships. The authors explore how descriptions of dyadic relationship development offered by teachers and students align with Leader-member Exchange theory and discuss implications for practice and future research.
Challenges and Solutions to Higher Education Institutions in Africa
Drape, Tiffany A.; Rudd, Rick D.; Lopez, Megan; Radford, Donna (Macrothink Institute, 2016)
The purpose of this study was to explore ways that higher education institutes (HEI’s) that offered agriculture education and training (AET) in their curriculum could change the behavior to improve the quality of education offered to students. Faculty at a regional conference in Africa participated in a daylong focus group workshop aimed at addressing these needs and offering solutions that could be implemented immediately. Using the theory of planned behavior as a guide, participants discussed the challenges and solutions they saw at their institutions and the amount of time it would take to implement changes. A qualitative analysis was conducted using a codebook to analyze various pieces of data that included video clips and artifacts created by the participants at the workshop. Results from the analysis were split in two main themes, challenges or solutions. The main challenges included access to higher education and lack of preparation at the primary and secondary level of school. The main solutions proposed were to restructure the leadership and offer more training to faculty through mentoring programs. These results can guide higher education initiatives for agriculture education and training as well as other discipline areas in higher education.

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