Department of Agricultural, Leadership, and Community Education
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Browsing Department of Agricultural, Leadership, and Community Education by Content Type "Conference proceeding"
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- 4-H Curriculum Development: New Processes & New PartnersPearson, Jocelyn; Bonnett, Erika; Price, Tonya; Proudfoot, Chad; Scherer, Hannah H.; Walden, Alyssa (2023-02-08)
- Adaptive Leadership: How to Prioritize and Align Emerging IssuesKaufman, Eric K. (2017-02-08)Adaptive leadership focuses on the adaptations required in response to changing environments, which essentially describes the role of the 21st Century Extension professional. This workshop will outline the model of adaptive leadership and introduce the leader behaviors associated with adaptive work. Participants will practice categorizing issues as either technical or adaptive challenges, and they will explore appropriate strategies for responding to both.
- Administrator’s Perspectives on the Environmental Factors Facing Cooperative ExtensionElliott-Engel, Jeremy; Westfall-Rudd, Donna M.; Seibel, Megan M.; Kaufman, Eric K.; Radhakrishna, Rama (American Association for Agricultural Education, 2020-02-02)Extension is a complex organization with a mission to deliver research from the Land-Grant University to all U.S. communities. Extension administrator perspectives of the environmental factor changes that are facing the organization were investigated in this qualitative study to inform the direction for organization adaptation. Extension needs to respond to: shifts in funding and clientele demographics. Organization adaptation can cause long-term stakeholders to fear loss and therefore can act against the organization. Administrators need to be responsive to traditional stakeholder concerns to reduce shifting focus friction and achieve organization adaptation, and further survival.
- Adoption of Humanistic Pedagogy to Leadership Education in Higher EducationOyedare, Israel; Kaufman, Eric K. (2024-02-08)The leadership education and development of students and young professionals have become a composite focus area for many higher institutions, particularly business schools (Allen et al., 2022). This has consequently inspired an increase in research on the different approaches and frameworks for teaching leadership to students (Allen et al., 2022; Watkins et al. 2017). The use of humanistic pedagogy in leadership education is an approach that puts to perspective the four important viewpoints in teaching leadership - the educator, student, learning procedures, and learning circumstances - but places more emphasis on the human or humane end of the learning process and perceptions students hold about the world (Javadi & Tahmasbi, 2020; Purswell, 2019). Allen et al. (2022) asserted that relevant leadership skills such as problem-solving, relational, change, and innovation skills require a variety of humanistic approaches for students to fully embrace and internalize them. This approach prioritizes students' learning on the value of their self-identity and focuses on their full development (Rustan Effendi et al., 2020). Integral to humanistic pedagogy is the human learning theory that has its roots in the psychological study and observation of the individual student and their relationships with the learning environment (Purswell, 2019). Johnson (2014) asserted that this theory pays attention to the affective dimension of students such as their self-concept, individual values, and emotions; which are a natural extension of how they perceive and learn leadership. A conceptual review of selected literature revealed the following characteristics of humanistic learning theory: - Emphasis on the formation of the human values of students, the educators' ability to understand the student, the attention of educators to the emotions of students during a learning process, and the involvement of students throughout this process (Tolstova & Levasheva, 2019). - Prioritises these four elements - confidence in progress, reasons, inclusiveness, and focus on individualism (Rustan Effendi et al., 2020). - Giving students opportunities to take an interest in what is to be learned, ensuring self-directed learning, and creating a conducive learning environment (Johnson, 2014). Notably, Allen et al. (2022) posited that using humanistic pedagogy to teach leadership courses in higher education helps students become self-aware of their need for leadership education and value the importance of the concept of self-leadership. This further leads to students finding their purpose in leadership as against seeing leadership as a problem-solving approach (Waddock, 2016). Moreover, an essential aspect of adopting humanistic pedagogy in teaching leadership is that it inspires commitment to lifelong learning among leadership students that extends beyond their college education (Waddock, 2016).
- Advancing Followership Discourse in Theory and PracticeKaufman, Eric K.; Oyedare, Israel; Chaleff, Ira (International Leadership Association, 2023-10-13)Recently, there have been efforts geared towards advancing the discourse of followership both in the academic and organizational context, as individuals are becoming increasingly aware of the role they play as followers in the achievement of predetermined goals. To ensure that discourses on followership are given a well-deserved scholarly appreciation and recognition, it has become imperative to continue creating this awareness. This workshop will engage participants in both contemporary and historical perspectives on followership. More awareness of followership discourse(s) can help leadership scholars and organizational leaders recognize the importance of integrating followership into leadership education and having followership as a standalone field of study. Using the World Café approach, participants will be taken through the evolution of followership over the decades. Insights from round table discussions will be shared, and ideas for future applications will be developed.
- Agriculture Workforce Training for Collaborative Leadership in Agriculture and BeyondWhite, Amy; Kaufman, Eric K. (2022-04-07)This panel seeks to connect people who develop, promote, and prepare future leaders of the agriculture workforce. The panelists represent a myriad of educational and programmatic networks, which can help Virginia educators connect students with opportunities. While Agriculture will be the primary focus, the discussion surrounding experiential learning and workforce training is applicable to many disciplines, and discussion from all fields is encouraged and welcomed.
- Aligning the residential college model with priorities of large institutionsKaufman, Eric K. (2017-09-25)The Gallup-Purdue Index gives us valuable insight into the experiences in college that improve well-being in life after college, specifically highlighting things such as mentoring relationships, caring professors, and enthusiasm for learning. However, many colleges and universities struggle to create the environment for these high impact experiences to flourish. Some have suggested that small, liberal arts institutions are the answer, but what does that mean for large, public research universities? The “Oxbridge” residential college model provides an answer. Much of the literature on the residential college model is in the context of a “liberal arts” education, which emphasizes specific disciplines (e.g., the humanities), but the residential college model is more appropriately aligned with a “liberal education,” which the Association of American Colleges & Universities (AAC&U) describes as “an approach to college learning that empowers individuals and prepares them to deal with complexity, diversity, and change.” The AAC&U goes on to explain that a liberal education “helps students develop a sense of social responsibility; strong intellectual and practical skills that span all major fields of study, such as communication, analytical, and problem-solving skills; and the demonstrated ability to apply knowledge and skills in real-world settings.” While some have reduced the residential college model to a liberal arts perspective, the model directly aligns with Abraham Lincoln’s priorities for public higher education that produced our nation’s land grant universities. The residential college model supports growth and development of the whole student, and it enhances and it expands the potential for learning and career preparation beyond conventional living-learning programs. This session will highlight key components of the residential college model, offer examples of implementation at large, public research universities, and connect the model to priorities for improving higher education as a whole. Participants will be able to: (1) align the residential college model with priorities identified by the Association of American Colleges & Universities (AAC&U); (2) identify marketing messages that resonate with key stakeholders for large, public institutions; and (3) discuss specific strategies for expanding the breadth of support for the residential college model.
- Attempts Toward Blended Teaching and Personalized Learning in School-Based Agricultural EducationMilliken, D. Brett; Traini, Haley Q.; Stewart, Josh (2023-05-17)The purpose of this study was to explore school-based agricultural education (SBAE) teacher beliefs about personalized instruction and blended teaching and their experiences with implementing personalized learning within their blended teaching practice. The specific research questions that guided our study were 1) what are SBAE teachers’ beliefs about personalized instruction and blended teaching? and 2) how have they personalized instruction within their blended teaching practice? We utilized a hermeneutic phenomenological research design while relying on theoretical research on teacher beliefs to illuminate the experiences of SBAE teachers in blended classrooms. Participants included five in-service agriculture education teachers representing four states in the United States. These participants were identified by post-secondary agriculture education teacher educators through a state database of SBAE teachers. All self-identified as SBAE teachers that practiced blended teaching. Three themes emerged from data analysis: time, place, pace, and path; empowering students; and reality check. Our findings indicate that the beliefs SBAE teachers hold influence their classroom practices and personalized learning and student choice were important. Recommendations for future research include conducting observational research on personalized instruction in blended settings as well as the impact contextual factors have on the relationship between teachers’ beliefs and practice in blended classrooms.
- Better meetings through guerilla facilitation and humble inquiryI survived another meeting that should have been an email. You too?!? If you are tired of meetings that are simply reporting sessions or, worse yet, seem to have no point at all, this workshop is for you. We will apply Ed Schein's wisdom of "humble inquiry" to meeting planning and facilitation. While this session will explore considerations with simple strategies, like purpose-driven meeting agendas, we will also tackle the challenge of keeping a meeting on track when someone else is in charge.
- Bridging the Skills Gap-Digital Badges for Employability in AgricultureKaufman, Eric K.; Westfall-Rudd, Donna M. (2025-01-17)The Agriculture Workforce Training for Collaborative Leadership (AWT4CL) project has created a digital learning badge system to help students develop and claim the durable skills needed for dynamic careers in agriculture. The AWT4CL digital learning badges are based on APLU employability skill areas: communication, decision-making, professionalism, and leadership. These areas, broken down into specific badges, develop essential skills that prepare learners for personal and professional success. Each badge in the series requires learners to meet specific learning outcomes through practical application and reflection. Each badge is earned through a two-part module involving both an interactive activity and a written reflection. The module is flexible, allowing instructors to adjust specific activities to meet the needs of their course or program while upholding the core badge objectives. In this workshop, participants will learn how to adopt badges into their courses and take home the resources to make it happen.
- Building a Leader-Follower Culture: The Nexus Between Transformational Leadership and Effective Followership BehaviorsAlegbeleye, Ibukun Dami; Kaufman, Eric K. (Association of Leadership Educators, 2019-07-08)Leadership scholars have often used the catchphrase ‘he who must be a good leader must first be a good follower’ to a great extent, and in so doing, have suggested a positive relationship between leadership and followership behaviors. This assumption remains untested. In this session, we will present findings from 100 middle managers across the US.
- Building Durable Skills and Networks: Leadership Educators' Contributions to Workforce ReadinessCoartney, Jama S.; Kaufman, Eric K.; Westfall-Rudd, Donna M.; Seibel, Megan M.; Friedel, Curtis R.; White, Amy; Carmichael, Celeste (Association of Leadership Educators, 2022-06-26)As America’s workforce changes, so does the nature of the work and skills necessary for success. Employers are increasingly in need of a workforce that effectively engages in collaborative leadership. Educational opportunities should include collaborative leadership learning experiences to help build workforce readiness. Findings from action research reveal insights on durable skills and networks for collaborative leadership. Agricultural educators are bridging the gap by refreshing existing workforce development curricula to meet 21st century agricultural industry needs. Taking an activity-oriented approach, Leadership-as-Practice may assist in providing additional understanding of leadership practices or phenomena (Raelin, 2011, 2020). The purpose of this project was to reveal ideal approaches to integrating collaborative leadership education into existing curricula. The study used a semi-structured protocol with two focus groups. Participants, affiliated with agricultural workforce preparation programs, surfaced six key themes: (1) Agreeing with APLU employability skills report, (2) Finding positive benefits in completing internships, (3) Strategizing to build problem-solving skills, (4) Addressing “soft skills” assessment challenges, (5) Prioritizing verbal communication skill enhancements, and (6) Learning how to accept faults and mistakes. This action research approach, with stakeholders from multiple institutions, can serve as a model for expanding educational networks to exchange knowledge and share leadership curricula.
- Building Effective Student Project Teams: What Has Shared Leadership Got To Do With It?Alegbeleye, Ibukun Dami; Kaufman, Eric K. (Association of Leadership Educators, 2021-06-29)The central problem this study seeks to solve pertains to the inability of college graduates to engage effectively in teamwork. To solve this problem, we explored the antecedent and outcome of teamwork quality-shared transformational leadership as an antecedent and team effectiveness as an outcome. We hypothesized that the effect of shared transformational leadership on team effectiveness will be mediated by teamwork quality. The sample consists of 98 GSA students, sub-divided into 20 project teams. The findings, using MPLUS software, provide support for the hypothesis, as evidenced by a significant indirect effect between shared transformational leadership and team effectiveness (B=0.56,p<0.01), through teamwork quality. We also hypothesized that individual-level transformational leadership will predict shared transformational leadership. The hypothesis was rejected, as it was not supported by the findings. The findings have important implications for leaders, leadership educators, leadership researchers, and organizations.
- Building Professional Collaborations between Community College and Land Grant University FacultyCoartney, Jama S.; Kaufman, Eric K.; Westfall-Rudd, Donna M.; Seibel, Megan M.; Friedel, Curtis R.; White, Amy; Carmichael, Celeste (American Association for Agricultural Education, 2022-05-17)
- Cases in Agricultural Leadership: An Open Access Book OpportunityKaufman, Eric K.; Adeoye, Samson; Coartney, Jama S. (2023-07-19)Case studies are a valuable instructional tool for bridging the gap between abstract concepts and practical application. That bridge can be particularly elusive when combining disparate concepts like agriculture and leadership, yet that is the challenge facing hundreds of agricultural leadership educators. Undisguised teaching case studies can help, and some are already available in the Association of Leadership Educators’ (ALE) Case Study Database, yet more are needed to meet the need. This roundtable discussion will explore ideas and opportunities for an open access textbook. We anticipate rich dialogue with prospective authors, learners, and educators, gleaning insights to guide a path forward for this potential book idea.
- Change that Matters: Conference Proceedings of the 2024 KAI SymposiumWalz, Jerald H.; Seibel, Megan M.; Friedel, Curtis R. (Center for Cooperative Problem Solving, 2024-02-21)
- Co-generative learning: Applying the undisguised case teaching methodKaufman, Eric K.; Adeoye, Samson (Virginia Tech, 2023-02-17)Undisguised teaching case methods offer the potential for bridging the broken link in the education-to-workforce pipeline. They offer possibilities for surfacing the creative forces in students. This is contingent upon rousing interest, provoking conflict, creating empathy, forcing decision-making, and stirring the need to learn. Both instructors and students experience a meaningful engagement in co-generative learning. Participants in this session will learn how to adaptively facilitate a dialogic classroom toward resolving complex real world challenges.
- Coaching for Improvement: Developing the DoDEA Coaching ModelKaufman, Eric K.; Schuermann, Patrick J.; Cannon, Mark; Coartney, Jama S.; Mitra, Shreya; Anderson, James (2019-07-09)The International Coach Federation defines coaching as “partnering with clients in a thought provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential.” While the concept of coaching is nothing new, it is gaining ground in new settings, including educational leadership. As a practical illustration, we highlight the transformative approach of Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) towards restructuring its worldwide school system. DoDEA’s approach included formation of Centers for Instructional Leadership, and the work of those centers depends upon effective coaching. This paper describes the professional learning that contributed to emergence of the DoDEA Coaching Model.
- Collaborative Discussion: How Might Artificial Intelligence (AI) Extend Learning, Thinking, & Problem Solving?Kaufman, Eric K. (American Association for Agricultural Education, 2024-05-21)“Are we asking the wrong questions of ChatGPT?” That was the headline of an April 15, 2024, article in The Chronicle of Higher Education. While many educators have been concerned about policing artificial intelligence (AI), we may be missing key opportunities to leverage AI as a tool for extending learning, thinking, and problem solving. In this collaborative discussion, participants will be invited to share questions, concerns, and ideas for leveraging AI in both formal and nonformal educational settings. The context of agricultural education (broadly defined) will be the focus, placing particular interest on practices and strategies that may allow graduates and communities to better manage, interpret, and share streams of data in ways that foster improved decision-making. Both novice and experienced users of AI will be encouraged to engage in the discussion and exploration.
- Conference Schedule and Proceedings of the 2021 KAI SymposiumFriedel, Curtis R.; Seibel, Megan M.; Walz, Jerald H. (Virginia Tech, 2021-02-24)