Scholarly Works, Agricultural, Leadership, and Community Education
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- Using Technical Assistance to Bridge the Gap Between Policy, Research, and ImplementationEaly, Phillip L.; Tyler-Mackey, Crystal; Ashurst, Kerri; Blue-Terry, Misty; Cano-Guin, Autumn; Derienfield, Candi; Grant, Samantha; Harmon, Denae; Payne, Pamela B.; Wells-Marshall, Jennifer; Perkins, Daniel F. (Frontiers, 2024-06-12)This case study on the Children, Youth, and Families At-Risk (CYFAR) Professional Development and Technical Assistance (PDTA) Center highlights a government-funded entity’s efforts to provide technical assistance to federal grantees of the CYFAR Sustainable Community Projects (SCP) grant program. The PDTA Center aligns with and supports components of an evidence-based system for innovation support. Through these components, the system provides targeted tools, training for CYFAR SCP grantees, dedicated technical assistance in the form of coaching, and quality improvement support through the evaluation of available program data.
- Strategies for Group Project SuccessKaufman, Eric K. (2025-01-29)Workshop for FIW 2514: Fish & Wildlife Conservation Policy
- Leading & Following in Community Settings [Podcast episode]Kaufman, Eric K.; Fabiano, Sharna (Lead & Follow, 2024-08-18)Leadership Educator and Scholar Eric Kaufman shares his observations of leading and following dynamics in a variety of community and volunteer settings, from civic organizations like Kiwanis Clubs to parent-teacher organizations to church governance bodies. Eric is a professor at Virginia Tech, where he coordinates a graduate certificate in collaborative community leadership and supports an undergraduate minor in leadership and social change. He also has a partial appointment at Virginia Cooperative Extension, and that role has focused his attention on best practices for working with community members to guide educational programming. Eric is a past president of the Association of Leadership Educators, and he is the current chair of the International Leadership Association’s followership member community. Eric has also held significant volunteer roles with his local church and draws upon those experiences to inform his research. “Leadership is the process of inspiring vision and hope. Followership is the process of aligning behavior with a particular vision or purpose.” “People will put up with bad leadership in a business setting when they won’t in a community setting.” “In some community associations, we have a lot of people who care that it’s successful but they don’t want to be in the leader role.” “Sometimes there’s a default to lead through statements, to tell people, ‘this is where we’re going,’ but leading through questions opens space for conversations and it can surface some answers we may not otherwise come up with.”
- Youth Leadership with Eric Kaufman [Podcast episode]Kaufman, Eric K.; Oyedare, Israel (The Future of Leadership Podcast with Israel Oyedare, 2024-12-21)The podcast episode titled "Youth Leadership with Eric Kaufman" is part of "The Future of Leadership" series, hosted by Israel Oyedare. In this episode, Eric Kaufman, a leadership educator and scholar, discusses best practices for collective leadership, emphasizing problem-solving and team development. He also shares insights from his work with the Department of Defense Education Activity and the National Science Foundation's Geosciences Opportunities for Leadership in Diversity program.
- “A part of who I Am:” a phenomenological study of emerging adult leader identity through family storytellingMcCain, Kate; Matkin, Gina (2024-06-17)Purpose – The purpose of this phenomenological study is to explore leader identity development experiences of emerging adults at a large Midwest university and how retrospective family storytelling (Koenig Kellas, 2018) plays a role in the sense-making of the leader identity process. Through a unique, three-phase qualitative and narrative inquiry approach, this research further explores LID sense-making through retrospective family storytelling. Design/methodology/approach – Qualitative phenomenology and narrative inquiry approach. Data collection consisted of three different data sets: (a) two semi-structured interviews, (b) leader artifacts and (c) journals. Findings – The stories told by the emerging adults described how key messages influenced their identity within the context of leader identity development and their college experiences. Furthermore, a key finding in the narratives exhibited the stories emerging adults recalled in the sense-making of their leader identity centered on persevering, overcoming hardships and interpersonal connections and relationships. Findings from this research contribute to LID literature for leadership educators, researchers and practitioners in leader development. Originality/value – The research presented in this article advances LID by using a narrative approach to explore the role of family narratives in identity development. Further, it approaches qualitative work with rigorous data collection and analysis processing using a cross-case analysis to develop leader identity archetypes. This study directly impacts those who work with emerging adult college students and supports the development of college student leaders.
- Are social media “Influencers” leaders? Exploring student perceptions of social media influencers in the context of leadership and followershipCouncil, Austin; Olowoyo, Olamide (Association of Leadership Educators, 2024-11-21)Purpose – This purpose of the study was to investigate, analyze, and make meaning of student perceptions of social media influencers in the context of leadership and followership. Design/methodology/approach – We investigated whether students perceive social media influencers as leaders, their perceptions of the difference between followers and fans, and the degree of responsibility influencers have over their followers’ behaviors. Existing qualitative data were obtained from n 5 41 participants for the study. We used elements of phenomenology within a single case study design (introductory leadership course) to thematically review and analyze students’ discussion posts and agree on common themes. Findings – Our findings show that most students do not believe influencers are leaders based on value differences between influencers and leaders broadly. Students perceived followers as more actively engaged than fans based on their ability to work alongside leaders, while fans are more passive by only consuming and admiring influencers’ content. Lastly, most students noted that influencers are responsible for the behaviors of their followers and should have more awareness of their power and influence online. Originality/value – As social media continues to influence the perceptions of the younger generations of leaders, our findings seek to provide insights into the evolving and dynamic nature of leadership and followership in the digital age.
- 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.
- Integrating Employability Skills Into Agricultural Courses using the PDSA Model of ImprovementKaufman, Eric K.; Westfall-Rudd, Donna M. (2025-01-17)More than a decade ago, the National Research Council (2009) challenged agricultural teachers to transform their relationship to the global food and agricultural enterprise. With this in mind, Auger (2019) made an important observation: “Some skills are more lasting. Skills like leadership, collaboration, and communication” (para 4). These employability skills are of critical importance to agriculture’s workforce (Crawford & Fink, 2020), and research suggests they are “more difficult to train for” (D2L, 2019, p. 4). Agricultural educators must find ways to incorporate employability skills into classes so that teaching and learning can take flight, soaring to new heights. To improve agricultural courses, our workshop introduces the Plan, Do, Study, Act (PDSA) model for improvement (Langley et al., 2009). It is a strategy to pilot, evaluate, and implement changes to courses. PDSA provides a cyclical process, based on the scientific method, to support data-driven continuous quality improvement. It also provides a strategy for post-secondary teachers of agriculture to improve the scholarship of teaching and learning. This workshop is one of the results of a collaboration between a four-year program, technical program, and community college. Workshop objectives are to improve agricultural courses by (1) providing a simple, effective improvement process tool—Plan, Do, Study, Act (PDSA), (2) reviewing PDSA examples that integrate agriculture and employability skills, and (3) practicing the PDSA model. Participants can practice the PDSA process with their own courses. Interactive activities include (1) reviewing examples done by other agriculture educators, (2) sharing ideas on how to blend employability skills into existing courses, (3) drafting an actual PDSA plan, and (4) discussing how this approach might transfer to other agricultural teaching experiences. PDSA provides a simple, powerful tool and strategy to continuously improve teaching and learning. This workshop introduces how to use PDSA to integrate employability skills into the scholarship of teaching and learning. References Auger, J. (2019, May 6). Soft skills — not technical ones — should be the focus of upskilling initiatives. Training Industry. https://trainingindustry.com/blog/workforce- development/soft-skills-not-technical-ones-should-be-the-focus-of-upskilling-initiatives/ Crawford, P., & Fink, W. (2020). Employability skills and Students critical growth areas. NACTA Journal, 64, 132-141. D2L. (2019). The future of skills: In the age of the 4th industrial revolution. https://www.d2l.com/future-of-work/ Langley, G. J., Moen, R. D., Nolan, K. M., Nolan, T. W., Norman, C. L., & Provost, L. P. (2009). The improvement guide: A practical approach to enhancing organizational performance (2nd ed.). Jossey-Bass. National Research Council. (2009). Transforming agricultural education for a changing world. National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/12602
- Building a training and development intervention for peer leaders: Consideration vs. structureSunderman, Hannah M.; Hastings, Lindsay (2023-06-15)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.
- Transforming leadership education undergraduate advising: Incorporating growth mindset and design thinkingSellon, Addison; Sunderman, Hannah M.; McElravy, L. J. (2023-06-15)Academic advisors are an invaluable and steadfast component of leadership students’ higher education experience (Hunter & White, 2004; Mann, 2020; Museus, 2021; Spratley, 2020). Yet, given the myriad student paths and preferences, advising calls for flexibility, commitment, and personalization. Applying growth mindset and design thinking to the academic advising process in leadership education may help advisors meet the diverse needs of their students, integrating theory and practice. Notably, growth mindset and design thinking are linked to overall motivation, confidence, and problem-solving (Dweck, 2015; Hochanadel & Finamore, 2015; Mann, 2020), allowing students to take ownership over and actively engage with their academic advising experience. Therefore, two advising manuals (i.e., a student manual and a faculty manual) were generated to incorporate growth mindset and design thinking-based approaches to the advising experience within leadership education. The manuals were implemented into various advising situations for data collection and feedback. Findings revealed an overall favorable opinion of the manual and guidance for further implementation within the advising process. The two manuals presented in the current paper provide leadership education students, academic advisors, and departments with various tools to enhance and guide their undergraduate student experience.
- Developing generativity through developmental relationshipsHastings, Lindsay; Sunderman, Hannah M.; Knopik, Nick (2024)Early leader and leadership development experiences that develop generativity - and therefore social responsibility - will become increasingly imperative in preparing a young workforce to shoulder the burden of a substantial leadership transfer in the wake of Baby Boomer retirements. While generativity is considered a midlife construct, recent and emergent research is documenting an association between developmental relationships – such as mentoring, coaching, and advising – and generativity in young adults. The current article highlights this recent research and addresses its implications for leadership practitioners, scholars, and educators. The article concludes with a discourse on future research directions that considers the nuances of particular methodological approaches that will be needed to understand how developmental relationships encourage generativity over time.
- Maximizing the role of teaching assistants (TAs) to match signature pedagogies in leadership educationHastings, Lindsay J.; Sunderman, Hannah M.; Forsythe, Kaitlyn; Knopik, Nick (Emerald, 2024-03-11)Purpose: The purpose of the current application paper is to integrate previous literature with recent results from practitioners on effective practices for utilizing small groups in the leadership classroom. Design/methodology/approach: We use these integrated findings to innovate practice on maximizing the role of undergraduate teaching assistants (UTAs) by matching their tasks to signature pedagogies in leadership education. Findings: The integrated findings revealed three practice themes: (1) match UTAs to pedagogical approach, (2) create small groups by design and (3) providing training and reflection practice for UTAs. Originality/value: In sum, leadership education can and should challenge historical practices in higher education whereby UTAs are used purely for grading and course logistics management.
- Developmental Relationships That Encourage GenerativityHastings, Lindsay J.; Sunderman, Hannah M.; Knopik, Nick (Wiley, 2024-05-21)Early leader and leadership development experiences that develop generativity and therefore social responsibility will become increasingly imperative in preparing a young workforce to shoulder the burden of a substantial leadership transfer in the wake of Baby Boomer retirements. While generativity is considered a midlife construct, recent and emergent research is documenting an association between developmental relationships, such as mentoring, coaching, and advising, and generativity in young adults. The current article highlights the recent research and addresses its implications for leadership practitioners, scholars, and educators. The article concludes with a discourse on future research directions that considers the nuances of particular methodological approaches that will be needed to understand how developmental relationships encourage generativity over time.
- Leader(ship) identity development and meaning making: A scoping reviewSunderman, Hannah M.; Orsini, Jonathan (Wiley, 2024-11-11)Despite a growing body of scholarship on leader and leadership (i.e., leader[ship]) identity development (LID), there has been surprisingly little systematic attention devoted to the connection between LID and meaning making, which is notable because meaning making has been regarded as foundational to the LID process. Accordingly, the current scoping review explores the scholarship and key characteristics at the intersection of LID and meaning making. Specifically, the year of publication, research method and design, country of participants, and theories central to author justification are analyzed. After sharing the results, contributions, and implications for the constructs of LID and meaning making are outlined, with attention given to theoretical and methodological areas for future research. Finally, an integrated constructivist model of LID is proposed that urges leadership scholars and practitioners to incorporate developmental, identity, learning, and meaning-making theories into their discussions of LID.
- Intercultural mentoring: enhancing cultural competence through intergroup contact and experiential learningAdebayo, Bolanle Oyindamola; Sunderman, Hannah M. (Emerald, 2024-07-26)Purpose: To maximize the benefits of intercultural mentoring relationships, which are increasing in today’s diverse higher education environment, the current article conceptualizes the connection between intercultural mentoring and cultural competence among mentors and mentees as a learning process. Design/methodology/approach: The conceptual paper discusses the nuanced aspects of intercultural mentoring. Ultimately, the current article presents a framework for a bidirectional relationship between intercultural mentoring and cultural competence through experiential learning theory and intergroup contact theory, resulting in implications for practitioners and actionable research directions. Findings: The article highlights the interplay and interdependence of cultural competence and intercultural mentoring through experiential learning and intergroup contact theory. Cultural competence influences the quality of intercultural mentoring relationships. Conversely, intercultural mentoring relationships can develop cultural competence in mentors and mentees through experiential learning, producing positive intergroup contact behaviors. Findings suggest the need for active learning and unlearning among mentors and mentees in intercultural mentoring relationships to maximize developmental outcomes (e.g. cultural competence). Originality/value: The proposed framework emphasizes that (1) the possession of cultural competence is a critical success factor for intercultural mentoring relationships, (2) the development of cultural competence is an outcome of successful intercultural mentoring relationships, and (3) intercultural mentoring relationships should be regarded as experiential learning platforms that can produce positive intercultural traits such as cultural competence.
- Creative Conversations: The Un-Meeting as an Approach to Agricultural Extension Communication [Poster]Spence, Jessica R.; Kaufman, Eric K.; Seibel, Megan M.; Parrella, Jean; Tyler-Mackey, Crystal; Grove, Benjamin B.; Adebayo, Bolanle; Olowoyo, Olamide; Poudel, Sonika; Zhu, Stephanie; Gutter, Michael (2025)While the agricultural industry increasingly faces complex challenges that require diverse stakeholder input, traditional meetings often limit engagement and perpetuate top-down dynamics, inhibiting effective problem-solving. This article explores the “un-meeting” format as an alternative, highlighting its ability to foster inclusive, participant-driven discussions that encourage collaborative brainstorming and actionable outcomes. Based on our experience with a statewide agriculture summit, we discuss the principles underlying un-meetings, the facilitation process, and the practical implications for Extension professionals. Recommendations include the importance of knowledgeable facilitators, a large team for effective management, and limiting session cycles to maintain focus and depth in discussions.
- Why pursue a career in teaching agriculture? Application of self-determination theory and the theory of planned behaviorHur, Gangseok; Barry, Debra M.; Katrina, Alford; Jagger, Carla B.; Roberts, T. Grady (2024-06-30)Given the shortage of agriculture teachers across the country, understanding individuals’ motivation to pursue a career in teaching agricultural education is critical to developing strategies for teacher recruitment and teacher education. Several studies have investigated factors that motivate preservice and in-service agriculture teachers to pursue a career teaching agricultural education based on the Factors Influencing Teaching Choice (FIT-Choice) model. However, little research investigated the topic using different theoretical lenses or a mixed-methods approach, which could provide new perspectives on individuals’ motivation to teach. To address the knowledge gap, we investigated Florida preservice teacher recruitment program participants’ motivation to teach agricultural education using a mixed-methods approach from the self-determination theory and the theory of planned behavior theoretical lens. We found that individuals’ intention to become agriculture teachers was statistically significantly explained by two predictors: attitude toward behavior and perceived behavioral control regarding a career in teaching agriculture. When choosing a career in teaching agriculture, the score for more self-determined motivation was substantially higher than that for less self-determined motivation. Furthermore, inspiring agriculture teachers, positive experiences with SBAE programs, a passion for teaching and agriculture, and paying it forward to students were the main factors that motivated them to pursue a career in teaching agricultural education. Based on the theoretical frameworks and the results, a model for understanding factors influencing individuals to pursue a career in teaching agriculture was proposed to broaden our understanding of the multidimensional nature of individuals’ motivation to teach agriculture.
- Leveraging 4-H to Address Emergent Health Needs during the Covid-19 Pandemic: Epidemiology Pilot ProjectIaccopucci, Anne Marie; Horowitz, Marcel; Espinoza, Dorina; Nayak, Roshan (Clemson University, 2024-04-10)4-H academics responded to the Covid pandemic by rapidly adapting CDC and other resources for virtual delivery. A statewide epidemiology project was taught to 48 youth with the goal of minimizing fears and confusion, increasing prevention measures, leveraging current topics for education, and bolstering the social-emotional health of youth participants. Results indicated that youth enjoyed the project and adopted behaviors to reduce the spread of infectious diseases, such as increased mask-wearing.
- Followership in Focus: Exploring Relationships, Impact, and Adaptive StrategiesKaufman, Eric K.; Korbal, Edward; Oyedare, Israel; Read, Basil; Rossi, Stephanie; Shufutinsky, Anton (International Leadership Association, 2024-11-08)This session brings together three critical explorations of followership, a field often overshadowed by leadership studies. We will examine emerging themes from international followership discussions, the intricate dynamics of the Leader-Follower-Fellow (LFF) relationship and its impact on organizational culture, and the importance of adaptive followership in ensuring the success of new leaders. Attendees will engage with cutting-edge research and frameworks that challenge traditional notions of followership and underscore its significance in shaping effective leadership.
- ALCE Strategy for Peer Review of TeachingKaufman, Eric K. (2024-11-13)Facilitated workshop for Virginia Tech's Department of Agricultural, Leadership, and Community Education.