The purpose of the qualitative study was to explore how middle and secondary school agriscience teachers define remote instruction and distance education. This research was conducted as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Data for the study were collected during the time schools were closed and/or offering remote instruction. A purposive sample of seventeen agriscience education teachers in the States of Alabama and Georgia were selected for this qualitative study. Data were collected using a structured interview questionnaire and analyzed using constant comparisons. The conceptual framework of this study was developed using transactional distance theory and bound by strategic analysis. Findings showed that secondary agriscience education teachers did not collectively define remote instruction and distance education in the same manner. Some defined them similarly, and some noted specific differences in how the terms are defined and used. These teachers identified strengths and opportunities that should be exploited and weaknesses and threats that should be mitigated. Recommendations for training in appropriate use of distance education delivery strategies are provided. Recommendations for additional research into the impact on student learning are provided.

The purpose of this study was to assess secondary agriscience teachers' perceptions, expertise, and importance of agriculture content areas in the curriculum. To accomplish this study the following objectives framed the investigation: describe Alabama secondary agriscience teachers by personal characteristics including teacher certification pathway, describe Alabama secondary agriscience teachers by professional development needs, and explore the relationships between Alabama secondary agriscience teachers by professional development needs and personal characteristics. The population was representative of agriculture teachers in Alabama teaching agriscience education in grades 9-12. The data collection instrument included four thematic units: FFA/Leadership Development/SAE, Technical Agriculture, Program Management, and Teaching and Learning. Findings were evaluated using analytical triangulation between statements and individual item analysis. The areas of professional development needs were determined by the mean weighted discrepancy score (MWDS) in the four thematic categories. Alabama agriscience teachers identified competency areas with the highest MWDS as: FFA/Supervised Agricultural/Leadership Development (MWDS = 3.04), Technical Agriculture (MWDS = 2.48), Program Management (MWDS = 2.17), and Teaching and Learning (MWDS = 2.00).

This study investigated the characteristics and rationale for teacher longevity and success in the secondary agricultural education classroom. The population was 7,300 (N = 7,300) secondary agricultural education teachers in the United States instructing grades 6-12 during 2017-2018. The sample frame was obtained through the National Association of Agriculture Educators membership list and a random sample (n = 187) of the population was selected using the Cochran's (1977) formula for continuous variables. The instrument used to collect data for this study was developed from a review of existing literature and consisted of 80 statements organized in four categories: influencers for career choice, employer characteristics, role of the FFA Advisor and FFA involvement, personal characteristics and professional growth, and personal characteristic questions. Participants who identified the overall characteristics which reflect their classroom longevity and success were feeling secure in their employment, developing their program, high satisfaction levels received from teaching and the variety of the lessons, and indicated former teachers having the greatest influence on their decision to pursue secondary agricultural education. The findings indicated that there are significant areas of success that should be investigated and revisited to determine the motivation for teachers to remain in the field.

The purpose of this study was to develop an instrument that can be used to identify factors that influence the success of vertical transfer students in agricultural education. The specific objectives of this study were: identify perceived factors that influence the bachelor's degree attainment of vertical transfer students in agricultural education, and identify trends which impact students' completion of a bachelor's degree in agricultural education transfer students. The framework of this study is based on a union of the Schlossberg's Transition Theory (1981) and Rendón's Validation Theory (1994). The expert panel consisted of ten participants identified as leaders in post-secondary agriscience education. The findings of this study identified factors that are most influential to the bachelor's degree attainment of vertical transfer students in agricultural education. Student attendance and preparation for class were indicated as significant factors influencing persistence to graduation. Courses that are designed to be engaging and present real-life applications promote degree completion were found to be of importance to bachelor's degree completion. Faculty members have a significant role in the successful degree completion of vertical transfer students by developing engaging courses, presenting real-life applications for classroom material, and allowing for meaning relationships to be established with vertical transfer students.

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