Elementary and Secondary Teachers Use of Agriculture as a Context for Teaching: A Concerns Based Approach.

摘要

The purpose of this study was to determine the concerns of past participants of the Summer Agriculture Institute regarding the use of agriculture as a context for teaching and to determine how they implement curriculum integration. The study used the Concerns-Based Adoption Model as a theoretical framework, which resulted in proposed action to increase the effectiveness of agricultural literacy treatments similar to Summer Agriculture Institute. This study had two overarching objectives: To determine teachers' concerns about using agriculture as a context for teaching and to clarify how teachers are using agriculture as a context for teaching.;The Stages of Concern Questionnaire was e-mailed to all teachers who participated in Summer Agriculture Institute between 2008 and 2010, a target population of 63. Usable surveys were returned by 18 participants, resulting in a 28.6% response rate.;Data from the Stages of Concern Questionnaire were used to assemble profiles for each of the participants. Profiles were analyzed for peak stage of concern and for trends amongst the demographic characteristics. A purposive sample of 5 participants was selected for interviews. Interview data was used to support analysis of Stages of Concern Profiles.;In collaboration with Summer Agriculture Institute developers and facilitators an innovation configuration map was developed to describe the components of using agriculture as a context for teaching as well as the continuum of variations of each of the components. The interviews with the 2008 SAI participants were used to adapt the innovation configuration map with input from experienced users. The interview data were then analyzed for innovation configurations. The newly developed map was used as a guide for coding and analysis.;Evidence suggested the past participants of Summer Agriculture Institute have high egocentric concerns when considering the use of agriculture as a context for teaching. Despite the high egocentric concerns interview data suggested the purposive sample all had ideal or acceptable variations of the innovation components.