Investigating how secondary agriculture teachers’ characteristics influence their perceived ability to teach students decision-making skills

ABSTRACT

Purpose

This study sought to investigate how secondary agriculture teachers’ characteristics influence their perceived ability to teach students decision-making skills.

Design/Methodology/Approach

We used a cross-sectional survey research design and distributed the instrument to secondary agriculture teachers in the U.S. via Facebook. We received 151 usable responses and conducted a multiple regression and mediation analysis.

Findings

The regression model accounted for 34.97% of the variance in teachers’ perceived ability to teach decision-making skills and explained a statistically significant amount of variation in the outcome (F(16, 129) = 4.34, p < 0.001). Teaching efficacy, teaching style, decision-making beliefs, and years of service statistically and significantly influenced the outcome. In addition, 29.35% of the total effect of decision-making beliefs on perceived ability to teach decision-making is mediated through teaching efficacy.

Practical Implications

Findings can inform the development of workshops and educational resources intended to improve agriculture teachers’ perceived ability to teach students decision-making skills, thereby enhancing their ability to teach students how to make decisions.

Theoretical Implications

Teachers’ psychological and socio-demographic characteristics statistically and significantly influence their perceived ability to teach students decision-making skills.

Originality/Value

The regression model was the first of its kind to investigate the influence of teacher characteristics on this particular outcome. Therefore, results provide novel but preliminary insight into teachers’ perceptions.

KEYWORDS:

• Cross-sectional survey
• decision-making beliefs
• regression analysis
• teacher competency
• teacher efficacy
• teaching style

Data availability

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by a Secondary Education, Two-Year Postsecondary Education, and Agriculture in the K-12 Classroom (SPECA) Challenge Grants Program no. 2019-38414-30265 from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

Notes on contributors

Jean A. Parrella

Jean A. Parrella is a doctoral candidate and graduate research assistant in Texas A&M University's Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications. Her research focuses on how strategic framing and persuasive messaging influence consumers' behavior toward agricultural science and food innovations.

Theresa Pesl Murphrey

Dr. Theresa Pesl Murphrey is a professor in the Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications at Texas A&M University. Her research focuses on teaching and learning, evaluation, and change in an effort to address educational and learning issues, develop best practices, and maximize learning.

Holli R. Leggette

Dr. Holli R. Leggette is an associate professor in agricultural communications and journalism at Texas A&M University, where she also directs the Science Communications Lab. Leggette's research focuses on investigating effective ways for preparing scientific communicators to meet the needs of a global audience and understanding, evaluating, and improving the communication skills of agricultural scientists.

Anna Bates

Dr. Anna Bates is a high school agricultural education teacher at San Luis Obispo High School in California.

Christina Esquivel

Dr. Christina Esquivel has over twenty years of higher education teaching experience in the fields of agricultural economics and business. Dr. Esquivel's research interests focus on instructional methods and learning beliefs in undergraduate students.