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The LifeKnowledge curriculum is a recent initiative of the National FFA Organization to
develop key learning precepts in agriculture education students. This material utilizes
cutting-edge teaching techniques in lesson plans designed to develop leadership,
teamwork, personal development, and communication abilities in students. This project
surveyed current agriculture teachers in Oregon to determine their use and experience
with the LifeKnowledge materials. Pre-service teachers were also instructed on using
the material and qualitative data were collected on their experience. The studies found
the majority of Oregon agriculture teachers have used the curriculum, and most indicated
enjoying the material, as well as their students. The respondents’ training was evaluated
and correlations found between quality of training received and overall ability to
incorporate the curriculum into their classrooms. Other trends included small classes
experiencing more success, younger students enjoying the curriculum more than older
students, and teachers aged 27-32 having the easiest time incorporating LifeKnowledge
into the classrooms. The pre-service teachers experienced some difficulty in utilizing the
material, indicating limited time and poor student response in some instances. This
project recommended a four-module training be developed for agriculture teachers. |
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