The Agricultural Volume 80 EDUCATION Issue 6 M a G a Z I N E
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May/June 2008 The Agricultural Volume 80 EDUCATION Issue 6 M A G A Z I N E ? ?? Problem Appreciative solving Inquiry EDITORIAL Attacking Sacred Cows or Thoughtful Refl ection? By Billye Foster Problem solving is the process of is a recent addition to the format of you remember what Agricultural moving toward a goal when the path the meeting due to the generous- Education was like in 1985? What to that goal is uncertain (Michael ity of Dr. & Mrs. Kirby Barrick. did programs and teachers focus on Martinez). John Dewey developed a Each year a seminar on or about as their primary goals? What were series of steps that are referred to as Agricultural Education is presented their weaknesses? For that matter, the problem-solving sequence. by a well respected member of the do you know the principal fi ndings profession. This year’s presentation of this study? The three year process Appreciative Inquiry is about the was by Dr. Robert Warmbrod and ended with the publication of Un- co-evolutionary search for the best his memories and refl ections on the derstanding Agriculture in 1988. in people, their organizations, and infamous “Green Book”. the relevant world around them. Perhaps it is time for us all to refl ect (David Cooperrider and Diana If you are a newcomer to this on the path Agricultural Education Whitney). Appreciative Inquiry profession, or perhaps someone has taken over the past twenty years. has been referred to as the art and just skimming this magazine, you The fi rst principal fi nding of the practice of asking questions that should know that in 1985 a study study is noted below. As you read strengthen a system’s capacity to on agricultural education in the this issue, I challenge you to refl ect apprehend, anticipate, and height- secondary schools was initiated on how much Agricultural Educa- en positive potential. due to concerns about the declining tion has or has not changed.... profi tability of American agriculture ne of the best things about and the declining enrollments in • Agricultural education in Agricultural Education is agricultural education programs. U. S. high schools usually does Othe consistency of our phi- The Commmittee on Agricultural not extend beyond the offer- losophy and the concepts that evolve Education in Secondary Schools ing of a vocational agriculture from the tenets found within said was established by the National program. philosophy. One of the most dan- Research Council at the request of gerous things about Agricultural the U. S. Secretaries of Agriculture Only a small percentage of students Education is the consistency of our and Education. This committee was enroll in these programs. Conse- philosophy and the concepts that charged with assessing the contribu- quently, most high school students evolve from the tenets found within tions of instruction in agriculture to have limited or no access to vocational said philosophy. As much as we the maintenance and improvement agriculture or agricultural literacy believe we have the premiere edu- of U. S. agricultural productivity programs. Minority students in urban cational system at hand, it is wise to and economic competitiveness (Un- schools have the least access to these sometimes take a step back and look derstanding Agriculture, pg. v.). programs (Understanding Agricul- at a bigger picture. Perhaps there ture, pg. 2). are other ways of doing that are just Much more detail could be provided, as effective--possibly even better but the most memorable outcome of in certain situations. Such were the this venture was the publication of a small green book, Understanding thoughts rolling around in my head Billye Foster is a Agriculture--New Directions for when I chose this theme. Professor at Education, affectionately known as The University of Ever notice how things sometimes “The Green Book”. Arizona and is Editor of seem to fall together? Recently I The Agricultural was in Reno, Nevada at the Ameri- Just as this issue serves to compare Education Magazine. can Association of Agricultural and contrast the value of problem Educator’s annual research meeting solving and appreciative inquiry, Dr. and conference. The fi rst night there Warmbrod’s refl ections provided a I attended the Barrick Seminar. This format for our own refl ections. Can 2 The Agricultural Education Magazine CONTENTS Theme: Subscriptions Problem Solving OR Subscription price for The Agricultural Education Magazine is $15.00 per year. Foreign subscriptions are $25.00 (U.S. currency) per year for surface mail, and $40 (U.S. currency) Appreciative Inquiry-- foreign airmail (except Canada). Orders must be for one year or longer. We can accept up to a three year subscription. Refunds are not available. Please allow 4 - 6 weeks delivery Which is Best? of fi rst magazine. Claims for missing issues cannot be honored after three months from date of publication, six Editorial: months for foreign subscriptions. Single copies and back Attacking Sacred Cows or Thoughtful Refl ection? ........................2 issues less than 10 years old are available at $5 each ($10.00 By Billye Foster, Editor foreign mail). All back issues are available on microfi lm from UMI University Microfi lms, 300 North Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48106. UMI University Microfi lms telephone Theme Editor Comments: number is (313) 761-4700. In submitting a subscription, PBL vs AI, which is better..., you ask? ..........................................4 designate new or renewal and provide mailing address including ZIP code. Send all subscriptions and requests for By Bobby Torres hard copy back issues to the Business Manager: Jay Jackman, National Association of Agricultural Educators (NAAE) 300 Theme Articles: Garrigus Building, 325 Cooper Drive, The University of PBL: Less Content; More Process.. .............................................6 Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40546-0215, Phone: (859) By Scott Burris 257-2224, FAX: (859) 323-3919. E-mail: [email protected] Problem Based What? A case study on the Learning Article Submission Outcomes of PBL......................................................................8 Articles and photographs should be submitted to the editor By James Anderson or theme editors. Items to be considered for publication should be submitted at least 90 days prior to the date of the issue intended for the article or photograph. All submissions Do You Have AI in Your Toolbox?................................................11 will be acknowledged by the Editor. No items are returned By Rebecca Lawver & Misty Lambert unless accompanied by a written request. Articles should be typed double-spaced, and include information about the author(s). One hard copy and one electronic copy of the Teaching with the 4 D’s of Appreciative Inquiry...........................13 article should be submitted. A recent, hardcopy photograph By David Frazier should accompany the article unless one is on fi le with the editor. Articles in the magazine may be reproduced without permission but should be acknowledged. General Interest Articles: Editor Sustainability of SAE via Horticulture in Urban Dr. Billye Foster, Professor, Department of Agricultural Agricultural Education Programs...............................................15 Education, The University of Arizona, PO Box 210036- By Dan Lassanske & Wendy Warner -Forbes 228, 1140 East South Campus Drive, Tucson, Arizona, Phone (520) 621-1523, FAX: (520) 621-9889. Inclusion Corner (Guest Writer).................................................16 E-mail: [email protected] By Jewel Moore Publication Information The Agricultural Education Magazine (ISSN 07324677) is Turning a Teacher’s Aide Into an Agricultural the bi-monthly professional journal of agricultural education. Education Teacher...............................................................19 The journal is published by the Agricultural Education By Kim O’Byrne & Tom Dormody Magazine, Inc. and is printed at M&D Printing, 515 University Avenue, Henry, IL 61537. Congratulations! You Got the Job--Now What?........................22 Periodicals postage paid at Ames, IA 50010 and By T. D. Fanning additional offi ces. Quizzical Refl ections.................................................................25 POSTMASTERS: Send address changes for The Agricultural Education Magazine to the attention of By Billye Foster Jay Jackman, National Association of Agricultural Educators (NAAE) 300 Garrigus Building, 325 Cooper Drive, The Informational Items: University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40546-0215, Phone: (859) 257-2224, FAX: (859) 323-3919. July/August 2008 Theme Editor Contacts...................................5 Principal Findings from Understanding Agriculture....................24 May/June 2008 3 THEME EDITOR COMMENTS PPBLBL vvs.s. AAI:I: WWhichhich iiss better…,better…, yyouou aask?sk? by Bobby Torres if used correctly, yield wonderful Design and Destiny. Each stage learning results, including, yes, Invest a few moments in has a unique and specifi c learning thinking. A not so exhaustive list thinking. It will pay good objective. However, what makes includes Socratic dialogue, case appreciative inquiry unique is not interest. studies, brainstorming, discussion the four D’s, rather, it is what is ~Author Unknown groups, cooperative learning, Think- at the core of this approach--the Pair-Share, etc. value teachers place on students. AI have always been an advocate focuses on the positives in student for teaching students how to This issue highlights two teaching successes and building learning on I think. After all