W3006: Multistate Agricultural Literacy Research

(Multistate Research Project)

Status: Inactive/Terminating

Project Menu

SAES-422 Reports

Annual/Termination Reports:

[12/14/2020] [12/07/2021] [11/11/2022] [11/20/2023] [10/30/2024]

Date of Annual Report: 12/14/2020

Report Information

Annual Meeting Dates: 09/18/2020 - 09/18/2020
Period the Report Covers: 10/01/2019 - 09/30/2020

Participants

Kellie Enns, Colorado State University Kellie.enns@colostate.edu
Gaea Hock, Kansas State University ghock@ksu.edu
Rose Judd-Murray, Utah State University rose.juddmurray@usu.edu
Michael Martin, Colorado State University Michael.j.martin@colostate.edu
Debra Spielmaker, Utah State University debra.spielmaker@usu.edu
Denise Stewardson, Utah State University denise.stewardson@usu.edu
Josh Stewart, Oregon State University josh.stewart@oregonstate.edu
Cary Trexler, University of California—Davis cjtrexler@ucdavis.edu
Kathryn Stofer, University of Florida stofer@ufl.edu
Jonathan Velez, Oregon State University jonathan.velez@oregonstate.edu
Thomas Dormody, New Mexico State University tdormody@nmsu.edu
Kevin Curry, Pennsylvania State University kxc554@psu.edu
Carl Igo, Montana State University cigo@montana.edu
Gigette Webb, University of Arizona gigettewebb@email.arizona.edu
Hailey Clement Traini, Oregon State University haley.clement@oregonstate.edu
Amber Rice, University of Arizona amrice@email.arizona.edu
Brian Warnick, Utah State University brian.warnick@usu.edu

Brief Summary of Minutes

Multistate Agricultural Literacy Research Committee (W3006) Fall Meeting

September 18, 2020, via Zoom

Members Present:

Kellie Enns, Colorado State University Kellie.enns@colostate.edu

Gaea Hock, Kansas State University ghock@ksu.edu

Rose Judd-Murray, Utah State University rose.juddmurray@usu.edu

Michael Martin, Colorado State University Michael.j.martin@colostate.edu

Debra Spielmaker, Utah State University debra.spielmaker@usu.edu

Denise Stewardson, Utah State University denise.stewardson@usu.edu

Josh Stewart, Oregon State University josh.stewart@oregonstate.edu

Kathryn Stofer, University of Florida stofer@ufl.edu

Jonathan Velez, Oregon State University jonathan.velez@oregonstate.edu

Thomas Dormody, New Mexico State University tdormody@nmsu.edu

Kevin Curry, Pennsylvania State University kxc554@psu.edu

Carl Igo, Montana State University cigo@montana.edu

Gigette Webb, University of Arizona gigettewebb@email.arizona.edu

Hailey Clement Traini, Oregon State University haley.clement@oregonstate.edu

Amber Rice, University of Arizona amrice@email.arizona.edu

Brian Warnick, Administrative Advisor, Utah State University brian.warnick@usu.edu

Members Absent:

Cary Trexler, University of California—Davis cjtrexler@ucdavis.edu

Kimberly Bellah, Murray State University kbellah@murraystate.edu

Nellie Hill, New Mexico State University nhill@nmsu.edu

Tiffany Rogers-Randolph, Kansas State University trogersrandolph@ksu.edu

Jihyeong Son, Washington State University jihyeong.son@wsu.edu

The meeting was called to order at 9:00 a.m. MST by Debra Spielmaker, chair.

Gaea Hock moved to accept the meeting minutes of April 24, 2000; seconded by Jonathan Velez. Motion carried.

Note: General information and objectives for this Agricultural Literacy Multistate Research Project (W3006) are available at https://www.agliteracy.org/research/multistate.cfm

The official site for this project is https://www.nimss.org/ where project details including participants and minutes are on file. Use “3006” in search.

Please make sure to double-check that your name is on the participant list along with your selected objectives. This is a five-year project, so please select objectives accordingly.

Objectives:

Assess the agricultural knowledge of diverse population segments related to agriculture, including consumers, students, and producers. Specifically, explore and/or measure: a. points of acquisition of agricultural knowledge; b. decisions made based on assessed knowledge.

Assess attitudes, perceptions, and motivations of diverse population segments related to agriculture, such as consumers, students, and producers. Specifically, explore and/or measure: a. how perceptions, attitudes and motivations are developed; b. decisions made based on assessed attitudes, perceptions, and motivations; c. behavior changes that have occurred due to changes in attitude, perceptions, and/or motivation.

Evaluate agricultural literacy programs to measure program impact. Specifically:
a. measure impacts of agricultural literacy programs related to critical thinking and problem solving; b. explore and evaluate peer and participant-centered agricultural literacy programming methods to determine their effectiveness in addressing defined agricultural literacy outcomes.

Members and guests of the committee introduced themselves.

Members provided an overview of their work on W3006:

Josh Stewart (OSU): Submitted grant on agricultural literacy with AITC for self-paced curriculum for teachers/students; ongoing conversation with AITC. Working towards JMALI use; reaching out to academic programs office to get emails for incoming freshmen

Jonathan Velez (OSU): Developing Agricultural Science and Natural Resources Research minor; developed six agricultural communication courses; involved in Summer Ag Institute: 1000 teachers over the years with Oregon Farm Bureau (K-12 teachers), one-week intro to agriculture—captive audience provides opportunity for research

Haley Traini (OSU): Oregon AITC working with middle school clubs on virtual fieldtrips; OSU Leadership Academy undergraduates—how agricultural leaders as undergraduates facilitate agricultural literacy

Tom Dormody (NMSU): Looking at keyhole gardens built at university research center: agricultural science students teach 2^nd graders + K-3 teachers on gardens; surveyed them on K-2 NALOS: were keyhole gardens effective in teaching the NALOS? Rated it high for teaching agricultural literacy; Tom submitted to Journal of Extension, considering K-12 agricultural education journal (Debra: Revising NALOS; encouraging participants to let her know of publications so she can curate publications on agliteracy.org)

Kevin Curry (Penn State): Science literacy research, working with 2^nd grade elementary Master Gardener project—raised beds, planted seeds for salad party, pollinators; affective measures regarding agricultural literacy; pilot data of quantitate and qualitative data (attitudes, behaviors); hoping to be in gardens in spring

Gaea Hock (Kansas State): Youth Water Advocates Conference (AES project tied to multistate project)—hired undergraduate to move project forward; collect data with this group; reminder: Look at how your university assigns/funds/administers AES projects; plans to send out JMALI to university students (university very careful about emails to students); editor of The Agricultural Education Magazine, theme in May/June 2021—Tell Me Something Good https://www.naae.org/profdevelopment/magazine/themes.cfm. Virtual AgriLand at Kansas State Fair: https://ksagclassroom.org/virtual-agriland/

Carl Igo (Montana State University): Still working on revisions to state AITC program, hiring new director; current COVID protocols limit access to university classroom populations thereby limiting use of JMALI; NIFA/PDAL proposal accepted, food/fiber project previously administered looking at long-term follow-up, collecting focus group data in Oklahoma and Montana cohorts (possible Oregon and Utah); retrospective piece will create videos of teaching these agricultural literacy lessons, shared via NAITC

Katie Stofer (University of Florida): Looking at using JMALI with two populations—spring semester freshmen (Innovation Academy) and transfer students. Working on teacher education agricultural literacy programs using qualitative research; working with Debra and Rose on a proposal to implement volunteer base for administering agricultural literacy (Katie is evaluator)

Amber Rice (University of Arizona): Works with Gigette Webb (AITCO and teacher education preparation; online master’s students interested in agricultural literacy, working on ways to capitalize on that population/interest; hoping to distribute Qualitrics survey to U of A students

Gigette Webb (Arizona AITC state contact): Looking forward to working with Amber Rice on research opportunities; conducted successful summer virtual academy with teachers, can use that population for future research

Michael Martin (CSU): College-aged and adult populations—how people think about agricultural literacy via a political perspective (idealogy): how do they define an agriculturally literate person? Hoping to administer the JMALI survey in the future; Western AAAE poster on how to incorporate diversity into an agricultural education course

Kelli Enns (CSU): College of Agriculture hired an instructor to promote Ag Adventure programming and experiences for freshmen in college of ag, how to build community in that college; targeted that class for JMALI but inconsistencies in class formats too great for good data collection; National Western Stock Show renovated; CSU will have three buildings to provide year-round engagement daily beginning January 2022; working with AmeriCorps volunteers using agricultural literacy curriculum in afterschool programs; agricultural literacy picked up as fundamental goal in college’s strategic plan

Rose Judd-Murray (USU): Agricultural literacy certification grant via USDA with Debra and Katie; working to finish grades 6-8 version of JMALI but delayed due to COVID; hoping to collect data in spring from USU student populations; reminder that universities can use USU’s IRB process to administer surveys; nonformal and community-based USU students looking for internships—perhaps looking at CSU opportunities in the future

Denise Stewardson (Utah AITC): Can offer populations via state AITC program and university general education agricultural literacy course; interested in replicating afterschool agricultural literacy program from CSU

Debra Spielmaker (USU): NALO grades 6-8 assessment using crowd sourcing via social media (completed application online but COVID halted the opportunity), hoping to follow up with teachers in spring; eLearning resources created via NCAL; co-PI on USDA Rapid Response grant application; Amelia Miller conducting research on descriptive study on teachers using MyBinder feature of NAITC Agricultural Literacy Curriculum Matrix; Rose’s master’s graduate student examining teachers who downloaded JMALI instruments and sharing proficiency levels of those students; Amelia Miller also looking on data collected related to mobile agricultural literacy labs regarding attitudes, perceptions; looking at teachers’ use of resources: credibility, science-based

Review of JMALI assessment (via Qualtrics) for end of 12^th grade (9-12) to be used for university students: This link was shared with all participants to view the survey/assessment. As this is a public document the link is not shared here.

Time commitment = 20 minutes noted on IRB, but that was high end

Instrument was validated ages 18-23, so useful beyond freshman year

Useful for agriculture and non-agriculture students; ideal population is first semester freshmen students (summative assessment of end-of-12^th grade students)

Ideal population is all freshmen at a particular institution

Can this be used spring semester 2021?

Suggestion: Break question #6 into formal and nonformal experiences

This discussion led to requests for another meeting to revise the Qualtrics survey, adapt it for a specific institution, make a plan to administer the survey (population and timeline).

Debra will share Qualtrics link for revisions; a meeting will be scheduled within the next month to revise the survey. The plan is to administer the survey in spring 2021.The minutes of April 24, 2020, have the IRB protocol.

Meeting adjourned at 11:03 a.m.

Multistate Agricultural Literacy Research Committee (W3006) Meeting

April 24, 2020, via WebEx

Members Present:

Kellie Enns, Colorado State University Kellie.enns@colostate.edu

Gaea Hock, Kansas State University ghock@ksu.edu

Rose Judd-Murray, Utah State University rose.juddmurray@usu.edu

Michael Martin, Colorado State University Michael.j.martin@colostate.edu

Debra Spielmaker, Utah State University debra.spielmaker@usu.edu

Denise Stewardson, Utah State University denise.stewardson@usu.edu

Josh Stewart, Oregon State University josh.stewart@oregonstate.edu

Cary Trexler, University of California—Davis cjtrexler@ucdavis.edu

Brian Warnick, Administrative Advisor, Utah State University brian.warnick@usu.edu

Members Absent:

Kimberly Bellah, Murray State University kbellah@murraystate.edu

Haley Clement, Oregon State University haley.clements@oregonstate.edu

Kevin Curry, Pennsylvania State University kxc554@psu.edu

Thomas Dormody, New Mexico State University tdormody@nmsu.edu

Carl Igo, Montana State University cigo@montana.edu

Amber Rice, University of Arizona amrice@email.arizona.edu

Kathryn Stofer, University of Florida stofer@ufl.edu

Jonathan Velez, Oregon State University jonathan.velez@oregonstate.edu

Gigette Webb, University of Arizona gigettewebb@email.arizona.edu

Guests Present:

Jenny Bennett, Colorado State University Jennifer.bennett@colostate.edu

Sasha Broadstone, Utah State University sasha.broadstone@usu.edu

The meeting was called to order at 1:00 p.m. MST by Debra Spielmaker, chair.

Members and guests of the committee introduced themselves.

Sasha Broadstone, Utah State University, introduced herself and explained her role with the Institutional Review Board (IRB). Sasha will provide information and answer questions relating to the committee’s research and the use of IRB.

Note: General information and objectives for this Agricultural Literacy Multistate Research Project (W3006) is available at https://www.agliteracy.org/research/multistate.cfm

The official site for this project is https://www.nimss.org/ where project details including participants and minutes are on file. Use “3006” in search.

Spielmaker explained the project’s objectives:

Assess the agricultural knowledge of diverse population segments related to agriculture, including consumers, students, and producers. Specifically, explore and/or measure: a. points of acquisition of agricultural knowledge; b. decisions made based on assessed knowledge.

Assess attitudes, perceptions, and motivations of diverse population segments related to agriculture, such as consumers, students, and producers. Specifically, explore and/or measure: a. how perceptions, attitudes and motivations are developed; b. decisions made based on assessed attitudes, perceptions, and motivations; c. behavior changes that have occurred due to changes in attitude, perceptions, and/or motivation.

Evaluate agricultural literacy programs to measure program impact. Specifically:
a. measure impacts of agricultural literacy programs related to critical thinking and problem solving; b. explore and evaluate peer and participant-centered agricultural literacy programming methods to determine their effectiveness in addressing defined agricultural literacy outcomes.

Please make sure to double-check that your name is on the participant list along with your selected objectives. This is a five-year project, so please select objectives accordingly.

Rose Judd-Murray gave a presentation on her doctoral research on the development of grade 9-12 assessments for measuring proficiency levels in agricultural literacy—the Judd-Murray Agricultural Literacy Instrument (JMALI). Details are available at https://www.agliteracy.org/research/assessment.cfm This can be used as a summative assessment and is currently being conducted in higher education populations.

Rose then explained how others could use the USU approved IRB protocol within their own institution. She explained that to conduct research with this assessment, institutions who are members of the Smart IRB system could easily use Smart IRB for protocol approval, https://smartirb.org/reliance/. Rose provided a link to a Google Drive folder where her presentation and the forms could be found. Institutions wanting to participate in research with eth JMALI this fall as part of this Multistate Research should go through these steps (these are outlined in the PowerPoint presentation in the Google Drive folder):

If you plan to get involved, email Judd-Murray (juddmurray@usu.edu) with intent to participate and provide your email associated with Google Drive.

Access the SMART IRB: Online Reliance System (if your institution is a member, https://smartirb.org/reliance/) or use the Reliance Agreement Template in the Google folder.

File a reliance agreement via https://smartirb.org/reliance/ you will receive approval, or submit the Agreement template and Rose will add you to USU’s IRB agreement.

This is an exempt protocol; some universities don’t provide the exempt certificate, so you may need to reach out to your institution about their procedures. These materials have already been developed which you can use for your protocol.

Anonymity: Most institutions have an anonymity requirement when students are used as a population in on-campus research. USU uses the SONA system to ensure no personal information collected. Your institution may have a similar system. The SONA system, and others like this one, are used to distribute surveys and maintain anonymity. Researchers will need to describe the method of distribution that will be used to maintain anonymity withing their institution. Compensation options are built into SONA, and researchers may want to consider compensation for students who opt into participating (e.g., extra credit for a particular class). The JAMLI Assessment takes approximately 20 minutes.

Once notified that an institution wants to participate, Judd-Murray will copy the Qualtrics survey and provide each institutional lead with access to link the Qualtrics Survey with the SONA (or other) institutional program for distribution.

The intended timeline for this project: Fall semester 2020 (first 2 weeks in) and Spring semester 2021 (first 2 weeks in). This means the IRB agreements need to get in place this summer. Judd-Murray encouraged participants to reach out to other colleagues nationwide to participate.

Brian Warnick, administrative advisor for this project, stated that this type of research has been discussed for more than 15 years; this is a true multistate effort and is very exciting! He encouraged as much participation as possible from all project participants.

Meeting adjourned at 2:10 MST.

Minutes Attachment:

W3006 Minutes Sept 18.2020.docx

Accomplishments

Publications

Impact Statements

Date of Annual Report: 12/07/2021

Report Information

Annual Meeting Dates: 09/27/2021 - 09/29/2021
Period the Report Covers: 10/01/2020 - 09/30/2021

Participants

Members Present:
Kevin Curry, Pennsylvania State University kxc554@psu.edu
Kellie Enns, Colorado State University Kellie.enns@colostate.edu
Carl Igo, Montana State University cigo@montana.edu
Gaea Hock, Kansas State University ghock@ksu.edu
Rose Judd-Murray, Utah State University rose.juddmurray@usu.edu
Jihyeong Son, Washington State University jihyeong.son@wsu.edu
Debra Spielmaker, Utah State University debra.spielmaker@usu.edu
Denise Stewardson, Utah State University denise.stewardson@usu.edu
Josh Stewart, Oregon State University josh.stewart@oregonstate.edu
Kathryn Stofer, University of Florida stofer@ufl.edu
Haley Clement Traini, Oregon State University haley.clement@oregonstate.edu
Gigette Webb, University of Arizona gigettewebb@email.arizona.edu
Brian Warnick, Administrative Advisor, Utah State University brian.warnick@usu.edu

Guests Present:
Jenny Bennet, Colorado State University: jennifer.bennett@colostate.edu
Michelle Burrows, Utah State University michelle.burrows@usu.edu
Amelia Miller, Utah State University amille2@michfb.com
Jihyeong Son, Washington State University jihyeong.son@wsu.edu

Brief Summary of Minutes

The meeting was called to order at 8:00 AM MST by Debra Spielmaker, chair.

Note: General information and objectives for this Agricultural Literacy Multistate Research Project (W3006) are available at https://www.agliteracy.org/research/multistate.cfm
The official site for this project is https://www.nimss.org/ where project details including participants and minutes are on file. Use “3006” in search.

Please make sure to double-check that your name is on the participant list along with your selected objectives.

Objectives:
1. Assess the agricultural knowledge of diverse population segments related to agriculture, including consumers, students, and producers. Specifically, explore and/or measure: a. points of acquisition of agricultural knowledge; b. decisions made based on assessed knowledge.
2. Assess attitudes, perceptions, and motivations of diverse population segments related to agriculture, such as consumers, students, and producers. Specifically, explore and/or measure: a. how perceptions, attitudes and motivations are developed; b. decisions made based on assessed attitudes, perceptions, and motivations; c. behavior changes that have occurred due to changes in attitude, perceptions, and/or motivation.
3. Evaluate agricultural literacy programs to measure program impact. Specifically:
a. measure impacts of agricultural literacy programs related to critical thinking and problem solving; b. explore and evaluate peer and participant-centered agricultural literacy programming methods to determine their effectiveness in addressing defined agricultural literacy outcomes.
Debra opened discussion from the meeting in Anchorage in 2019 regarding the committee’s change in future leadership. Debra has led this committee for the past 12 years; consequently, Rose Judd-Murray agreed to take the committee chair position for the next two years.
Gaea Hock moved to elect Rose Judd-Murray (USU) as chair of the W3006 committee for the next two years (2021-2023); seconded by Haley Traini. Unanimous vote to approve.

Denise Stewardson has served as secretary of this multi-state committee for nearly 10 years but has decided to resign this position.
Gaea Hock moved to elect Jenny Bennett (CSU) as secretary by acclamation. Motion passed.

Brian Warnick, committee administrative advisor, provided an update. He commended the committee on gaining more traction in addressing the objectives of the proposed project. Members are encouraged to complete reports for formal submission to NIMMS. The committee has three years to address the objectives; impacts are important for reporting to validate the project. Members can review other multistate projects to see those documented objectives and impacts.

For a new project in 2024: The next project for study must be determined in 2023.

Brian thanked Debra and Denise for their service.

Debra reminded committee to search activity accomplishment reports at https://www.nimss.org/
The National Research Agenda for AAAE is approximately two years from being published. W3006 can address some of those priorities.

Gaea asked if there were a professional development need at National AAAE to inform others working on multistate projects, especially graduate students and new faculty. Can fellows or administrative-level faculty provide information? Brian Warnick will reach out to AAAE Professional Development chair to put this on the agenda for the national meeting. Debra is willing to assist this effort; it is important to help faculty navigate their experiment stations and understand that this committee is open to any region.

Debra has created a Google Doc with member’s responses to their progress on the W3006 objectives. Committee members reported on their research progress:

Gaea Hock & Nellie Hill
• Nellie joined W3006 in August 2021 and got approval from IRB to use the Judd-Murray Agricultural Literacy Instrument (JMALI). Data was collected from students on JMALI (survey is live and getting responses). Gaea and Nellie met with agriculture agents in Kansas and are attending the Kansas state conference to collect JMALI data in October 2021. Rose: Are you collecting data from all Extension agents (e.g., Home and Community, Agriculture and Natural Resources)? Gaea: Yes; we intend to collect data from all agents. Gaea is also collecting data from university courses in agricultural literacy. Gaea thanked Rose for her assistance; Gaea added a couple questions to JMALI for her research purposes. Josh Stewart and Haley Traini requested Gaea’s survey: Rose will share that survey.

Rose asked if there were a way to use National Center for Agricultural Literacy resources to incentivize responses to the JMALI survey. Debra said it may be possible; Brian encouraged members to look for other funding sources to provide incentives.

Kelli Enns
• Kellie created a Learning Lab in urban Denver (CSU lab in food and agriculture building, museum-like open to public): Elementary badging, MS bridging, HS career pathways. 11,000 contacts in two pop-up experiences; badged over 350 students (classroom experience and adventure/scavenger hunt). Lab is open 365 days/year. Summer internships are available; serves a K-12 audience. Lab educators being hired have no agricultural literacy experience. State officers will also have training. Second program: Agricultural literacy curriculum for Colorado to be used by AmeriCorps program; pilot-tested and picked up by two elementary schools (500 students). Kelli is using the Longhurst-Murray Agricultural Literacy Instrument (LMALI), badging for Grades 3-5; Third program: All college freshmen take course “Experiences in Agriculture.” Kelli is collecting JMALI data. Gaea Hock asked for course syllabus; Kelli Enns can provide that.
• CSU Spur https://nationalwesterncenter.com/csu-spur/ Curriculum is presented to all Extension agents. Agricultural teachers are presenting after-school programming.

Josh Stewart & Haley Traini
• Josh secured funding from a USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant for a virtual fieldtrip series; funding begins in October 2021 (working with Oregon AITC). OSU Extension will facilitate these fieldtrips in spring 2022. He is also working with OSU’s IRB office to complete approval for survey distribution.

Kevin Curry
• Spring 2021: Kevin surveyed junior and senior candidates in agricultural education teacher education. Students enrolled in a science literacy general education course also took the survey. Kevin will send date to Rose.

Jihyeong Son
• Received USDA grant in Extension Risk Management Education Program for small-scale farmers using social media for their marketing needs. Met with local farmers using social media for their marketing; collected data in 2020. This project meets project objectives for diverse populations.

Katie Stofer
• Transitioned her work into health extension (medical school/pharmacy school at UF working in preventative health) on bringing trust to rural populations. Hoping to get data on health side that may be relevant for agricultural literacy. Will collect data fall 2021 on JMALI from agriculture students.

Debra Spielmaker
• Bekka Israelsen, Utah AITC, is using preservice students to take 5th grade assessment to collect pre-knowledge and HS assessment as wrap-up with these students. Debra is working on middle school agricultural literacy assessment: teachers across the country provided populations to take survey (~500 students). Tango rewards were used as incentives; a graduate student is now needed to analyze data. NCAL is working on digital agricultural literacy badging for grades 3-5; will use submissions for data collection on agricultural literacy.

Amelia Miller

• Amelia is a second-year Ph.D. student conducting an independent study looking at data from NCAL Matrix users of the MyBinder function (virtual storage of lessons). As an innovative project for AAAE: Farm Crates via Michigan AITC subscription boxes for teachers (2 four-month subscriptions—$100 per four months—based on seasonal commodities tied to core educational standards). Content is created in NearPod and Pear Deck for teachers. Amelia is also analyzing date from a K-5 JMALI assessment in Iowa, using a case study on a particular school having success in using assessment.

Debra commented that several state AITC programs are using the JMALI literacy assessment which supports the objectives for W3006.

Michelle Burrows
• Michelle is working on data collection with NCAL—Google analytics of Matrix users and how they use the lessons. Looking at what is popular in specific regions (26 state programs that use the Matrix). She is also placing icons in lessons in the National Agricultural Literacy Curriculum Matrix to recognize socioscientific issues; Utah teachers are addressing socioscientific content in their curriculum.
Rose Judd-Murray
• Rose commented that in coming years, there is a need for Extension personnel due to retirements. Early career and mid-career agents need agricultural literacy—also needed by volunteers. AZ, NM, KS, CO, OR, UT are assisting her in surveying Extension agents. In spring 2021 she conducted assessment at Utah State University College of Agriculture & Applied Sciences general education courses. She has a master’s student using Google analytics looking at who is downloading the JMALI/LMALI assessments and how they’re using them: will they share the scores; what were barriers? Received USDA PDAL grant for agricultural literacy certification program: 50 teachers/volunteers/early career agricultural education professionals using 8-10 training modules (digital badging with 12 hours of instruction), pre- and post-assessments for pilot test. 500 teachers will roll it out. Katie Stofer is the evaluator for this grant. Michelle Burrows is helping with experts for Delphi panel.

Gaea is editor for The Agricultural Education Magazine. She asked for a theme editor for 2022. Kelli Enns volunteered to serve as theme editor for articles.

Meeting adjourned at 10:04 AM.

Accomplishments

The W3006 just completed its second year working on agricultural literacy research. While COVID stalled some research goals, the committee has been working this past year to get programs and research studies in place to continue our research agenda. Several members secured additional grant funds this past year to initiate programming and research. These grants are noted in the minutes from the fall 2021 meeting. Accomplishments and limited impacts are reported under each of the W3006 objectives below. The committee is optimistic that we can return to our research agenda timeline to report greater impacts. Annual minutes are posted on the <a href="../../meetings/project/18611">NIMMS website</a>. Participants: https://www.nimss.org/meetings/project/18611 Objectives: <ol> <li>Assess the agricultural knowledge of diverse population segments related to agriculture, including consumers, students, and producers. Specifically, explore and/or measure: a. points of acquisition of agricultural knowledge; b. decisions made based on assessed knowledge.</li> </ol> Accomplishments – Outputs & Milestones 1a. Using the Judd-Murray Agricultural Literacy Instrument (JMALI), data was collected during the fall of 2021 at Kansas State University, Utah State University, Colorado State University, and Penn State University to determine how college students performed on a high school agricultural literacy assessment. Oregon State plans to collect data in the spring of 2022. The data will be analyzed and reported in May of 2022. The JMALI was also administered to Extension personnel in Utah to determine their performance on the assessment which will help to determine what, if any, professional development training may be needed. 1b. Utah State University researchers completed data collection on a grade 6-8 (middle school) National Agricultural Literacy Outcome assessment. The data will be analyzed, and a final instrument will be completed in April of 2022. The data collection used an innovative approach to gain access to students nationwide. Eighth grade teachers were recruited via social networks and served as "marketers" for the research and data collection. Participants were recruited via their teachers who used a video presentation to introduce students and their parents to the research. (<a href="https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/15vRhwfsb5W1E8bgKrwnaIeZ7PhRCs7HtIzT_-OiycjY/edit?usp=sharing">https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/15vRhwfsb5W1E8bgKrwnaIeZ7PhRCs7HtIzT_-OiycjY/edit?usp=sharing</a>). Responses were collected from 494 students. Impacts 1a. Full impact is to be determined. This is the first-time research has been conducted to measure agricultural literacy among a college population with the same instrument. This approach allows us to conduct more valid analysis to measure significant differences related to knowledge, conduct correlations, and to develop predictive models (using regression analysis). The findings will help to construct programming at both the secondary and post-secondary levels to increase agricultural literacy. 1b. Full impact is to be determined. The development of the middle school (grade 6-8) agricultural literacy assessment will complete the package of assessments for K-12 education. <ol start="2"> <li>Assess attitudes, perceptions, and motivations of diverse population segments related to agriculture, such as consumers, students, and producers. Specifically, explore and/or measure: a. how perceptions, attitudes and motivations are developed; b. decisions made based on assessed attitudes, perceptions, and motivations; c. behavior changes that have occurred due to changes in attitude, perceptions, and/or motivation.</li> </ol> Accomplishments – Outputs & Milestones None to report. Future projects are noted in the planned projects for 2022 (e.g., the Agricultural Literacy Certification program). Impacts To be determined. <ol start="3"> <li>Evaluate agricultural literacy programs to measure program impact. Specifically: measure impacts of agricultural literacy programs related to critical thinking and problem solving; b. explore and evaluate peer and participant-centered agricultural literacy programming methods to determine their effectiveness in addressing defined agricultural literacy outcomes.</li> </ol> Accomplishments – Outputs & Milestones 3a. Debra Spielmaker, Utah State University, completed data collection from state and territory Agriculture in the Classroom program leaders to evaluate program effectiveness. As the data collection frame was 2020, COVID impacted the results. Additional program data will be collected early in 2022 on the 2021 calendar year to determine the use of and impacts of critical thinking and problem-solving instruction within teacher professional development. As COVID impacted teacher professional development in 2021, this research question may be re-evaluated in 2022. 3b. Dr. Spielmaker completed research with a graduate student, Amelia Miller, using descriptive data to determine the characteristics and instructional resource saving patterns among users of the National Agricultural Literacy Curriculum Matrix. National analysis of teacher website behavior indicates nearly all teachers are sourcing lessons online (Scholastic, 2013). The findings were shared in a peer-reviewed research poster (noted in publications) titled “Characteristics of Agricultural Literacy Database Users.” 3c.  Kellie Enns, Colorado State University, led the development of a Learning Lab focusing on food and agriculture. This lab is museum-like and open to the public. A new program implementing elementary student agricultural badging, middle school agricultural knowledge bridging, and a high school career pathways was launched. Over 11,000 contacts were made, and the program badged over 350 students (classroom experience and adventure/scavenger hunt). The lab is open 365 days/year. Summer internships have been made available to serve a K-12 audience. 3d. Dr. Enns also worked with others to develop an agricultural literacy curriculum for Colorado. This program will be used by the AmeriCorps program. 3e. CSU researchers also developed a program, “Experiences in Agriculture,” that will engage all College of Agricultural Sciences freshmen. As part of the assessment in the course, students will complete the JMALI to determine agricultural literacy gains. Impacts 3a. The national descriptive data has been used to secure additional funding for the National Agriculture in the Classroom (NAITC) Organization. The mission of this organization is to "increase agricultural literacy through preK-12 education." 3b. The research demonstrated a limited success of NAITC’s Agricultural Literacy Curriculum Matrix MyBinder lesson plan saving feature. The target audience, number of users, diversity of states represented, grade/content affiliation, and top lessons downloaded all support the MyBinder to achieve the mission to increase agricultural literacy by providing educators with standards-based lessons. Based on the patterns observed, educators indicating specific grade level needs are saving those types of lessons. However, the extremely high percentage of one-day only logins cause for concern and signifies the need for greater promotion of the feature. The impact of this research highlights how time and funding should be spent to improve engagement among educators with vetted agricultural literacy resources. Findings suggested MyBinder, as a platform for saving instructional resources, requires greater professional development among agricultural literacy program leaders to share this resource with preK-12 educators. Additional research needs to be conducted to determine why MyBinder users are not returning to their binders. Future research using the Theory of Planned Behavior could address this question and answer more questions about the actual use of the instruction in classrooms, along with student agricultural literacy gains. 3c. To be determined. Dr. Enns is collecting data using the Longhurst-Murray Agricultural Literacy Instrument (LMALI) to determine the level of agricultural literacy among agricultural badging completers. The results will help determine the impact of this program. 3d. To be determined. The program will be evaluated, and participants will complete one of the National Agricultural Literacy Outcome assessments to determine the program’s impacts. 3e. To be determined. The program will be evaluated, and participants will complete the JMALI assessment to determine the program’s impacts.   Planned agricultural literacy research projects for 2022 Use the JMALI to assess Kansas Extension agents and volunteers. (Kansas) Conduct a study on using a retrospective approach to enhance agricultural literacy efforts. (Montana) Complete the data analysis of the 6-8 National Agricultural Literacy Outcome assessment data. Complete the development of an Agricultural Literacy Certification Program (ALCP) for the final development of an ALCP where we can conduct evaluation research and use the National Agricultural Literacy Outcome assessments to measure agricultural literacy among participants and the audiences/students they work with. (Utah) Conduct an analysis of the National Agriculture in the Classroom Facebook page to determine the type of posts that result in teachers/user taking action. (Utah) Complete an analysis of the agricultural literacy assessment downloads and use. (Utah) Analyze assessment results from 400 elementary students in Iowa on data collected in the spring of 2021. (Utah) Analyze data currently being collected on elementary preservice students’ pre-posttest knowledge using the National Agricultural Literacy Outcome assessments. (Utah) Collect data on students who have been part of the DIGS workshops and used the DIGS curriculum, measure the impact of badging on agricultural literacy achievement. Researchers developed an Agriculture Academy engaging 1,100 participants. Of this group, 165 students became Junior Ag Ambassadors at Larimer County Fair. The program will be formally evaluated in 2022. (Colorado)

Publications

Appel, S. & Enns, K. (2021, September 27-29). Laughter in literacy: Influencing youth agricultural literacy through a summer day camp [Poster presentation]. American Association for Agricultural Education Western Region Conference. Flood, K., & Curry Jr., K. W. (2021, June 21-24). Assessing the agricultural literacy needs of preservice agriculture teachers. [Poster presentation]. North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture. Jarvis, S. (2020). The influence of 4-H instructor beliefs on the teaching of animal food production to youth populations [Doctoral dissertation, The University of Arizona]. University of Arizona Digital Archive https://repository.arizona.edu/handle/10150/648610. [Chair Rice, A.] McFadden, B. R., Rumble, J. N., Stofer, K. A., Folta, K. M., Turner, S., & Pollack, A. (2021). Gene editing isn’t just about food: Comments from US focus groups. GM Crops & Food, 1-11. Miller, A. J., Spielmaker, D. M., Blodgett, M. L., Ritter, T. S. (2021, September 27-29). Agricultural literacy education for remote learning [Poster presentation]. American Association for Agricultural Education Western Region Conference. Miller, A. J. & Spielmaker, D. (2021, May 25). Characteristics of agricultural literacy database users [Poster presentation]. American Association for Agricultural Education National Conference. http://aaaeonline.org/resources/Documents/National/2021meeting/PosterSession2021.pdf Spielmaker, D. M. (2021, June 28-30). 2020 Agricultural literacy program reports [Conference session]. National Agriculture in the Classroom Conference, Des Moines, IA, United States. https://www.jotform.com/report/21165465943605915 *W3006 committee members are bolded in the citations.

Impact Statements

Date of Annual Report: 11/11/2022

Report Information

Annual Meeting Dates: 09/19/2022 - 09/21/2022
Period the Report Covers: 10/01/2021 - 09/30/2022

Participants

Rose Judd-Murray, Chairperson, Utah State University
Jenny Bennett, Colorado State University
Josh Stewart, Oregon State University
Jonathan Valez, Oregon State University
Kellie Enns, Colorado State University
Deb Spielmaker, Utah State University
Michelle Burrows, Utah State University
Nellie Hill, Kansas State University
Quincy Clark, Oregon State University
Whitney Stone, Oregon State University
Amelia Miller, Utah State University
Carl Igo, Montana State University
Kevin Curry, Penn State University
Denise Stewardson, Utah State University
Jamie Greig, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Gaea Hock, Kansas State University
Shannon Norris-Parish, New Mexico State University
Brian Warnick, Utah State University, Administrative Advisor

Brief Summary of Minutes

The meeting was called to order at 8:00AM MST by Rose Judd-Murray, chair.

Note: General information and objectives for this Agricultural Literacy Multistate Research Project (W3006) are available at https://www.agliteracy.org/research/multistate.cfm

The official site for this project is https://www.nimss.org/ where project details including participants and minutes are on file. Use “3006” in search.

Please make sure to double-check that your name is on the participant list along with your selected objectives.

Objectives:

Assess the agricultural knowledge of diverse population segments related to agriculture, including consumers, students, and producers. Specifically, explore and/or measure: a. points of acquisition of agricultural knowledge; b. decisions made based on assessed knowledge.

Assess attitudes, perceptions, and motivations of diverse population segments related to agriculture, such as consumers, students, and producers. Specifically, explore and/or measure: a. how perceptions, attitudes and motivations are developed; b. decisions made based on assessed attitudes, perceptions, and motivations; c. behavior changes that have occurred due to changes in attitude, perceptions, and/or motivation.

Evaluate agricultural literacy programs to measure program impact. Specifically:
a. measure impacts of agricultural literacy programs related to critical thinking and problem solving; b. explore and evaluate peer and participant-centered agricultural literacy programming methods to determine their effectiveness in addressing defined agricultural literacy outcomes.

Minutes from the prior meeting
- Spielmaker moves to accept the minutes, with the edit of changing the date to 2019 in Anchorage and not in 2020.
- Second by Denise Stewardson
- Motion to accept, accepted
  - Brian or Rose will amend the minutes from the previous meeting (done)

Updates from current W3006 projects

Rose Judd-Murray-USU

Will building a new common IRB to measure multistate ag literacy help ease workload and collaboration. The old IRB we have been using lapsed in the spring.
- Question if it was helpful/ worth it to have a common IRB
- Question if it is more accessible to all who have solo IRBs
  - Spielmaker- question about additional demographic data collection, let people know what questions you are asking to increase consistency and reliability with the instrument
- Rose will update the common IRB, taking suggestions for additions/ changes to IRB

Multistate research project with Kansas state and NMSU to look at Extension professionals using the JMALI assessments to measure ag literacy in extension professionals and primary volunteers. Common IRB was created and collected lots of data – USU extension funded incentives. In all three states, there was consistency in levels of ag literacy. They were in the literacy in proficiency category. 75% of individuals surveyed were women and primarily in early careers. Rose would like to continue to explore this research with other states

Josh Stewart-OSU

Introductions of additions to OSU team, recent IRB submission- population being all incoming College of ag students. Partnership with ag in the classroom for specialty crop grants and virtual field trips. They need to follow up with their partner, Jessica. COVID created lots of challenges regarding the development of this project. Rose asks the ideal number of students they would like to survey- Proposed 800. She is expecting to have at least 300-500 incoming.

Jonathan Valez- OSU

Virtual field trips for Ag in the classroom programming took off. Surprised by how many students (300,000) participated. Summer ag institute, trying to do regional spin-offs of the program- trying to get some other programs started that are regionally affiliated to work with smaller institutions such as community colleges. They are starting an Ag Comms program up at OSU, new hires, etc. Currently a minor but to make a major in a few years. Ag Sciences and Natural Resources Communications.

Kellie Enns & Jenny Bennett- CSU

Three significant initiatives in ag literacy- Grad students who took a yearlong ag lit curriculum and administered LMALI- showed significant growth in ag literacy. The second piece that was explored could we improve a student's desire to be involved in agriculture (affinity)—an exploration into affinity and Ag Lit. Second space, CSU put 3 buildings in Denver (food, animal health, water)- CSU Ag Ed has a learning lab, from a gift of 3 million dollars to provide more accessible ag literacy education. PBL will be administered to center to secondary ag programs to address critical issues in agriculture. CSU team has developed and facilitated a badging program for intensive ag literacy experiences at Ag events such as fairs and shows to become Junior Ag Ambassadors, a great way to include FFA members and other students from the College.
- Rose asks about evaluation at this learning lab, and Kellie is unsure of the methods at this point.

The first PBL will launch in January, along with two hires. State Officers live in this space and will be doing a lot of the interpretive work of the SPUR center. CAMs on the road, working with USU and CSU on various projects

Kellie suggested cross-state internships to allow non-formal students to have some internship experience.

Deb Spielmaker-USU

A reminder that NCAL has lots of data sets and resources for collecting data. JMALI will be a Kahoot at FFA National Convention this year (about 23,000 FFA members). A unique wristband will be awarded, Indiana person will be operating the booth for Kahoot. The Ag literacy certification project is a big project Spielmaker is working on right now

Michelle Burrows- USU

Worked on growing a nation c3 framework alignment, working with Jenny B and Amelia M (grad students in CTE Ph.D. program) on state data from 2021 Ag in the Classroom state program reports. The USU team is Interested in surveying FFA members using the JMALI to measure their agricultural literacy. There is an interest in looking at what works on social media to get people to go to the matrix and download the lessons. Also, working with Texas ag in the classroom and measuring various data points

Nellie Hill & Gaea Hock- K State

November, December 2022 JAE magazine theme is ag literacy- the editor is Kellie Enns. Gaea developed a cultivating ag literacy class at K state. They worked with Rose to collect data from undergrad students and extension professionals/ certified volunteers. Clarkson farms research- Amazon has a show called Clarkson farms. K State is looking at how this serves as a gateway to agriculture.

Quincy Clark- OSU

New member excited to collaborate on creating a curriculum for underrepresented populations to teach problem-solving within an Ag context. The curriculum is for grades 4-6.

Whitney Stone- OSU

Also, new member and excited to collaborate

Amelia Miller-USU

Finished major project measuring Ag Literacy assessment in Iowa. She is also working with Jenny B on state reports of NCAL programs in 2021 and looking at a trend analysis of NCAL programs over the last 10 years. Brian Warnick and Deb Spielmaker conducted one from 2006-2010, so this would pick up after that. Dissertation, working on ag literacy certification program

Carl Igo- MSU

At MSU, continuing to work on the USDA NIFA grant for a retrospective approach and looking for collaborators, ready to roll out the second phase of the project- IDing K-12 teachers who are effectively using the Ag literacy standards and integrating them. He would like to make 8–12-minute videos to engage students to be used as an instructional strategy video

Two math teachers, two science, two SS, and two ELA- a total of 8 teachers. Videographers will come to them, OR they can be flown out to next summer's conference (perhaps).

Preference for teachers who have been national award winners from the NCAL conference. But want to concentrate on teachers that integrate Al Lit outcomes to NGSS standards. Spielmaker says that she can help push that out through the listserv

Reporting on Behalf of Shannon Arnold on agritourism, going across the western part of the US to help connect smaller production operations with the idea of agritourism, Western SAR grant (Deb S adds that this applies to W3006 objective 1)

Kevin Curry- Penn State

Interested in using the JMALI instrument with preservice students and more general education students to measure ag literacy. Developed a similar ag literacy assessment for K-2^nd grade level and have partnered with Elementary schools' challenges because COVID has postponed data collection

Denise Stewardson- USU

Specialty crop block grant, paired with nutrition education. Got an extension grant also- paired nutrition resource boxes focused on grades 3-5 to put together nutrition resources rooted in agricultural literacy. Had flipped data collection to virtual- Now working on evaluation to investigate how nutrition education impacts agricultural literacy. "Crops in a box."

Jamie Greig- UT Knoxville

Reporting for Shelly, the research area is CIS technology and communications in agriculture. Working with Rose to develop ag literacy extension programming and evaluate instrument reliability. They are looking to evaluate adult consumers and their ag literacy. Wants to work with Soybean board and evaluate consumer understanding of soybeans. Work with commodity groups to develop yearly campaigns to understand ag literacy related to that specific commodity and develop a tool kit to evaluate understanding. They are also working on a project that involves rural libraries and 4-h clubs and how they can work together to improve CIS knowledge. NIFA PDAL grant submission, working with Nebraska Lincoln- to recruit high school ag teachers and show them how to use VR to create agricultural experiences.

Brian Warnick- USU

changed positions to Department head of technical education.

Closing remarks

Brian Warnick- Reminded the group that an annual report needs to be submitted. It would be helpful to include in the report is how projects align with the W3006 objectives. Jenny needs to include how projects align with the report's objectives.

Carl Igo: has anyone done any work evaluating retention in agricultural colleges using the JMALI survey? (CSU has a 5-year study) Curious about the possibility of the upcoming round of USDA NIFA grants to measure ag literacy amongst indigenous populations? Using the instrument with international graduate students? – Rose to work with individuals in Australia
- Deb S- Rose JM should send a survey to ask people to report their activities under each objective

The movement to adjourn by Deb S

Accepted

Meeting concludes

Accomplishments

The W3006 has completed its third year working on agricultural literacy research. The committee has focused this year on efforts that strengthen programs and research studies through multi-state collaborative efforts. Several members of the committee have worked together to measure the agricultural literacy levels of Cooperative Extension professionals and their primary volunteers across multiple states; others have worked together to evaluate groups of college-aged students. The progress on these efforts is noted in the minutes from the fall 2022 meeting. Accomplishments and limited impacts are reported under each of the W3006 objectives below. The committee is optimistic that we can continue collaboratively to increase the reach of impact-based evidence.  Accomplishments by Objective Objective 1: Assess the agricultural knowledge of diverse population segments related to agriculture, including consumers, students, and producers. Specifically, explore and/or measure: a. points of acquisition of agricultural knowledge; b. decisions made based on assessed knowledge. Accomplishments: Outputs & Milestones 1a. Using the Judd-Murray Agricultural Literacy Instrument (JMALI), data was collected and/or analyzed during the spring of 2022 for three states, Utah, Kansas, and New Mexico. Utah State University (Rose Judd-Murray), Kansas State University (Gaea Hock & Nellie Hill), and New Mexico State University (Shannon Norris-Parish) worked collaboratively to determine how Cooperative Extension professionals and primary volunteers performed on the agricultural literacy assessment. Arizona (Jeremy Elliott-Engel, University of Arizona) was slated to participate in this multi-state effort, but their process was delayed. In the full study, participants had a foundational awareness of agricultural production as noted by their agricultural literacy equaling factually literate (≥ 8 correct answers) or higher. In New Mexico (N = 41), 51% of professionals (n = 21) scored an applicable proficiency answered ≥ 12 questions correctly, which was the highest percentage among the states. The volunteer data from New Mexico was an exception, however, as the low response rate (n = 5) for this population is not representative of the population. The low response rate was due in part to a new system that used a non-centralized volunteer database. Interestingly, most employees in all career stages and states worked for Extension less than three years. These trends could also represent how long professionals have served in a particular role for the organization, as most reported participating for five years or less. More notable, however, is there were no significant relationships in any career stage or years of service related to the agricultural literacy proficiency scores. Comparatively, the length of time multi-state volunteers served had no significant effect on their proficiency scores. While these results are somewhat reassuring to know literacy levels were consistent, we question why there is not a difference among career stages. Because many of the participants had been in the profession for three years or less, we wonder if their agricultural literacy levels could be higher due to the proximity of completing a degree or relearning material because of relocating to a new position. The JMALI was also slated to be used by Oregon State University to collect data on their college students but was delayed. They are in the process of obtaining ethics approval to conduct it in spring 2023. Kevin Curry, Penn State University, developed a similar agricultural literacy assessment for K-2nd grade students and have partnered with elementary schools. Study has been delayed due to continued COVID challenges.  CQ University researchers (Sydney location) reached out to Dr. Judd-Murray regarding the use of JMALI to measure the agricultural literacy of their college student populations. They sought collaboration for using the instrument and will partner with Utah State University to modify the instrument for use in Australian agricultural literacy research. The goal is to move the effort forward to a study publication and greater international development in agricultural literacy. 1b. Debra Spielmaker, Utah State University, worked with a graduate student on a case study to understand the baseline proficiency of students at Tri-Center Elementary school in Neola, Iowa. The research was guided by two objectives: 1. To determine a baseline of the agricultural literacy proficiency knowledge of kindergarten through fifth grade students at Tri-Center Elementary, 2. To make recommendation to Iowa program leaders concerning the development of programming to increase agricultural literacy. A paper was published and presented at AAAE in May 2022. 1c. Josh Stewart, Oregon State University, reported hosting two Summer Ag Institutes (SAI). Geographically located East and West, they were designed for local and regional elementary and secondary teachers. The institutes each draw approximately 25 teachers/year for a week-long, immersive experience. The SAI is a partnership with Oregon Farm Bureau, Oregon Ag in the Classroom (AITC), and local agricultural producers. 1d. Josh Stewart, Oregon State University, reported the co-authorship of a successful Specialty Crop Block grant with Oregon AITC. The purpose of the grant is four-fold: to record "coffee talks with specialty crop producers and scientists at Oregon State for use in secondary classrooms, to create lesson plans and activities for teachers to use, to provide professional development for teachers around using the videos and lesson plans, and to conduct at least five live, virtual farm tours where students have the chance to ask producers questions. 1e. Rose Judd-Murray, Utah State University, along with colleagues Debra Spielmaker and Michelle Burrows, has completed the validation of a 6-8th grade agricultural literacy assessment based on the benchmarks of the National Agricultural Literacy Outcomes. The 15-question assessment measures the proficiency levels of youth in a sliding scale of measurement (exposure, factual literacy, and applied proficiency). The completion of this instrument means that there is now a validated agricultural literacy assessment for K-12 through post-high school assessment (re: adults). The instrument will be finalized and made available for free on the <a href="https://www.agliteracy.org">National Center for Agricultural Literacy</a> (NCAL) website. 1f. Kellie Enns and Jenny Bennett, Colorado State University, utilized the Longhurst-Murray Agricultural Literacy (LMALI) assessment with elementary school students and measured student affinity for desire to be involved in agricultural careers. 1g. Denise Stewardson, Utah State University, obtained a Specialty Crop Block grant and paired agricultural education with nutrition education. She used this grant and an additional smaller grant to develop nutrition resource boxes for 3-5th grade students (i.e., Crops in a Box). She is currently working on crafting an evaluation to investigate how nutrition education impacts students’ agricultural literacy. 1h. Shelly Rampold, University of Tennessee at Knoxville, continues to work on a collaborative project with Nebraska (PDAL grant) to recruit high school agricultural teachers for training that improves their understanding and use of virtual reality (VR) technology. The effort is designed to improve virtual agricultural experiences and agricultural exposure. Impacts 1a. Debra Spielmaker, Utah State University, notes that the research conducted this year found some short-term impacts, however the “no impact findings’ of these studies did provide information for changes that could lead to greater impacts. She conducted research and presented a peer-reviewed paper on "A Case Study: Agricultural Literacy Proficiency in an Iowa Elementary School." This research meeting poster has also been accepted as an article in the Journal of Agricultural Education (in press). This study sought to measure the impacts of an agricultural literacy intervention. While this research was not structured as a pretest and posttest, the study was conducted to understand the history of interventions at Tri-Center Elementary as a part of establishing a baseline for agricultural proficiency at this school. The results demonstrated that 3rd and 4th grade students performed at a exposure and factual literacy levels, as predicted. However, the majority of fifth grade students also performed at the factual literacy level. Researchers expected these students to score at a proficient level based on the intervention provided. This demonstrated the intervention had an impact on the majority of 3rd and 4th graders, but not 5th graders. This research provides insight for program planners to make decisions about next steps with Iowa agricultural literacy outreach at this school. The peer-reviewed research poster "Agriculture in the Classroom Preservice Teacher Seminar Evaluation" found that the Utah AITC preservice program had a short-term impact where 92% of the preservice teachers found the seminar informative and they planned to use Utah AITC resources in the future. However, mid-term survey of a low response rate (12%) indicated participants did not follow through in their own classrooms. We (the researchers) recommended to the Utah AITC program leaders that they find ways to follow-up or engage with these teachers in professional learning communities during their first few years of teaching to remind the new educators about the resources, and how to use them to address curricular standards. Utah AITC staff should also consider the timing of the seminar within the undergraduates’ course sequence to ensure most effective placement for more immediate implementation of the resources. With these changes, this study should be replicated. 1b. Oregon State University and their block grant partners have filmed three virtual farm tours for the project. Those videos have reached 6,766 students in 427 separate classrooms. The outputs associated with this project have yet to show intermediate to long-term impact, but they can be associated with the potential for future impact due to student and teacher exposure to agricultural content. 1c. Rose Judd-Murray, Nellie Hill, Gaea Hock, and Shannon Norris (USU, KSU, NMSU) noted that the multi-state research effort related to JMALI assessment of Extension professionals and volunteers showed the potential for more impact due to the study highlighting the need for state-level preparedness efforts to support agricultural literacy advancement across various career stages and suggested state staff and faculty seek opportunities to help Extension personnel and volunteers refine acquired knowledge. Additionally, indirect connection with Extension leaders increased opportunities for collaboration. Due to this connection, the Department of Agricultural and Extension Education (New Mexico) has increased direct contact with representatives in all 33 counties who now have awareness of the JMALI instrument. Objective 2: Assess attitudes, perceptions, and motivations of diverse population segments related to agriculture, such as consumers, students, and producers. Specifically, explore and/or measure: a. how perceptions, attitudes and motivations are developed; b. decisions made based on assessed attitudes, perceptions, and motivations; c. behavior changes that have occurred due to changes in attitude, perceptions, and/or motivation. Accomplishments: Outputs & Milestones 2a. Kansas State University conducted a content analysis of tweets related to Clarkson’s Farm (agri-tourism entity). The results of their study were presented at the North Central AAAE 2022 regional meeting. 2b. Josh Stewart, Oregon State University, reported hosting two Summer Ag Institutes (SAI). Geographically located East and West, they were designed for local and regional elementary and secondary teachers. The institutes each draw approximately 25 teachers/year for a week-long, immersive experience. The SAI is a partnership with Oregon Farm Bureau, Oregon Ag in the Classroom (AITC), and local agricultural producers. The SAI programs ask teachers to explore in-depth agricultural production through in-person visits to production farms and facilities, then create lesson plans for use in their classrooms. 2c. Kellie Enns and Jenny Bennett, Colorado State University, utilized the Longhurst-Murray Agricultural Literacy (LMALI) assessment with elementary school students and measured student affinity for desire to be involved in agricultural careers. Impacts To be determined. Objective 3: Evaluate agricultural literacy programs to measure program impact. Specifically: a. measure impacts of agricultural literacy programs related to critical thinking and problem solving; b. explore and evaluate peer and participant-centered agricultural literacy programming methods to determine their effectiveness in addressing defined agricultural literacy outcomes. Accomplishments: Outputs & Milestones 3a. Debra Spielmaker, Utah State University, worked on two projects in this area. One was a synthesis of the literature on agricultural literacy to determine what recommendations had been made in regard to measuring the impacts of agricultural literacy interventions, and a second research project to determine the efficacy of an agricultural literacy workshop with K-6 preservice teachers. Both studies were presented as research posters at the Western Regional AAAE meetings in Fall 2022. Impacts       To be determined.   Planned Projects for 2023 Multi-state efforts: Continued data analysis of agricultural literacy levels of undergraduate student and Extension professionals/volunteers. Arizona has obtained ethics approval to complete the assessment of their professionals and volunteers. Plans to work as a team to expand the WAAAE paper into a full manuscript for the Journal of Extension.  Continue to explore how Clarkson’s Farm (Kansas) influences attitudes regarding agriculture.  Debra Spielmaker and Rose Judd-Murray, Utah State University, are currently working on the Agricultural Literacy Certification Program and will guide a graduate student through determining its effectiveness in 2023.  Oregon State University will continue to host the SAI workshops, work to produce impact in the Specialty Crop Block grant project through 2023, and complete the JMALI assessments with their college student population. New faculty member, Quincy Clark, will be crafting curriculum for underrepresented populations to teach problem-solving within an agricultural context (4-6th grade).  New Mexico State University will seek to investigate agricultural knowledge of diverse population segments, particularly through college students and members of support affiliations to soldiers working in food and agriculture, related to defense efforts. Additional plans to extend previous studies related to water and agricultural education awareness into the Journal of Applied Communications.  Colorado State University has a new agricultural learning laboratory in Denver. Project-based learning will be the focus for secondary agricultural education programs to address critical issues in agriculture. The CSU team has developed and will facilitate a badging program for intensive ag literacy experience at events (e.g., fairs, stock shows) in 2023.  Michelle Burrows, Utah State University, plans to work with Dr. Judd-Murray to assess FFA members with the JMALI to determine proficiency of agricultural literacy. She is also assisting Texas AITC to collect, monitor, and analyze data points related to their social media accounts. Carl Igo, Montana State University, set to develop 8–12-minute videos to engage students in agricultural education. Videos will integrate with national core curriculum standards to encourage the use of them directly in the classroom. Kevin Curry, Penn State University, plans to use the JMALI with PSU preservice students and “general education” students to form a comparative study related to their agricultural literacy proficiency scores. Shelly Rampold, University of Tennessee at Knoxville, seeking to use the JMAL to assess adult consumer’s knowledge of agriculture. Will continue to work with commodity groups to develop yearly campaigns to understand agriculture related to that specific commodity and develop a tool kit to assist them in evaluation of consumer knowledge. Soybean-specific resources may be prioritized.

Publications

Bennett, J., Spielmaker, D. M., Burrows, M. S. (2022, May 17-19). A synthesis of recommendations within agricultural literacy intervention research [Poster presentation]. American Association for Agriculture Education, Las Cruces, NM, United States. Hill, N., Claflin, K., Specht, A., & Hock, G. (2022, October 6-8). Edutainment on the farm: a content analysis of tweets about Clarkson's Farm [Paper presentation]. North Central Region American Association for Agricultural Education Research Conference, Columbia, MO, United States. Judd-Murray, R., Hill, N., Norris, S., & Hock, G. (2022, September 19-21). A multi-state agricultural literacy assessment of extension professionals and volunteers [Paper & Oral presentation]. Western Region American Association for Agricultural Education (AAAE) Research Conference, Las Cruces, NM, United States. Miller, A. J., Warnick, B. K., Spielmaker, D.M. (2022, May 18-21). A case study: Agricultural literacy proficiency in an Iowa elementary school [Paper presentation]. American Association for Agriculture Education, Oklahoma City, OK, United States. Miller, A.J., Konakis, Z.A., Yoshikawa-Ruesch, E., Spielmaker, D.M. (2022, September 19-21). Agriculture in the Classroom preservice teacher seminar evaluation [Poster presentation]. American Association for Agriculture Education, Las Cruces, NM, United States. *W3006 committee members are bolded in the citations.

Impact Statements

Date of Annual Report: 11/20/2023

Report Information

Annual Meeting Dates: 09/18/2023 - 09/20/2023
Period the Report Covers: 10/01/2022 - 09/30/2023

Participants

Members Present: Rose Judd-Murray, Jenny Bennett, Kellie Enns, Nellie Hill, Shannon Norris-Parish, Annie Specht, Kathryn Stofer, Michelle Burrows, Nicole Volk, Brian Warnick (Administrative Advisor).

Members Absent: Kimberly Bellah, Murray State University (no longer at Murray State University)
Carl Igo, Montana State University (no longer at MSU)
Debra Spielmaker, Utah State University (retired)
Denise Stewardson, Utah State University (phased retirement)
Thomas Dormody, New Mexico State University
Gaea Hock, Kansas State University
Kevin Curry, Penn State University
Josh Stewart, Oregon State University
Jonathan Velez, Oregon State University
Tyler Granberry, University of Tennessee
Jamie Greig, University of Tennessee
Taylor Ruth, University of Tennessee
Carrie Ann Stephens, University of Tennessee
Amber Rice, University of Arizona
Cary Trexler, University of California—Davis
Haley Clement Traini, Oregon State University
Jihyeong Son, Washington State University
Shelli Rampold, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Stephanie Lemley, Mississippi State University
Desiree Rucker, National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Cicely Smith, University of California—Davis

Guests Present: Amelia Miller, Theresa Murphrey

Brief Summary of Minutes

Minutes Attachment:

2023 Annual Meeting Minutes.pdf

Accomplishments

The W3006 has completed its fourth year of working on agricultural literacy research. The committee has focused this year on efforts that strengthen programs and research studies through multi-state collaborative efforts. Several committee members have worked together to measure the agricultural literacy levels of Cooperative Extension professionals and their primary volunteers across multiple states; others have worked together to evaluate groups of college-aged students. The progress of these efforts is noted in the minutes from the fall 2023 meeting. Accomplishments and limited impacts are reported under each of the W3006 objectives below. Objectives: Assess the agricultural knowledge of diverse population segments related to agriculture, including consumers, students, and producers. Specifically, explore and/or measure: a. points of acquisition of agricultural knowledge; b. decisions made based on assessed knowledge. Accomplishments: Outputs & Milestones 1a. Dr. Jonathan Velez, Josh Stewart, and Hailey Traini, Oregon State University, conducted their annual Summer Ag Institute. The program served current K-12 teachers who teach subjects other than agriculture. As a part of the course, he assessed pre- and post-knowledge of their conceptualization of agriculture. 1b. Jenny Bennett, Colorado State University, worked with Dr. Kellie Enns, Dr. Nathan Clark, and Dr. Aryn Baxter on a pedagogical content knowledge study to identify ag teachers’ agricultural knowledge and knowledge acquisition, along with their ability to teach content based on those knowledge domains. Colorado State University reached 35,000 individuals through CAM’s Ag Academy on the Road agricultural literacy programming in Colorado. They engaged 150+ youth in agricultural literacy programs in leadership roles and recruited 50 partners in extension, FFA, and commodity organizations to improve agricultural literacy programming. The CSU Spur campus developed a problem-based learning (PBL) website, two PBL curriculum units, and worked with 40 schools to get over 800 students to participate in agricultural literacy programs. See more information: <a href="https://source.colostate.edu/morgridge-family-foundation-gifts-%203m-to-csu-spur-and-college-of-agricultural-sciences/">https://source.colostate.edu/morgridge-family-foundation-gifts- 3m-to-csu-spur-and-college-of-agricultural-sciences/</a> 1c. Dr. Shannon Norris-Parrish, New Mexico State University, used a Hack-a-thon approach to agricultural science literacy with graduate and undergraduate students interested in research opportunities. Each approach had a unique angle to assessing and teaching agricultural knowledge to broad audiences. She also worked with a few populations in the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Office of the National Labs to incorporate agricultural research and literacy into national security efforts. She is working towards further collaborations related to agriculture and conflict in the national security space.  1d. Dr. Stephanie Lemely, Mississippi State University, completed work on two projects: Agricultural Science Professional Development (ACRE)--which looked at grades 5-12 ag and science teachers’ ag knowledge and implementation of animal science, plant science, meat science, literacy, and teacher leadership. This is the final year for this project, and it ends in January 2024. Throughout the past two years, the ACRE Project has provided in-service teachers with opportunities to increase their knowledge and understanding and the tools to incorporate agricultural science literacy into their classrooms. Data from surveys and interviews were collected and analyzed to demonstrate these accomplishments. All objectives in the project were met over the project's life (Objective 1A: Teachers will increase ag science knowledge and understanding. Objective 1B: Teachers will increase ag science literacy knowledge and understanding. Objective 2A: Teachers will increase knowledge and use of instructional strategies that support student-centered ag science explorations, including immersive learning experiences (e.g., field experiences, virtual reality experiences, research center, and lab excursions). Objective 2B: Teachers will increase their knowledge and use hands-on learning experiences designed for classroom students. Objective 2C: Teachers will demonstrate knowledge and use of effective instructional strategies by completing multiple Ag science lesson plans. Objective 3A: Teachers will serve as teacher leaders in their schools, disseminating ACRE curriculum/resources and communicating their new knowledge by collaborating with their peers for expanded impact.) The project provided numerous training and professional development opportunities through guest lecturers, field excursions, and materials/activities for classroom use, all of which provide authentic experiences. Additionally, participants met university faculty from various disciplines and departments, which afforded numerous opportunities for mentorships. Participants also appreciated the learning opportunities their fellow cohort members provided and seeing each other as resources. Furthermore, the second project, ACRE 2.0, focused on food science, poultry science, literacy integration, and socio-emotional learning. This PD is in its first year (a PDAL grant) and is open to K-12 teachers across MS. They had 28 teachers attend from 14 school districts this past summer for a 4-day training, and 26 attended the first follow-up day. ACRE 1.0 trained 20 teachers across the state.               Agricultural Science Professional Development (ACRE) NIFA Program-A7501 This work is supported by the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative’s Professional Development for Agricultural Literacy priority area, grant no. 2021-67037-34210, project accession no. 1025666, from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Agricultural Science Professional Development 2.0 (ACRE 2.0) NIFA Program-A7501 This work is supported by the USDA/NIFA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, AFRI Agricultural Workforce Training Priority Area, award # 2022-08873. 1e. Dr. Annie Specht, Ohio State University, worked with a team of faculty and graduate students at Ohio State to analyze student responses to Clarkson's Farm. This British television program depicts a celebrity learning to manage and operate his farm in rural England. They compared responses from Ohio State's College of Agriculture students to those from other colleges and programs. They found that learning occurred among both groups, though the focus of that learning differed. 1f. Dr. Amber Rice, University of Arizona, has a journal article in-press: Merrick, T. N.*, Rice, A.H. (in press). A case study analysis of problem-based learning within a fabrication laboratory in a southwestern secondary charter school. Journal of Agricultural Education. 1g. Dr. Nellie Hill, Kansas State University, worked with Dr. Rose Judd-Murray, Dr. Gaea Hock, and Dr. Shannon Norris-Parrish to complete the publication of a multistate agricultural literacy assessment of Extension professionals and primary volunteers. 1h. Dr. Rose Judd-Murray and (retired) Dr. Debra Spielmaker, Utah State University, continued their work to complete the training modules for the USDA/PDAL grant: Agricultural Literacy Certification Project. The 12 training modules are nearly complete, and teacher recruitment for the pilot session (40 educators and ten volunteers) should take place in Winter 2023-24. Dr. Katie Stofer (UFL) will evaluate the pilot, and then the program will be offered at no cost to 500 educators nationwide. After completing the certification program, educators will receive a digital badge stating they have completed the course. Dr. Judd-Murray and Dr. Michelle Burrows have a publication in-process for the research to validate a middle school agricultural literacy assessment. It should be sent to a journal publication in early 2024. Dr. Judd-Murray and Dr. Spielmaker assisted Amelia Miller with completing her Ph.D. dissertation on parental influence and attitudes toward agricultural education for school-aged children. Dr. Judd-Murray is working with Dr. Tyson Sorenson and Dr. Burrows (NCAL) to develop a pathway and mechanism for the National Center for Agricultural Literacy (NCAL) to administer and collect agricultural assessment data nationwide from school-aged youth. The data could be used for multiple research projects and multistate agricultural literacy efforts. She has a publication in review with the National Association of County Agricultural Agents (NACAA) for her work to determine the influence of agricultural courses and clubs on Utah Cooperative Extension educators' agricultural literacy proficiency (Dr. Burrows, co-author). She has a second article in review for developing and validating a post-high school agricultural literacy assessment with the Advancements in Agricultural Development (AAD) journal. Ii. Dr. Shelli Rampold, University of Tennessee, collected 500 responses from adults across Tennessee using the JMALI instrument and other constructs to measure subjective knowledge, agricultural experience, ag attitudes, and perceptions of what agriculture looks like in the state. Very few respondents were proficient. There were no significant differences based on most demographic variables. She submitted (in-review) an abstract to the Southern Region AAAE Conference and a poster—both will be moved toward peer-reviewed publication in 2024. Impacts Dr. Shannon Norris-Parrish, New Mexico State University, published and/or presented 16 peer-reviewed publications or conference presentations (including one journal article in review) and seven invited presentations related to agricultural literacy efforts.   Assess attitudes, perceptions, and motivations of diverse population segments related to agriculture, such as consumers, students, and producers. Specifically, explore and/or measure: a. how perceptions, attitudes, and motivations are developed; b. decisions made based on assessed attitudes, perceptions, and motivations; c. behavior changes that have occurred due to changes in attitude, perceptions, and/or motivation. Accomplishments: Outputs & Milestones 2a. Dr. Katie Stofer, University of Florida, continued researching US adults’ attitudes toward gene editing technology. Based on that research, she created videos as public engagement products to test for attitude change. 2b. Dr. Amelia Miller, Utah State University, completed her doctoral dissertation on understanding the value parents place on their children learning about agriculture in school. Publication is coming in December 2023, and submission for peer-reviewed publication in 2024.  2c. Jenny Bennett, a Ph.D. student at Utah State University (instructor at Colorado State University), continues working on her dissertation on “exploring the impact of a problem-based learning curriculum on the attitudes toward agriculture.” 2d. Dr. Annie Specht, Ohio State University, assisted a graduate student with her master's thesis research project. The student interviewed bourbon industry employees engaged in tourism and consumer education activities about their perceptions of the agriculture industry and its status as an agricultural product. Data collection will conclude this fall, and data analysis will begin in Spring 2024. 2e. Dr. Amber Rice, University of Arizona, published a peer-reviewed journal article on virtual CASE professional development and presented an oral presentation on women’s SBAE education experiences at the AAAE National Conference. 2f. Dr. Gaea Hock, Kansas State University, assisted Dr. Specht (OSU) with Clarkson’s Farm research by analyzing tweets posted about the Farm during the summer of 2022. She shared her results in the fall of 2022 and May 2023. 2g. Dr. Nellie Hill, Kansas State University, worked on two studies: 1) They explored using TikTok to disseminate information about the beef industry. This study sought to develop a foundational understanding of what type of information is being shared about beef production on TikTok and the impact of TikTok video topics and other video characteristics on engagement rates, a sign of meeting audience needs. (2) They explored how pork product endorsement type used by a commodity organization impacted consumer attitudes towards pork and their perceived source credibility toward the endorsement. They evaluated the impact of endorsement type on consumer intention to purchase a commodity product and visit the commodity organization’s website. Impacts To be determined. Evaluate agricultural literacy programs to measure program impact. Specifically: a. measure impacts of agricultural literacy programs related to critical thinking and problem-solving; b. explore and evaluate peer and participant-centered agricultural literacy programming methods to determine their effectiveness in addressing defined agricultural literacy outcomes. Accomplishments: Outputs & Milestones 3a. Dr. Amelia Miller, Dr. Michelle Burrows, and graduate student Jenny Bennett published a poster at the Western Regional American Association of Agricultural Educators (AAAE) conference summarizing the 2021 virtual outreach of state Agriculture in the Classroom (AITC) programs. The research serves as a baseline to further understand program recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic’s limitation on in-person programming in schools or field trips. 3b. Dr. Jonathan Velez, Oregon State University, asked Summer Ag Institute participants to develop a sample lesson plan incorporating agriculture into their content area. He assessed the lesson plans for integration and critical thought. The Summer Ag Institute impacts 25-35 K-12 teachers annually. 3c. Dr. Kellie Enns, Colorado State University, was the editor for the Agricultural Educator Magazine’s special issue on agricultural literacy: <a href="https://www.naae.org/profdevelopment/magazine/archive_issues/Volume95/2023%2001%20--%20January%20February.pdf">https://www.naae.org/profdevelopment/magazine/archive_issues/ Volume95/2023%2001%20--%20January%20February.pdf</a> 3d. Dr. Kevin Curry, Penn State University, worked to evaluate the food/ag literacy of 2nd grade students who participated in a garden education program. It was delayed this year because of scheduling conflicts and the inability to enter the school. He is rescheduling a part of this work for spring 2024. 3e. Dr. Michelle Burrows, Utah State University, is the new director for the National Center for Agricultural Literacy. She replaces Dr. Debra Spielmaker in that program and on the W3006 project. She reported that the Year-to-Date totals for the NCAL Curriculum Matrix are 1.1 million views and 352, 300 users. The Matrix added five new lesson plans this year, the titles include: Tracing the Agricultural Supply Chain, My Agricultural Connections, Green Revolution, The Big Deal about Big Ag, and Farm and Food Sky Tour.   Planned Projects for 2024 <ul> <li>Stofer, University of Florida: 1) Will continue to wrap up the project on gene editing communication with a final survey of videos they designed based on previous research and will test them for attitude change, 2) Will investigate learning among 4-H youth and their parents/guardians about biotechnology through a virtual statewide club and associated electronic field trips, 3) Will begin work with public audiences in Florida, including adults and 4-H youth, related to machine learning for root labeling. Research involves studying the impacts of involvement in agricultural/computer science research on agricultural career interest, and 4) Will have a workshop on gene editing communication, plus at least one Frontiers in Biotechnology article, and more may be forthcoming after data collection in the fall.</li> <li>Amelia Miller will work with a team from Utah State University (Dr. Michelle Burrows, Dr. Michael Pate, Dr. Rose Judd-Murray, and Jenny Bennett (PhD student)) to publish a 2005-2019 longitudinal study of state AITC program reports. She will also seek to publish her dissertation research in peer-reviewed publications.</li> <li>Jonathan Velez, Dr. Josh Stewart, and Dr. Hailey Traini, Oregon State University, will continue their work with the Summer Ag Institute. They intend to collect data from these teachers to examine their agricultural literacy further. Additionally, they partnered with AITC on a Specialty Crops literacy project and hope to continue that partnership this year. They currently have around 30 first-year students in their undergraduate degree in Agricultural Sciences, so it could be a good opportunity to learn more about their agricultural knowledge. They plan to submit a conference presentation and a manuscript for journal publication on the Specialty Crop project.</li> <li>Colorado State University will continue research efforts to better understand attitudes toward agriculture, including the role of affinity. They will use innovative program methods to promote agricultural literacy, career development in agriculture and agricultural literacy programs, and engage youth in agricultural literacy programming. They also plan to publish research related to PCK from Sarah Appel-West’s graduate thesis. Jenny Bennett will work to complete her PhD dissertation.</li> <li>Shannon Norris-Parrish, New Mexico State University, will continue to use a Hack-a-thon approach to agricultural science literacy to engage agricultural educators and agricultural communicators with agricultural topics that represent key objectives in the industry. She will continue working with the US DHS, the Office of the National Labs, and the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) to incorporate agricultural research and literacy into national security and defense efforts. I look forward to future collaborations in the national security space related to agriculture and conflict. Dr. Norris-Parrish has three additional journal articles in development and four conference submissions in review, awaiting feedback.</li> <li>Stephanie Lemely, Mississippi State University, will close out ACRE 1 and proceed with work on ACRE 2.0. The following publications and/or presentations are in review for 2024:</li> </ul> Lemley, S.M., Messman, R., Swanson, R., & Lemley, C. (under review). Two-week agriculture institute prepares Mississippi teachers to improve agricultural literacy in classrooms. Presentation proposal for the American Association of Animal Science-Southern Section, Louisville, KY. Clary, R.M., Lemley, S.M., & Swanson, R. (in progress). Teachers’ scientific inertia: Misconception persistence after an intensive 10-day agricultural science institute. Lemley, S.M., Alley, K.A., & Clary, R.M. (under review). Voices from the field: Agriculture educators’ perspectives on equity in agricultural education. Journal of Agricultural Education.  Lemley, S.M., Alley, K.A., & Morrison, C.C. (under review). Developing deeper understandings through agricultural literacy professional development. Journal of Agricultural Education. <ul> <li>Annie Specht, Ohio State University, plans to publish the work on Clarkson’s Farm and to analyze the bourbon industry data for themes related to bourbon tourism’s possible positioning as both agritourism and a source for agricultural knowledge gains among adult consumers. She plans to research the role of agriculture-centered television programs like Yellowstone and Farmer Wants a Wife in shaping audience perceptions of modern food and fiber production and their sociocultural conceptualization of “farmers” in the US. Publication in preparation: Summerfield, E., Volk, N., Specht, A. R., & Claflin, K. (In preparation). They don't know Diddly Squat: The influence of Clarkson's Farm on college students' knowledge and Perceptions of agriculture. The manuscript is to be submitted to the Journal of Agricultural Education.</li> <li>Kevin Curry, Penn State University, will measure the pre/post-ag literacy of 2nd graders after receiving a hands-on garden education curriculum. He will also work with a master's student to ascertain the barriers and perceptions of PA elementary/middle school principals regarding agricultural literacy programs in their schools.</li> <li>Amber Rice, University of Arizona, plans to continue to conduct research related to objectives one and two with the following research articles either under review or in development:</li> </ul> Arnold, M.*, & Rice, A. H. Factors influencing the teaching of livestock production within Arizona school-based agricultural education. Target Journal: Journal of Agricultural Education. Jarvis, S.*, & Rice, A. H. The impact of 4-H instructors’ personal beliefs on the teaching of animal food production to youth populations. Target Journal: Journal of Extension Education. Rice, A. H., Hasselquist, L., & Smalley, S. (under review). Lead teacher perspectives of virtual CASE institute professional development. Journal of Agricultural Education. Potts, W.*, & Rice, A. H. (under review). Generation Z’s philanthropic engagement in the United States agrifood sector: Perceptions, motivations, and intentions. Journal of Agricultural Education. Rice, A. H., & Rubenstein, E. D. A qualitative exploration of southwestern agriculture teachers’ PCK in supervised agricultural experience programs. Target Journal: Journal of Agricultural Education. Donaldson, A.*, & Rice, A. H. Experiences of recently graduated women school-based agricultural education students. Target Journal: Journal of Agricultural Education. Schoeffling, A.*, & Rice, A.H. The influence of COVID-19 and virtual learning on the PCK development of Arizona preservice SBAE teachers. Target Journal: Journal of Agricultural Education. Arnold, M.*, & Rice, A. H. Factors influencing the teaching of livestock production within Arizona school-based agricultural education. Target Journal: Journal of Agricultural Education. Jarvis, S.*, & Rice, A. H. The impact of 4-H instructors’ personal beliefs on the teaching of animal food production to youth populations. Target Journal: Journal of Extension Education. <ul> <li>Gaea Hock, Kansas State University, plans to continue evaluating agricultural literacy perceptions from virtual environments. She completed developing interactive virtual tours as part of a USDA-funded grant project. She will secure grant funding to restart the Kansas Youth Water Advocates training program and conference.</li> <li>Rose Judd-Murray, Utah State University, will work with an undergraduate student researcher to code pre-existing data from USU college students and CQ University college students (AU) in 2024. The data will be analyzed to determine agricultural literacy proficiency. She is currently seeking ethics approval to conduct a study on the influence of educational experiences on the agricultural literacy of Utah CTE teachers. She will also complete a dual-listed (graduate/undergraduate) interdisciplinary course in Food Security and Solutions beginning in the Spring 2024 semester. This course will be followed by the development and instruction of two courses in biosecurity. The courses are designed to attract students from all colleges on campus. A key component of the courses will be improving agricultural literacy. She is working with a team of W3006 members to submit a W4006 funding proposal to continue this research effort.</li> <li>Michelle Burrows, Utah State University, will continue her work on two USDA-funded agricultural literacy projects. One focuses on Career Cards (workforce awareness) and the other Science in Your Shopping Cart (science and consumer awareness) will be completed in the spring of 2024. Her goals include 1) improved accessibility and usability of ag literacy assessments, 2) to provide reports of agricultural literacy levels for different grade levels to AITC state programs, and 3) conduct research related in agricultural literacy of SBAE students and teachers.</li> <li>Shelli Rampold, University of Tennessee, will use the data collected in 2023 to develop new objectives for the next one to three years. They are adding new people to their agricultural literacy team now that they have completed some preliminary exploratory research on agricultural literacy assessment in their state.</li> </ul>

Publications

Publications* Appel, S., Enns, K., Bennett, J., (2022). Emotions in literacy: Exploring the role of affinity in agricultural literacy. In poster proceedings of the American Association for Agricultural Education, Western Region conference, fall conference. Appel, S., Enns, K., Bennett, J., (2022). The impact of a longitudinal agricultural curriculum on youth’s agricultural literacy. In poster proceedings of the American Association for Agricultural Education, Western Region conference, fall conference. Bennett, J. (2023). The power of partnerships in agricultural literacy outreach. The Agricultural Education Magazine, 95(4). Bennett, J., Baxter, A., Clark, N., Enns, K., (2023). Examining a perception-based pedagogical content knowledge survey for agricultural educators in Colorado. In poster proceedings for the American Association for Agricultural Education, Western Region conference, fall conference. Bennett, J., Spielmaker, D., Burrows, M., (2022). A synthesis of recommendations within agricultural literacy intervention research. In poster proceedings of the American Association of Agricultural Education National research conference, spring conference. Chambers, A., Hock, G., Hill, N. College student perceptions of importance of Farm Bureau advocacy areas. (2023, June). North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture Journal, 2023 NACTA Abstracts Supplement, 67(1). Abstract. Claflin, K., Hock, G. Specht, A. R., Hill, N., & (May, 2023). Talking about diddly squat: A content analysis of tweets about Clarkson’s Farm. Poster presented at the National American Association for Agricultural Education Conference, Raleigh, NC. Easley-Smith, F., Greene, P., & Norris-Parish, S. L. (2023, June). It’s an art, a process, and an act: Teaching effective speech delivery in agricultural communications [Poster Presentation]. Association of Communication Excellence (ACE). Asheville, NC. Note: Awarded Outstanding Innovative Poster. Easley-Smith, F., Greene, P., & Norris-Parish, S. L. (2023, September). Tell me about it! Undergraduate student self-evaluation assessment of public speaking performance [Poster Presentation]. Western Region of the American Association for Agricultural Education (WAAAE) Research Conference. Logan, UT. Enns, K., 2023. Innovation in Ag Literacy. Agricultural Educator Magazine, 95(4). Eshelman, K., & Shepardson, R., (2023) Bringing Literacy to the County Fair. Agricultural Educator Magazine, 95(4). Greene, P., Easley-Smith, F., Swartz, J., & Norris-Parish, S. L. (2023, June). Communication on cloud nine: Using word clouds to teach communication styles [Oral Presentation]. [Special supplement: Abstract]. NACTA Journal, 67(1). Las Cruces, NM. Gonzales, S., & Norris-Parish, S. L. (2023, September). In the wild: Investigating educational outreach and communication efforts targeting conservation [Poster Presentation]. Western Region of the American Association for Agricultural Education (WAAAE) Research Conference. Logan, UT. Harris, S., & Norris-Parish, S. L. (2023, February). It’s not a facade: Effective storytelling is key to science communication [Poster Presentation]. National Agricultural Communications Symposium (NACS). Oklahoma City, OK. Hill, N., Claflin, K., Specht, A. R., & Hock, G. (October, 2022). Edutainment on the Farm: A Content Analysis of Tweets about Clarkson’s Farm. Refereed paper presented at the North Central American Association for Agricultural Education Conference, Columbia, MO. Hock, G., Chambers, A., Hill, N. (2023, June). College Student Ranking of the USDA NIFA’s High-Priority Areas. North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture Journal, 2023 NACTA Abstracts Supplement, 67(1). Abstract. Judd-Murray, R., & Burrows, M. S. (2023, May 15-18). Development and Validation of a Middle School Agricultural Literacy Instrument: Grades 6-8 [Poster presentation]. 2023 National AAAE Conference, Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. Judd-Murray, R., Hill, N., Norris-Parish, S. L., & Hock, G. (Submitted). A multi-state agricultural literacy assessment of Extension professionals and volunteers. Journal of Agricultural Education. Judd-Murray, R., Powell, J., Anderson, D., & Jenson, D. (2023, May/June). Getting Started: Using a Site Design Guide to improve your project and funding success. The Agricultural Education Magazine, 95(6), 22-24. <a href="https://www.naae.org/profdevelopment/magazine/index.cfm">https://www.naae.org/profdevelopment/magazine/index.cfm</a> Judd-Murray, R. (2023, Jan/February). Making the most of formative and summative agricultural literacy assessment. The Agricultural Education Magazine, 95(4), 10-12. <a href="https://www.naae.org/profdevelopment/magazine/index.cfm">https://www.naae.org/profdevelopment/</a> <a href="https://www.naae.org/profdevelopment/magazine/index.cfm"> magazine/index.cfm</a> Lemley, S.M. (2023, Jan. 18). Planting the seed of comprehension in agriculture and science classrooms. Literacy in the Disciplines. <a href="https://literacy6-12.org/planting-the-seed-of-comprehension-in-agriculture-and-science-classrooms/%20">https://literacy6-12.org/planting-the-seed-of-comprehension-in-agriculture-and-science-classrooms/</a> Lightfoot, M., & Norris-Parish, S. L. (2023, June). Using the Bulb web platform as a digital learning tool for agricultural educators [Poster Presentation]. [Special supplement: Abstract]. NACTA Journal, 67(1). Las Cruces, NM. McFadden, B., Rumble, J., Stofer, K., Folta, K., Dyment, M. (2023, accepted). U.S. adult attitudes about biotechnology and risk aversion to gene editing. The Journal of Agrobiotechnology Management & Economics. McFadden, B. R., Lusk, J. L., Pollack, A.(g), Rumble, J. N., Stofer, K. A., & Folta, K. M. (2023). A randomized group approach to identifying label effects. Journal of Choice Modelling, 48, 100435. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jocm.2023.100435">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jocm.2023.100435</a> Miller, A.J., Bennett, J.E., & Burrows, M.S. (2023, September 18-20). Agriculture in the Classroom: 2021 Virtual Connections Defined. [Poster presentation]. American Association for Agricultural Education Western Region Conference, 2023, Logan, Utah. * Selected as a top ten conference poster. Miller, A. J. (2023, January/February). Building Proficiency: The role of ag literacy in school-based agricultural education. The Agricultural Education Magazine. 95(4), 13-15. <a href="https://www.naae.org/profdevelopment/magazine/archive_issues/Volume95/2023%2001%20--%20January%20February.pdf">https://www.naae.org/profdevelopment/magazine/archive_issues/Volume95/2023%2001%20--%20January%20February.pdf</a> Meyers, C., Harlan, K., Hock, G., Loizzo, J., Monsur, M., Randolph, L., Rogers-Randolph, T., Churchill, F., Collins, F., Gragg, S., Irlbeck, E., Kennedy, L., Lawver, D., Simpson, S., & Telg, R. (2023, June). Developing Interactive Virtual Tours of Agriculture and Research Facilities. North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture Journal, 2023 NACTA Abstracts Supplement, 67(1). Abstract. Petty, K., & Norris-Parish, S. L. (2023, February). Muddy waters: Leveraging storytelling to teach water issues in the desert Southwest [Poster Presentation]. National Agricultural Communications Symposium (NACS). Oklahoma City, OK. Note: Awarded the Outstanding Innovative Poster. Roderick, S., Norris-Parish, S. L., & Roberts-Hill, L. (2023, September). Sustainable communication: Utilizing agricultural sustainability frameworks to communicate global scientific issues [Poster Presentation]. Western Region of the American Association for Agricultural Education (WAAAE) Research Conference. Logan, UT. Rourke, C. & Hill, N. (2023, February 5-6). Taking to TikTok: A content analysis on the dissemination of beef production information on TikTok [Research poster]. National Agricultural Communications Symposium, Oklahoma City, OK, United States. Smalley, S., Rice, A.H., & Hasselquist, L. (2023). The effectiveness of virtual CASE institute professional development: A participant perspective. Journal of Agricultural Education, 64(2), 85-97. Stofer, K. A., Turner, S. (G), Rumble, J., McFadden, B., Folta, K., Jeevan, A.(U), Ouncap, T.(U), Hecht, K. (P), Cummins, C.(U), Thiel, R. (g), (2023). U.S. adults express overall positive views but some concerns about gene editing technology after information treatment. JCOM 22(04), A02 <a href="https://jcom.sissa.it/article/pubid/JCOM_2204_2023_A02/">https://jcom.sissa.it/article/pubid/JCOM_2204_2023_A02/</a> Wilson, M., Norris-Parish, S. L., & Dean, T. (2022, December). Border states agriculture table-top exercise (TTX): Emergency preparedness and planning capabilities for the food and agriculture sector [English Technical Guide and Report]. U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Washington, D.C. Wilson, M., Norris-Parish, S. L., & Dean, T. (2022, December). Border states agriculture table-top exercise (TTX): Emergency preparedness and planning capabilities for the food and agriculture sector [Facilitator Guide]. U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Washington, D.C. Wilson, M., Norris-Parish, S. L., & Dean, T. (2022, December). Ejercicio teórico de agricultura de los Estados Fronterizos (TTX): Preparación para emergencias y capacidades de planificación para el sector alimentario y agrícola [Spanish Technical Guide and Report]. U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Washington, D.C. Wilson, M., Norris-Parish, S. L., & Dean, T. (2022, December). Border states agriculture table-top exercise (TTX): After-action report (AAR)/improvement plan (IP). U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Washington, D.C. Wombacher, S., & Judd-Murray, R. (2023, April 11-12). Sustainability advocacy through education: Fostering university curricula towards a sustainable future [Poster presentation]. USU Student Research Symposium, Logan, Utah, USA. Wombacher, S., & Judd-Murray, R. (2023, March 23). Sustainability advocacy through education: Fostering university curricula towards a sustainable future [Poster presentation]. Intermountain Sustainability Summit, Weber State University, Ogden, Utah, USA. [Poster awarded the Sustainability in Action award] *W3006 committee members are bolded in the citations.   Presentations Bayity, K., & Norris-Parish, S. L. (2023, April). Digitizing the divide: Breaking down digital and precision agricultural messaging for science communicators [Oral Presentation]. Association for International Agricultural and Extension Education (AIAEE) Annual Conference. Guelph, Canada. Donaldson, A.*, & Rice, A. H. (2023). Experiences of recently graduated women school-based agricultural education students. Proceedings of the National American Association for Agricultural Education Research Conference, Raleigh, NC Easley-Smith, F., & Norris-Parish, S. L. (2023, June). Building a foundation: A case study of interpersonal and technical skills desired by undergraduate students in agricultural communications courses at New Mexico State University [Oral Presentation]. Association of Communication Excellence (ACE). Asheville, North Carolina. Lemley, S.M., & Morrison, C.C. (2023). How’d that get into my lunchbox: Taking a bite into ag literacy and socio-emotional learning. Mississippi Early Childhood Association, Meridian, MS. Lemley, S.M., Clary, R.M., Marlow, T., Bright, T., Reed, K., & Tucker, D. (2023). Integrating agriculture and active literacy strategies in your student-centered science classroom. Presentation proposal for the Mississippi Science Teacher Association Annual Conference, Biloxi, MS. Lemley, S.M., Clary, R.M., Swanson, R., & Alley, K.M. (accepted). Teachers’ scientific inertia: Misconception persistence after an intensive 10-day agricultural literacy institute. The paper proposal was submitted to the Literacy Research Association Annual Conference, Atlanta, GA. (Nov. 2023) Lemley, S.M., Alley, K.M., & Clary, R.M. (accepted). Building the architecture to incorporate ‘literacy’ in agricultural literacy. Paper presentation proposal for the Literacy Research Association Annual Conference, Atlanta: GA. (Nov. 2023) McCarty, R., & Norris-Parish, S. L. (2023, February). Relevancy of print magazines: A Q methodological examination of Generation Z’s publication preferences [Oral Presentation]. National Agricultural Communications Symposium (NACS). Oklahoma City, OK. Miller, A. J. (2023, June). Program leader's annual meeting. [Research presentation]. National Agriculture in the Classroom Conference, Orlando, FL, United States. Norris-Parish, S. L., Turner, C., & Turner, T. (2023, March). CES 105: Promotion, marketing, and mass media for Extension programs. NM Education Designed to Generate Excellence (EDGE) in the Public Sector, NMSU Cooperative Extension Service, and NMSU Department of Government, Las Cruces, NM. Norris-Parish, S. L. (2023, February). Crystal clear: Establishing winning communication techniques and effective goal setting. Workshop for the Doña Ana County 4-H Leadership Team, Las Cruces, NM. Norris-Parish, S. L. (2023, February). Landing the job: The secret to effective interviewing and connection with employers. Professional development session for Alpha Gamma Rho and Sigma Alpha, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM. Parish, M., & Norris-Parish, S. L. (2023, July). Building a successful Young Farmer and Rancher (YF&R) Program. Texas Farm Bureau Workshop, Arlington, TX. Parish, M., & Norris-Parish, S. L. (2023, July). Pasture to plate: Connecting beef production to consumer education. Texas Farm Bureau Workshop, Huntsville, TX. Parish, M., & Norris-Parish, S. L. (2023, January). Reindeer feed store: Connecting lay audiences to agricultural education opportunities. American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) Annual Conference, San Juan, Puerto Rico. Note: Awarded a national outstanding County of Excellence award through AFBF. Parish, M., & Norris-Parish, S. L. (2023, January). Identifying innovative ways to connect lay audiences to agricultural education through holiday tradition. Radio Interview for the Nebraska Rural Radio Network based in Lincoln, Nebraska, San Juan, Puerto Rico. Summerfield, E., Volk, N., Specht, A. R., & Claflin, K. (2023, May). They don't know Diddly Squat: The influence of Clarkson's Farm on college students' knowledge and perceptions of agriculture. Paper presented at the 2023 American Association for Agricultural Education National Conference. Raleigh, NC. Accessible Agricultural Education, 2022, Presentation made to the Colorado State University System Board of Governors  November 2022, “Open Panel- Ag Literacy and CAM’s Classroom, Extension STEM for Fairs, Ag in the Classroom” Colorado Fairs and Shows Conference, Pueblo, CO. Dr. Kellie Enns & Jenny Bennett, presenters. Accessible Agricultural Education with CAM's Agriculture Academy and CSU Spur. Presentation made to Global Forum for Rural Advisory Services, Denver, CO, 2023. Dr. Kellie Enns & Jenny Bennett, presenters. January 2023. " Including Agricultural Literacy Programming in your Next Community Event" Colorado Farm Show, Greeley, CO. Dr. Kellie Enns & Jenny Bennett, presenters. February 2023. “Exploration of Agricultural Literacy with CSU Agricultural Education and Colorado Ag in the Classroom” Colorado Ag Forum, Westminster, CO. Dr. Kellie Enns & Jenny Bennett, presenters. Training Youth to Utilize Agriculture Literacy Activities in FFA Week, Presented Virtually, February 2023. September 2023. “Examining a Perception-based Pedagogical Content Knowledge Survey for Agricultural Educators in Colorado,” American Association of Agricultural Education. Western Region, speaker, Logan, Utah. Dr. Kellie Enns & Jenny Bennett, presenters.

Impact Statements

Date of Annual Report: 10/30/2024

Report Information

Annual Meeting Dates: 09/09/2024 - 09/11/2024
Period the Report Covers: 10/01/2023 - 09/30/2024

Participants

Members:
Rose Judd-Murray, Chair (Utah State University)
Michelle Burrows, Chair Elect (Utah State University)
Jenny Bennett, Secretary (Colorado State University)
Theresa Murphrey (Texas A&M University)
Annie Specht (Ohio State University)
Kailyn Bull (Eastern New Mexico University)
Josh Stewart (Oregon State University)
Jonathan Valez (Oregon State University)
Kellie Enns (Colorado State University)
Shannon Norris-Parrish (New Mexico State University)
Amelia Miller (National Center for Agricultural Literacy, Utah State University)
Gaia Hock (Kansas State University)
Katie Stofer (University of Florida)

Guests:
Teague Teece, (Oregon State University, Graduate Student)
Taylor (Texas A&M University, Graduate student)

Administrative Advisor:
Brian Warnick (Utah State University)

Brief Summary of Minutes

Accomplishments

This report highlights the substantial achievements in agricultural literacy and agricultural education. These initiatives have made significant strides in cultivating a well-informed, agriculturally literate society through curriculum innovation, cross-agency partnerships, teacher engagement, and cutting-edge research. Major accomplishments include curriculum piloting and assessment, teacher training, community engagement, resource development, and significant advancements in national agricultural literacy standards. Future work with the W4006 will continue to expand these efforts, providing educators, students, and communities with the knowledge and tools to navigate and contribute to an increasingly complex agricultural landscape. PROJECT GROWTH: Agricultural literacy efforts were coordinated at 15 different college institutions in 13 states, Australia, and Ghana. In a comparison of reported publications and presentations in 2020-2021 versus 2023-2024, there was an increase of 250%, with nearly every partner reporting an avenue of dissemination. Major Accomplishments and Outputs Evaluation and Development of the Agricultural Literacy Certification Project (ALCP) As the evaluator for the USDA NIFA grant pilot project, Katie Stofer focused on assessing the Agricultural Literacy Certification Project (ALCP) for the National Center for Agricultural Literacy (NCAL). The evaluation framework included pre- and post-assessments for participants completing the 8-module ALC program. Additionally, Dr. Amelia Miller's dissertation explored parents' perceptions of agriculture and agricultural literacy, yielding insights supporting ongoing ALC improvements. This project also led to a proposal for adapting the ALC curriculum to high school students, intending to extend its reach and impact among younger audiences. Cross-Agency Agricultural Education and Agricultural Literacy Projects Collaborative efforts with the Department of Defense (DoD), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Arctic Domain Awareness Center (ADAC @ the University of Alaska at Anchorage) have integrated career awareness and national security into agricultural literacy education. These partnerships emphasize the importance of agriculture and extend literacy efforts to include topics such as invasive species control, biosecurity measures, border issues, production, immigration, agricultural sustainability, and national security. Teacher and Faculty Training in Agricultural Literacy An agricultural certification program launched for pre-service teachers and faculty provides professional development in agricultural literacy, with incentives for early participants. Due to a USDA-NIFA PDAL grant, over 600 participants received participation incentives that encouraged wider engagement and agricultural literacy across educator networks. Over 1,500 educators and volunteers have completed the ALC course, a significant number in the first six months! Industry-Focused Research and Community-Based Projects Faculty members have led efforts in producing fallow land and implementing agricultural literacy projects, increasing community access to agriculture and highlighting sustainable practices. Additionally, the Denver lab at Colorado State University’s Spur campus incorporates Problem-Based Learning (PBL) into accessible agricultural pathways, fostering early exposure to agricultural problem-solving in real-world contexts. "CAMs on the Road" Program and Summer Institute Partnership. The “CAMs on the Road” initiative at CSU Spur provides mobile educational experiences across communities, increasing agricultural visibility and engagement. A summer institute was implemented in partnership with the Oregon Farm Bureau, offering professional development to teachers and supporting agricultural education. Grants and Research Expansion Oregon State University's “Coffee Crop Chats” project was designed to support agricultural education through direct dialogues with producers. This project received a SPECA grant focused on workforce development in teacher education, expanding teacher competencies in agricultural systems thinking and sustainability. Additionally, a grant proposal was submitted to fund research on systems thinking applied to Oregon’s commodity crops. Several W3006 institutions supervised PhD students examining critical agricultural literacy topics, such as urban-agriculture industry connections, agritourism, social media’s impact on agricultural perceptions, and veterinary students’ role in promoting agricultural literacy through multi-species learning centers. These studies expand research on non-traditional pathways to agricultural literacy, fostering a more holistic understanding of agriculture’s role within society. Curriculum Development in Agricultural Communication and Decision-Making Efforts Modules on decision-making and food security viewed through a gender lens provided educators with tools to address equity in agriculture. Research also focused on agricultural communication strategies, underscoring the importance of an agricultural science curriculum at the university level. This included assessing Texas A&M students’ agricultural literacy levels and providing a baseline for future instructional improvements. National Standards and Instrument Validation The NCAL team (USU) contributed to validating a literacy instrument specifically for grades 6-8, setting a benchmark for middle school agricultural literacy. Adaptations to the ALCP curriculum for high school students are underway, enabling broader implementation and accessibility for secondary education audiences. Additionally, updates to national agricultural literacy standards (NALO, JMALI/LMALI) were achieved through rigorous research, ensuring that literacy frameworks meet current educational needs. Special Initiatives and Future Directions Ongoing investigations explore the role of badging in agricultural literacy and the effects of Problem-Based Learning (PBL) on student attitudes toward agriculture. By examining the link between agricultural knowledge and attitudes, this research aims to deepen understanding of literacy development and promote engagement with agricultural topics. Farm-to-food tours, integrated through sky tours, enhance agricultural literacy by providing students and educators firsthand experiences in food production and supply chain dynamics. TRAINING AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Agricultural Certification Program for Formal and Nonformal Educators and Volunteers This program offered structured training for educators, focusing on fundamental agricultural concepts, current challenges, and pedagogical strategies for teaching agricultural literacy. Financial incentives (e.g., $100 gift cards) encouraged early participation, and the program aimed to improve educators' content knowledge and instructional skills, enabling them to effectively integrate agricultural concepts into their teaching. Problem-Based Learning (PBL) Integration at CSU Spur and “CAMs on the Road” The use of Problem-Based Learning (PBL) in the CSU Spur lab and mobile “CAMs on the Road” programs created hands-on, inquiry-driven professional development experiences for educators. These programs trained educators to use PBL to engage students in agricultural and environmental challenges, making the curriculum accessible and relevant. This training helped educators in both formal classrooms and nonformal settings, like community programs, build competencies in experiential learning. “Coffee Crop Chats” and Workforce Development Initiatives The “Coffee Crop Chats” and workforce-focused grants, such as SPECA, emphasized systems thinking, sustainable agriculture, and teacher workforce readiness. These initiatives equipped educators with interdisciplinary skills and updated content knowledge, preparing them to address current agricultural and environmental issues in diverse educational settings. Graduate-Level Research Supervision and Collaboration PhD students engaged in agricultural literacy research, such as exploring agritourism and social media's impact on perceptions of agriculture, provided opportunities for educators to learn from cutting-edge studies and apply insights in their teaching. Through collaborative discussions and dissemination of findings, educators gained an in-depth understanding of new trends in agricultural literacy, enhancing their instructional practices. Development of Agricultural Communication and Decision-Making Modules Modules focused on decision-making, food security, and agricultural communication provided educators with tools to teach critical thinking and informed decision-making through an agricultural lens. These resources empowered educators to address complex topics, like food security and gender in agriculture, through a structured curriculum, fostering awareness and professional skill growth. Adaptation and Validation of Educational Standards and Instruments The validation of literacy instruments for grades 6–8 established assessments that educators can use to measure student understanding and development in agricultural literacy. Having validated instruments and updated standards allowed educators to benchmark their teaching and adjust methods for maximum impact on student learning outcomes. Professional Development Opportunities in Agricultural Literacy with DoD and DHS Collaborating with the Departments of Defense, FBI and Homeland Security, linked agricultural education to broader career awareness, showing the importance of agriculture for national security. Educators gained exposure to industry applications in agriculture, which helped them understand career pathways students could pursue within these fields and highlighted the broader role of agriculture in society. These combined efforts have provided a comprehensive professional development structure integrating agricultural literacy for formal and nonformal educational environments, enhancing educators' content knowledge, instructional skills, and ability to engage diverse audiences in meaningful agricultural education.   PLAN OF WORK The W3006 team submitted and was approved for the W4006 Multistate Agricultural Literacy Project. The new project will begin October 1, 2024. It has new critical objectives that will guide the team members through 9/30/2029. Dr. Brian Warnick will continue as the Project Administrator at USU. Dr. Rose Judd-Murray (USU) will guide and transition project leadership to Dr. Michelle Burrows (USU), who will become the Project Leader for two years, with Dr. Annie Specht (Ohio State) as the leader-elect and Dr. Amelia Miller (USU) as the team Secretary. Our annual meeting is anticipated to continue in conjunction with the AAAE Western Region Meeting (fall season).

Publications

Presentations Bayity, K., & Norris-Parish, S. L. (2023, April). Digitizing the divide: Breaking down digital and precision agricultural messaging for science communicators [Oral Presentation]. Association for International Agricultural and Extension Education (AIAEE) Annual Conference. Guelph, Canada. Donaldson, A.*, & Rice, A. H. (2023). Experiences of recently graduated women school-based agricultural education students. Proceedings of the National American Association for Agricultural Education Research Conference, Raleigh, NC Easley-Smith, F., & Norris-Parish, S. L. (2023, June). Building a foundation: A case study of interpersonal and technical skills desired by undergraduate students in agricultural communications courses at New Mexico State University [Oral Presentation]. Association of Communication Excellence (ACE). Asheville, North Carolina. Lemley, S.M., & Morrison, C.C. (2023). How’d that get into my lunchbox: Taking a bite into ag literacy and socio-emotional learning. Mississippi Early Childhood Association, Meridian, MS. Lemley, S.M., Clary, R.M., Marlow, T., Bright, T., Reed, K., & Tucker, D. (2023). Integrating agriculture and active literacy strategies in your student-centered science classroom. Presentation proposal for the Mississippi Science Teacher Association Annual Conference, Biloxi, MS. Lemley, S.M., Clary, R.M., Swanson, R., & Alley, K.M. (accepted). Teachers’ scientiﬁc inertia: Misconception persistence after an intensive 10-day agricultural literacy institute. The paper proposal was submitted to the Literacy Research Association Annual Conference, Atlanta, GA. (Nov. 2023) Lemley, S.M., Alley, K.M., & Clary, R.M. (accepted). Building the architecture to incorporate ‘literacy’ in agricultural literacy. Paper presentation proposal for the Literacy Research Association Annual Conference, Atlanta: GA. (Nov. 2023) McCarty, R., & Norris-Parish, S. L. (2023, February). Relevancy of print magazines: A Q methodological examination of Generation Z’s publication preferences [Oral Presentation]. National Agricultural Communications Symposium (NACS). Oklahoma City, OK. Norris-Parish, S. L., Turner, C., & Turner, T. (2023, March). CES 105: Promotion, marketing, and mass media for Extension programs. NM Education Designed to Generate Excellence (EDGE) in the Public Sector, NMSU Cooperative Extension Service, and NMSU Department of Government, Las Cruces, NM. Norris-Parish, S. L. (2023, February). Crystal clear: Establishing winning communication techniques and effective goal setting. Workshop for the Doña Ana County 4-H Leadership Team, Las Cruces, NM. Norris-Parish, S. L. (2023, February). Landing the job: The secret to effective interviewing and connection with employers. Professional development session for Alpha Gamma Rho and Sigma Alpha, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM. Parish, M., & Norris-Parish, S. L. (2023, July). Pasture to plate: Connecting beef production to consumer education. Texas Farm Bureau Workshop, Huntsville, TX. Parish, M., & Norris-Parish, S. L. (2023, January). Identifying innovative ways to connect lay audiences to agricultural education through holiday tradition. Radio Interview for the Nebraska Rural Radio Network based in Lincoln, Nebraska, San Juan, Puerto Rico. Summerﬁeld, E., Volk, N., Specht, A. R., & Claﬂin, K. (2023, May). They don't know Diddly Squat: The inﬂuence of Clarkson's Farm on college students' knowledge and perceptions of agriculture. Paper presented at the 2023 American Association for Agricultural Education National Conference. Raleigh, NC. Accessible Agricultural Education, 2022, Presentation made to the Colorado State University System Board of Governors November 2022, “Open Panel- Ag Literacy and CAM’s Classroom, Extension STEM for Fairs, Ag in the Classroom” Colorado Fairs and Shows Conference, Pueblo, CO. Dr. Kellie Enns & Jenny Bennett, presenters. Accessible Agricultural Education with CAM's Agriculture Academy and CSU Spur. Presentation made to Global Forum for Rural Advisory Services, Denver, CO, 2023. Dr. Kellie Enns & Jenny Bennett, presenters. January 2023. " Including Agricultural Literacy Programming in your Next Community Event" Colorado Farm Show, Greeley, CO. Dr. Kellie Enns & Jenny Bennett, presenters. February 2023. “Exploration of Agricultural Literacy with CSU Agricultural Education and Colorado Ag in the Classroom” Colorado Ag Forum, Westminster, CO. Dr. Kellie Enns & Jenny Bennett, presenters. September 2023. “Examining a Perception-based Pedagogical Content Knowledge Survey for Agricultural Educators in Colorado,” American Association of Agricultural Education. Western Region, speaker, Logan, Utah. Dr. Kellie Enns & Jenny Bennett, presenters.   Publications Appel, S., Enns, K., Bennett, J., (2022). Emotions in literacy: Exploring the role of affinity in agricultural literacy. In poster proceedings of the American Association for Agricultural Education, Western Region conference, fall conference. Bennett, J. (2023). The power of partnerships in agricultural literacy outreach. The Agricultural Education Magazine, 95(4). Bennett, J., Baxter, A., Clark, N., Enns, K., (2023). Examining a perception-based pedagogical content knowledge survey for agricultural educators in Colorado. In poster proceedings for the American Association for Agricultural Education, Western Region conference, fall conference. Bennett, J., Spielmaker, D., Burrows, M., (2022). A synthesis of recommendations within agricultural literacy intervention research. In poster proceedings of the American Association of Agricultural Education National research conference, spring conference. Chambers, A., Hock, G., Hill, N. College student perceptions of importance of Farm Bureau advocacy areas. (2023, June). North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture Journal, 2023 NACTA Abstracts Supplement, 67(1). Abstract. Claﬂin, K., Hock, G. Specht, A. R., Hill, N., & (May, 2023). Talking about diddly squat: A content analysis of tweets about Clarkson’s Farm. Poster presented at the National American Association for Agricultural Education Conference, Raleigh, NC. Easley-Smith, F., Greene, P., & Norris-Parish, S. L. (2023, June). It’s an art, a process, and an act: Teaching effective speech delivery in agricultural communications [Poster Presentation]. Association of Communication Excellence (ACE). Asheville, NC. Note: Awarded Outstanding Innovative Poster. Easley-Smith, F., Greene, P., & Norris-Parish, S. L. (2023, September). Tell me about it! Undergraduate student self-evaluation assessment of public speaking performance [Poster Presentation]. Western Region of the American Association for Agricultural Education (WAAAE) Research Conference. Logan, UT. Enns, K., 2023. Innovation in Ag Literacy. Agricultural Educator Magazine, 95(4). Eshelman, K., & Shepardson, R., (2023) Bringing Literacy to the County Fair. Agricultural Educator Magazine, 95(4). Judd-Murray, R., Hill, N., Norris-Parish, S., & Hock, G. (2024). A Multi-State Agricultural Literacy Assessment of Extension Professionals and Volunteers. Journal of Agricultural Education, 65(2). Judd-Murray, R., Warnick, B. K., Coster, D. C., & Longhurst, M. L. (2024). Development and validation of a high school agricultural literacy assessment. Advancements in Agricultural Development, 5(3), 91-104. Norris, W., Norris-Parish, S., & Crayton, T. (2024). The Administrative Paradox: Assessing how Teaching Experience Affects Superintendents’ Perceptions of the Importance of Educational Law to Agricultural Educators. Journal of Agricultural Education, 65(3). Stofer, K. A., Flory, S. L., Albrecht, D., Hall, R., Watts, J., Fahey, C., ... & Petri, T. (2024). Collaborative Professional Development on Authentic Science May Reduce Barriers to Implementation in High School Classrooms. Florida Journal of Educational Research, 61(1).