WERA207: Agricultural Literacy
(Multistate Research Coordinating Committee and Information Exchange Group)
Status: Inactive/Terminating
WERA207: Agricultural Literacy
Duration: 10/01/2001 to 09/30/2006
Administrative Advisor(s):
NIFA Reps:
Non-Technical Summary
Statement of Issues and Justification
Nunnery (1996) noted that Agricultural Literacy efforts must build a framework for understanding agriculture from a variety of perspectives and viewpoints. He believed it should inspire and empower independent thinking, a positive activism toward food and agricultural issues, and support of education initiatives. Currently no general (universal) system to assess programmatic effectiveness and ultimately learner outcomes exists in order to evaluate success and impact of agricultural literacy programs across the country. The purpose of this committee is to improve the understanding of the critical significance agriculture plays in our quality of life and the quality of our environment; locally and globally. Specifically, agricultural literacy will be addressed in the following areas: Food and Fiber Systems: Understanding Agriculture; Historical, Cultural, and Geographic Significance of Agriculture; Science: Agricultural-Environmental Independence; Business and Economics; and Food, Nutrition, and Health. A more agriculturally literate society means a better-educated populace, which can makes better decisions as citizenry and as consumers. In addition, more people will be exposed to agricultural opportunities, as agricultural literacy improves, and will be more likely to enter agricultural science careers.
Stakeholders of this committee are College of Agriculture Faculty, USDAs Ag in the Classroom (AITC) Program under the auspices of the USDA CSREES and public school teachers who can integrate agricultural knowledge and concepts into their curriculum.
Objectives
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Identify and describe the organizational structure of AITC state programs.
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Identify and describe those components and practices, which correlate with AITC program success.
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Determine the relationship of AITC programs on learner outcomes.
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Procedures and Activities
Expected Outcomes and Impacts
- Development of a process to obtain categories and organize AITC baseline knowledge and data. The information would be assembled in a research report and be used as a benchmark for the remainder of the committees existence and for further research
- Identify those specific components and practices, which correlate with AITC measurable program successes. These would specifically include:<ul><LI>Quality and Comprehensive program indicators that delineate program success, and</li><LI>Data collected which supports analysis of successful components and correlates significant impacts with organizational structure, funding practices, and learner outcomes</li></ul>
- Determine the significant impacts of AITC measurable program successes, which include:Research outcomes that will serve as a mechanism to develop a model, which results in AITC changes for success measured by increases in efficiency and program effectiveness.Demonstrated increase in students knowledge and appreciation of agriculture (agriculture literacy) as it relates to science, technology, society, economics and global issues; resulting in a better informed citizenry, consumers, and a future agriculture workforce (i.e., business leaders, scientists, educators).
Projected Participation
View Appendix E: ParticipationEducational Plan
The committee will develop a series of research reports that focus on the expected outcomes listed above. The committee members will be included on an email listserve and will meet once a year to address the objectives and expected outcomes listed above. The objectives and expected outcomes will form the organizing framework around which the committee will focus their cooperative and collaborative exchange of ideas, concepts, strategies, and research results.
Organization/Governance
The recommended Standard Governance for multistate research activities include the election of a Chair, a Chair-elect, and a Secretary. All officers are to be elected for at least two-year terms to provide continuity. Administrative guidance will be provided by an assigned Administrative Advisor and a CSREES Representative.
Literature Cited