Recently added articles from NACTA Journal:

Note from Editor

Mar 01, 2008; Parker, Rick ... NACTA Journal (ISSN 0149-4910) is published quarterly by the North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture (formerly the National Association of Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture). It is directed toward the scholarship of teaching and learning in agricultural, environmental, natural and ...

A Comparison of Evaluation of Digital Versatile Disc (DVD) Instruction and Live Instruction in Third Grade Classrooms

Mar 01, 2008; Platt, Jenise C; Rusk, Clinton P; Blomeke, Christine R; Talbert, B Allen; Latour, Mickey A ... Abstract The purpose of this study was to compare the performance of third grade students receiving classroom instruction from a teacher, along with hands-on learning materials and live animals, versus the same instruction taught from a recorded lecture on a Digital Versatile Disc (DVD) ...

The Influence of Laboratory Experience Timing on Student Knowledge-Level Achievement in an Undergraduate Introductory Agricultural Mechanics Course

Mar 01, 2008; Baker, Andrew J; Thoron, Andrew C; Myers, Brian E; Cody, Thomas J ... Abstract Instructors often reflect upon their teaching techniques as they begin the process of constructing a course that contains both a lecture component and a laboratory experience. Often instructors are placed in a situation, due to limited resources, where laboratory activities can ...

Analysis of an Early Field Experience in Agricultural Education in Collaboration with a Local High School

Mar 01, 2008; Jasensky, Jenna; Ewing, John C ... Abstract The purpose of this study was to determine if a four-day early field experience was educative, as perceived by the participating teacher candidates and if it was structured in a way which allowed teacher candidates to identify individual strengths and weaknesses. Specifically, ...

Learning from Assessment: Effect of Changes in an Online Course in Agri-Sales on Students' Perceptions and Performance1

Mar 01, 2008; Wachenheim, Cheryl J ... Abstract Student satisfaction with, and performance in, a first-offer online agri-sales course was compared with that of students enrolled in a simultaneously-taught classroom course. Online and classroom students were equally satisfied with the course and the instructor using most ...

Relationships between Agricultural Science Student Teacher Placement Methodology and the Quality of the Student Teacher Experience

Mar 01, 2008; Morrish, Douglas G ... Abstract The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between the importance of agricultural science student teacher placement methodology and the quality of the student teacher experience. The sample consisted of 50 randomly selected head teacher educators in agricultural ...

Student Perceptions of an Online Introductory Horticulture Course

Mar 01, 2008; VanDerZanden, Ann Marie; Woline, Tigon ... Abstract The number of distance education courses available in American higher education has increased substantially over the past decade. The number of higher education students enrolled in an online course during the fall 2005 term was close to 17% of the total population of 17 million ...

Freshmen Experiences as Compared by Degree Completers and Non-completers

Mar 01, 2008; Kitchel, Tracy ... Abstract Many studies have focused on the experiences of the first year college student. There is some contention as to what aspects of these student experiences influences student success. The purpose of the study was to examine patterns related to the time spent or frequency of in- and ...

Student Perceptions toward Agriculture in a General Education Life Science Course

Mar 01, 2008; Rasmussen, Clay L; Warnick, Brian K; Miller, Rhonda L ... Abstract Undergraduate students enrolled in a general education life science course were surveyed to determine the extent to which their perceptions of agriculture and life science changed throughout the duration of the course. A 16- item Likert-type scale questionnaire was distributed ...

A Virtual Laboratory for Undergraduate Instruction in Domestic Animal Reproductive Physiology: Help or Hindrance?

Mar 01, 2008; Grizzle, Judith M; Saxton, Arnold M; Snow, Phillip; Edmonds, Cyndy ... Abstract A virtual teaching laboratory was created to augment lecture and dissection laboratories for Animal Science students taking a course in Reproductive Physiology and Lactation. Labeled photographic and quiz files were generated and loaded onto the student online course management ...

Research and Education Priorities in Agriculture, Forestry and Energy to Achieve the 25×'25 Renewable Energy Vision1

Mar 01, 2008; Acker, Duane ... Abstract This paper lists the high priority research and education foci, as identified by a variety of public and private sector scientists who provided input, in order to achieve the vision, that "by 2025, America's farms, ranches and forests will provide 25% of the total energy ...

Classroom Behaviors: What Lessons Can Professors Learn?

Mar 01, 2008; Whittington, M Susie ... Abstract Since 1990 the researcher has spent 444 hours with 58 professors at three universities developing a nonthreatening approach to observing faculty as they teach. The five "lessons professors can learn" contained in this paper are couched in the teacher behaviors identified by ...

Teaching Tips/Notes

Mar 01, 2008; Anonymous ... Alumni Associations Help Teaching Efforts on Many Different Levels In 2006, I helped a group of energetic alumni establish an affinity alumni association called The Friends of Animal Sciences (FAS). Information about this group, including a brief "history" that I wrote about how it all ...

NACTA on Campus

Mar 01, 2008; Anonymous ... Montana State University Bob Gough, NACTA Historian, and Cheryl Moore-Gough were featured in the Western Lifestyle section of the January 2008 Western Farmer Stockman magazine for the publication of their book, The Montana Gardner's Companion - An Insider's Guide to Gardening Under the ...

NACTA Yesterday

Mar 01, 2008; Anonymous ... 50 years ago Vol. II (1), 1958 President Burton W. DeVeau convened the NACTA Curriculum Panel to discuss ag college students of the day. The panel reported that students have poor reading ability, low comprehension, and poor study habits. They have had inadequate counseling in high ...

Introduction to Fruit Crops

Mar 01, 2008; Hubbard, Mark ... Introduction to Fruit Crops by Mark Reiger, Food Products Press, 2006, 527 pages, softbound, $69.95 Reiger has written an introduction to a wide variety of both temperate and tropical fruit crops. The fruits covered are almond, apple, apricot, banana and plantain, blackberry and ...

Chew on This

Mar 01, 2008; Francis, Charles ... Chew on This by Eric Schlosser and Charles Wilson, Penguin Books, London, U.K., 2006, Paper, $8.95, 264 pages, ISBN 0-141-31844-9 Chew on This presents an exposé of the fast food industry that is hard-hitting, insightful, and welldocumented. Sub-titled "Everything You Don't Want to Know ...

The Courage to Teach: Exploring the Inner Landscape of a Teacher's Life, 10th Anniversary Edition

Mar 01, 2008; Pals, Douglas ... The Courage to Teach: Exploring the Inner Landscape of a Teacher's Life, 10th Anniversary Edition by Parker J. Palmer, Jossey-Bass, A Wiley Imprint, San Francisco, California, 2007. 240 pages, $27.95 cloth, ISBN 978-0-78799686-4 A decade after The Courage to Teach was published, Dr ....

An Introduction to Plant Breeding

Mar 01, 2008; Knauft, David ... An Introduction to Plant Breeding by Jack Brown and Peter Caligari, Blackwell Publishing Inc. Maiden, MA, 2008. $79.99, 224 pages. ISBN 978-1-4051-3344-9 This new textbook gives an overview of the main concepts and principles of plant breeding. After an introductory chapter, sections ...

AgrowKnowledge 2008 National Conference

Mar 01, 2008; Anonymous ... AgrowKnowfedge, the National Center for Agriscience, and Technology announces its 2008 National Conference - "Case Study: Agriculture - Merging Math, Science and Technology." AgrowKnowledge is stepping up the teaching abilities of agriculture, food, and natural resources educators by ...