Don W. Edgar

Learning Theories and Historical Events Affecting Instructional Design in Education: Recitation Literacy Toward Extraction Literacy Practices

How learning occurs has been a question pondered by the masses since formal education began thousands of years ago. Understanding the process has included many paradigm shifts in thought and practice. A thorough look at one major paradigm shift occurred in the past century, which has led to a plethora of ideas when identifying best practices to encourage learning. A look into this transformation will exact a better understanding of learning and how it best arises, leading to designing instruction that greater impacts the learner.

Knowledge and Perceptions of Agricultural Communications Pilot Curriculum in Arkansas Secondary Agricultural Classrooms

The purpose of this mixed-method study was to assess the effectiveness of agricultural communications curriculum developed and incorporated into a semester-long agricultural leadership and communications course for secondary agricultural education programs in Arkansas. Students (N = 297) participated in newly developed instructional modules addressing four categories of agriculture-themed curricula predetermined by a committee of agricultural education and communications faculty at the University of Arkansas (careers, writing, design, and multimedia). Student agricultural communications knowledge change was assessed using preand post-test instruments in each module of study. Additionally, content analysis of participating teachers’ journals was used to identify emergent themes related to teachers’ experiences teaching the curriculum throughout the semester. Overall, the findings from this study indicated students’ knowledge increased after instruction for each curriculum module: careers (16.2%), writing (23.1%), design (35.7%), and multimedia (31.3%). Lack of time, limited technology, teacher training, and curriculum content were the most common emergent themes among teachers. Based on findings from this study, it was concluded future efforts should be made to provide technology for agricultural education instructors to improve agricultural communications program effectiveness and reach.

NOX Emissions and Performance in a Single-Cylinder Diesel Engine with Emulsified and Non-Emulsified Fuels

A single-cylinder diesel engine (4.8 kW) was fueled with petroleum diesel, 20% biodiesel (B20), neat biodiesel (B100) and 10% (by volume) emulsified D2 (Em-D2), B20 (Em-B20) and B100 (Em-B100) to determine their effects on exhaust gas temperature, brake specific NOX emissions, brake power, brake specific fuel consumption, and brake thermal efficiency at four engine speeds (3600, 3300, 2900, and 2400 rpm). Four replications were conducted at each level of fuel and speed (24 tests).Compared to D2, fueling with E-D2 resulted in similar NOX emissions and decreased power and fuel and thermal efficiencies. Fueling with Em-B20 and Em-B100 significantly reduced NOX emissions relative to both non-emulsified base fuels and to D2.Fueling with E-B20 significantly reduced power and fuel and thermal efficiencies (compared to B20), while Em-B100 resulted in some improvements in power and fuel and thermal efficiencies.

Effectiveness of a Biodiesel Education Program for Secondary School Students

A 2 h educational program on biodiesel production, quality, performance, and emissions was developed and delivered to students (N = 199) in 14 classes at eight public secondary schools. The program was conducted over two days in each class and consisted of a lecture-discussion (Day 1) and an engine performance demonstration and discussion (Day 2). A pre-test post-test design was used to measure changes in students’ knowledge and perceptions of biodiesel as a result of the educational program. Students’ knowledge of biodiesel increased significantly (p<.0001), with post-test knowledge scores increasing 107% relative to pre-test knowledge scores (61.5% vs. 30.1% correct). Students’ initial perceptions of biodiesel were fairly positive (pre-test mean =3.85 on a 1-5 scale) and did not significantly (p = .20) increase as a result of the educational program (post-test mean = 3.94). Students were very positive toward both the lecture-discussion and engine demonstration components of the educational program; however, they were significantly (p < .0001) more positive toward the engine demonstration.