Tracy Kitchel

Beginning Teachers' Perceptions of In-School and In-Profession Mentoring Relationships.

The purpose of this study was to compare two different formal mentoring relationships based on the perceptions of beginning teachers regarding their dyadic interactions. Kram’s mentor role theory and Byrne’s similarity-attraction paradigm served as the theoretical foundation for the study. The specific variables of interest included psychosocial mentoring, dyad similarity, and dyad satisfaction. The time and place sample consisted of beginning agricultural education teachers (n = 40) paired with a mentor in the school where they taught (i.e., in-school), and beginning agricultural education teachers (n = 40) paired with an agricultural education mentor located in a neighboring school (i.e., in-profession). Data for this study were collected by using the Mentoring Relationship Questionnaire (MRQ). No statistically significant differences were found between the two mentoring relationships. Recommendations for further investigation are suggested, including the need to expand the understanding of relationship dynamics and predictors of quality mentoring.

The Influence of Gender on Relationship Aspects of Beginning Teachers and Their Mentors.

To date, relatively few researchers have examined the gender compositi on of mentoring dyads in the context of Career and Technical Educati on (CTE). Without such studies, understanding with respect to how gender infl uences the dyad relationship is limited. An integrated theoretical framewor k that draws from the similarity-attraction paradigm, relational demography , and attachment theory is applied to this exploratory study involving beginning teachers of agricultural education. Hypotheses related to the influence of gender on th e success of the mentoring relationship were tested. It appears that gender heterogeneity does not hinder the mentoring relationship of beginning teachers. Th e results suggested that male and female beginning teachers, and beginning teachers in same-gender and mixed-gender dyads perceived similar levels of psychosocial mentor ing and its functions, and dyad satisfaction. Significant differences exi ted between males and females regarding their perceptions of dyad similarity; ho wever, no significant differences were found between beginning teachers in same-gender a mixedgender dyads on the same measure. Further research on interper sonal processes in mentoring relationships is encouraged, and gender norming i agricultural education should be examined.

Teachers' Beliefs about the Purpose of Agricultural Education and Its Influence on Their Pedagogical Content Knowledge.

The purpose of this grounded theory study was to conceptualize the pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) of experienced agriculture teachers in the plant sciences. The overarching theme that emerged during data collection and analysis was the influence of beliefs on participants’ PCK. This finding guided subsequent data collection and analysis that focused on what was shaping the participants’ PCK in plant sciences. The integrated beliefs system was the driving force in shaping the participants’ PCK and the primary component of this system was the participants’ beliefs about the purpose of agricultural education. These individual purposes for agricultural education included: career preparation, college preparation, practical life skills, agricultural literacy, and student individualization. These purposes influenced the type of experiences teachers sought out to develop new knowledge and how they transferred that knowledge in the classroom. These findings support further examination of how beliefs about the purpose of agricultural education are influencing teacher knowledge and practice.

Influence of Knowledge of Content and Students on Beginning Agriculture Teachers' Approaches to Teaching Content.

This study explored experiences of beginning agriculture teachers’ approaches to teaching content. The research question guiding the study was: how does agriculture teachers’ knowledge of content and students influence their process of breaking down content knowledge for teaching? The researchers employed a grounded theory approach in which five beginning teachers were interviewed and observed teaching a lesson. The researchers found beginning teachers’ knowledge of content and students greatly influenced how they broke down content knowledge for student understanding. Five major themes emerged: students’ prior knowledge and enrollment in sequences of courses influenced content covered, student engagement methods were not primarily driven by content, differing perceptions of content difficulty for students shaped teaching decisions, deconstructing content for students was deemed important by teachers, and teachers engaged in a form of learning egocentrism. These findings support further research on teachers’ development of pedagogical content knowledge, including knowledge of content and students overtime as it was found to be an influential knowledge base. Recommendations include providing teachers with more opportunities to explore integrating student’s prior knowledge into the curriculum and incorporating student thinking about agriculture content more specifically in teacher preparation.

Deconstructing Content Knowledge: Coping Strategies and Their Underlying Influencers for Beginning Agriculture Teachers.

The purpose of this grounded theory qualitative study was to explore how beginning agriculture teachers break down content knowledge for student understanding. The overarching theme that emerged during data collection and analysis was beginning teachers self-perceived content knowledge deficiency in various subjects within agriculture. This initial finding guided subsequent collection and analysis which focused on how teachers coped with this feeling of inadequacy in content and the underlying influencers that guided those actions. Various coping strategies occurred during planning and in-the-moment teaching stages. Underlying influencers for choosing a particular coping strategy included a combination of internal and external influencers. External influencers included structure of the school environment, individual department structure, and offering agriculture courses for core content credit. Internal influencers included teachers’ content interest, perceived credibility as a content teacher, and philosophies regarding agricultural education. Recommendations include reconciling the purpose of agricultural education in teacher preparation programs, creating more accessible professional development opportunities, and examining experienced teachers in the field for similar findings.