Connie Baggett | Pennsylvania State University (original) (raw)

Papers by Connie Baggett

This report includes a description of a project to develop and field-test competency-based instru... more This report includes a description of a project to develop and field-test competency-based instructional materials for handicapped students enrolled in regular vocational agriculture programs; a list of project advisory personnel; the clusters of skills identified as appropriate for handicapped students enrolled in courses in dairy production, horse husbandry, plant production, and agricultural mechanics; and sample task instruction sheets. Checklists for use in evaluating students' skills in the following areas are provided: employability; occupational safety; production economics, management, and mechanics; and broiler and egg, dairy, swine, and beef cattle production. Included among the topics covered in the sample task instruction sheets provided are various recordkeeping, technical, feeding, breeding, calving, grooming, handling, planting, and growing skills. Each task instruction sheet contains some or all of the following: a task statement, a task description, a list of materials and tools needed, a description of information to be provided to students, lists of skins addressed and new words, and student evaluation criteria in the form of task statements. During the course of the project, materials for use in teaching 53 separate skills in the 4 target subject areas were developed and field-tested. The personnel list, skills lists, and task instruction sheets are contained in appendixes which constitute the bulk of the document. (MN)

Journal of Agricultural Education, Mar 1, 2003

The purpose of this study was to identify competencies perceived as needed by secondary level agr... more The purpose of this study was to identify competencies perceived as needed by secondary level agricultural teachers in Pennsylvania to help them become more effective while working with disabled students. The authors used a random sample (153) of 60% of the secondary agricultural teachers from a 1999-2000 state directory for this descriptive study. The instrument used was divided into five competency areas: personal characteristics, professional role and development, instructional role, knowledge statements, and student leadership and organization. Subjects rated their perceived present and desired levels of competency by responding to a five-point Likert-type scale on 17 items. Frequencies and distributions were used to describe demographic variables. A paired t-test was used to analyze each competency area. The five currently held competency levels rated lowest were 1) completing individual vocational education plans, 2) being familiar with laws that apply to special needs students, 3) completing individual education plans, 4) assisting the student in viewing his/her assets or limitations realistically, and 5) utilizing a variety of teaching methods and techniques to provide instruction for disabled students. All teachers rated their desired competency levels higher than their current competency levels. The authors recommend that inservice programs be planned so that teachers may increase their knowledge base while working with disabled students.

Journal of Agricultural Education, Dec 1, 1990

The Journal of Agricultural Education and Extension, Dec 1, 2004

Page 1. December 2004 Educational Reform as Innovation: A Qualitative Study on the Perceptions of... more Page 1. December 2004 Educational Reform as Innovation: A Qualitative Study on the Perceptions of Brazilian Agricultural School Teachers Francisco Carlos T. Leite, Connie D. Baggett, Rama B. Radhakrishna This qualitative ...

The Agricultural education magazine, 2014

Concrete has been known to exist since 3000 BC when the Egyptian Pyramids were first built with a... more Concrete has been known to exist since 3000 BC when the Egyptian Pyramids were first built with a prim- itive form of concrete, mud and straw mixed with gypsum and lime for the mortar. Although today's concrete is much better the concept remains the same. Concrete has become so popu- lar that today it is used for nearly any building product. Concrete soffit, siding, shingles, walls, countertops, tombstones and most recently con- crete furniture can be seen just about everywhere. Three weeks ago I was watching the show "Restaurant Im- possible" when a facility was given a new makeover. They used polished concrete tables to replace the old ones.Instruction in Concrete Construc- tion for Your ProgramAt the Pennsylvania College of Technology I have developed an in- structional unit in concrete for post secondary education which could and has been adapted for middle and high school students. The first unit starts with the history and development of concrete and the concrete industry. This is followed by identifying qual- ity concrete, tool identification, and Portland cement. Units five and six discuss proper sub-grade and form preparation. Unit seven deals with proper curing for adequate strength and durability. Unit eight discusses slab defects and methods and tech- niques to avoid them. Unit nine is proper reinforcement using wire mesh, reinforcement bars or "rebars," and both rod and mesh fiber. Unit ten is all about admixtures and their ben- efits. These units progress in a logical sequence so that one unit builds upon the previous one.Student Evaluation and GradingI have taught these units at the post secondary level but have also adapted components of them for seventh through ninth grade on career day as well as tenth through twelfth grade as an after school activity for a local high school.SAEs or supervised agricul- ture experiences have been a part of agriculture education since the beginning. SAEs have changed sig- nificantly since the day of the large farm has become almost a thing of the past. Many students do not have the opportunity to complete an actual agricultural experiential learning ex- perience on the farm; therefore, it is important to offer a variety of other experiences as well as introducing new ones. Concrete is a resource that could and should be used to al- low students to complete their SAE requirements. When we evaluate all of the different uses of concrete in the agriculture industry, it should make us realize the importance of knowing and understanding concrete prepa- ration, placement, finish and care. …

The Agricultural education magazine, 2001

A job opportunity-based curriculum planning model was developed for high school vocational agricu... more A job opportunity-based curriculum planning model was developed for high school vocational agriculture programs. Three objectives were to identify boundaries of the geographical area within which past program graduates obtained entry-level position, title and description of position, and areas of high school specialization; number and titles of job-entry positions, average annual openings for such positions, and projected future needs of agricultural businesses in the geographical area; and competencies required for job entry-level positions. Two instruments were developed to sample 1,198 one-, two-and three-year graduates of 35 Pennsylvania high schools (to provide five samples of each of seven instructional areas of vocational agriculture) and 31 agricult ral businesses. The end product was an eight-stage job opportunity planning model: (1) survey graduates; (2) determine miles to first job, graduates' programs, graduates' first job; (3) survey employers in area including at least 80% of the graduates; (4) determine labor and student occupational needs; (5) determine skills and skill levels needed for meaningful jobs in industry; (6) match skills with courses and course requirements; (7) teach students skills and competencies; (8) place students in jobs. Information was also obtained regarding graduates' employment history, methods used to secure entry-level employment, and adequacy of vocational training. (Instruments are appended.) (YLB)

The development of individualized educational programs (IEPs) has become a burden for many second... more The development of individualized educational programs (IEPs) has become a burden for many secondary school systems. The primary objective of the project described in this report was to develop a computer system that would help in the development of IEPs for all 15,000 handicapped and/or disadvantaged students enrolled in Pennsylvania's vocational programs. Collection of tests and their criteria used in IEP development was the method used to obtain data, using a 10% sampling of school districts. The Singer Vocational Evaluative System and the Vocationa Interest Assessment Survey were incorpora,_ed in the program. Information was put in the proper computer syntax, and logic sequence models for data usage were constructed. The instrument was tested using data appropriate for handicapped students enrolled in the programs. The system performs the following operations: (1) locates discrepancies and results of intelligence quotient (IQ) tests; (2) classifies the IQ score; (3) clmpares achievement and IQ standardized results; (4) classifies isolated IQ results into educational terms; and (5) offers some guidelines related to a student's probable ecademic abilities. The following factors may affect the results offerbd by the program: physical limitations of the student; basing decision on aptitude or interest results as isolated test scores; and evaluator errora-these may be eliminated by reviewing test procedures. (Five appendices forming the bulk of the document are: (1) list of professional contacts and organizations; (2) sampling of special needs students' assessment instruments; (3) users' guide-IEP assessment aid; (4) sample computer assessment output; and (5) computer programmed information.) (NLA)

The Agricultural education magazine, May 1, 2002

Over the last several months, I pondered what would be the better title for the theme article for... more Over the last several months, I pondered what would be the better title for the theme article for this issue of the magazine. I pondered such titles as "Where has Career Education gone?" or "For whom the bell tolls, it tolls for Career Education" or "Those were the good ole days for Career Education." Obviously, these are cliche titles that some of us seasoned educators remember relative to other aspects of life. I realized that all of these could be an appropriate title for what I have written. It was the best of times when I was teaching about careers in agriculture at the secondary school level in North Carolina in the late '70's. I became certified in career exploration through NC State University. Yes, I was teaching and working toward adding this area to my agricultural teaching certificate. Everyone knows that going to school and teaching school is a very demanding role to play but my strong will to be as effective as I could gave me the strength to continue. My career education program in the Durham County Schools reinforced my philosophy to help budding teenagers to explore the world of work and to determine those areas that most interest them. Because my students in this career exploration program were 8th graders, I had an enormous task of helping these young minds to value education, agriculture, and being a productive member of society when they grow up. Using the Tarboro Curriculum, I introduced students to careers in cluster areas: Agribusiness and Natural Resources, Environmental, and Marine Science. It was amazing how these students dove into the activities of the different occupational clusters and these students learned and showed appreciation for the jobs studied (Table 1). As you read this, I am sure that you know that my heart was really in the agricultural and environmental clusters. Obviously, there are many agricultural and environmental occupations that were not covered. However, many of the students involved in the career exploration program signed up for the 91 grade agriculture program. Like many agricultural programs, students learned more in-depth subject matter in the 9th grade. During my Ph.D. program, I hypothesized that interest was learned (Baggett, 1982). My hypothesis was based upon the work that Donald Super, a psychologist, published in 1976. He theorized that interests are learned and that people do not have innate interest from birth. To make a long story short, my reserach found that students do learn interest in agricultural careers after having been exposed to career information. As part of an experimental design, I used the Vocational Education Production teaching material titled "Careers in Agriculture." Interestingly enough, female students had the highest gain score between the two sexes. Christie (1996) conducted a similar study and made similar conclusions. These two studies reinforce the need to have career education as part of any instructional program in the agricultural sciences. These are the best of times. If we continue to build career education into the agri-science education curriculum, these are the best of times. I've been there and done that and there are many teachers still doing that. …

The Agricultural education magazine, Jul 1, 2010

A strong and exciting secondary agricultural education, horticulture, or SAE program is a necessi... more A strong and exciting secondary agricultural education, horticulture, or SAE program is a necessity in all schools. Consequently, the agriculture teacher must possess a variety of knowledge, skills, and expertise. The agriculture teacher also needs appropriate curriculum and instructional aides to support the secondary program. Depending upon your program, agriculture teachers are responsible for many disciplines including animal science, horticulture and plant science, mechanics, biotechnology, and environmental science. One more discipline to add is that of landscape design. Although landscape design technically falls under the scope of horticulture, many schools offer a class solely in landscaping. Why Concrete Pavers? The concept of tightly fitted paving units on a granular base is very old. The first segmental roads were built in 5000 BC by the Minoans on the island of Crete. With free labor and a military dominance, the Romans built the first interstate system with segmental pavement over 2,000 years ago. Since then, practically every culture continues to use segmental pavements. Using concrete pavers for hardscaping is one of the fastest growing trends in the landscape industry. People are spending more time outside through indoor and outdoor space transitions and they want their outdoor space to look aesthetically pleasing. Concrete pavers offer the customers many choices in the areas of color, shape and design. This high demand has created another opportunity for landscapers to pursue. The term hardscape is used almost exclusively by the landscape industry and it may never appear in standard dictionaries. Even among landscapers, the term only recently entered the industry jargon. Simply stated, hardscape is everything that is part of the landscape composition other than plant materials. Much of it functions to enclose or surface portions of the landscape, but there are other important functions as well. One point is indisputable: when hardscape is part of the composition, a landscape will never be perceived as being totally natural. Whether the landscape is then seen as being marred by human intervention or improved by it depends upon the artistry of the designer and the craftsmanship of the installer. Hardscaping - Working in the 21st Century Landscaping is one of the fastest growing sectors in agriculture, with hardscaping emerging as one of the brightest spots in landscaping. Again, hardscaping involves all the features of the landscape that are not living. Some examples would include decks, trellises, fences, boulders, water features, patios and walls. In the past, patios, walks, and walls were designed using poured concrete and cement blocks, but that is changing. Patios are increasingly being designed using concrete pavers. Concrete pavers are blocks that come in many shapes and colors and are very durable and pleasing to the eye. The trend today is to connect your indoor rooms with outdoor spaces through hardscaping and concrete pavers are a great way to do this. With this increasing demand for a skill comes an increasing demand to teach these methods correctly to our students. There are many texts to use as resources and several lessons online. But, there is a need for a thorough curriculum on constructing patios using concrete pavers. This has led me to design a curriculum using concrete pavers to construct patios that will be available through the Department of Agricultural and Extension Education at Penn State University. …

Journal of Agricultural Education

Journal of International Agricultural and Extension Education

The Agricultural education magazine, 2001

The Agricultural Education Magazine, Mar 1, 2006

Middle school can be the best time to motivate students to learn. Super (1957) stated that "... more Middle school can be the best time to motivate students to learn. Super (1957) stated that "'Adolescence is clearly, a period of exploration. It is a period in which boys and girls explore the society in which they live, the subculture into which they are about to move, the roles they may be called upon to play, and the opportunities to play roles which are congenial to their personalities, interests, and aptitudes" (p. 81). During this time, middle school agriculture teachers should recognize and take advantage of a teachable moment. Flanders and Bell (2006) noted that, "IVliddle school students are at the appropriate age to learn about the important issues and vast career opportunities related to agriculture" (p. 5). Career exploration gives students the opportunity to get an early start to learn about careers, develop an interest for agriculture, and receive guidance from teachers through related agricultural activities. Phipps and Osborne (1988) reinforced this principle by stating that "agricultural education provides career education through instructional activities related to agriculture" (p. 19). Within the agriculture education program, middle school teachers can provide students with career exploration through the agricultural education model of Classroom and Laboratory Experiences; Supervised Agricultural Experience Program (SAEP), and the National FFA Organization (FFA). Before middle school students can begin to explore careers in agriculture, they need to be educated regarding the basic concepts of agriculture so they can identify areas of interest. By using classroom and laboratory experiences, middle school teachers can address the basic concepts of agriculture. Classroom and laboratory experiences provides students with "hands-on" agricultural learning activities and increase the possibility that skills learned in the classroom can be transferred to actual agricultural careers. Agricultural activities can take place inside or outside of the classroom. In a review of Piaget's work, Wadsworth (1996) states "children construct knowledge out of their exploratory actions on the environment" (p. 149). Exploratory activities are valuable strategies for middle school teachers when providing an introduction and orientation to careers in agricultural and related sciences. In an exploratory SAE Program, students learn about the "big picture" of agriculture and its related careers. As part of the SAE Program, students can observe someone working in agriculture, attend an agricultural career day at a university or complete handson projects that relate to career areas and share reactions with the agriculture teacher (National FFA Organization, 2003). Middle school agriculture education teachers can provide students with leadership opportunities such as teamwork, character education, and career development through the FFA program. Middle school students are offered the opportunity to earn an FFA Discovery Degree, developed especially for middle school agricultural education students. In the FFA Student Handbook, one of the requirements for the FFA Discovery Degree is "knowledge of agriculture-related career, ownership and entrepreneur opportunities" (National FFA Organization, 2006, p. 92). Fulfilling this degree requirement can help youth advance through the FFA degree program as well as learn about careers in the agricultural industries. Several states provide students the opportunity to enroll in middle school agriculture education courses or career exploration programs through many different options. For example, some school districts may offer agricultural education or courses through career and technical education programs while others may offer general electives in a series of course rotations. Middle school agriculture education courses are offered through a curriculum that may range in length from several weeks to year long courses. The use of curriculum guides provides teachers with a roadmap for teaching courses in a developmental appropriate format and the time allocated to teach the course. …

Advancements in Agricultural Development

Cohesion is a fundamental determinant of performance in farmer groups in which collective action ... more Cohesion is a fundamental determinant of performance in farmer groups in which collective action is pursued for the benefit of the members. The study examined the influence of individual members’ objectives, participation culture, group rewards, structure of tasks and perceived equity on cohesion of farmer groups that can promote access to agricultural extension services. Quantitative data were collected from 180 members of 19 farmer groups using questionnaires selected in a multi-stage process that combined purposive and random sampling. Qualitative data were gathered from 20 key informants in oral interviews and three focus group discussions. Regression analysis indicated that there were statistically significant negative relationships between individual members’ objectives, structure of the tasks, group reward system and cohesion of farmer groups. In contrast, perceived equity had a statistically significant positive relationship with cohesion in farmer groups. We recommend that,...

University faculty, including agricultural educators, must increasingly demonstrate their scholar... more University faculty, including agricultural educators, must increasingly demonstrate their scholarship through papers presented at research conferences and articles published in refereed journals. In documenting the emphasis being placed upon research and related scholarly activities, Warmbrod (1987, p. 2) asked in his Central Region Agricultural Education Research Conference keynote address: What agricultural education researcher-- whether graduate student, beginning assistant professor or tenured professor-- would dare submit a research article or paper to-

The purpose of this study was to identify competencies perceived as needed by secondary level agr... more The purpose of this study was to identify competencies perceived as needed by secondary level agricultural teachers in Pennsylvania to help them become more effective while working with disabled students. The authors used a random sample (153) of 60 % of the secondary agricultural teachers from a 1999-2000 state directory for this descriptive study. The instrument used was divided into five competency areas: personal characteristics, professional role and development, instructional role, knowledge statements, and student leadership and organization. Subjects rated their perceived present and desired levels of competency by responding to a five-point Likert-type scale on 17 items. Frequencies and distributions were used to describe demographic variables. A paired t-test was used to analyze each competency area. The five currently held competency levels rated lowest were 1) completing individual vocational education plans, 2) being familiar with laws that apply to special needs studen...

The Agricultural education magazine, 2014

The Agricultural education magazine, 2016

Service learning is an innovative strategy that is rapidly expanding experience for learners in h... more Service learning is an innovative strategy that is rapidly expanding experience for learners in higher education institutions across the United States. It has become a popular teaching strategy at all levels of education (Bowen, 2010; Celio, Durlak & Dymnicki, 2011). Service learning is a volunteer experience that contributes to the betterment of peoples' lives by meeting their needs, and in return yields positive outcomes for the student involved. One student said, "Service learning as a volunteer practice is the best thing to do for others, but also the best thing to do for oneself." Therefore, service learning links students' learning with organizations and the community for mutual benefit (Greenwood, 2015). Service learning promotes community engagement and development of morals for interactions suitable for work (Waldner, McGorry & Widener, 2012; Greenwood, 2015). However, in order for service learning to achieve tangible outcomes, it needs to be organized wit...

Journal of Agricultural Education, Mar 1, 2003

Journal of Agricultural Education, Dec 1, 1990

The Journal of Agricultural Education and Extension, Dec 1, 2004

The Agricultural education magazine, 2014

The Agricultural education magazine, 2001

The Agricultural education magazine, May 1, 2002

The Agricultural education magazine, Jul 1, 2010

Journal of Agricultural Education

Journal of International Agricultural and Extension Education

The Agricultural education magazine, 2001

The Agricultural Education Magazine, Mar 1, 2006

Advancements in Agricultural Development

The purpose of this study was to identify competencies perceived as needed by secondary level agr... more The purpose of this study was to identify competencies perceived as needed by secondary level agricultural teachers in Pennsylvania to help them become more effective while working with disabled students. The authors used a random sample (153) of 60 % of the secondary agricultural teachers from a 1999-2000 state directory for this descriptive study. The instrument used was divided into five competency areas: personal characteristics, professional role and development, instructional role, knowledge statements, and student leadership and organization. Subjects rated their perceived present and desired levels of competency by responding to a five-point Likert-type scale on 17 items. Frequencies and distributions were used to describe demographic variables. A paired t-test was used to analyze each competency area. The five currently held competency levels rated lowest were 1) completing individual vocational education plans, 2) being familiar with laws that apply to special needs studen...

The Agricultural education magazine, 2014

The Agricultural education magazine, 2016