Programmatic Involvement and Emerging Educational Outcomes: An Exploratory Study

Abstract

Preparing students in school-based agricultural education (SBAE) to respond to emerging challenges impacting - and being impacted by - agriculture, food, and natural resource systems (e.g., climate change, water scarcity, soil degradation) is essential. Therefore, student involvement in SBAE was investigated in relation to metacognition, problem-solving abilities, and systems thinking, three educational outcomes deemed 'emerging' due to their necessity in addressing complex problems. Overall, results from this investigation suggest involvement in SBAE is related to higher levels of metacognition, problem-solving ability, and systems thinking when compared to no involvement. However, when comparing more advanced levels of involvement (e.g., participating in state or national level [Future Farmers of America] FFA contests) to foundational involvement (e.g., participating in local/chapter level FFA contests), advanced involvement did not consistently relate to increased attainment of the emerging educational outcomes. In congruence with the Theory of Student Involvement, recommendations for practice and research are highlighted. Principal among the recommendations is a call for educators to invest resources to encourage a broader range of students to be involved in SBAE at more foundational levels rather than investing resources in the advanced involvement of a select few students.