Career development event preparation and experiential learning strategies employed by Pennsylvania secondary agricultural education teachers

Career development events are an important facet of the National [Future Farmers of America] FFA organization as well as the teaching and learning segment of the national research agenda for career and technical education (Lambeth, Elliot and Joerger, 2008). Students are often prepared to compete in these events by their FFA advisor. Career development events provide students the opportunity to practice, in a competitive setting, the skills and knowledge gained through classroom and laboratory instruction. Thus, these events could be described as an experiential learning opportunity that allows students to practice skills, model procedures, receive feedback, and apply knowledge. The current study sought to determine the linkages between the implementation of experiential learning strategies and the approaches employed by agricultural education teachers to prepare students for state-level events. A stratified random sample of current agricultural education teachers in Pennsylvania was selected for participation. Data were collected utilizing an electronic survey technique. Results indicated that agricultural education teachers use experiential learning and a variety of techniques, time schedules, and preparation strategies in preparing for career development event competition.