A DOCUMENT ANALYSIS OF THE PEDAGOGICAL KNOWLEDGE ESPOUSED IN AGRICULTURE TEACHING METHODS COURSES

A DOCUMENT ANALYSIS OF THE PEDAGOGICAL KNOWLEDGE ESPOUSED
IN AGRICULTURE TEACHING METHODS COURSES
Anna L. Ball, Assistant Professor
Neil A. Knobloch, Assistant Professor
University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign


Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine pedagogical knowledge espoused in teaching methods courses in agricultural education. The population was a census of 64 agricultural teacher educators nationwide who taught a teaching methods course during the 2002-03 academic year.
The researchers utilized a content document analysis method (Hodder, 2000) of aching methods course syllabi to identify the required course readings, assignments, and eaching methods taught by teacher educators. The most frequently required reading esource was Newcomb, McCracken, and Warmbrod’s (1986, 1993), Methods of Teaching griculture. One-fourth of the teaching methods teacher educators required this text. early one in seven educators required a teaching methods text outside of gricultural education. Teacher educators had a wide range of the types of ssignments and amount of work required in their teaching methods courses. Teacher educators pent an average of 21% of the course time teaching methods. The problem-solving pproach to teaching was the most widely espoused teaching method in agricultural ducation course syllabi. The predominant number of teaching methods taught appeared o be directly from Newcomb et al.’s book. Regardless of the teaching method listed n he syllabi, teacher educators spent a low percentage of course time on teaching methods.
Introduction and Theoretical Framework

The professional practice of educators is
guided by commonly held knowledge,
beliefs, and assumptions about pedagogy.
Likewise, a body of knowledge of research
and theories guides the practice of the
university professionals who prepare such
educators. One important task for any
practitioner is to reflect upon the actions of
practice (Schön, 1983). A critical piece of
such reflection involves examining the
knowledge base and theories in use
that inform, and ultimately shape the
practitioners to which such knowledge and
theories are disseminated. “Are we satisfied
with the way that we, as teacher educators,
teach our students or prepare them for their
teaching roles?” (Crunkilton, 1988, p. 3)
One step in determining the answers to this
important musing is for teacher educators
to gain a deeper understanding of the
pedagogical knowledge they posit as a

part of agriculture teacher preparation
courses.
Ducharme and Ducharme (1996)
discussed the paucity of systematic research
in the study of teacher educators. While
numerous studies have documented the
work of teacher educators in normal schools,
reform efforts in teacher education
programs, the demographics of teacher
education faculty, the research productivity
of teacher education faculty, and the nature
of teacher education faculty work
(Cruikshank, 1990), there is a lack of
research regarding how and what teacher
education faculty teach.
Cruikshank’s Model to Guide Inquiry in
Preservice Teacher Education (1984)
provides a conceptual framework for
the systematic study of teaching among
faculty and students in teacher education,
and thus forms the conceptual framework
for this study. This model illustrates
five variables: (1) teacher educators, (2) preservice teacher education students,
(3) contexts where teacher preparation
takes place, (4) content of the teacher
preparation curriculum, and (5) instruction

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