Owl Pellets: Tips for Ag Teachers

Ever feel like you're running on empty? This episode digests vital research on "margin" in the lives of ag educators – that crucial buffer between your workload and your personal resources! Discover why having more margin is key to maintaining wellness, boosting creativity, and finding greater satisfaction in ag teaching. We'll share actionable strategies from the study on how you can protect and...

Brian, Becky, and Mike are back to diving into how learning works. Throughout this episode, they will dive deep into the first section of the book " How Learning Works: 8 Research-Based Principles for Smart Learning ." Marsha Lovett, Michael Birdges, Michele DiPietro, Susan Ambrose, and Maria Norman focused this book on making learning work for you and your students! Come along as Brian, Becky, an...

What do school superintendents really want your ag program to teach? This episode digests research exploring how district leaders prioritize essential employability skills within SBAE curricula! Discover why critical thinking, problem-solving, and resource management are top priorities. Learn how superintendents view these skills as "very" or "extremely important" for student careers, reinforcing...

Ready to empower every student, no matter their background? This "pellet" delivers crucial insights from research on Positive Youth Development in rural, low-SES high schools! Learn how SBAE programs are uniquely positioned to build student confidence, competence, and belonging. We'll explore the importance of trauma-informed teaching and mental health support, plus concrete strategies to foster t...

Ready to fine-tune your classroom and lab skills? Ryan Best, Iowa State University, digests key research on essential instructional practices in School-Based Agricultural Education (SBAE)! We'll explore how effective teaching aligns with the eight AFNR career pathways, covering everything from supervising labs and managing equipment to recruiting students and adapting to hybrid learning. Discover...

Another season, another mini-series! This season, Brian, Becky, and Mike are diving into how learning works. Throughout this mini-series, they will dive deep into the book " How Learning Works: 8 Research-Based Principles for Smart Learning ." Marsha Lovett, Michael Birdges, Michele DiPietro, Susan Ambrose, and Maria Norman focused this book on making learning work for you and your students! Come...

Ever wondered how FFA, classroom, and SAEs really impact student growth? In this week's episode, Tiffany Marzolino, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, explores ag teachers' perceptions of student development across the three-circle model! Discover why the classroom often leads, but how grading SAEs and using tech can supercharge their perceived impact. We'll also dive into making SAEs truly...

Ever thought about using Jeremy Clarkson to teach agriculture? This episode discusses fascinating research on how the TV series "Clarkson's Farm" impacted undergraduate students! Erica Summerfield, South Dakota State University, reveals how showing just two episodes sparked rich dialogue and boosted understanding of food systems, farming challenges, and rural life, even among students new to agric...

Ever wondered how hands-on learning can transform students and your community? This episode digs into fascinating research on land-based learning! Aaron McKim and Abbey Palmer, from Michigan State University, share how connecting high schoolers with local agriculture boosts their leadership skills, sustainability awareness, and understanding of local food. Get ready for practical models to bring r...

We are back,... we are SO back! Brian, Becky, and Mike are super excited to be back with another season of Owl Pellets: Tips for Ag Teachers podcast. Be ready to tackle conversations over how learning works, getting beyond the walls of the classroom, adult partnerships, the donut model, how to communicate about your program, and many more exciting topics. You might even get to meet a member of the...

Ag Ed is uniquely positioned to support boys in school. Stacy Vincent (University of Kentucky) joins the OP crew to share key findings from an experimental study looking at student performance in same-sex versus co-ed classrooms. Tune in to hear more about how students process and engage in school differently.   Journal article: https://jae-online.org/index.php/jae/article/view/122

The "To Those Concerned with Teacher Retention" mini-series highlights a series of vulnerable conversations in letter form to help us ask tough questions of the education career. The series will challenge listeners to consider new solutions, imagine "what ifs," and inform future directions for education. The full journal article includes appendices for further discussion, and we welcome you to use...

Jamie Greig and his team at University of Tennessee knows implementing VR can feel intimidating, but with their guide to planning, process, and reflection, you'll be a VR implementation expert in no time.   Journal Article: https://agdevresearch.org/index.php/aad/article/view/353

We'll just come right out and say it: Mobility might be a retention strategy. Becky Haddad (University of Nebraska-Lincoln) and Lavyne Rada (Co-Director of the Minnesota Teacher Induction Program) chat with Mike and Brian about reasonable retention, navigating the teaching career, and supporting newness across the career spectrum.   Journal Article: https://jae-online.org/index.php/jae/article/vie...

The "To Those Concerned with Teacher Retention" mini-series highlights a series of vulnerable conversations in letter form to help us ask tough questions of the education career. The series will challenge listeners to consider new solutions, imagine "what ifs," and inform future directions for education. The full journal article includes appendices for further discussion, and we welcome you to use...

Curious about how to set failure as an expectation? WHAT?! Taylor Merrick (Arizona ag teacher) and Amber Rice (Iowa State University) have the inside scoop on problem-based learning to help teachers work their students through the process of problem solving, the nature of conflict, and the environment you create in the process. Journal Article: https://jae-online.org/index.php/jae/article/view/103

A team isn't just a group of people thrown together, and Tom Jacobsen with the University of Idaho Extension has some great tips for us to build teams through LDE preparation. Tune in as Tom chats with the crew about defining success, engaging in a team building process, and teaching employability skills in how we ask students to prepare for competition. Journal Article: https://jae-online.org/ind...

The "To Those Concerned with Teacher Retention" mini-series highlights a series of vulnerable conversations in letter form to help us ask tough questions of the education career. The series will challenge listeners to consider new solutions, imagine "what ifs," and inform future directions for education. The full journal article includes appendices for further discussion, and we welcome you to use...

Philanthropy is an intentional, private allocation of time or money--more simply, it's just giving back where you can, and Amber Rice (Iowa State) and Weslee Potts (Arizona Mom & administrator) are here to tell us more! Tune in as they share how Gen Z seeks connection, meaning, purpose, and belonging in their philanthropic efforts, looking to give time more than money in ways that align with t...

VR may feel intimidating to implement, but never fear! Justin Pulley (Tarleton) is here to make sure we've got the basics covered to dive in. Tune in as Justin shares that we don't need to be experts to give VR a try as long as we implement it with a pedagogical purpose in mind.    Journal article: https://jae-online.org/index.php/jae/article/view/165

The "To Those Concerned with Teacher Retention" mini-series highlights a series of vulnerable conversations in letter form to help us ask tough questions of the education career. The series will challenge listeners to consider new solutions, imagine "what ifs," and inform future directions for education. The full journal article includes appendices for further discussion, and we welcome you to use...

Engaging with teacher professional development provides so many opportunities to meet people where they are. Trent Wells (Murray State) joins the OP crew to talk about designing and delivering teacher professional development.   Journal Article: https://jae-online.org/index.php/jae/article/view/2473

Mentoring can be a tricky relationship to define and maintain. Jarred Shellhouse (University of Florida) joins us with reminders that mentoring is more than feedback and guidance; it requires respect, trust, and aligned values.   Journal article: https://jae-online.org/index.php/jae/article/view/39

The "To Those Concerned with Teacher Retention" mini-series highlights a series of vulnerable conversations in letter form to help us ask tough questions of the education career. The series will challenge listeners to consider new solutions, imagine "what ifs," and inform future directions for education. The full journal article includes appendices for further discussion, and we welcome you to use...

It can be easy to take experiential learning for granted, so Brad Coleman (Oklahoma State University), and Grady Roberts and JC Bunch (University of Florida) chat through how to move beyond "hands on" learning into true experiential learning. Tune in as they unpack how to help students make productive contributions, real life applications, and interdisciplinary learning.   Journal Article: https:/...