A Comparison of the Professional Development Needs of Kansas and Missouri Teachers of Agriculture

Abstract

Professional development programs are needed to provide teachers of agriculture with the technical information and skills required to successfully meet the demands of a changing educational environment and advances in technology. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to analyze and compare the professional development needs of secondary agriculture teachers in the states of Kansas and Missouri. Specific research objectives were to identify similarities and differences in the professional development needs of secondary agriculture teachers in those states, and to compare the professional development needs of secondary agriculture teachers in Kansas and Missouri based on years of teaching experience. Three items: writing grant proposals for external funding, modifying the curriculum to meet changes in technology, and designing and modifying curriculum and course offerings to attract high quality students, were rated among the five items of greatest need for teachers in both states. An additional seven items were included among the top fifteen items for each group of teachers. In contrast, teachers in the two states ranked eleven of the 52 items considerably differently. Beginning teachers were found to have greater needs for professional development in technical agriculture areas than had been found in previous research. The most experienced group of teachers from each state identified strong needs for professional development in topics pertaining to computers, related technology, and applications. Although needs assessment findings from other states can definitely assist state leaders in refining their own potential lists of professional development topics, sufficient differences existed between these two states to warrant individual periodic needs assessments in each individual state.