Regional Agriculture Education & Technology Center (AETC) Planning Grant

该项目正在为设计一个区域农业教育和技术中心(AETC)制定一项全面的战略计划，以便为中学和中学后教育工作者开发和传播科学、技术和教学资源。目前在整个加利福尼亚州与教师在中学后农业教育项目中的工作正在被用于这一项目。正在探索五个邻近州(内华达州、亚利桑那州、俄勒冈州、爱达荷州和华盛顿州)的项目，以确定西海岸地区农业中心最适合的地理区域。该项目是：1)评估社区学院和大学农业教育项目在为该地区的农业教师提供职前和在职准备方面的优势和需求；2)为支持农业项目和农业科技教师的核心中心活动制定计划；以及3)为农业研究生制定研究议程，以深入研究与农业教育工作者相关的问题。特别关注教学方法和对学生的支持，包括那些通常不以农业教育为职业的少数群体。最后，通过创建一个协作、集中的区域中心，加强了高中和大学教育之间的基本社区学院联系。

This project is developing a comprehensive strategic plan for the design of a regional Agriculture Education and Technology Center (AETC) to develop and disseminate science, technology and pedagogical resources for secondary and post-secondary educators. Current work with faculty in post-secondary agriculture education programs throughout California is being leveraged for this project. Programs in five neighboring states (Nevada, Arizona, Oregon, Idaho, and Washington) are being explored to determine the geographic area that will best be served by a regional agriculture center on the West Coast. The project is: 1) Assessing the strengths and needs of community college and university agriculture education programs in delivering pre-service and in-service preparation for agriculture teachers within the region; 2) Developing plans for core center activities that support agriculture programs and agriculture science and technology instructors; and 3) Developing a research agenda for agriculture graduate students to conduct in-depth studies of issues pertinent to agriculture educators. Special attention is given to pedagogy and support for students, including minorities, who have not typically pursued Agriculture Education as a career. Finally, the essential community college link between high school and university education is strengthened through the creation of a collaborative, centralized regional center.