IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v15y2023i18p13896-d1242808.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Sustaining Global Food Systems with Youth Digital Livestock Production Curricula Interventions and Adoption to Professionally Develop Agents of Change

Author

Listed:
  • Robert Strong

    (Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communications, Texas A & M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA)

  • Sarah Sprayberry

    (Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communications, Texas A & M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA)

  • Kim Dooley

    (Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communications, Texas A & M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA)

  • Jaehyun Ahn

    (Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communications, Texas A & M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA)

  • Jennifer Richards

    (Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA)

  • Jim Kinsella

    (School of Agriculture and Food Science, Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, D04 C1P1 Dublin, Ireland)

  • Chin-Ling Lee

    (Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education & Communication, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA)

  • Nicole Ray

    (Department of Agricultural Education and Communication, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA 93407, USA)

  • Sarah Cardey

    (Department of International Development, University of Reading, Reading RG6 6BZ, UK)

  • Carmen Benson

    (Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communications, Texas A & M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA)

  • Andrea Ettekal

    (Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communications, Texas A & M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA)

Abstract

Improving the sustainability of global food systems requires competent and impactful change agents who are tasked with disseminating knowledge to stakeholders in local communities. Agricultural Extension agents and agricultural educator, who provide mentorship and preparation of youth, are pivotal for the positive outcomes of youth livestock production programs. Digital professional development, as one intervention for both formal and nonformal educators, can be a more effective use of an educator’s time. This study examined the needs and competency levels of agents and teachers related to their capacity for training youth livestock exhibitors. Through an online course, participants completed a pre-posttest within an interactive module. The data revealed that agents and agricultural teachers were proficient in Texas, USA, youth livestock production programs. This study found that the majority of both groups scored over 90% on the curricula’s assessment. There was a significant difference; agricultural education teachers reported higher mean scores than Extension agents on the Effective Teaching assessment. Both groups reported agreement with the Time to Complete, Tool Navigation, and Effective Teaching assessments. The data indicated that participants should additionally receive training materials on ethics policy and livestock validation. Livestock production digital professional development for nonformal agents of change is essential for sustaining global food chains.

Suggested Citation

  • Robert Strong & Sarah Sprayberry & Kim Dooley & Jaehyun Ahn & Jennifer Richards & Jim Kinsella & Chin-Ling Lee & Nicole Ray & Sarah Cardey & Carmen Benson & Andrea Ettekal, 2023. "Sustaining Global Food Systems with Youth Digital Livestock Production Curricula Interventions and Adoption to Professionally Develop Agents of Change," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(18), pages 1-11, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:18:p:13896-:d:1242808
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/18/13896/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/18/13896/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Lee Cronbach, 1951. "Coefficient alpha and the internal structure of tests," Psychometrika, Springer;The Psychometric Society, vol. 16(3), pages 297-334, September.
    2. Paige Seitz & Robert Strong & Steve Hague & Theresa P. Murphrey, 2022. "Evaluating Agricultural Extension Agent’s Sustainable Cotton Land Production Competencies: Subject Matter Discrepancies Restricting Farmers’ Information Adoption," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(11), pages 1-17, November.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Robert Strong & Mitchell Baker & Kim Dooley & Nicole Ray, 2023. "The Often-Forgotten Innovation to Improve Sustainability: Assessing Food and Agricultural Sciences Curricula as Interventions in Uganda," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(21), pages 1-16, October.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Francisco Liébana-Cabanillas & Nidhi Singh & Zoran Kalinic & Elena Carvajal-Trujillo, 2021. "Examining the determinants of continuance intention to use and the moderating effect of the gender and age of users of NFC mobile payments: a multi-analytical approach," Information Technology and Management, Springer, vol. 22(2), pages 133-161, June.
    2. Yoon, Junghyun & Lee, Hee Yong & Dinwoodie, John, 2015. "Competitiveness of container terminal operating companies in South Korea and the industry–university–government network," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 1-14.
    3. Md. Mominur Rahman & Bilkis Akhter, 2021. "The impact of investment in human capital on bank performance: evidence from Bangladesh," Future Business Journal, Springer, vol. 7(1), pages 1-13, December.
    4. Usunier, Jean-Claude, 1998. "Oral pleasure and expatriate satisfaction: an empirical approach," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 7(1), pages 89-110, February.
    5. Abdul Kadar Muhammad Masum & Md Abul Kalam Azad & Loo-See Beh, 2015. "Determinants of Academics' Job Satisfaction: Empirical Evidence from Private Universities in Bangladesh," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(2), pages 1-15, February.
    6. Sharma, Vivek & Bhat, Dada Ab Rouf, 2020. "An empirical study exploring the relationship among human capital innovation, service innovation, competitive advantage and employee productivity in hospitality services," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 9(2), pages 1-14..
    7. Deepak, 2016. "Antecedent Value of Professional Commitment and Job Involvement in Determining Job Satisfaction," Management and Labour Studies, XLRI Jamshedpur, School of Business Management & Human Resources, vol. 41(2), pages 154-164, May.
    8. Abernethy, Margaret A. & Vagnoni, Emidia, 2004. "Power, organization design and managerial behaviour," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 29(3-4), pages 207-225.
    9. Marianela Denegri & María Baeza & Natalia Salinas-Oñate & Verónica Peñaloza & Horacio Miranda & Ligia Orellana, 2014. "Materialism in Pedagogy Students in Chile," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 117(2), pages 505-521, June.
    10. Terason Sid, 2021. "Predicting Sports Facility Revisit Intentions Based on Experience and Mediating Effects of Perceived Value," Polish Journal of Sport and Tourism, Sciendo, vol. 28(3), pages 35-41, September.
    11. Amy Roberts & Gregory S. Ching, 2021. "The Ebb and Flow of Study Abroad: A Comparative Analysis of PRC and International Students in Taiwan," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-18, May.
    12. Tomislav Letnik & Katja Hanžič & Giuseppe Luppino & Matej Mencinger, 2022. "Impact of Logistics Trends on Freight Transport Development in Urban Areas," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(24), pages 1-18, December.
    13. Zhihui Wang & Liangzhen Nie & Eila Jeronen & Lihua Xu & Meiai Chen, 2023. "Understanding the Environmentally Sustainable Behavior of Chinese University Students as Tourists: An Integrative Framework," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(4), pages 1-17, February.
    14. William Kelly & Phillips Cutright & David Hittle, 1976. "Comment on charles F. Hohm’s “social security and fertility: An international perspective”," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 13(4), pages 581-586, November.
    15. Ding, David Xin & Hu, Paul Jen-Hwa & Sheng, Olivia R. Liu, 2011. "e-SELFQUAL: A scale for measuring online self-service quality," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 64(5), pages 508-515, May.
    16. Amolo Elvis Juma Amolo, PhD & Charles Mallans Rambo, PhD & Charles Misiko Wafula, PhD, 2021. "Alternative Risk Transfer and Performance of Power Projects in Kenya," International Journal of Research and Scientific Innovation, International Journal of Research and Scientific Innovation (IJRSI), vol. 8(12), pages 28-35, December.
    17. Robert P. Garrett Jr. & Jeffrey G. Covin, 2015. "Internal Corporate Venture Operations Independence and Performance: A Knowledge–Based Perspective," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 39(4), pages 763-790, July.
    18. Joungmin Kim & Sun Joo Ryu, 2023. "Enhancing Sustainable Design Thinking Education Efficiency: A Comparative Study of Synchronous Online and Offline Classes," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(18), pages 1-18, September.
    19. Kang, Min Jung & Park, Heejun, 2011. "Impact of experience on government policy toward acceptance of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles in Korea," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(6), pages 3465-3475, June.
    20. Ahmad A. Alharbi & Hamad S. Al Amer & Abdulaziz A. Albalwi & Majed Y. Muthaffar & Yousef M. Alshehre & Hani F. Albalawi & Turky E. Alshaikhi, 2023. "Cross-Cultural Adaptation and Psychometric Properties of the Arabic Version of the Fall Risk Questionnaire," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(8), pages 1-13, April.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:18:p:13896-:d:1242808. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.