Comparing Content and Pedagogical Knowledge of Alternatively and Traditionally Certified Agricultural Educators

Agricultural Education faces continued challenges of filling open positions, and as a result, many states have expanded alternative certification pathways as a means of alleviating the problem. Typically, alternatively certified teachers are experts in their specific industry within agriculture but lack the pedagogical preparation that comes from a traditional post-secondary teacher preparation program. School districts must look at the classroom and professional needs of alternatively certified teachers compared to those of their traditionally certified colleagues for all educators to be successful in the classroom and to remain in the classroom for the long haul. This descriptive-relational study utilized teacher responses to a digital questionnaire distributed to school-based agricultural education (SBAE) teachers in 12 states. Traditionally certified teachers and alternatively certified teachers answered Likert-type questions related to their perceived Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) in designing and implementing lessons in an agricultural education classroom, as well as various classroom management strategies. The findings indicate that within the Knowledge of Content and Teaching construct of PCK, alternatively certified teachers may experience more difficulty in implementing various questioning strategies to help students understand complex agricultural concepts. Related to classroom management strategies, statistically significant differences were observed in “planning for each period” and in “teaching procedures and routines” when comparing alternatively and traditionally certified agricultural education teachers. Recommendations include that school districts create and implement targeted professional development opportunities for alternatively certified teachers on questioning techniques, effective lesson planning, and teaching procedures to minimize disruptions.