Browsing by Subject "Agriculture"
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Item A comparison of first and fifth year Texas agriculture teachers on personal teaching efficacy, general teaching efficacy, and content efficacy(2007-12) McLaughlin, Erin K.; Burris, Scott; Fraze, Steven; Brashears, Michael T.The purpose of this study was to compare first and fifth year agriculture teachers’ on general teaching efficacy, personal teaching efficacy, and content efficacy. Teacher efficacy has been defined as a two dimensional construct composed of personal teaching and general teaching efficacy. Personal teaching efficacy involves a teachers’ evaluation of their own capability to bring about student learning. General teaching efficacy reflects the degree which a teacher believes other educators can control the learning environment despite influences such as family background, IQ and school conditions (Gibson & Dembo, 1984). Content efficacy is the level of confidence an agriculture teacher possesses in agribusiness and economics, plant and soil science, animal science, agricultural mechanics and technology, and natural resources and environmental science. The sample consisted of first and fifth year agriculture teachers in Texas during the 2006-07 school year. The sample frame of 129 first year teachers and 68 fifth year teachers yielded a 71% response rate. Personal teaching and general teaching efficacy were measured by the short form of the teacher efficacy scale (Hoy & Woolfolk, 1993). A researcher developed instrument was used to measure content efficacy. An independent t-test was conducted to compare the means between first and fifth year teacher efficacies.Item A meta analysis of research relating to interactive microcomputer video and its recommendation for implementation into the Texas vocational agricultural curriculum(Texas Tech University, 1986-12) Styles, Jefforey AnthonyThe purpose of this thesis was to develop an lAV model for vocational agriculture teachers to use in their classroom as an instructional tool. The particular approach taken in this thesis resulted from an extensive literature review on the history and basic components of lAV and will hopefully become a source of information from which further research may be obtained as the process of change transforms traditional teaching methods of vocational agriculture education to innovative technological methods of the future.Item A study of the agricultural literacy of city and government leaders in Lubbock, Texas(Texas Tech University, 1995-08) Ryan, Danna BrookeThe purpose of this study was to determine the level of agricultural hteracy among a selected group of city and govemment leaders in Lubbock, Texas.Item A study of the organization of a dairy cooperative marketing association, as related to vocational agriculture(Texas Tech University, 1950-08) Logan, James MarvinNot availableItem A study on member education and communications programs in rural electric cooperatives(Texas Tech University, 2000-08) Haigh, Michael M.American agriculture has changed dramatically during the 20th century. Many rural electric cooperatives (RECs), which have provided a community framework for farming families for more than seventy-five years, are finding it necessary to consolidate into larger entities. The loss of community that often results is only the beginning of changes experienced by REC members. One way to prevent the loss of closeness with members is by having effective communications and education programs in place. Member education and communications are becoming more important in changing times. The impact of successful education and communications programs is often overlooked when cutting budgets to lower costs. These programs will play key roles in keeping the cooperative spirit alive in the next century. The foundation of cooperatives lies in its membership and their understanding of the cooperative principles. This research profiles the cooperative form of business, the history of rural electric cooperatives, the movement of deregulation, the merger process and cooperative options, and the impact of member education and conmaunications programs can have on cooperatives' success. The limited research in this field was expanded by this study. There were 103 rural electric cooperatives surveyed for information. Ninety-four responded (90.9%) to give information about the changing industry, the impact communications and education plays in keeping member owners informed, and what forms of communications and education are used most often in the changing environment.Item Agricultural phosphorus in an integrated crop/livestock system in the Texas High Plains(Texas Tech University, 2003-12) Collins, Jennifer L.This study Is a component of a project designed to develop a productive and environmentally sustainable integrated crop/livestock system that will assure the viability of agricultural activities in the Texas High Plains. The integrated crop/forage livestock system consists of (1) a Conventional Irrigated Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) System and (2) an Alternative Integrated Crop/Forage/Livestock System with 1-paddock of Old World Bluestem (Bothiiochloa bladhii) and a 2-paddock rotation of rye {Secale cerea/e)/cotton/wheat (Tiiticum aestivum), and wheat/fallow/rye. Cattle sequence grazed the forages. The objective of this study was to evaluate changes in soil phosphorus (P) concentrations between the Conventional and Alternative Systems. Each system was replicated three times In a complete randomized block design. Soil samples were collected in 1997 and 2002 at multiple locations within each paddock by compositing three cores at each of the following depths: 0-15 cm, 15-30 cm, and 30-45 cm. Available P was determined using the Olsen bicarbonate extraction method.Item Agricultural romance : constructing and consuming rural life in modern America(2011-05) Hajdik, Anna Thompson; Davis, Janet M.; Hoelscher, Steven D.This dissertation illuminates the links between agriculture, popular culture, social class, and agrarian nostalgia. Using an interdisciplinary approach, I draw from the fields of American Studies, American History, Agricultural History, Environmental Studies, popular culture, and cultural geography. Consisting of four diverse case studies, my project focuses on America's evolving relationship with its agrarian roots from the late eighteenth century to the present. Each case study pays close attention to the ways in which the forces of modern consumerism have shaped public understanding of agricultural issues. The dissertation pivots on two main arguments: 1) the modern realities of industrialized agriculture have sparked a desire for highly romanticized visions of farming, particularly tourism to rural places that promise temporary pastoral transcendence to consumers, and 2) as a result of the public demand for idyllic constructions of American rural life, agrarian nostalgia has frequently been deployed in the service of commerce. From the writings of Thomas Jefferson and Laura Ingalls Wilder, to Currier and Ives painting, Martha Stewart's media empire, and state fairs of the American Midwest, I analyze a variety of highly romanticized cultural forms that enrich our understanding of the nation's agrarian heritage. Yet, I also make important links between the past and present, and demonstrate how and why debates about such issues as farm policy and the politics of food once again stand at the forefront of popular consciousness in the twenty-first century.Item Agricultural teacher educators' and pre-service agricultural science teachers' perceptions of competitive FFA activities(Texas Tech University, 2001-08) Hogg, Jonathan AndrewThere is an insufficient amount of research regarding the competitive FFA program based on the perceptions of agricultural teacher educators and pre-service agricultural science teachers. Perceptions have been shown to be of major importance to the success of any program as they build attitudes and beliefs. Different people may develop conflicting or different perceptions when exposed to the same stimuli (Elias & Merrian, 1995). The perceptions of those involved with FFA and agricultural education are important to the success of the program.Item An analysis of the cottonseed pricing structure in Texas(Texas Tech University, 1998-12) Bondurant, Jane AnnThe general objective of this study was to determine how variations in cottonseed supply factors, demand factors, and the five quality attributes reported under the current grading system (oil, ammonia, moisture, free fatty acids, and foreign matter) affect the price of whole cottonseed. A modified hedonic price model was estimated using the maximum likehhood procedure to accomplish this objective. It was found that cottonseed oil prices, cottonseed meal prices, moisture levels, free fatty acid levels, and foreign matter levels had statistically significant relationships with Texas cottonseed prices over the 1987-1996 marketing years. Results indicated that as cottonseed oil prices changed by 1 percent, cottonseed prices changed by about 0.3250 percent. Cottonseed prices changed by about 0.3972 percent in response to a 1 percent change in cottonseed meal prices. Further, it was estimated that as moisture, free fatty acid, and foreign matter levels increased by one unit, cottonseed prices decreased by approximately 23 cents per ton, 4.56 dollars per ton, and 91 cents per ton, respectively. Under the current formula pricing system, the marginal implicit prices or market values of moisture, free fatty acids, and foreign matter were calculated to be approximately -10 cents per ton, -40 cents per ton, and -10 cents per ton, respectively. Thus, according to the findings of this study, the current formula pricing system undervalues discounts for cottonseed moisture, free fatty acid, and foreign matter content. This raises concerns about potential problems with the formula pricmg system. There is a need for further research on this topic usmin non-aggregated data.Item An analysis of the level of trust texas cotton producers place in the texas newspaper media: a qualitative determination of the behavioral characteristics of trust(2007-08) Foster, Jerod W.; Akers, Cynthia W.; Burris, Scott; Fraze, StevenNewspapers have long played a role in providing information to a wide-range of audiences. Newspapers offer a well-known mode of communication for a variety of issues. However, newspapers are sometimes looked upon as biased, liberal members of the mass communication industry. This issue has been a focus for researchers in the realm of agricultural communications, as well as members of the general public. Many efforts have been made in recent years to study the quality and quantity of the Texas newspaper media’s coverage of cotton and cotton-related issues. Before the creation of CottonLink, desired characteristics of a media resource guide were asked of Texas newspaper reporters. However, the cotton producer has had little opportunity to voice his/her opinion on the issue. This study sought to identify producers’ perspectives on trust for the Texas newspaper media, as well as determine those characteristics in which Texas cotton producers look for in other entities in order for them to enact that behavior in them. The research conducted was prefaced by the theoretical framework of the Theory of Planned Behavior, and an adaptation of the grounded theory method of data analysis was utilized for determining the findings of the study. Data collected include interview transcripts, a usability questionnaire, and a researcher perspective journal. Key findings of this research study include the identification of the characteristics that determine trust among Texas cotton producers. Producers also identified their level of trust for the Texas newspaper media, while also stating the low utilization of the newspaper information regarding cotton and related issues. Finally, producers recognized their perspectives of other institutional specific information entities such as magazines, extension service publications, and other cotton-related publications. The findings for this study also resulted in implications that affect the Texas newspaper media and their relationship with the Texas cotton industry. Recommendations focus on both the Texas newspaper media and the Texas cotton producers, as well as future research in agricultural communications.Item An assessment of attitude and knowledge of secondary students participating in a summer recruitment program.(Texas Tech University, 2008-05) Pate, Dennis KyleThe Big City Big Country Road Show (BCBCRS) was a student recruitment program for the Baccalaureate degree-level addressing recruitment and retention of students for the agricultural workforce. This innovative program focused on students from non-traditional area and from underrepresented to be placed into future agricultural careers. The program developed a recruitment model for future use of recruiting students into agriculture. Non-traditional and underrepresented groups of students are reluctant to enter agriculture-based careers, and traditional agricultural students are depleting in quantity. There needs to be a program aimed at recruiting a new resource of students to accompany the career openings. This program sought to fill this need of qualified applicants to the agricultural workforce by recruiting students from an underrepresented area of non-traditional students. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of the recruitment program on knowledge, attitude, and behaviors of the minority students in urban high schools towards agriculture communications. This research found there was a gain in perceived knowledge of the participants of the BCBCRS. The participants slightly agreed a career in agriculture communications would interest them, and the participants also agreed the recruitment program created team working, decision making, and problem solving opportunities.Item An assessment of satisfaction of CASNR community college transfer students(2011-08) Peters, Kimberly G.; Akers, Cindy; Brashears, Michael T.; Irlbeck, Erica; Hopper, Norman W.By the year 2020, Texas Tech University has a goal to increase total enrollment to 40,000; in 2010, Texas Tech University reported total enrollment numbers of 31,637. One way to reach that goal is to increase enrollment and retention of community college transfer students. Research regarding community college transfer student involvement and satisfaction after transfer to a four-year university is limited. In order to assess the satisfaction and involvement patterns of community college transfer students, a descriptive/correlational study was performed on community college transfer students enrolled in classes at Texas Tech University. The accessible sample consisted of 60 community college transfer students who came to Red Raider Orientation for the fall of 2009. Data collection took place during the months of November and December of 2010 and employed the use of a researcher-developed, online survey instrument. The findings indicated that CASNR community college transfer students were minimally involved in clubs organizations and teams at both the community college and university levels, with the exception of those involved in competitive teams within the college. There were a relatively large percentage of respondents very involved in CASNR competitive teams. Students were mostly neutral or slightly satisfied when asked about satisfaction with different aspects of the university. College advising was the only variable to receive moderate satisfaction. There were low or negligible relationships between involvement on clubs, teams and organizations, with the exception of one moderate relationship between students who competed on a CASNR competitive team and their satisfaction with CASNR. Further research should be conducted and should include assessments of the involvement and satisfaction of native students as well as university transfer students, a qualitative longitudinal study of community college transfer students, and what factors increase community college transfer students’ satisfaction in CASNR at Texas Tech University. Findings should be generalized with caution to future students.Item Aspirations Realized? Exploring the Roles of High School Counselors when Discussing Colleges and Agricultural Career Paths with African American College Students(2013-11-25) Johnson, Anwar RashaadFortifying the pipeline of underrepresented African Americans in agriculture can offer a practical solution to the industry?s scanty amount of involvement by people of color. The chief purpose of this study was to explore and analyze secondary counselors and their roles when discussing colleges and occupational career paths with African Americans, specific to agriculture. Counselors play a central role in being a vital resource for African Americans seeking academic and career guidance. Given the vast amount of research available on the academic achievement disparities for African Americans, secondary counselors have a tremendous opportunity to alter these differences. Data collection was achieved through a series of face-to-face, semi- structured interviews. This qualitative study chronicled each participant?s life through rich, thick descriptions. Analysis of data occurred using the constant comparative method, and categorization was best accomplished by open coding which sectioned pertinent data into themes, constructs, and patterns. The results of the study yielded the following as it related to the reflections of these four high-achieving college African Americans in that they: a) were self-motivated and did not actively seek out the counselors for their advice; b) indicated the counselors were products of the school size rendering them helpless when giving in-depth counsel; c) mentioned, more often than not, counselors tended to align themselves with students of a certain social class, whether in athletics, or according to socioeconomic indicators, popularity, or academics; d) went to diverse high schools with large, multiethnic populations in relatively urbanized centers; and, e) revealed that because of the lack of counselor interaction, they would often accept advice from other individuals, regardless of experience.Item Benefits and career goals of Texas FFA members who were on winning livestock judging teams(Texas Tech University, 1997-08) Myers, Scott M.By allowing students to participate in the FFA Contests and on Judging Teams, educators are providing their students an opportunity to enhance their leadership abilities, as well as public speaking skills. Contests can be an important part of agricultural education in classroom instruction when it is included as part of the curriculum. The best way to evaluate contests and find how they affected the participants lives, is to survey the winners of the contests. This study sought to evaluate the winners of state livestock judging teams.Item Carbon sequestration and carbon management policy effects on production agriculture in the Texas High Plains(2012-08) Zivkovic, Sanja; Hudson, Darren; Knight, Thomas; Chenggang, Wang; Misra, Sukant K.Increased concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, especially of carbon dioxide, has led to attempts to implement carbon policies in order to limit and stabilize gases at acceptable levels. Agricultural activities can increase greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, but they can also mitigate the increasing atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide and help prevent climate change by sequestering additional carbon. Although agriculture is currently not the target of carbon management policies, it is often seen as a potential market for sequestration credits and the agricultural industry needs to have more information about the values of sequestration management in case it becomes one of the targets of these policies. This study evaluated carbon emissions and carbon sequestration and examined the impacts of payments for sequestration and taxes on carbon emissions on cropping choices, profitability, and water consumption in the Texas High Plains. The results showed that reduction of total carbon emissions to 15% of a baseline and imposing a tax would reduce the amount of water consumed for irrigation, by about 20% and 16%, respectively. However, carbon payment for sequestration did not affect reduction of carbon emissions, water consumption nor the product mix.Item Community-based agriculture and the implications for Central Texas(2012-05) Witter, Claire Elise; Dooling, Sarah; Almy, DeanDue to health and climate change concerns, there is growing interest in a shift away from large-scale agricultural production towards a more localized, organic methodology. These practices help to preserve local ecosystems and require less energy than conventional farming. With this trend, a new form of community development is emerging. Developments that incorporate agriculture are a form of conservation development and have been in existence in their latest form in the United States for the past ten years. Most of the examples are located in the northern, eastern and western United States, including Vermont, Virginia, Illinois, Utah and Georgia. Why has this type of development not yet appeared in Texas? The purpose of this research is to identify the motivations behind creating these developments and to describe how they function, to identify the challenges in the development review process and how they were negotiated, to present a set of issues and lessons learned from the case studies about what matters to the development of a successful case and determine how this applies to potential Texas development. Is this a more sustainable model for development, as opposed to the traditional method for greenfield development? The research is aimed ultimately at exploring this newer type of development, determining whether it is more sustainable than traditional greenfield development and to present a set of issues and lessons drawn from the cases about what matters to the development of a successful case.Item Competencies, Importance, and Motivations for Agricultural Producers' Use of Online Communications(2013-05) Shaw, Kelsey E; Meyers, Courtney; Doerfert, David; Irlbeck, EricaFarmer demographics are drastically changing and it is essential that farmers and ranchers are taking the story of agriculture directly to the consumer. Online communication tools may serve as a tool for this farmer to consumer communication. The purpose of this study was to determine agriculturists’ use of online communication tools. The target population for this study was members of organizations targeting beginning farmers and ranchers in Texas, Illinois, and Georgia. An online survey was administered electronically to members of seven organizations, and 185 completed questionnaires were analyzed for this study. It was determined that agriculturists of all levels of experience are not currently utilizing online communication tools to their full potential, for either business or personal reasons. Additionally, several specific training needs were identified regarding these tools. A wide variety of motivations and barriers were identified that might encourage or discourage agriculturists from attending future training sessions.Item Conservation engineering and agricultural terracing in Tlaxcala, Mexico(2014-05) LaFevor, Matthew Cole; Doolittle, William EmeryThis research examines the practice of hillslope terracing in the state of Tlaxcala, Mexico. It explores how one popular terrace form, zanja-bordo (ditch-and-border) terraces, is employed in two distinct, though sometimes related contexts: (1) producing crops (agriculture) and (2) protecting natural resources (conservation). It first traces the use of zanja-bordo terraces in traditional agriculture in the region, highlighting some of the major elements of their form and function, issues surrounding their antiquity, and their possible role in the landscape degradation so prevalent in the region today. Moving from this agricultural context, the dissertation next examines the role of zanja-bordo terraces in landscape restoration efforts in Tlaxcala. It demonstrates the key role that active and prolonged maintenance plays in long-term efforts to restore previously degraded farmland back to productive capacity. The dissertation then examines more broadly how government programs to promote zanja-bordo terracing in the region impact farmers, whose ancestors have been building zanja-bordo terraces for centuries. Findings from the collection, synthesis, analysis, and groundtruthing of written data on governmental terracing projects in the state reveal that while perhaps well intentioned, these programs did little to promote sustainable agricultural development or environmental conservation in the region. Finally, the dissertation moves above the 3,000-meter mark to examine the relatively recent phenomenon of high-elevation terracing in Mexico's national parks. Conceived as a means of erosion mitigation, water conservation, reforestation, and even fire suppression, government agencies now construct zanja-bordo terraces throughout the understory of many of Mexico's subalpine forests. A case study of the la Malinche (Malintzi or Matlalcueyatl) National Protected Area illustrates some of the difficulties in examining each of the claimed benefits of terracing in these environments. Whether for agriculture or restoration, as a techno-developmental strategy, or as a tool for soil and water conservation, zanja-bordo terraces are shown to be an adaptable and effective hillslope management technology. This dissertation demonstrates, however, that successful adaptation and implementation of zanja-bordo technologies into different contexts largely depends on the effective planning, monitoring, and maintenance of terrace structures and processes. Ultimately, the sustainability of zanja-bordo terracing relates more to issues of contextualization and human motivation than to questions of technological innovation.Item Consumer and Industry Professional Perceptions of the Farming Industry in Trinidad and Tobago(2013-04-26) Sandlin, M'Randa R.Agricultural producers and consumers are experiencing a communication disconnect as the population shifts from rural to urban societies. It is critical to assess producer and consumer perspectives to create a functional agricultural environment. The purpose of this study was to describe the consumer market and the farming industry environments in Trinidad and Tobago through consumers? perceptions of their produce, a comparison of student and consumer perceptions of their produce, and agricultural professionals? perceptions of the industry environment. Quantitative and qualitative research methods were used to complete this study. The study of consumers? perceptions of their produce provided a quantitative description of attitudes held about produce origin and growing methods and their effect on pricing. An instrument was developed to measure the three constructs. Data were collected in farmers markets. Descriptive statistics were used for reporting consumer perceptions and demographics. The results of this study suggest that consumers are supportive of local, organically grown produce for their health and environmental benefits. A second study described students? perceptions of their produce in comparison with consumers? perceptions. The Culture and Consumer Behavior Interaction Model of Luna and Gupta provided the framework to explore the effects of cultural values and market communications on consumer behavior. Data were collected from university students using a questionnaire. Descriptive statistics were used for reporting student perceptions and demographics; the data were compared with the consumer data from the first study. The results of this study suggest students and consumers have different cultural values and access to marketing communication and, therefore, behave differently when purchasing produce. The third study was a qualitative case study exploring agricultural industry professionals? perceptions of the industry environment. Rogers? theory of diffusion provided the framework to explore information access for producers in Trinidad and Tobago. Data were collected through interviews. Crop production methods, sources of information, and perceived needs to improve the industry emerged as themes. The results suggest the need for a standardized definition of organic growing methods, a centralized location of information and training materials, governmental support and public recognition of agriculture efforts, and career potential for youth interested in the farming industry.Item Cotton as portrayed by the Texas print media: a content analysis(Texas Tech University, 2003-08) Beesley, Angela J.Due to the fact that 24% of Americans get their news from newspapers (Thomas & Vistica, 1998), researchers should study media coverage of agricultural topics or sectors to evaluate bias in the media. As cotton is one of the primary agricultural products in Texas, this study sought to evaluate the coverage of cotton in the Texas print media.