Teachers’ Use of Agricultural Laboratories in Secondary Agricultural Education

Abstract

Trends in the agriculture industry require students to have the ability to solve problems associated with scientific content. Agricultural laboratories are considered a main component of secondary agricultural education, and are well suited to provide students with opportunities to develop problem–solving skills through experiential learning. This study serves to examine the current availability and use of agricultural laboratories in secondary agricultural education, as well as their relationship to teacher perceptions regarding student learning, preparation requirements, and barriers to their use. Findings indicate that while many facilities are available and frequently used during instruction, teacher perceptions of student learning, preparation requirements, and barriers vary by facility.