What Factors Influence Pre-service Agriculture Teachers’ Perceptions of their Academic Major?
Academic Level at Time of Presentation
Freshmen
Major
Agricultural Sciences/Edu
List all Project Mentors & Advisor(s)
Dr. K. Trent Wells
Presentation Format
Oral Presentation
Abstract/Description
Retention of pre-service agriculture teachers during their undergraduate degree program helps ensure there is a viable supply of new graduates to fill job vacancies created by career attrition and retirements. To better understand what factors influence the retention of these pre-service teachers during their undergraduate program, I gathered data from pre-service agriculture teachers at Murray State University (MSU) through semi-structured interviews. I used purposive sampling to select participants and collected data through interviews. I then transcribed them with Otter.AI and analyzed them using QDA Miner Lite. Preliminary results indicate that relationships between pre-service teachers, their peers, and MSU staff play an influential role in pre-service teachers’ sense of belonging. Program requirements are a stressor for these pre-service teachers, and students who move through the degree program at an accelerated pace may need additional support. Early field experiences may be the key to translating passion for their high school program to passion the education field and should be prioritized. ’s teacher preparation program should focus on the development of relationships within the programs and be mindful of the impact on students when making decisions regarding degree requirements. Continued research should explore relationship development, the impact of degree program requirements, and early field experiences.
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Honors College Senior Thesis Presentations
What Factors Influence Pre-service Agriculture Teachers’ Perceptions of their Academic Major?
Retention of pre-service agriculture teachers during their undergraduate degree program helps ensure there is a viable supply of new graduates to fill job vacancies created by career attrition and retirements. To better understand what factors influence the retention of these pre-service teachers during their undergraduate program, I gathered data from pre-service agriculture teachers at Murray State University (MSU) through semi-structured interviews. I used purposive sampling to select participants and collected data through interviews. I then transcribed them with Otter.AI and analyzed them using QDA Miner Lite. Preliminary results indicate that relationships between pre-service teachers, their peers, and MSU staff play an influential role in pre-service teachers’ sense of belonging. Program requirements are a stressor for these pre-service teachers, and students who move through the degree program at an accelerated pace may need additional support. Early field experiences may be the key to translating passion for their high school program to passion the education field and should be prioritized. ’s teacher preparation program should focus on the development of relationships within the programs and be mindful of the impact on students when making decisions regarding degree requirements. Continued research should explore relationship development, the impact of degree program requirements, and early field experiences.