Research and Outreach Projects

California State University, Fresno is integrating and disseminating new agriscience curriculum and professional development experiences to assist 9th-12th grade in-service teachers, pre-service post-baccalaureate teachers, and high school administrators and counselors in training the future workforce of the food and agricultural sciences industries in the project titled: Next Generation Agricultural Science: Elevating Today’s and Tomorrow’s Teachers. In three years, three agriscience laboratory manuals emphasizing Next Generation Science Standards will be developed and integrated into existing teacher professional development to secure long-term adoption in agriscience pathways. Experiential learning experiences, teacher externships, and administrator/counselor nights, will connect educational professionals to agriscience industry and government leaders. Under the direction of Dr. Rosco Vaughn and Mr. Cameron Standridge, and with the collaboration of California Department of Education, California Agricultural Teachers Association, North Coast Agricultural Partners, and Central Region Agricultural Education Career Pathways Consortium, the project will directly affect 211, 781, 963 participants in each respective year and 43,350 high school students indirectly. By creating immersive learning environments with the low facilitator participant ratios, teacher workshops, teacher externships, and administrator/counselor nights throughout California, educators will be trained in implementing integrated science and agricultural instructional resources, skills, and guidance. Fresno State will expertly and enthusiastically advance the quality of agriscience pedagogy through supporting agricultural educators in their quest to prepare high school students to be college/career-ready.