A Profile of Agricultural Education Teachers with Exemplary Rural Agricultural Entrepreneurship Education Programs

Rural entrepreneurship education programs may be a great tool for enhancing rural livelihoods and reducing rural outmigration. Entrepreneurship has received attention in school based agricultural education, primarily through implementation of Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) programs. Very little research has looked at the teaching of entrepreneurship. As a part of a larger research project, this study looked at characteristics of teachers who implement exemplary rural agricultural entrepreneurship education programs. Results revealed that teachers: (a) were experienced, (b) held advanced degrees, (c) had prior experience with entrepreneurship, (d) generally were considered outstanding teachers, and (e) were described as being open minded and enthusiastic. Recommendations are made based on these conclusions.