Open AccessAgricultural Safety Education: Formative Assessment of a Curriculum Integration Strategy
Author(s) -
Michael Pate,
Rebecca G. Lawver,
Scott W. Smalley,
Dustin K. Perry,
Lorann Stallones,
Alyx Shultz
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
journal of agricultural safety and health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.313
H-Index - 33
eISSN - 1943-7846
pISSN - 1074-7583
DOI - 10.13031/jash.13113
Subject(s) - test (biology) , curriculum , formative assessment , medical education , occupational safety and health , training (meteorology) , agricultural education , psychology , engineering , agriculture , medicine , mathematics education , pedagogy , geography , paleontology , archaeology , pathology , meteorology , biology
. The purpose of this study was to assess an agricultural tractor and machinery safety curriculum for teacher training that focused on hands-on integration activities to assist with training youth in machinery safety skills. Teachers attended a single ten-hour summer training seminar hosted in Montana, South Dakota, or Utah during 2017. Teachers completed the National Tractor and Machinery Safe Operation (NSTMOP) exam to measure their existing knowledge prior to beginning the training. Upon seminar completion, teachers took an NSTMOP post-test to measure their knowledge gain of agricultural safety practices and hazard recognition associated with machinery and tractors. A total of 116 teachers completed the training. Fifty-three participants (45.7%) identified as female, and 63 (54.3%) identified as male. The average participant was 35 years old (SD = 11.3) and had 9.5 years of teaching experience (SD = 9.2). The average NSTMOP pre-test score was 35.2 out of 48 (SD = 3.3), and the average NSTMOP post-test score was 40.3 out of 48 (SD = 4.1). Participants’ scores increased by ten percentage points. A paired-samples t-test was used to determine statistical significance. The difference between pre-test and post-test was significant (t(109) = 11.9, p < 0.001). Open responses indicated continuation of hands-on activities that focused on “how to teach” skills training that is relevant to the students. Teachers suggested developing new activities each year with a rotation of topics for upcoming seminars. Research is needed to determine the training’s influence on the behaviors of young workers in agriculture. Keywords: Education, Machinery, Safety, Tractors, Training.