Motivation and active engagement remain relevant topics when studying FFA members and FFA advisors, especially since COVID-19.

This report includes results from 419 FFA members we surveyed in early 2024. It specifically highlights survey questions centered around motivation and active engagement.

Findings reveal that FFA members and agriculture teachers/FFA advisors seem to be out of sync when it comes to the perception of student motivation levels.

Agriculture educators should take members’ feedback found throughout this report and use it to help bridge the gap in perceived motivation and engagement levels between FFA members and agriculture teachers/FFA advisors.

Lasting impact? The perceived effect of COVID-19 on members’ motivation levels varies.

1 in 3 FFA advisors (N=2,002) identified lack of student motivation as their biggest challenge in a 2023 survey.¹

Over half of the FFA members surveyed in 2024 (59%, N=246) said that COVID-19 had no effect on their motivation to do well in school.

Be an active participant: FFA members report high levels of motivation and active engagement in their FFA chapters.

A series of validated scales were replicated or slightly modified into the questions represented below.²

• How excited are you about going to your FFA chapter activities/events? 95%, N=396
• In your FFA chapter, how eager are you to participate? 94%, N=394
• Overall how interested are you in your FFA chapter? 96%, N=401

89% of members agree or strongly agree that while participating in FFA, they were actively engaged.

Members’ motivation and engagement in agriculture class

On the survey, more than 400 members told us what keeps them motivated and engaged in their agriculture class(es). Additional strategies agriculture teachers and FFA advisors could employ to engage and motivate students are included below.

Learning to do.

Almost all responding members (97%, N=408) somewhat or strongly agreed that they feel more motivated in class and with schoolwork when they see a direct connection between what they are learning and the skills they would use in a job or career.

Doing to learn.

FFA member respondents were asked what, if anything, their agriculture teacher could do to help students feel more motivated to do their best at school. The most-chosen option was that teachers could offer more hands-on experiences (58%, N=237).

My agriculture teachers push me to be the best that I can be. I love when we get to go do hands on stuff out in the greenhouse. When we’re in the classroom, we are always busy with something.

Other strategies members chose include letting students do assignments on topics that interest them (chosen by 46% of members), showing students how they can use what they learn in future careers (44%), incorporating fun, humor, and games into class (40%), and offering different ways students can demonstrate they have learned something (31%).

Owls in the classroom: Members and advisors are in sync regarding perceptions of agriculture teachers’ and advisors’ motivation to do their best to instruct students.

Middle school (grades 5-8) agriculture teachers and FFA advisors, on a scale of one to 10 (with one being unmotivated and 10 motivated), reported an average motivation level of 8.1 out of 10.³

Most FFA members (90%, N=379) said that they think their agriculture teacher(s) are motivated to do their best to teach right now.

Questions? Email evaluation@ffa.org