adaptability

In late 2020, Purdue University collaborated with the National FFA Organization on a research study to discover the impact of agricultural education on senior FFA members’ openness, preparedness and adaptability regarding new and emerging technologies in Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (AFNR). Openness, preparedness and adaptability are all skills that are in high demand from universities and employers; in fact, they were chosen for this study based on National FFA staff interactions with employers in agricultural companies and technology discussions that took place at the FFA Blue Room. In total, 1,528 member responses were used in data analysis. Seniors Open to New and Emerging Technologies, May Require More Experience and Education to Use Them in a Classroom, Lab or Future Career Developing technology has always played an important role in agriculture. In 2021, the necessity of being adaptable to new technologies is critical for those entering the field of agriculture. This research study defined “adaptable” as being open and prepared. These qualities were measured using the Openness and Preparedness Scale.1 On the survey, 10 new and [...]

A member’s level of involvement in FFA can vary widely—from not being involved in any activities to competing at the National FFA Convention & Expo. What barriers exist that prevent FFA members from being fully involved in FFA? The National FFA Organization and Purdue University surveyed high-school FFA members from 60 schools to help answer this question. Survey participants came from 60 FFA chapters—31 classified as being in a rural area and 29 in an urban area.1 There were 590 usable responses from current FFA members.2 Most responses (about 90%) came from members of urban FFA chapters. While this research study3 was not the largest study of FFA members in terms of the number of respondents, it was the most racially and ethnically diverse pool to date. This report focuses on how FFA members report stretching and embracing tendencies in relation to comfort zones and levels of adaptability. Forthcoming reports will focus on other aspects of this research study. Rural members’ responses reveal they are more likely to be in their comfort zones than urban members. [...]