Time Flies When You're Having Fun!

Woah! Two weeks of the semester down, time surely does fly when you're having fun! In case the last fourteen days were a blur for you, let's catch up on our first four classes...

• AEE100: Ag Ed Family Style!
• Welcome to the table! Class one was designed to help you understand that Agriculture Education here at Penn State is a family. But, think about the time you spend around your table at home, its comfortable and the place where you feel like you, right? We spent time around the family table getting to know each other and hopefully by the end of class you felt comfortable with each other and your expectations for the class. 

• What's expected of me? The Syllabus & Assignment Handbook Review
• The nitty-gritty stuff happened on class two. We took sometime to explore each assignment in the assignment handbook and the plan of classes for the semester. Don't forget to check ANGEL, that's where the digital copies of both of those very important documents are and other resources from class.

• Deep Roots: Agriculture Education History
• This university, college and program are rooted in some rich history. In class three it was you to be the detectives and uncover some of the best and brightest moments in the history of agriculture education and created this sweet life-sized timeline. Don't forget to take a selfie with the frescos at Old Main!

• Broadening Horizons: Environmental Education
• And you thought agriculture education was just inside a classroom! Class four was a chance for you to get a glimpse of informal agriculture education; particularly environmental education at the great Shaver's Creek. Hopefully this class helped open your eyes to some more of the opportunities that a degree in agriculture education can provide for you. Don't forget to look into Outdoor School! Talk about some great field experience hours!

That was a whole lot for one blog, but keep checking in for special announcements and reminders!

Also, if you're looking for student choice points check out this awesome opportunity! Ms. Herr will share more about it class on Tuesday!

Have a fantastic & safe Labor Day weekend!

Session 6 Follow Up - Amazing Race - September 12th

Response to Ticket Outs

What are you curious about?

• 4H History and Background
• Watch Video Below (5:00mins)


• Link here for more Info: http://www.4-h.org/about/4-h-history/
• How did you get the Amazing Race Idea?
• I saw the show. Thought it would be a fun concept to allow students to take ownership and create "stops" on race.
• How to make education fun like the Amazing Race?
• Just have fun :)
• The Great Insect Fair
• Great Fun and opportunity for Student Choice Points (75). See link: http://ento.psu.edu/public/kids/great-insect-fair
• International Ag Minor
• Highly recommend it! We will have a guest speaker later in the semester to learn about Global Ag Ed. Here is the direct link: http://agsci.psu.edu/international/undergraduates/intag-minor

What did you learn?

1. It is a blurr!
2. What the PA State Seal looks like!
3. Fun ways to study agricultural education
4. Land Grant Universities
5. The Amazing Race is Awesome
6. The original 4H Emblem had 3 clovers
7. A lot of dates, people, and also different games to play in my future class
8. The 4H Pledge
9. How to react under pressure! 
10. Some questions are really hard for a quick game!
11. The Ag Ed Timeline
12. Teamwork
13. Henry Groseclose was the Father of the FFA

What do you want to learn more about?

• 4H
• http://www.4-h.org/
• More about people and dates
• http://www.agclassroom.org/gan/timeline/ag_edu.htm
• The Grange Association
• http://www.nationalgrange.org/
• More Fun Games
• You get to make one! See later class session!
• Team Building Activities
• http://www.huddle.com/blog/team-building-activities/
• FFA
• https://www.ffa.org/Pages/default.aspx
• Strategies for Teaching
• See AEE 412
• What is the difference between FFA and 4H?
• FFA is grounded in formal school-based agricultural education and is lead by certified teachers. 4H is non-formal, conducted by extension and volunteers. Both share similar values.

AEE 100 - Session 4 Ticket Out, Sept 5th

What are your curious about?
How to be creative with the Amazing Race.

What is the Amazing Race?

• Watch full episodes at http://www.cbs.com/shows/amazing_race/ 

The other 8 slides... what were they?

• So... I totally made that part of class up. It is called a role-play. There were really no other slides. It was to get you thinking about how you may NOT want to learn about history!

I am curious to learn about Seaman Knapp... my topic for the Amazing Race questions!

• So, if you are reading this, you just got a hint for one of the stations!

Do we complete our own station in the Amazing Race?

• No

How will the race go?

• Stay tuned... I think we are all looking forward to it!

What did you learn?

A great way to make groups.

I learned about the Amazing Race!

I learned a lot about frescoes.

That you don't like slides :-)

More about AEE history.

More about my classmates.

That we are doing a cool project!

Ways to make learning history fun!

Working together can be tough.

John Dewey and pragmatism.

How to think creatively.

What do you want to learn more about?

Other games that we will be completing!

I want to learn about all of the areas that we were not assigned.

• Remember, you need to study all areas so that you are ready to compete (AND WIN) next Thursday! Get ready for some really cool prizes!

How are others going to run their games.

Occupations/Opportunities.

• I think you will continue to learn more about these throughout the semester. Remember to check out the College of Agricultural Sciences Career Fair at the Bryce Jordan Center on October 22nd from 9am - 4pm. For more information check out http://agsci.psu.edu/students/opportunities/ag-career-day 

More about my topic area.

FFA

• You will get to learn about the history in this class, but you will learn lots of information about FFA and FFA advising in AEE 311

Career and Technical Education

• There are some really good resources out there on Career and Technical Education, and for a first look (from a very general perspective), I think you should check out https://www.acteonline.org/ and http://cte.ed.gov/perkinsimplementation/ncicte.cfm

How did you come up with the Amazing Race idea?

• It was all Dr. Foster. He is "amazing" at coming up with these ideas :-) In addition, it always helps to consider past game shows, etc. that you can use in your classes, as well as popular TV shows that your students may connect with, such as Survivor, The Amazing Race, Deal or No Deal, American Idol, Big Brother, etc.

AEE 100 Session 3 Follow up - How did all begin [Continued]!

Learning Objectives Addressed:
1. Identify 49-2 Instructional Coaches (See http://psuaee100.blogspot.com/2013/08/49-2-mandate-moodle-modules.html for more info)

2. Review SBAE Historical Development

3. Field Trip to Old Main

To address the Ticket Outs from Session 3:

What are we curious about?

• Are there any acts currently in Congress that would further shape School-Based Agricultural Education?
• Great Question! Hopefully, we can dig into that with our November 21st Session in AEE 100 on "What is the Future of Agricultural Education?"
• If you high school did not have FFA, could you still be involved?
• No, only students enrolled in school-based agricultural education can be FFA members. For more information: https://www.ffa.org/about/LocalFFA/Pages/BecomeAMember.aspx
• Old Main
• Here is a neat article: http://www.imakenews.com/psaanews/e_article001947331.cfm?x=b11,0,w
• The Amazing Race!
• It will be amazing...
• How many actual land grants are in each state specifically?
• Here is a map:  http://www.csrees.usda.gov/qlinks/partners/partners_map.pdf

• How much history will we focus on this semester?
• We have two more class sessions!
• Will the MidTerm include all of the info we read in our book?
• Maybe, Possibly, Likely
• AEE 100 & 311 Blogspot
• What are you curious about? Email Dr. Foster specific questions or stop him after class.
• More about the history of Ag Ed!
• We have two more class sessions!
• What is the difference between "non-profit" and "not-for-profit”?
• The term "not-for-profit organization" (NFPO) is used as a broad-based term that encompasses all organizations that are known variously as charities, non-profits, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), private voluntary organizations (PVOs), civil society organizations (CSOs), etc. "Not-for-profit" is used in preference to "non-profit" in order to emphasize that a defining criterion is the intention of the organization not to make profits for private gain. It is possible that such an organization will in fact make a profit from time to time, but that is not the principal purpose for which it is organized and operated. Nor is its purpose to distribute any portion of any profit for private gain. The major distinguishing characteristic between not-for-profit and for-profit organizations is that the former are governed by the principle of non-distribution.
• Is there a way to team special education with agricultural education?
• Yes! There are many specialized programs like this across the nation

What did you learn?

• Abe Lincoln singed the Morrill of 1862
• There are specific people to help with the 49-2 Assignments!
• How to get into moodle for the first time.
• Perkin's Act = School Funding
• Land Grant Act of 1890 established lang grants for historically black colleges and universities
• Land Grant Act of 1994 established land grants for Native American populations
• Old Main has a Frescoes!
• One of the first urban ag schools was in Philly

What do you want to learn more about?

• Old Main and the History of the Building!
• Check this out: http://alumni.libraries.psu.edu/oldmain.html
• What is in the 49-2 modules? 
• Check this out: http://psuaee100.blogspot.com/2013/08/49-2-mandate-moodle-modules.html
• I would like to learn more about Shaver's Creek!
• It is awesome. Here is a link: http://shaverscreek.org/
• George Vahoviak and Ellen Will are our guest speakers on Tuesday, Sept 10th! Don't miss that session!
• ESL Standards and Procedures
• Deb Herman is your go to source for that! Look at the syllabus for instructional team contact info!
• Do you only take WFED for one class or should you take two?
• One class (WFED 413) is mandated.

AEE 100 - Session 2 ticket out responses

What are we curious about?

• Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico?
• I believe that they received funding, due to the fact that they are connected to the United States as territories.
  
• Famous people that went through our ag. programs?
• Well, if you are talking PSU ag. ed., specifically... don't forget that Dr. Ewing graduated from PSU Ag. Ed :-) Otherwise, there is a website at https://www.ffa.org/documents/about_prominentmembers.pdf that highlights some former FFA members that are well known.
• History of Penn State as a Land-grant.
• You will get a bit more of this in your field trip to Old Main, but if you want to check out the history now, take a look at http://www.psu.edu/this-is-penn-state/our-history and this brief video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Vh5Bim3Enw 
• The history of 4-H and FFA/More history in general.
• Stay tuned... this is in the near future... 3 of the next 4 class sessions!
• The instructional moodle team.
• They will be here on Tuesday. Should be great!
• The development of teaching techniques/interesting teaching methods.
• There is a class session in early October that talks about planning for instruction, but the teaching methods course (AEE 412) covers much of this material  :-)
• The debate between MSU and PSU?
• Well, this site has some interesting information about land-grants in general, but I believe the real debate is the fact that MSU was established first as a land-grant, but PSU was a college first (I believe MSU was 1855, too). However, PSU did not become a land-grant until later.
• How to find internships.
• You may want to contact Dr. Richard Rateau in Ag. Admin. Building. He is the coordinator of experiential learning and career services for the college. His email is rjr20@psu.edu

• Shaver's Creek? When/where/What is it? How do I become a counselor?
• These questions and many more will be answered on Tuesday the 10th of September!!! 
• Why Penn State is turning away from ag?
• I would need a little more information to fully answer this question, but I believe that while there have been some struggles in the past few years with budgets, etc. we have continued as a college to thrive. Our number of students in the college continue to grow, as do our offerings for experiential learning and international opportunities.
• Why PSU branched out so far when they just first started as an agricultural school?
• When PSU became a land-grant they had the expectation to prepare all student with a quality education, which included agriculture, military, and liberal arts. With the funding that was received that was the expectation, so I don't believe that we would still be a land-grant, if we had only stayed with solely agriculture.
• The NAAE website to see what it offers.
• Check it out. I think it will be worth the time and effort.
• The Great Depression and the role that land-grants played in keeping people fed.
• I searched this and I couldn't find much on it. However, I would have to believe that the advancements in technology/increased yields that were developed even in those days played a major role in feeding the people through that time.
• The Great Depression and the role that land-grants played in keeping people fed.
• I searched this and I couldn't find much on it. However, I would have to believe that the advancements in technology/increased yields that were developed even in those days played a major role in feeding the people through that time
• More facts on the FFA.
• You will get some facts on FFA, through the history portion of the class, but AEE 311 will get you ready for being an FFA Advisor!

 What did you learn?

• Learning history can be engaging.
• About the MSU versus PSU debate
• A creative teaching technique for lessons
• PSU being one of the 1st land grants
• Better ways to get student choice points
• History of the Morrill Acts
• History of Agricultural Education
• 1620 - Squanto
• This class is not going to be as overwhelming as I thought. I can use many of the assignments more than once!
• History of Ag. Ed. in a fun way!
• Smith-Hughes Act of 1917 (think football... it makes me laugh every time)!
• That the NAAE website can help with assignments.
• Hatch Act was signed in 1887
• Livestock judging in 1926

• What do you want to learn more about?
• Are there land-grants across the world.
• Check out the map at http://www.csrees.usda.gov/qlinks/partners/partners_map.pdf
• How to teach ag.
• We will do some of this in AEE 100, but most of your methods training occurs in AEE 412
• More history.
• Good, because we have three more days of it :-)
• How to prepare more for the PRAXIS exams.
• Teach Ag! Society is sponsoring an evening session about this, so you can learn all about which exams to sign up for, how to sign up for them, and how to prepare to take the tests.
• More about the teaching assignment that we have to do.
• Bring this up with Dr. Ewing and/or Dr. Foster during your interview. Be sure to bring your assignment book with you, so we can clarify specific questions!
• Clubs and activities talked about today in class (Shaver's Creek, CFFA, etc.)
• Check out the CAS involvement fair between 11am and 2pm on Wednesday the 4th of September on the lawn next to the Creamery. We will have presenters in class regarding Shaver's Creek later in the next two weeks.
• 1700's agriculture schools
• You will get more of this in the coming history lessons, as you prepare for the AMAZING RACE through AG ED history!!!
• Shaver's Creek and how they are connected to AG?
• I Well, if I had all night, I would go into this, but I will give the short answer. We have a great relationship with the people at Shaver's Creek and they have great opportunities to offer to our students in environmental education. We want to provide our students with every opportunity to learn about the environment (soils, wildlife, forests, plant science, etc.) so that they can understand the connections to agricultural production, and the impact on our communities. O.K, so maybe that wasn't short, but it is the last answer for this Blog :-)