Agricultural power, structures, and technology entry-level skills: A comparison of industry experts and school-based agricultural education teachers' views in Oklahoma

Abstract

Do you recall anyone questioning the curriculum currently being taught in schools? This question comes up frequently among parents, teachers, and school administrators when reviewing current trends in education (Mkandawire et al., 2018). Curriculum is easily accessed due to the transparency of school districts and various media platforms (Mkandawire et al., 2018). With new innovations in the agricultural power, structures, and technology (APST) field, the need for curriculum review and review of technical skills being taught within school-based agricultural education (SBAE) programs should be addressed. When considering SBAE programs that offer agricultural power, structures, and technology (APST) courses, it may be difficult to identify curriculum featuring recent innovations used in industry (Saucier et al., 2018). As the need for a more well-equipped workforce comes to fruition, industry experts must work with local, state, and national departments of education to aid in the development of relevant industry-validated curriculum. This research highlights the comparison of APST technical skills sought by industry experts for potential primary employment and technical skills related to APST taught in SBAE agricultural mechanics and related courses in Oklahoma.