A national study assessing the influence of perceived challenges faced by school-based agricultural education teachers on their ability to do their job

Abstract

Attrition is a documented cause for ongoing SBAE teacher shortages and is often linked with the number of challenges faced by teachers and their ability to overcome them. Teacher experiences with challenges and barriers has the potential to impact occupational self-efficacy, or their perceived ability to do their job. Lower occupational self-efficacy has been tied to higher levels of attrition. The purpose of this study was to assess how challenges faced by SBAE teachers across the United States influence their perceived ability to do their job. A descriptive national survey was employed to accomplish the purpose of this study. Challenges most negatively impacting SBAE teachers’ perceived ability to do their job included miscellaneous activities beyond teaching, FFA, and SAE as well as personal activities outside of school. We also found female SBAE teachers perceived challenges to more negatively influence their ability to do their job than their male colleagues. Recommendations for practice included providing additional training in managing miscellaneous activities in SBAE programs and determining root causes of SBAE teacher challenges so they may be eliminated when possible. Further research should be conducted in developing a SBAE teacher occupational self-efficacy instrument and in finding ways to remedy the differences in perceived influence of challenges faced by male and female SBAE teachers on their ability to do their job.