COLLABORATE, COMMUNICATE, CELEBRATE!

Living 2 Serve as an Interdisciplinary Agriculture Teaching Methodology

Robin Peiter Horstmeier, Ph.D.Owner and CEO, Horstmeier Consulting

Associate Professor, University of Missouri-Columbia

National FFA Organization

FFA Mission Statement

The National FFA Organization is dedicated to making a positive difference in the lives of young people by developing their potential for – premier leadership,

– personal growth and

– career success through agricultural education. 

FFA Motto

Learning to Do, Doing to Learn,Earning to Live,

Living to Serve.

National Examination of FFA Members’ Leadership Experiences Funding provided by the National FFA Organization

and the United States Department of Agriculture– 2003 through 2010

Development of a New Theoretical Framework Created a New Research Instrument National Quantitative studies

– Conducted in 2004, 2005 and 2007, and 2010– All members involved in study

National Qualitative studies – Conducted in 2005, 2007, 2008, and 2009– Chapter Leader Interviews at National FFA Convention

Youth Leadership Organizations

When adolescents feel competent, connected, have a sense of control and a sense of identify they are more likely to exhibit positive developmental behaviors– (Understanding Youth Development: Promoting Positive

Pathways of Growth, 1997).

Youth Leadership Organizations

Purpose:

– seek to provide events and experiences which help adolescents become contributing adults and leaders.

LifeKnowledge Curriculum

Leadership Curriculum – Developed by National FFA – Funded by USDA and John Deere

Stages of Personal Development

Living 2 Serve

Service Learning and Civic Engagement– Specific Focus of National FFA

Civic Engagement is Defined as:– “Commitment of individuals to collectively

identify an issue within their community, create and execute solutions to address the issue and ultimately, create and sustain interest in their community” (National FFA Organization, 1996).

Civic Engagement Theoretical/Conceptual Framework

Role/Context Leadership Interactions of Youth Development (Peiter, Rennekamp, & Nall, 2005).

– Role of Youth in Society (Lofquist, 1989) – Context of Leadership Activity (Ayers,

1987)

Community

Groups

Interpersonal

Self

Objects Recipients Resources Partners

Role/Context of Youth Leadership Interactions (Peiter, Rennekamp, & Nall, 2005)

Role of Youth Adults hold a “spectrum of attitudes” regarding

the role of young people in society (Lofquist,1989).– Objects– Recipients– Resources

In 2001, The Innovation Center for Community and Youth Development added “partners”.– Partners

View adults take---tends to shape the nature of the leadership programs they design.

Context of Leadership Activities

Ayres (1987) identified four key developmental phases youth engaged in leadership should progress.– Self– Interpersonal– Groups– Community

Examining Service Learning through FFA Chapter Leadership Activities

2009 Case Study Findings

Purpose of this Case Study

To examine the outcomes of a project from the Living 2 Serve Initiative. – Specifically, to bring light to thoughts,

feelings and perceptions of FFA members who developed and participated in the project.

Research Questions for Case Study

How would you describe your chapter’s civic engagement project?

How did the origin of the project develop? What was the planning process for the

project? Has this project benefited Your Members?

Your FFA Chapter? Your Community?

Methodology Qualitative Research Design Research subjects chosen purposefully

to maximize the potential of finding issues that occur in the context (Erlandson, Harris, Skipper & Allen, 1993).

Study focused on member role and context of leadership experiences within service learning leadership activities.

Population

FFA Chapters participating in Service Learning activities.–Specifically FFA chapters

receiving a Living 2 Serve Grant funding by the National FFA Organization in 2009-2010.

Procedures All FFA chapters recieving in Living 2

Serve grant funding were contacted. Criteria for this case study included

chapter participation in civic engagement activity and member availability.

This chapter was selected for case study based on project focused on community recycling needs.

Interviews

Role of members and the context of FFA member’s leadership activities were investigated through case study interview questions.– Each had a series of follow up questions to

encourage dialogue and identify role of youth and expand on leadership context.

Interviews

Accuracy assured through tape recordings and notes. Peer reviewers and member checks were implemented.

Researcher experience in youth leadership development and agricultural education domains help to conceptualize the study.

How would you Describe your Living 2 Serve Project…..

– “A recycling program in our school where we take turns picking up recycled paper and bottles. We started last year about half way through the year in January and we are continuing it this year, and it’s doing great. We had no recycling program before at all.” (Sarah)

– “At first we just did only paper and not many recycled. And now we have many who recycle are overflowing of paper and adding plastics too. It’s getting better!” (Beth)

Where did the Idea of the Project Originate?

– “From my WLC Living 2 Serve project when I went to Washington DC in the Summer of 2008. It sparked my interest. I saw a need at our school and we moved on it.” (Beth)

– “We were coming home from WLC and on the plane I told my teacher we needed to do this. I was really excited about the whole recycling program and afterward we talked to the whole group and we were excited about making our school better. So we started collecting boxes and filling boxes.” (Sarah)

What was the Planning Process for the Project?

Once the idea was formed, a COMMUNITY NEEDS ANALYSIS was conducted by the officer team with the assistance of the advisor.

It was advisor led, but various classes assisted with the planning and execution of the project.

Environmental sciences class had specific responsibility for the academic portion of the class, thus tying it to Service Learning.

Cooperation Not a job! Friendships Made…..

– “ We have special needs students recycling plastic bottles. This makes a big impact. We have some of the most awesome kids. It is so great. It helps us great to know them and get to be friends, which is great because there really aren’t a lot of opportunities to get to know them. A real sense of cooperation and friendship has developed because of this project.” (Beth)

– “A lot of time with our meetings or class we are forced to stay focused on a time schedule, however this recycling program gives us all the time in the world to enjoy each other’s company – not make it a job, but make it something fun!” (Luke)

– “This L2S project has moved us from acquaintances to friends” (Sarah)

Student Learning Outcomes Career Development

– “I think by doing this we’ve gained so many managing skills we will use when older. All of us have gained these skills not to just oversee, but to work. We will be very prepared job wise when we get older.” (Luke)

Self Gratification– “I would have never thought it would have taken us this far.

It is very gratifying looking at this and seeing how well its done how much everyone has gotten out of this and it keeps on going and that it will.” (Emily)

Community Benefit

Green Movement “It has helped our community go green”. (Beth)

Resistance from City Administration– “It will benefit our community when our community

takes responsibility for their actions. It is on the news about the politics. We haven’t been good to our earth. The world could be such a better place. For you to just do it for your house it just isn’t that hard. We want to make it easy so people will do it.” (Luke)

Student Level of Engagement “At any given point the members will have a

leadership role and we will not say no. It is ok for them to be a leader. Every student gets a chance to make a decision.” (Beth)

“They are leaders. Everyone is in their groups and they lead their groups in their team and get things done.” (Luke).

“It is more by leading by example to the rest of the school. We are more significant. We are not the nerdy team, but we are stars. This year I haven’t heard anything bad about FFA.” (Emily)

Student Benefits Students work together – Break Down Barriers

– “A girl and a few of her friends wanted to stay and help and were upset because we didn’t have enough work to do. This is coming from students who did not actually talk to each other before…different clicks”. (Beth)

Students find a HOME and are INVOLVED– “Living 2 Serve gives students a greater purpose in school.

Especially when they feel they don’t fit in. That is what is great about FFA. It gives them a home. Some kids in our homeroom didn’t know about FFA, but now they are involved”. (Luke)

Community Benefit

Green Movement “It has helped our community go green”. (Beth)

Resistance from City Administration– “It will benefit our community when our community

takes responsibility for their actions. It is on the news about the politics. We haven’t been good to our earth. The world could be such a better place. For you to just do it for your house it just isn’t that hard. We want to make it easy so people will do it.” (Luke)

Community

Groups

Interpersonal

Self

Objects Recipients Resources Partners

Role/Context of Youth Leadership Interactions (Peiter, Rennekamp, & Nall, 2005)

Community

Groups

Interpersonal

Self

Objects Recipients Resources Partners

Role/Context of Youth Leadership Interactions (Peiter, Rennekamp, & Nall, 2005)

Community SERVICE LEARNING

PROJECT

Groups

Interpersonal

Self

Objects Recipients Resources Partners

Role/Context of Leadership

Conclusions/Implications Student Ownership of programs through

Service Learning Teaching Methods are critical to higher learning and leadership development success.– Youth get excited about helping their Community.– Motivation is greater when Youth have a stake in

what’s being decided.

– Greater learning results.

Conclusions/Implications

To make the most effective use of partnerships, youth must share leadership and decision making skills with adults (Loftquist, 1989).– From planning to the implementation,

Youth contained ownership.• Moves from Self Development to Community

Leadership Development through Partnership

Conclusions/Implications Projects incorporating Service Learning

Methodology such as Living 2 Serve, should not only been looked upon as opportunities for personal development, but for their contribution to the community.

– Local leadership from adults and youth is needed, particularly in Rural Communities.

• A new generation of leaders is needed to build local partnerships for managing change in today’s diverse communities (Tabb & Montesi, 2000).

Conclusions/Implications

For Service Learning Methodology to be successful, participants should be seen as partners with the community.– FFA members expressed a strong partnership with

the school such as administration and teachers. – FFA members expressed frustration with the level

of partnership with the local government community.

– Consistent with the Leadership Role/Context Interactions theoretical framework as established by Peiter, Rennekamp and Nall (2005).

Conclusions/Implications

Through incorporating Service Learning Teaching Methodology, the link between leadership skill acquisition and applying the leadership skills is created.

When members use the leadership skills they acquired become civically engaged, they increase the desire to improve their local community.

COLLABORATE, COMMUNICATE, CELEBRATE!

Living 2 Serve as an Interdisciplinary Agriculture Teaching Methodology

Robin Peiter Horstmeier, Ph.D.Owner and CEO, Horstmeier Consulting

Associate Professor, University of Missouri-Columbia