North Carolina A&T Goes the Distance to Curb Shortage of Agricultural Education Teachers
By Ronald Roach
Search
News
North Carolina A&T Goes the Distance to Curb Shortage of Agricultural Education Teachers
by Black Issues , August 28, 2003
Categories:
GREENSBORO, N.C.
In an effort to boost the number of North Carolina's agricultural education teachers, North Carolina A&T State University has introduced an online degree program to allow community-college graduates to attain a bachelor's degree in agricultural education.
The program, known as the 2 + 2 Online Studies in Agricultural Education, gets fully under way this fall semester, and is targeted toward people who hold associate's degrees in a landscaping, turf grass or a horticultural field from 10 North Carolina community colleges. The curriculum includes a 15-week student-teaching requirement, as well as general education requirements in English, biology, math and other subjects that can be satisfied at any community college or four-year university.
"In North Carolina, we have a shortage of teachers in all curriculums. The shortage in agricultural education is especially severe," says Dr. Antoine Alston, coordinator of the agricultural education program at North Carolina A&T.
The community colleges are a "vast pool of students for us," Alston explains, noting that 18 community colleges in North Carolina have associate's degree programs in turf grass management, horticulture and landscape design. The 10 community colleges participating in the 2 + 2 program are in the counties of Brunswick, Caldwell, Catawba, Forsyth, Johnston, Lenoir, Mayland, Sampson, Sandhills and Surry.
The collaboration between historically Black North Carolina A&T and the state's community colleges has evolved from efforts A&T made in establishing articulation agreements with the 18 schools. The agreements allow associate's degree graduates in horticultural technology, turf grass management and landscaping to transfer into the four-year counterpart program at A&T, according to Alston.
1
|
2
Comments posted here may be reprinted in Diverse: Issues In Higher Education magazine, and may be edited for purposes of clarity and/or space.
Popular Topics
FEATURED jobs
|
Provost and Executive VP for Academic Affairs
The University of Toledo The University of Toledo, a Carnegie Foundation Research University seeks a dynamic leader with experience in organizational transformation. The candidate must possess an earned doctorate or terminal degree and have passion for teaching, learning and innovation. Prior government... Clinician Educator Stanford University Applications are invited from individuals who have completed clinical training in anesthesia, and who have additional experience appropriate for an academic career for positions as Clinical Instructor, Clinical Assistant Professor, Clinical Associate Professor, Clinical Professor ... Accounting Manager University of Baltimore Reporting to the Associate Comptroller, the Accounting Manager is responsible for the accurate and timely management of the processing of payroll. Serves as the business owner and subject matter expert for the various PeopleSoft modules and other technologies utilized... Faculty Development Specialist The University of Scranton Job Summary/Basic Function: Support innovative teaching informed by the scholarship of teaching and learning and best practices in curriculum design and delivery. Sustain a university-wide conversation on teaching and student learning outcomes. |